Carb or Injector cleaners...do they work?

[CANOPY SAM]

I've been mulling over the idea of adding those fuel additive carb/ injector cleaners to my sleds with their first tank of gas this year. I'm sure there is always some residual gunk from the cheap unleaded gas we buy in our fuel systems each year. I've cleaned injectors in the past that were completely plugged with residual fuel "film".

Just looking for some tech savvy intel on whether these products really work, or if I might endanger my engines by upping the octane of the fuel running them thru a high performance engine?

I do this with my motorcycle every spring when I take her out for a run, and fall before I put her away. But honestly, I really can't ever tell if it's making much difference with the engine's overall performance.

What are everyone's thoughts on these products? There's a ton of em' to choose from. Do they really work? Would they work in a snowmobile engine? Which products would you suggest I use to clean the fuel system well?

[CaptainMusky]

The only product I would endorse in 2 stroke engines is seafoam. A couple ounces would suffice for a tank of gas. It will displace water and help clean carbs or injectors.

Used it for years and never an issue.

[BoxMN]

I had a leaf blower that was just horrible running. Would only run when feathering between mid-choke and no choke, but not on No-choke for very long. I was going to take the carb off and clean it, but then I just thought what the heck, I had some seafoam, and put an extra heavy dose in and kept it running, feathering the choke. Well all of a sudden it revved to life on no-choke. I let it run for just a bit.... then mixed a proper mix of fresh non-oxy and Sabre (previous mix was the same, but not seafoam in it), and just a bit of seafoam.

That leaf blower ran like a top for the rest of the tank and until I was done.

However, I did try it with my street bike that has horrible dirty carbs (I don't run it enough) and not seafoam, not techtron (sp?) good gas or anything will clean those four carbs. Going to have to do it myself (gulp....) or more likely bring it in to pros.

[CANOPY SAM]

Box. I've had the exact same issue with a leaf blower I've been using for years. Walk around feathering the choke to keep it going. I finally broke down and bought a commercial Stihl this fall and love it, but I'm going to have to try the seafoam thru the fuel on my old one. My youngest son still wants that leaf blower!

Think I'll use that SeaFoam thru the sleds as well. Just to polish em' up a bit.

[Surface Tension]

Your less likely to cook a weed wacker from a lean condition and if you do its not a big deal.

Snow machines on the other hand, well when you have twins and triples along with 2 or 3 carbs, a lean condition can be masked for a time and a cooked engine can happen before systems show up. To compound the above use in temp ranges from 40 degrees to -30.

Seafoam used as a preventative measure is good and maybe prolong periods before carb overhauls at most. If you have symptoms of lean condition then for sure don't rely on a cleaner.

[CANOPY SAM]

Seafoam used as a preventative measure is good and maybe prolong periods before carb overhauls at most. If you have symptoms of lean condition then for sure don't rely on a cleaner.

I don't understand Frank. None of our sleds are really running poorly (lean condition?). I'm just kind of thinking that running some carb cleaner, injector cleaner, thru the sleds with the first tank of fuel this season might help to ensure nice clean injectors right out of the gate?

Are you saying this is not a good/safe idea?

[BoxMN]

FWIW, I usually run a bit of Seafoam through each tank of gas. Not what the can recommends, but just a little bit, and use ONLY non-oxy gas in the sleds.

[Surface Tension]

Hello Sam, what I mean by preventative measure is treating the gas before it goes bad.

We don't use any additives on your vehicles and don't need them because the vehicle is always in use and fresh fuel is added before it breaks down.

Any engine that sits around for half a year is one that will be prone to fuel deterioration and when that happens in the fuel system it leaves behind a build up. We used to call it varnish before the oxy fuels. Now that crud looks a little different but it does the same thing. Having soaked probably 100+ carbs in %100 carb cleaner, I know that soaking isn't enough to clean the carb. So a carb and injector cleaner added to the fuel isn't really going to do much. Will it work a little? Maybe.

