Ghetto gasoline- don't do it!
 

So last week was the last time I rode my bike to work, I was lazy and figured that I had plenty of gas to get to work with a bit to spare to get to a gas station in a 'not bad' area. I didn't take into account that I just recently rejetted the carb which knocked a few miles off the total range for a tank of gas.
Bike sputtered 7-8 miles from work on freeway where there are no exits or gas stations, switched to reserve which turned out to be just enough to get to a ghetto station in a bad part of town. I was sputtering on reserve as I pulled up to the pumps.
Filled up, got back on the road, bike sputtered and died. I pushed to side of road, started it back up and it ran like crap for a bit but was able to get to work ok. Ran perfect on 25 mile ride home with only an occasional sputter.
Yesterday, after sitting for almost a week (damn hot this week) I went for a ride. Ran great for about 5 miles. Then stalled when I throttled it. Started ok, then stalled again. I was able to nurse it back home by keeping throttle 1/8 open.
Today, took carb off, figuring a bad vacuum diaphragm or plugged jet. Jets looked good, diaphragm looked good, slide looked like it was functioning correctly. Accelerator pump diaphragm was toast(it worked normally a week ago) and there was what looked like gray snot in the bowl.
Next was to drain fuel tank- problem identified. Petcock on normal setting gave clear fuel, on reserve, mostly water came out. I drained the whole rank and checked the fuel filter while I was at it. In a 4 gallon fillup, I'm estimating that 1/4 of it was *expletive deleted*ing water.
https://youtu.be/RDv2kGVT_JU

Lessons learned:
Fill up ahead of time.
Don't go to sketchy gas stations unless you absolutely have to.

You probably bought hi test? When do you think the last person at the "ghetto fill" used that grade? You probably caught condensation from months of water absorbing ethanol in the pipe and the tank. I feel for you...it's happened to me in a Camaro. Hi test..crappy gas station.

The fuel tank in the ground probably had a bad seal at the filler cap, or it was not installed properly by whoever last filled it/checked the level etc.

It has nothing to do with where the station is located. It could happen at any location.

Some of the ghetto gas is cheaper, which makes me wonder

Hi-Test, Now there's a Retro Name. Haven't heard any one call it that in Decades....

Ghetto gasoline- good name for a band....:)

Speaking of retro names for fuel, I remember when I was a kid my Dad called the different grades of gas "Regular" or "Ethyl". I don`t remember when the term Ethyl went away.

Never had a gas station attendant ask " Regular or Ghetto"?:icon_toast:

That is what they call the cheap city gas around here

Contained tetraethyl lead to boost the octane level. Was phased out in the 1970's

My last trip upstate I stopped halfway to refuel and when I pulled up to the pump they only had 91 octane but after reading a little more I saw that the sign said non-ethanol 91. First time I ever saw that and really didn't have any other choices so in it went. I must say and I'm serious about this. That non-ethanol fuel made my bike run smoother. Is it in my head or has any one else noticed the difference...?