G MAN's Tip of the Week!

[gman086]

So all season I'm thinking my injectors are going bad. 2011 but I do have the yellow injectors (supposedly the good ones and good map) and my sled keeps loading up at low to mid throttle. New plugs (now on Iridiums), take out slack in throttle cable, dry out and dielectric grease the TPS, etc., etc., still more of the same. The throttle cable and more clutch weight did take care of a top end bog when hammering the throttle on alpine lakes but I was still loading up at the lower throttle positions and ready to bring her in to the dealer. Someone here mentioned running some injector cleaner really woke their sled back up. What they hey, I add a quart of toluene (one of the highest KB values of any solvent = it WILL dissolve any gum/varnish!) and viola - after 25 miles today the sled runs like new again with plenty of low end snap!

Moral of the story - IF you run standard gas (non oxygenated (no ethanol)), then the injectors WILL clog open and you'll get a doggy sled at the lower rpm's after storing all summer (even with fuel stabilizer). SO... run some toluene thru her on the first tank. Toluene is STRONG stuff and will melt plastic so I recommend mixing in some oil as a conditioner at the same time (what I did). It is also a key component of race gas so don't worry about it as long as you don't overdo it. Just pick up a quart at the hardware store and add away! If you're running ethanol mixed gas, not needed as the alcohol keeps your fuel system spotless (but burns with a lower btu so your sled will be slower). And that's the REST of the story!

Have FUN!

G MAN

 

[HighmarkerX]

I'm a little confused about your saying that alcohol will keep you system spotless. The alcohol in todays fuel (ethanol) will separate and gel up your system rather quickly plus their is a significant amount of water in it. In 2 months the alcohol will have completely separated. So if you are not running your sled everyday like your car you will have bad fuel. Even leaving your sled in the garage for two weeks and then go riding will have beginning stages of seperated alcohol in the fuel. The non ethanol fuel which you have been running is better. I don't take the time to get non ethanol fuel everytime I ride but I do get my injectors cleaned on a regular basis due to crappy fuel.

I am not disagreeing about the additive you used as that sounded like it cleaned you system up. Even adding a little oil to the tank will help lubricate the fuel system. Same theory as people putting ATF in the fuel tanks on cars/trucks. I had a friend say he got 1mpg better mileage by adding some ATF to his cummins. Or using some Marble mystery Oil.

Anyhow, I highly recommend any one who is having a bog to get injectors cleaned. It cost about $40 and you get a full report before and after cleaning. Plus changing fuel filter probably every 500-1000 miles. I change my trucks fuel filter every 3-4 oil changes. BTW, the Polaris fuel filter is expensive does anyone know of an aftermarket setup that fits the pro?

 

[gman086]

I'm a little confused about your saying that alcohol will keep you system spotless. The alcohol in todays fuel (ethanol) will separate and gel up your system rather quickly plus their is a significant amount of water in it. In 2 months the alcohol will have completely separated. So if you are not running your sled everyday like your car you will have bad fuel. Even leaving your sled in the garage for two weeks and then go riding will have beginning stages of seperated alcohol in the fuel. The non ethanol fuel which you have been running is better. I don't take the time to get non ethanol fuel everytime I ride but I do get my injectors cleaned on a regular basis due to crappy fuel.

I am not disagreeing about the additive you used as that sounded like it cleaned you system up. Even adding a little oil to the tank will help lubricate the fuel system. Same theory as people putting ATF in the fuel tanks on cars/trucks. I had a friend say he got 1mpg better mileage by adding some ATF to his cummins. Or using some Marble mystery Oil.

Anyhow, I highly recommend any one who is having a bog to get injectors cleaned. It cost about $40 and you get a full report before and after cleaning. Plus changing fuel filter probably every 500-1000 miles. I change my trucks fuel filter every 3-4 oil changes. BTW, the Polaris fuel filter is expensive does anyone know of an aftermarket setup that fits the pro?

The issue with alcohol is mainly phase separation/water layer formation as you correctly point out. I should have qualified my statement that IF you use an enzyme stabilizer, like Startron, the injectors will remain relatively clean with alcohol blended gas. Standard gas tends to cause varnish issues that you just don't see with oxygenated gas. It is that varnish that causes the injectors to stick and the sled to load up at lower RPM's. Fuel stabilizer will not prevent that varnish from forming so it becomes imperative that you either go thru Mountainhorse's 20 steps for sled storage... or do the easy clean G MAN method with your first tank of gas for the new season.

Have FUN!

G MAN

PS - I do like that Miracle Mystery Oil and added that at season's start hoping it would help clean out the injectors (it is naphtha oil so it does have solvency power). It did not and I wish I'd have used the toluene trick sooner.

 

[Matte Murder]

Toluene is nasty, nasty stuff. Cancer causer #1. Be careful with that stuff. I would add it outside the trailer, right before the ride and be last in your group for that tank. Seems paranoid I know but toluene is evil. Probably even worse when you burn it and breathe the fumes.