# reserve tank bad gas



## tdejong302 (Nov 28, 2004)

Is it possible for the reserve tank gas to go bad if you fill your main tank and use it but never use the reserve? 

I took the 4 wheeler out last week and for the first time in years I had to use the reserve tank. My 4 wheeler ran extremely rough and I had a hard time making it back home. 

If I open the reserve tank lever on my 98 polaris mag 4 by 4 a couple times a season will it refresh itself with new gas that I put in almost weekly. Thanks


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## roger23 (Jan 14, 2001)

condensation may settle on that side of tank.from non use,,seems like that is more of a problem now because of the alchol they put in gas now


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## ajmorell (Apr 27, 2007)

Probably wouldn't hurt to add some Sta-bil to the reserve tank. Old gas can definitely make your 4 wheeler run poorly.


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## bigcountrysg (Oct 9, 2006)

The reserve tank is part of your main tank. The only thing is it is the lower part of your tank. The whole Idea of it is to run e fuel valve on main. When it runs out put it on reserve. 

What I do is just run on reserve all the time. When you run out of fuel you run out of fuel. But I always rode with friends. We would always have a strap with us incase someone broke down. So when someone ran out of fuel they get towed back to camp.


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## FishTales (Feb 13, 2002)

tdejong302 said:


> If I open the reserve tank lever on my 98 polaris mag 4 by 4 a couple times a season will it refresh itself with new gas that I put in almost weekly. Thanks


Yes, this would work.
Rich


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## averageguy (Jan 1, 2008)

I'm no expert on that model,but older bikes I've had have a tube in the tank about 1 in. up into the tank. When it's on,it uses the gas down to the top of this tube,then it can no longer pick up fuel. When you switch to the reserve position,it switches to an opening that pulls right from the bottom of the tank. You may have water or debris in the bottom of the tank,when you switch it may be plugging up or getting water. Take the tank off and flush it out,blow the shut off valve out in the on and reserve position. Good luck.


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## woodychevy38s (Oct 16, 2007)

as stated before they should both be from the same tank, just reserve pulls from the bottom. 

One thing I have noticed is that all the sediment and junk from beating on the bike finds its way to the bottom of the tank, if you had never used the "reserve" chances are that you were running all the sludge from the bottom of the tank and in turn would make it run like *****.

I try to run the reserve for 15-20 min with every other tank so that the build up is not as bad in the bottom of the tank.


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## Dasher (Jan 12, 2004)

I drained the tank once a season to get all the fuel out of the ATV. Usually put it in a gas can and then in the truck. Water will be on the bottom as it is heavier than fuel also debris sink to the bottom. I would recommend draining the tank once in a while. Doesn't hurt and believe me when you are in the back woods of 80 acres it makes for a long walk back to the cabin. Found out the hard way. Had brother pull my atv back drained fuel and put in new fuel filter and started right up. The fuel sat in atv up north for about 8 months. I didn't use stable as that might have worked to keep the fuel better. Good luck.


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## akdotter (Jan 4, 2005)

Very likely water in the reserve, perhaps a half bottle of deicer (heet, Not the isopropyl kind, unless you have fuel injection) in the tank once in a while wouldn't hurt. Don't know how long it takes to tow a four-wheeler out from 80 acres but I do know I had to tow one out 38 miles once up here. It took the better part of 2 aand a half days.


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## MUDDY4LIFE (Apr 13, 2001)

As allready mentioned, the reserve tank is the main tank also. Get rid of the old gas and put in some NEW stuff. If it still runs rough, you'll need to clean the carb.

Never store a ATV for more than 2 months without adding STA-BIL to your gas.


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## ONTIME (Oct 13, 2007)

averageguy said:


> i'm no expert on that model,but older bikes i've had have a tube in the tank about 1 in. Up into the tank. When it's on,it uses the gas down to the top of this tube,then it can no longer pick up fuel. When you switch to the reserve position,it switches to an opening that pulls right from the bottom of the tank. You may have water or debris in the bottom of the tank,when you switch it may be plugging up or getting water. Take the tank off and flush it out,blow the shut off valve out in the on and reserve position. Good luck.


exactly!


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## GrizzlyHunter (Jun 17, 2005)

bigcountrysg said:


> The reserve tank is part of your main tank. The only thing is it is the lower part of your tank. The whole Idea of it is to run e fuel valve on main. When it runs out put it on reserve.


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## bigcountrysg (Oct 9, 2006)

So with the reserve part of the main tank. When you fill up the tank your mixing old gas with new gas. There for if you use the atv often you should not have a problem with old gas in the tank. 

Now what to do if your still haveing problems. Remove the carb, remove the fuel bowl on the carb, then remove the main jet, Pilot jet, and needle. Clean the jets and the passages with a pipe cleaner, flush the carb out with carb cleaner ( I prefer gumout). Reassemble carb, reinstall carb and then start the atv up. Once it is running you can make your idle and mixture adjustments if needed. But if you do not mess with the mixture screw or idle screw then no adjustments need to be made. 

The carb builds up varnish on it from gas over time. Doesn't matter if you ride every day. Over time the build gets to the point where your machine will not run right or not run at all.


I have had people ask me to rebuild there complete engine. When all they needed was a new spark plug and carb cleaning. Once that was done the atv ran like new again.


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