Hi I've owned an 89 nc 30 for 17 years but haven't used it in three years .replaced faulty battery, checked oil ,water cranked engine a couple of times started ran engine for a few minutes till of choke all ok .Petrol /fumes smell was very strong read while ago about old fuel can damage engine but can't find site I read it ,haven't started it again any info would be appreciated thanks

The fuel wont damage the engine,But it's always advisable to use fresh fuel when the bike has stood for long time,
You may need to strip and clean the carbs.

I'd completely change the oil, may have fuel or water in it, plus it will have degraded after 3 years. Good tip about cleaning the carbs too , especially if you didn't drain them prior to storage.
You may get lucky and it could clear if you just change the oil, change the fuel and go for a little run, you'll soon know if its running right, once up to proper temperature. I usually use super unleaded, as its supposed to clean the fuel system a bit, even though my carbs are rebuilt.
It doesn't take too much to make a carb float needle stick open and dump too much fuel in a cylinder (should also see fuel dripping out of an overflow pipe) this could potentialy bore wash and damage the cylinder / rings, it will run badly too.
Another thought is that due to ethanol in modern fuels, water could collect at the bottom of fuel tanks if left for a long time, hence why many rust at the bottom from the inside. Be well worth draining to check, could also have sucked a little through into the carbs?
If in doubt, i'm afraid - carbs out! At least you'd have peace of mind.

To put it another way, if I'd just brought a 25+ year old bike that had been stood for 3 years, i'd change the oil and filter, drain the fuel tank and use new fuel, remove, clean and rebuild the carbs with new seals, flush coolant system and refill, check the valve clearances and change the brake fluid as a minimum. I'd probably also change the fork oil too. Then look at getting it running and fine tune / balance the carbs. May seem a little over the top, but it gives everything a fresh start.

Thanks for info hopefully don't need to touch carbs I drain petrol over weekend and take it for a run if dry , I never used super unleaded is it ok to use all the time or just now and again to clean the fuel system

Mcgack wrote:Thanks for info hopefully don't need to touch carbs I drain petrol over weekend and take it for a run if dry , I never used super unleaded is it ok to use all the time or just now and again to clean the fuel system

it wont really do any cleaning, espeically if you use it now and then.

besides, thats another great mis-selling of super unleaded.. most vehicles including the nc30 do not need any extra cleaning products in the fuel to keep them running well.

They dont run dirty, only old evaporated fuel will clog up the carbs.

if its been standing that long and the carbs were not drained before being laid up id get them off and give them a full cleaning and set back to factory, valve clearnace check while your off with the carbs and new viton gasket kit on the carbs) litetekblair / Rick Olvier sell them much much chepaer than honda gaskets and they are ethanol resitatn.


Take your time and do it right and youll have a bike that starts on the button and runs as best as it can and good for at least another 8000miles before you need to check the shims again.

there are guides in the workshop section on carb cleaning and re-setup as well as valve clearances.

I got into the super unleaded habit when i had a few classic bikes, apparently it contains less ethanol which not only attracts water, but also perishes seals and melts tank sealant. Seen the effects with mates bikes.
That and the slightly higher octane rating, coupled with the few miles i do justifies it to me, the 'cleaning agents' stuff - if true, is an added bonus.
Tom

At one time they couldnt get the 98 octane rating correct for super unleaded fuel when 5% of ethanol was added but theyve mastered that now, if you want no ethanol in your fuel you will have to pay a premium and use fuel from places like aspen.
Use normal fuel throughout the year then either completely drain the fuel tank and carbs before storage over winter or fill it with the aspen fuel

Thanks again seems different of opinions on super unleaded think I stick with unleaded for the minute drained petrol this evening into lawn mower Jerry can lol probably end up on hayter mower forum ,hopefully get it started tomorrow and it runs sweet apply for mot, book it in for set of fork seals and front tyre (failed last mot on) get it back on the road cheers