It’s the Time of the Season

New things to consider when treating your quad’s fuel for winter storage.

Some individuals have the luxury of riding year round, but for many of us, we’re heading into the season where our beloved steeds have to be put away for the winter.

The benefits of treating the fuel in one’s tank for a long winter’s nap are very well known but things have changed in recent years that have made the chemical fuel addictive of choice a bit different.

The Bad News

Years past it was ideal to add a bit of alcohol-based treatment to your fuel tank for its ability to remove water from long-standing gasoline. While this still holds true in theory, the trouble is that most of our fuel today contains more ethanol than is healthy for our vehicles right from the pump. The last thing we want to do in this situation is add more alcohol.

So if there is already alcohol in the gas, why bother, right? Well, the reality is octane will still continue to degrade over time, just as it always has. Further, alcohol infused gasoline tends to evaporate quicker than traditional petroleum, increasing the rate of harmful deposits in the tank and lines. More ethanol means more sulfate salts, which results in more corrosion. Finally, and as if all of this weren’t enough, alcohol dries out and can crack rubber gromits, seals and fuel lines.

The Good News

Companies understand the situation and are developing new fuel treatments that not only contain no alcohol, but they are designed to combat its harmful effects.

We’ve been using Yamahalube Fuel Med RX up here for NY winter with impressive results. While E10 is the norm (10% ethanol) around here, the Med RX provides metal protection for E15 and/or E20 fuel should bureaucrats continue pushing for corn grower agendas.

While we can’t speak on the effectiveness of all of the brands out there, just be sure to do your research before storing your ATV this winter. Look for a formula designed for use with ethanol-enriched gasoline. Make sure it is designed to prevent ethanol fuel corrosion protection for metals and aluminum fuel system components.

It’s recommended you always treat your fuel if will sit for more than 60 days in your machine’s tank.