Fuel injector/carb cleaner (was: Baseline carb setting for stock 94)

The guys at SAABNET.com swear that the absolute best fuel injector cleaner
uses Chevron Techron. I believe that there are only two products with it,
same manufacturer (Chevron), and they are simply different concentrations.
The stronger concentration seems to be the preferred.

http://www.chevron.com/products/ourf...erv/additives/



Ed

1998 VFR800

2002 9-5 Aero SW



_____

From: vfr-bounces@xxxxxx [mailto:vfr-bounces@xxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Walzer, Carl (.)
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 11:42 AM
To: DaCatDaddy; 'Patrick Shelston'; vfr@xxxxxx
Subject: RE: Baseline carb setting for stock 94



I usually just pick up a good quality carb cleaner from the auto parts
store. Textron is what I've used lately, but others will work. The Seafoam
appears to be a similar product, and I have seen that at the auto parts
store occasionally too. I suggest getting a name brand, but that is just
me.



Carl

_____

From: DaCatDaddy [mailto:dacatdaddy@xxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 11:28 AM
To: 'Walzer, Carl (.)'; 'Patrick Shelston'; vfr@xxxxxx
Subject: RE: Baseline carb setting for stock 94



Carl,



What kind of carb cleaner do you run thru it? Seafoam or something else?



Dave Jordan

1997 VFR750F

Chicagoland

_____

From: vfr-bounces@xxxxxx [mailto:vfr-bounces@xxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Walzer, Carl (.)
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 9:19 AM
To: Patrick Shelston; vfr@xxxxxx
Subject: RE: Baseline carb setting for stock 94



Sounds like you have a little bit of gumming. Put in a good carb/FI cleaner
and run a tank through and you should be good to go. Mine always takes a
bit to get running in the spring (usually don't do any storage type stuff in
the fall), but then runs fine once the old fuel in the bowls gets used up
and clean fuel gets in to dissolve the residue.



Don't go into the carbs unless you have to.



Draining the carbs of the old gas before trying to start can be a good
practice first thing in the spring, but I'm usually too lazy to pull body
panels and just deal with the long start process.



I did get to ride mine in this morning, so things are looking up :-)



Carl

_____

From: vfr-bounces@xxxxxx [mailto:vfr-bounces@xxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Patrick Shelston
Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2008 6:14 PM
To: vfr@xxxxxx
Subject: Re: Baseline carb setting for stock 94



Thanks for assistance so far.

Yes, it did run, when I bought it, but needed the PO to adjust the idle
adjuster open (just discovered that 1,500-1,600rpm is perfect to start her
up).

I bought it, gassed it up and drove it to storage in October. I put Stabil
in it, but I couldn't start it to flow it through the carbs.

--

Fast forward 2 hours... I got it to start with the idle speed about 2 turns
from closed, but now it idles at 1500-1600 rpm.

So, I've got some problems with some jets, I reckon. Fred suggested the
pilots...

The PO installed a Stage-1 Dynojet kit (no drilling done) and claims to have
cleaned & sync'd the carb, but I'm not convinced.

I wasn't really looking for more work, but I guess I don't have a choice.
Maybe I'll try running some SeaFoam through it. I'm sure you'll see lots
(useless) questions from me in the new few weeks :)

Cheers,
Patrick




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And if my memory or spelling ability worked, that would be the way I spell
it. Seems to work real good. From all the raving, the Seafoam stuff is
about the same but marketed more to the ATV/PWC/motorcycle communities.



Carl

_____



The guys at SAABNET.com swear that the absolute best fuel injector cleaner
uses Chevron Techron. I believe that there are only two products with it,
same manufacturer (Chevron), and they are simply different concentrations.
The stronger concentration seems to be the preferred.

http://www.chevron.com/products/ourf...erv/additives/




Ed

1998 VFR800

2002 9-5 Aero SW


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Hi Ed, I see you are still ever the engineer :-) (I just play one at work)



I don't know what Pale Oil is. It could just be the light colored (pale)
oil in the buckets they get from Chevron. I would think it may be a mixture
of some other solvents.



