revisiting the "PRIME" setting

[thingsbuilt]

I hate to bring this up again but it seems like half the folks here say that leaving the fuelcock on PRIME
is generally okay; at the very least, the carbs may overflow while the bike is sitting.

The other half say  NOT to leave it on PRIME  because your engine crankcase may fill up with the overflowing gas, which will mix with the engine oil.

I just emptied my oil-- after having lent my bike to
a clueless friend for a month or two. The oil smelled like gasoline and had the consistency
of WATER. I have never seen engine oil like that. I am freaked out because I don't know how many miles it was run on this non-lubricating mixture, but I would definitely say that
leaving it on PRI can and will cause excess fuel to drain into the engine.

What came out amounted to about a gallon-- a bit more than the capacity of the oil crankcase, no?

Oh, and it had been knocked over for more than a day (I have surmised) but no one's talking.


                            (It's a 97 gs500 with about 9,000 miles on it).

Me and a big bottle of single-malt Scotch await your opinions.

I had saved enough money to buy a new battery,
but I figured the Scotch might be a better idea at this point.

steve
Lost Angeles

[bucks1605]

Oh, and it had been knocked over for more than a day (I have surmised) but no one's talking.


                     
They tipped it over and left it there for a whole day???

[Jarrett]

With friends like that, who needs enemies!  I'd kick his or her ass.  Or at least ask them to pay for the damage.

Put some Seafoam in the crankcase and mix it in the fuel.  Run it, let it sit for a day or 2, then change the oil, and see how she runs.  That stuff is magical.

[rangerbrown]

just change the oil twice.

one with cheap stuff to flush it, then the next with the new filter.



other than that if damage is done there is no going back. if it blows then it does.


personlly thats why i would not ever let someone jsut borrow the bike over a day.
at work i loan it out all the time, but its never more than a ride ot what not.

[MarkusN]

If the bike stands horizontal, carb overflow will empty into the airbox and the out its drain hose. I say the gas in the oil got there while the bike was lying on its side.

[CirclesCenter]

No one rides my bike but me.

No one.

Except my mechanic, but he used to be a suzuki factory pit crew guy so :p

[gsbarry]

yeahhhh ummm dont lend your bike out to a "clueless friend" .... its your fault for lending it. Start by being mad at yourself not your friend, then maybe ask him questions.

Soooo about your bike!  If he left your bike on its side for more than a day i doubt he cares much about paying you for anything. Even though it might be to late change your oil about 5 to 10 times, oil and filters are cheap. Unless you do a tear down the best thing is to just keep changing your oils and praying. Prime doesnt need to be used unless you run your bike dry of gas.... even then it should start just on "on" position. I rode a GS all summer and never used prime once and never had a problem, even after running it dry of fuel.