I'll use Seafoam as a stabilizer for fuel but for an engine in use I tend not to add it every tank but will use it to decarbon and engine(1 pint to 1 gallon of gas).

[CANOPY SAM]

Ok. I understand now Frank.

I just picked up a can of SeaFoam yesterday. Man, that stuff has gone up in price!

Last fall I did my best to drain all the fuel from the sleds for storage, but it's tough to get ALL the fuel out of them. Thought I'd drained an older EXT we have, but removed the seat a couple months back to have it re-upholstered. Turns out, the whole seat IS the whole tank! I didn't know that.

Anyway, I poured about a gallon and a half of gas out of that seat/tank even after I thought I'd siphoned the majority of fuel out of it already! The fuel I poured out looked like a mixture of half milk, and half beer. It wasn't pretty. It's really no wonder the machine was running kinda sloppy late last winter.

I've seen the "varnish" that you speak of above, and that really is a good word for it. So much of the fuel we use these days builds up this varnish if the engine isn't consistently run. It can plug those pinhole injectors in a hurry, and fowl plugs left and right.

I'm not even really confident that a fuel stabilizer will do much to prevent this? They say it does, but does it really? I lean more in favor of running the sleds dry, and getting all the fuel out of them that I can, but that obviously can be difficult too.

So you think that seafoam can be used as a fuel stabilizer, as well as a system cleaner/treatment too? If not, what product would you trust to add to the gasoline that might clean some of the "varnish" out of the system?

[Jamf]

I have had the best luck after many years of cleaning carbs and money wasted using "Star Brite Star Tron Enzyme additive" with Ethanol Fuels in my Snowmobiles, lawn mowers , weed whips and chainsaws, when not using Non Oxy Gas. When storing I drain all Ethanol Fuel. I then purchase Aviation fuel from my local airport in Forest Lake. Expensive fuel yes 6 to 8 bucks a gallon, but you only need a gallon or two. Aviation Fuel has a 5 year shelf life !! Been doing this the last 4 years and everything runs and starts every time !! Get you carbs clean and follow these steps....it works !!!

[CANOPY SAM]

Jamf. I don't understand? You run Av gas thru your small engines? That stuff burns super hot. Doesn't cause any burn down problems?

So the product name you suggest is Star Brite Star Tron Enzyme additive? Is this hard to find? I've never heard of it before.

Just so I understand, you run Av gas thru your small 2-cycle engines, and you add the product suggested above to all your small engines fuel? I didn't know the average guy could simply purchase Av gas from your local airport?

[jentz]

Fuel additives work on the engine that is running so so Maybe??.It may improve performance if the buildup is light.Nothing beats maintenance and with carbs and injectors a breakdown and cleaning.I believe additives are commercialized products for the non mechanically inclined,a quick fix,thinking improvement may have happened.Personally they don't do much.You read often of the engine thats running fine because a additive has been used.BUT how can it be compared to a no additive engine??People are swayed by commercials and the non mechanic who uses additives then push them as I have had no problems using this additive,They haven't ran the engine without.

Seafoam is a great decarbonizer,used when the engine is hot,The plug removed 1/2 oz,dumped in the plug hole,let sit 10 minutes then fire it up watch it smoke white.That I can atest to.It does work!

EDIT>>> My experience is with smaller engines Outboards,Mowers,augers etc.No autos

[fishingstar]

if you think about it your engine does not run right your engine is running lean. You add additives that makes it leaner because of a the additives going through the jets.

Seafoam is good but the EPA has made them take out all the good stuff out of it.

The best thing you can do is spend 1 or 2 and clean them.

Dan

[Jamf]

Canopy,

Yes you can buy AV fuel, there are outdoor pumps at Forest Lake Airport and at Benson Airport in White Bear Lake . I use the AV for storage only, drain tank run dry add 1/2 gallon and let Idle (carbs will stay spotless over the summer)

During the season I add the Brite Star when non Non Oxy is unavailable. Brite star is available at most large auto retailers.