I Sea-foamed all my small engines...it worked

[coachditka]

I tried to search and could not find a sf topic for small engines.


I bought a can of Seafoam spray at AAP. I followed the instructions. Basically, get the engine warmed up, does not take long on a small engine. With the engine running, spray lots into the carb until it dies. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and then start it up. Lots of dirty smoke comes out, but the engines run a little better now. The ethanol in gas really [censored] up small engines.

I used to use Gumout, but the Seafoam seems to work better.

I used in the following

Toro Super Recycler [censored] engine
John Deere Briggs engine
Echo stick edger
Echo string trimmer
Husky leaf blower

 

[J. A. Rizzo]

Originally Posted By: coachditka
Lots of dirty smoke comes out, but the engines run a little better now. The ethanol in gas really [censored] up small eng


How do the engines run better?

Also, do you have any evidence that ethanol has some harmful effect, or is this just a guess?

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: J. A. Rizzo
Originally Posted By: coachditka
Lots of dirty smoke comes out, but the engines run a little better now. The ethanol in gas really [censored] up small eng


How do the engines run better?

Also, do you have any evidence that ethanol has some harmful effect, or is this just a guess?


I'm with Rizzo.

What means of measurement did you use to indicate better engine performance? Dyno'd before and after?

How did the Seafoam alleviate your issues with ethanol?

You got the smoke. Now get out the mirrors.

 

[electrolover]

i think its awesome how every one here is a scientist.
btw i seafoam all my stuff too carbon sux!!

 

[andyd]

As leaned out as modern small engines are and the fact that they run at 3200 rpm means they wouldnt build up much carbon in the combustion chamber. Maybe the rings might get stuck. have no real proof that ethanol is bad for small engines. I do know that my junkers have needed less carb work to keep them going since I started using a cap full of MMO to the gas when filling.

 

[boraticus]

I bought a plastic "magic elf" that I keep in my garage. I can't believe the improvement in everything I own. Since buying the elf, it only rains at night, the sun shines all day and we get gentle breezes. My taxes even went down!!! Everybody should buy one.

 

[electrolover]

it does not hurt and its his money why knock him?
i kinda think runnin oil 10k miles is dumb but i dont go off on yall for doin it

oh and briggs recommends you pull the head and brush off the carbon every tune up. ask a small engine man carbon is a prob with any flat head

 

[J. A. Rizzo]

Originally Posted By: andyd
I do know that my junkers have needed less carb work to keep them going since I started using a cap full of MMO to the gas when filling.


A cap full of MMO in the gas is too diluted to do anything useful. That said, of course, I'm one of those crazies who thinks MMO and most other additives are rip-off snake oil that do nothing but separate people from their money. Does MMO do something? Probably, but why clean something if dirt and carbon aren't hurting anything? That stuff winds up in the oil. Why would you want it circulating around the engine?

 

[boraticus]

"oh and briggs recommends you pull the head and brush off the carbon every tune up. ask a small engine man carbon is a prob with any flat head."

Yikes!!!!

My old Tecumseh lawn mower engine is thirty years over due. Funny the engine hasn't missed a beat in those thirty years.

 

[J. A. Rizzo]

Originally Posted By: boraticus
I bought a plastic "magic elf" that I keep in my garage. I can't believe the improvement in everything I own. Since buying the elf, it only rains at night, the sun shines all day and we get gentle breezes. My taxes even went down!!! Everybody should buy one.


LOL - and a K&N sticker will get you at least 25 HP and I feel that it also makes ice cream taste better because K&N has been around a long time so it must be good. Can I get a kickback from K&N now?

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: J. A. Rizzo
Originally Posted By: boraticus
I bought a plastic "magic elf" that I keep in my garage. I can't believe the improvement in everything I own. Since buying the elf, it only rains at night, the sun shines all day and we get gentle breezes. My taxes even went down!!! Everybody should buy one.


LOL - and a K&N sticker will get you at least 25 HP and I feel that it also makes ice cream taste better because K&N has been around a long time so it must be good. Can I get a kickback from K&N now?


No kickback from K&N but they will give you a discount on a magic elf. I call mine Magic Mervin the Ogre.

 

[J. A. Rizzo]

Originally Posted By: electrolover
it does not hurt and its his money why knock him?


It's not about criticizing any person, it's the notion that most of this additive fandom seems to be based on people's feelings and psychosomatic effects. Why let it become an Internet advertising forum for free if there's no proof it does anything useful?

Originally Posted By: electrolover
i kinda think runnin oil 10k miles is dumb but i dont go off on yall for doin it


And thank you for that, but there are plenty of used oil analysis and science that show 10k miles works fine with many modern conventional oil in many modern engines. Why would you criticize the demonstrated chemistry of used oil analysis and the recommendations of engineers but buy into the speculation, guesswork, and advertising of snake oil products hook line and sinker?

 

[boraticus]

I used to buy and use additives and like most, I was deluding myself into believing it worked.

Never had any problems to begin with but, was told that additives will prevent problems. One day, I came to the conclusions that additives were nothing more than solutions to problems that don't exist.

