Starting/cleaning the fuel system procedure of stored bike?

I bought a 2010 r6 to build up as a race bike thats been sitting for 9mths (my estimate since it left the road as a write off) and was wanting to make sure I do things right before turning it over for the first time. I have searched here and elsewhere, and I've read about cleaning tanks in poor condition and restoring old bikes/carbs, but I cant pinpoint if people here do anything specific before starting a bike that's been in storage for a shorter period of time - specifically for the fuel system apart from cleaning the injectors (which I intend to to) and adding seafoam/technol type products to a tank of fuel. Oil and filter is new, lines & hoses look fine, 4000 road km, and stored in a container. The tank is currently empty, but I'm guessing it prob wasnt before storage. If theres already threads on it, apologies in advance as I looked, but would appreciate the link or any advice.

 

Send the injectors to Proflow. Greg does a great job and can turn them around fast. It's pretty cheap and you know they are right.

 

+1

 

What to do depends on the condition of the fuel residue left in the system.
If the bike was properly prepaired for storage, then a new battery, new oil and new gas may be all it needs.
If the inside of the gas tank smells like varnish then you need to clean the entire fuel system.

 

thanks guys. A once a year service isn't a bad idea to ensure the injectors are spraying and flowing correctly. And as TRB indicated above it really depends on how and what is stored. Ideally you would get an ethanol approved fuel stabil to get in the tank, and run it at highway speed and above for a good while to get the stabil all the way to ALL the injectors. YOur uppers on an r6 won't even fire at lower rpm.. The fuel pump can be as vunerable to the ethanol (or more) than the injectors.. in a two month span between races a couple years ago i lost the fuel pump on my aprillia scooter and one of my r6 bikes.. The injector was clogged completely too on the scooter. $185 fuel pump (still didnt' run) then cleaned the injector it runs great.

Draining the fuel rails isn't a bad idea, but residual fuel will sit in the injectors even if you dissconnect the fuel line couplings..It is really best to get stabil in there AND run the bike every week or so while stored. Even if you can't get it on the road, warm it up and rev it hard a few times to hopefully have the uppers spray and stay clean.
We get injectors all the time from stored bikes, boats, jet skiis,etc that idle rough or won't run. Ebay motors are purchased or used motors that have sat for months same thing.. Ethanol is horrible stuff.

 

Cheers guys. I'm pretty sure it will ok, but Tunersricebowl if it does, id clean it with what? DIY seafoam style or something more serious?

 

I can't testify as to seafoam cause I've not used it but you have to establish before you try to start it if the residual fuel in the system has turned to varnish or if it the bike was properly prepaired for storage by riding with stabil and/or two stroke oil added to the fuel.
(I know two stroke oil claims no particular storage enhancement properties, but it does seem to help delay varnish formation).
First step is to just smell what's in the tank, if it stinks, then you have varnish and the engine must not be started.
Worst thing you can do is to toss some fresh fuel into a varnished tank and succeed in getting it to start up.
Enough varnish moving through the combustion chamber can form a glaze like substance which WILL freeze valves in the guides after the engine cools which prevents them from returning to the seats so that they get bent the next time you hit the starter button.
My chemical of choice is the Yam brand carb cleaner (mix with water stuff) but you have to send the injectors off to a specialist because unlike the inside of the tank and throttle body rack, and fuel pump body, you can't soak away varnish from inert injectors.
Truth be told, if you have severe varnish infestation you have a real pain in the ass to look forward to and some significant expense.

 

Okay, here's hoping it's not a big problem (bike is currently away), thanks for the advice.

 

i didn't read your thread carefully, i now see the bike HAS ALREADY been sitting.
if your prepin the bike for racing, and it has been sitting that long.. i would spend the few bucks and send us the injectors for service. The fact they have been sitting THAT long increases the likelyhood they are not gonna work as new significantly. give me a call if you have more questions (link to site below).
Prepping the fuel with stabil or seafoam is awesome to do beforehand when getting ready to store a bike for awhile.. and running the machine long enough to get the stabil to injectors, but your bike had already been sitting a long time. Need to understand that a LEAN cylinder (from an injector with say 30% less flow than the others) can RUIN that cylinder or worse..break something. If some or all the injectors are flowing less but not causing damage, your obviously not making near the power the bike could. So, it just isn't worth taking a chance on a motor that has been sitting that long.. get em cleaned and flow tested.