Gas Additive to help clean carbs

Discussion in '3rd & 4th Generation 1990-1997' started by Hingley, Apr 18, 2017.

  1. Sniper

    Sniper New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    May 7, 2016
    Messages:
    320
    Likes Received:
    12
    Trophy Points:
    18
    If i go to a pump with just 1 hose, i put fuel in the jeep first. Then i fill my gas can. Then dump the gas can into the bike. If you are out on the road, you just have to take what you can get.
     
  2. Mind_Surfer

    Mind_Surfer New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2011
    Messages:
    456
    Likes Received:
    49
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Location:
    VA
    Around here, in small engines, Seafoam + ethanol free gasoline has proven to be very good. For serious cleaning in systems using ethanol, StarTron (an enzyme cleaner) is known to clean very well. For example, in one of my light trucks, one course of treatment cleaned upstream of the fuel filter so well, a new filter needed immediate replacement. I cut the filter open, and found it to be full of a pale yellow substance, which when dried was a fine powder resembling sulfur.


    Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk
     
  3. riprocop

    riprocop New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2008
    Messages:
    67
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Hemet, CA
    Map
    Nice RD, I have this parked in my house. Not an RD but in the same era. It's an XJ650RJ

    IMG_0367.jpg IMG_0369.jpg IMG_0370.jpg
     
  4. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
  5. V4toTour

    V4toTour New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2013
    Messages:
    1,339
    Likes Received:
    24
    Trophy Points:
    38
    If the bike's been sitting for a long time, your best bet is to tear down the carbs and soak them in dedicated carb cleaner. or maybe even an ultrasonic deal if you want to get fancy.

    As for "breaking down" ethanol, the goal would be to keep it in the gas blend as long as possible. When ethanol separates out it absorbs moisture. You're better off storing a tank of that stuff mostly full vs empty. Less room for condensate.
     
  6. James Bond

    James Bond Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2006
    Messages:
    1,313
    Likes Received:
    155
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Dixie
    Map
    Anyone that wants to know can PM me and I'll be happy to tell you this site. BB has to be nicer for me to tell him. BTW, the site is already posted on this forum for those that know how to read.
     
  7. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    I am being nice.
     
  8. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Ethanol is hygroscopic. ( likes water) upon exposure to ambient air the process is initiated. Even the popular distilled beverages that claim to be 100% ethanol contain a % of H20. A full tank is good insurance. Here's one for the Vodka fans. Booze is taxed using several formulas dating back to George Washington's time. Ol George was a hell of a biz dude and cranked out a shitload of Whisky. The taxes are based on "proof spirit", yet 100 Proof Vodka is only 50% ethanol.

    A clear case of taxation with inebriation.
     
  9. Hingley

    Hingley New Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2016
    Messages:
    177
    Likes Received:
    28
    Trophy Points:
    28
    There is no question there is a pile of science behind the additives today's fuel has
    I am old school and when I was a lot younger I never got sucked in by the old STP ads relating to oil and gas additives
    In years past I would always pull the carbs off for a rebuild when the bike was running poorly
    I guess I am getting lazy, the thought of pulling the carbs off this old 1991 VFR looks like a lot of work and I like the idea of a ride instead of carb cleaner fumes.
    As an experiment the bosses Acura TL (300,000km ) has been running rough when you first start her in the morning. Yesterday I dumped a can of seafoam carb/injector cleaner and let her take it to the city and back
    ( 250km ). This morning when I started her it was amazing to me the difference in the motor noise. I could not hear one single tick at cold idle. I am sure it is not the fix all but I was impressed. The next step is to fill the VFR's tank up with fresh high test and seafoam and give her a good long rip.
     
  10. slovcan

    slovcan New Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2013
    Messages:
    231
    Likes Received:
    22
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Annapolis Valley, NS, Canada - IBA #63720
    Good plan. Just don't dump the whole can of Seafoam in the gas tank of the VFR unless you need some mosquito fogging in your neighbourhood. I'd start with a double dose in a half tank and let it get through the carbs and sit overnight. Then run it a bit more and top up the tank to get the right mix.

    Cheers,
    Glenn
     
  11. bigbadbass

    bigbadbass New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2014
    Messages:
    93
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    NEW YORK
    Map
    Seafoam recommended dose is just 1oz/gal

    Not sure if OD'ing is necessary...a large can of it is 16oz.
     
  12. fink

    fink Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2013
    Messages:
    1,590
    Likes Received:
    457
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Ardnamurchan Penninsula, Scotland
    Map
    Best watch the bottom of your tank too. Have heard a few reports of rust etc in tanks in those areas that use high ethanol.
     
  13. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2006
    Messages:
    9,839
    Likes Received:
    743
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    Map
    draining and flushing fuel tanks on all my bikes is done aNNUALLY as preventative maintenance ! :eagerness::eagerness:
     
  14. B6_Dolphin

    B6_Dolphin New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2016
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    13
    Trophy Points:
    8
  15. Devo83

    Devo83 New Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2017
    Messages:
    45
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    Ontario
    I recently bought a can of seafoam and it says you can add it to your oil.

    Has anyone ever done this? Opinions?

    Naturally I'd be leary of adding anything to the oil.
     
  16. B6_Dolphin

    B6_Dolphin New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2016
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    13
    Trophy Points:
    8
    I wouldn't do it, especially given the wet clutch. I've used Seafoam in oil in a car engine, just prior to performing the oil & filter change. In that case, the PO had run a turbo engine for 10k with dino oil for the 1st two oil change intervals, which left some sludging in the top end of the engine. The Seafoam helped clean some of the sludge from the engine. In your case, if the engine appears to have previously decent maintenance, it's unlikely you need to clean the internals of the crankcase.
     
  17. Hingley

    Hingley New Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2016
    Messages:
    177
    Likes Received:
    28
    Trophy Points:
    28
    I would not add seafoam to the engine oil either. I would think with the modern oils a bike would have to have a lot of miles between oil changes to want to consider adding an oil additive cleaner like seafoam
    Also given the condition of your bike I bet it looks like new inside the engine
     
  18. Devo83

    Devo83 New Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2017
    Messages:
    45
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    Ontario
    I didn't think like the sounds of it either. First I had heard of something like that.
     
  19. B6_Dolphin

    B6_Dolphin New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2016
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    13
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Devo, since you are in Canada (Ontario), I would seek out one of the gas stations in the following link that sells ethanol-free gas. My '07 seems to run better with ethanol-free gas.

    http://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=ON
     
Related Topics

Share This Page