Dead K13S

[farmer]

chris mentioned diesel ...feeling unloved here,
ah well good job you got her going, always nice to hear them recover.

[black-k1]

Good that it's now sorted, whatever the problem was. Did you "sniff" what you took out of the tank? Diesel is usually pretty obvious by its smell.

[stevel]

Y'know, one of the first things I did was to sniff it, and the odd thing was, it DIDN'T smell like diesel! I know full well what diesel and petrol are supposed to smell like (hell, I've been known to sniff petrol simply 'cos I like it), but this stuff was more like paraffin. I'm guessing that's 'cos it was a mix of 3/19ths petrol and 16/19ths diesel? Mind you, it was the high performance diesel... maybe that smells different? In any case, I've now got an interesting mix to throw on the bonfire in 5 odd months time.

[richtea]

Y'know, one of the first things I did was to sniff it, and the odd thing was, it DIDN'T smell like diesel! I know full well what diesel and petrol are supposed to smell like (hell, I've been known to sniff petrol simply 'cos I like it), but this stuff was more like paraffin. I'm guessing that's 'cos it was a mix of 3/19ths petrol and 16/19ths diesel? Mind you, it was the high performance diesel... maybe that smells different? In any case, I've now got an interesting mix to throw on the bonfire in 5 odd months time.

How do you make a cat go 'Woof'?
Pour petrol/diesel mix on it.

I'm here all week.
Unfortunately.

[chriscanning]

Glad you got it sorted.....I’ve done the same 

[Phmode]

Never done it on the bike but put petrol in my first diesel car once, got about three miles before it died.

Swimbo once put diesel in her petrol Polo at Tesco in Newbury. Realised what she had done and didn't start it. A couple of likely lads helped push it off the pumps and the cashier gave her a number for a guy who specialises in syphoning and draining.

Quoted her £120 (twenty years ago, plus a new filter and a hideous price for 'disposal' i.e. tipping it in his van) Oh, and he couldn't get there for two hours.

She walked over the road to the VW dealership and two lads wandered over and pushed it into their workshop, drained the system, put her spare gallon in for her and one of the techs even paid her for the fuel. Took 25 minutes and cost £60 in labour.

Neither of us have done it again. Damn, that's done it...

[richtea]

Having diesel cars I've occasionally hesitated over which pump to grab. Er, reset! Now, which vehicle - ah, motorbike = green.
Rubbish brain.

Isn't one nozzle/filler hole smaller than the other, on purpose?
But which is it - and if so, why?

[chriscanning]

Regardless draining a fuel tank and letting it stand for 2 years is a bloody bad idea, half a tank at least, if your OCD..when you need the bike drain it out, it’ll run fine in the mower and put fresh in.

[Phmode]

it’ll run fine in the mower

I tried that with my little electric mower and it went 'poof' and now won't mow a meadow for toffee...

[Matt]

Having diesel cars I've occasionally hesitated over which pump to grab. Er, reset! Now, which vehicle - ah, motorbike = green.
Rubbish brain.

Isn't one nozzle/filler hole smaller than the other, on purpose?
But which is it - and if so, why?

Shirley it should be one square, one triangle!

[stevel]

Idiots like me would still fit the triangle into the square hole.

I've no idea how I managed it - the nozzle fit into the tank with no problems at all.

Good news though - the bike passed it's MOT yesterday, so went for a good ride afterwards, all working fine. And feeling strangely lubricated (the bike, not me.... I don't drink & ride!)

[commando 848]

The next version of "greener" petrol is E10, which is being introduced, Wonder what will happen to the K fuel system with the additional ethanol? Petrol tanks and seals leaking, poor running etc. This may cause lots of problems for older vehicle owners,   

[richtea]

The next version of "greener" petrol is E10, which is being introduced, Wonder what will happen to the K fuel system with the additional ethanol? Petrol tanks and seals leaking, poor running etc. This may cause lots of problems for older vehicle owners,

Ah, I checked yesterday and all BMW motorbikes are fine for E10. However, I've never knowingly tried it.

https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-e10-petrol
and select Motorrad BMW

To quote:
All models are compatible with E10. However the number of octanes needs to be compatible with the model according to user handbook.

[black-k1]

The next version of "greener" petrol is E10, which is being introduced, Wonder what will happen to the K fuel system with the additional ethanol? Petrol tanks and seals leaking, poor running etc. This may cause lots of problems for older vehicle owners,

Ah, I checked yesterday and all BMW motorbikes are fine for E10. However, I've never knowingly tried it.

https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-e10-petrol
and select Motorrad BMW

To quote:
All models are compatible with E10. However the number of octanes needs to be compatible with the model according to user handbook.

I think there might be a difference between;

i)  will it run on it without pinking, spitting, farting or imploding?
ii) will it require seal and other component replacement 3 to 4 times as often as it would have previously?

My expectation is that the link answers i) above but not ii). But, then, I'm a grumpy old cynic!

[richtea]

RAC says:
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/emissions/what-is-e10-fuel-and-how-could-it-affect-you/

The RAC understands that if you put E10 fuel in an incompatible car it will still run, but seals, plastics and metals may be damaged over longer periods as a result of bioethanol's corrosive properties.

There have also been reports that E10 is a less stable fuel and that this can make it more difficult to start a vehicle that has not been driven for an extended period.


So I reckon we're still OK. Even the Kawasakis.