 

[coachditka]

Originally Posted By: J. A. Rizzo
Originally Posted By: coachditka
Lots of dirty smoke comes out, but the engines run a little better now. The ethanol in gas really [censored] up small eng


How do the engines run better?

Also, do you have any evidence that ethanol has some harmful effect, or is this just a guess?


They run smoother and have less hesitation when you increase the RPM, not so much on the mower, but the Echos seem to have a little more power.

As for evidence that ethanol has some harmful effect, see this article, but I'm sure you can use google.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25936782/ns/business-consumer_news/

I'm just sharing my experience, so take it or leave it, I really don't care.

 

[electrolover]

seafoam does brake up carbon and its a good fuel injector cleaner too. if you know anything about engines you know a clean piston will burn more efficiently than a rough one.
carbon build up on valves decreases flow and hp goes down.
if it helps a little bit im ok with it
however b12 is almost the same thing and way cheaper!!! ive switched to b12. at 2 dollars a bottle every now and then i feel its a good idea to put it in the gas tank
i have run seafoam in my engine threw a vacuum line and it did every thing they say.... alot of smoke
so ya i use it!! and if it helps thats great!! if not i didnt hurt my engine
can u say that about running oil 2 or 3 times the miles?
no because if they are wrong you loose an engine

back on topic i had a small engine mechanic tell me to run mix in my 4 stroke too. just out of laziness ive done it for 2 years with no ill effects. if that little bit of ethanol in the gas worry's you run mix in every thing. it wont fowl out your plugs. and if your worried about carbon SEAFOAM IT

 

[boraticus]

"oh and briggs recommends you pull the head and brush off the carbon every tune up. ask a small engine man carbon is a prob with any flat head."

Wouldn't it be easier just to run some SeaFoam through it? You'd think that's what B&S would recommend. No?

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: coachditka


They run smoother and have less hesitation when you increase the RPM, not so much on the mower, but the Echos seem to have a little more power.

As for evidence that ethanol has some harmful effect, see this article, but I'm sure you can use google.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25936782/ns/business-consumer_news/

I'm just sharing my experience, so take it or leave it, I really don't care.


I believe you. Please ignore those here with a god complex. We are not all know it all, rude, insulting, blow hards on this site. Some of us actually allow for others to have a differeing view point or experience base than our own without getting all menapausal over it.

I use Seafoam myself( auto, yard equip, and marine )and it does help a lot. There are lots of well documented issues with ethanol blended fuels as far as moisture, separation, and long term storage. People who say that is untrue have little credibility.

 

[boraticus]

I read the article and nowhere does it state at what percentage of ethanol to fuel that damage may occur.

If you read the entire article, it's using the potential for engine damage to argue against the use of ethanol as leverage against the ethanol industry. Further reading will bring one to the realization that the article is an argument against ethanol use as a fuel source because it's driving up the price of corn. Which I have no problem with.

However, claiming that E10 is bad for engines is a stretch. A real long stretch. E10 has been used in northern climates for decades with absolutely NO backlash from consumers. I'd agree that higher ratios of ethanol to fuel may play havoc on engines but as it is, E10 is harmless.

By the way, if alcohol based fuels were so harmful, why would it be used in Formula One cars and top fuel drag racers?

Sure, they're short term use engines but if the damaging corrosive properties of ethanol were so prevalent, you'd think that a machine running on pure alcohol wouldn't last ten minutes.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

Got to run. Have to feed the elf.

 

[greenaccord02]

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Please ignore those here with a god complex. We are not all know it all, rude, insulting, blow hards on this site. Some of us actually allow for others to have a differeing view point or experience base than our own without getting all menapausal over it.


Amen. We have some goofballs on this site that think because they read a bunch of bitog posts by other ignorant goofballs and took apart a lawnmower once that makes them the be-all end-all god of small engine maintenance. We're a pretty good bunch, you just have to learn who to ignore. There's been a lot of people in this thread who were out of line with their sarcasm.

 

[Panzerman]

First off most people that condemn additives or question you about the merits and even if it had any, even after you have firsthand wittnessed it, have never used additives. Although they have nothing to contribute than to tell you its your imagination and have never used the product in question. I think it is very useful when someone has good results with a product and posts it. I thank you for your post. I also found Seafoam to be a Great fuel storage additive and have had better luck with it than Stabil. Since I started using Seafoam and Marvel, I have not had to tear down one carb to clean jets, that is proof to me. About Ethanol fuel, what makes me so angry about that fuel, is that I am forced to buy it twice, first my taxs subsidize it then I pay more at pump for a fuel that costs more to produce than regular gas, not to mention it worsens my fuel economy. Give people a choice, if they want to be so green, let them buy the ethanol for the full price of it with added manufacture costs, let people have the choice to buy regular non-ethanol gas. Regardless of weather ethanol is harmful for modern engines, it isnt good for small engines and two strokes. Of course the same people that brought us ethanol would like nothing better than electric lawnmowers and the two strokes to go the way of the dinosaur, about all I can say about that.