Either way, both products are a mix of solvents that will likely clean
things out regardless of where you put them. The Seafoam stuff obviously
has a little more showmanship in their advertising. I've heard many good
testimonials from Seafoam, but haven't used it myself because I'm not
willing to pay extra for the hype, especially when in most cases any similar
solvent would do just as good.



As for the carb, tank, or crankcase application, they all can do that so I
just say "OK" and move on. A solvent will clean anything you put it on. In
the old days, they used to use ATF, which could be put in the carb or in the
crankcase to use its added solvents to clean things out.



I do like the "removes moisture" claims and what people will pay for this.
Any alcohol will do this, whether it is the $2 a bottle gas-dry, the 59 cent
bottle of isopropyl alcohol you get at the drug store (for twice the amount
of the gas dry), or just stop at the gas station that has 10% ethanol. All
do the same thing ... the difference in price is all marketing and
packaging.



Correct on being able to "mix your own", but is it worth the convenience of
having it prepackaged for easy/safe use?



As for shots in the parking lot, I'm sure the white lightning from a few
years back would clear out more than any off the shelf solvent you could
buy. It actually made a nice sipping drink ;)



Carl

_____

From: Ed Kokosa [mailto:edk800f1@xxxxxx]
Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 10:56 PM
To: vfr@xxxxxx
Cc: 'Walzer, Carl (.)'
Subject: RE: Fuel injector/carb cleaner (was: Baseline carb setting for
stock 94)



Carl,

Not meaning to pick on your memory or spelling, but how about your info?

I previously was not familiar with Seafoam, but looking at their website,
umm, errr, well, me thinks that might be snake oil.

I'm sure that plenty of people rave about it, but....

It supposedly:

Stabilizes fuel

Cleans carburetor

Cleans carbon

Removes moisture

Assures fast starts

Frees sticky rings

Restores power

Upper cylinder lube

Smooths rough idle

And you can pour it down the carb, pour it in your gas tank , or even pour
it into your crankcase. Are you can't also use it as a desert topping?



Per its MSDS, the components of (hazardous) interest are:

Pale Oil, 40-60% by wt

Naptha, 24-35% by wt

IPA (Isopropyl alcohol) 10-20% by wt



This is not comparable to Techron.

It's MSDS (hazardous) components are:

Distillates, hydrotreated light, < 55 %weight

Stoddard solvent, < 35 %weight

Solvent naphtha, light aromatic, 3 - 7 %weight

Benzene, 1,2,4-trimethyl-, 1-5 %weight

Xylene 0.1 - 0.5 %weight



The proprietary item is polyether amine (PEA), which apparently does not
require MSDS listing.



Perhaps Seafoam also has some other active ingredients, I suspect (with no
real knowledge, typically doesn't deter me) that it doesn't. Those three
ingredients are it. The IPA removes moisture, the Naptha helps dissolve
things. You could buy your own Naptha, mix it into some oil, good to go.



I'll bring a bottle of Techron Concentrate Plus to COTU and we can do some
shots in the parking lot.

Your fuel injector preference may vary.

Ed




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I wasn't around when the universal solvent came out last year ... thank
goodness.

That stuff will take the rust out of the tank and I'm sure would leach the
copper out of your brass fittings and jets ... but after a tank full, you
just might not care.

Carl

-----Original Message-----

Commentary:
A few years back!?! That's a good indication of how
potent Russel's "Liquid Stupid" is. It was available
last year as well. I partook, but Pat Hoban passed on
the opportunity due to alergies, claiming that it
would make him break out in handcuffs.
Russel has even used the stuff in the tank after
running out of gas, but he provided no testimony
regarding it's carb cleaning qualities.

Cheers - hic
Greg
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