Fuel Issues

[OldGuywhoTinkers]

Two months ago I noticed that my 2013 PCX150 scooter gas tank was rusting horribly. It surprised me because I use only pure gas. Gas started turning brown. My dash fuel gauge had also got wonky, flashing all the time. I think a pothole I hit might have also shortened its life. I was running an errand and noticed that it became more difficult to start, and at one point was definitely starving for either air or fuel or both. I had to pull over and wait until the engine wound up enough to drive home and avoid being the slow turtle on the road.

So the next day I started thinking and concluded that one, the tank didn't have any extra protection (like a coating) and I had been using a Lucas additive supposedly to keep the fuel in tip top shape. I am betting that 1/3 of the Lucas brand conditioning product was ethanol (absorbs water but is corrosive) and that that contributed to the rust and corrosion in the tank. Ethanol is corrosive. Honda doesn't use a traditional filter here. It is more like a rectangle of brown felt. I dreaded taking the scooter to the shop and wanted to avoid that. Was the fuel pump damaged and could this also clog the fuel injector ? UGGH, The gasoline had turned brownish.

So what I did is look on E-Bay for a new matching gas tank and bought one parted out, at 100-200 miles, received it and asked my friendly independent cycle mechanic if he could coat the ''new'' one with coating or epoxy. Sure, he said. The tank was nice and clean, and they did that from time to time for other motorcycle riders.

But what about all the brown gasoline ? Well, I had bought one of those vacuum oil changers for cars. They withdraw oil or other fluids from engines, transmissions, and so on to simplify oil changes. What is nice about them is that the manufacturer supplies at least three different size translucent hoses. I can't turn the scooter upside down. I am in no mood to start disassembling it. There is NO simple replaceable fuel filter. So with the tank half filled I placed the same hose I use to perform oil withdrawal in different positions in the gas tank and pumped a vacuum. At first you see the hose almost filled up with trash and THEN you move the hose to different areas of the tank and all the while you see the trash moving. Eventually it cleans up.

I estimate that because of very recent repairs that my current belt is good for at least 8,000 more miles. I prefer to get 3 - 4 things repaired or replaced all at one time. So I don't want to go ''into'' the PCX this year. So what was the result ? I continue to add small amounts of fuel injector cleaner, but right now, it drives like brand new, reliably. Apparently I did not ruin the fuel injector or the fuel pump. Next year when the belt is worn out. I will turn it over to my mechanic and we will go through the whole thing, including replacing the tank with the new one that is coated, and new electric fuel pump and gas tank sending unit. (I'm hoping the dash gauges are good)

[gn2]

Stop using the cleaner, it isn't needed.
Get your fuel from a source with a high sales volume, the busier the better.

[easyrider]

So then, your fuel problem is resolved ?

[Mel46]

The only time I have ever used an additive in this bike is when it has sat through the Winter. Then I pour in some Seafoam, let it sit for a little while, and then ride till the fuel light starts blinking. It gets the water out of the tank and helps it run better.

[Jge64]

I use chevron Techron concentrate once a year (mixed tankful) in all my vehicles, for nothing more than cleaning the injectors. I run chev Techron gas 98% of the time too.

[springer1]

Two months ago I noticed that my 2013 PCX150 scooter gas tank was rusting horribly.

I thought my PCX fuel tank was made of some sort of plastic or synthetic material. At least it looks that way when I watch the fuel level as I gas-up.

[OldGuywhoTinkers]

So then, your fuel problem is resolved ?

The scooter runs fine for now.

The gas tank has been ''cleaned'' by running the suction tube in it and rubbing all the surface rust off the rusting surfaces and sucking rust or trash out. I am vacuuming the tank one or twice a month so that any new rust will not float or move around or collect. In relative terms it is clean. So until I decide to bring it in to my cycle/scooter mechanic, it is running fine. As the main belt wears and we take the scooter apart in the future, I will purchase a new fuel pump/ gas tank sending unit assembly and with the scooter coverings all off, we will review the front variator, replace the gas tank with the new/used one that I purchased on E-Bay that has been coated with an epoxy like coating, and replace the spark plug, etc.

I mainly shared my experience so others can anticipate the problem on scooters that age.

[Roadrash1950]

ihave a2012 PCX with 15000mile I love always reliable but recently started have surging issfirst i put in drygas thing i had water in the tank then i thought i had a dirty injector so i put in an injector cleaner This mornibg I drove 45 miles to Miami to pick up my wife It did fine !/2 the way then started the surging when i got to miami i bought injector cleaner and my wife I started home it got progressivly worse the bike got slower and slower we prayed we make it home didnt want to pay $100 plus to get towed maybe the filter but takeing of the fairing on the PCX are apain in the butt any suggestions

[power-full]

Hello good morning, I had something like that .. you can see here on this link .... viewtopic.php?f=19&t=7172&start=120

Pág.7

what happens is that the 2010 pcx at least ... has a very bad fuel filter (only in the pump and it's a network) it leaves passing garbage, and the injector clogged up, I was stopped in the middle of the highway because of that... however I solved the matter (almost) I dismantled everything, washed and cleaned and bought a gasoline filter on AliExpress that I intend to mount before the injector now in holidays... then I put pictures.