Best Outboard Engine Treatments

[chevinrude]

Recently I tried a de-carb using Seafoam. My boat doesnt start. Im wondering what everyones thoughts are on engine additives/stabilizers/treatments. I now will not use Seafoam in anything I own. I refuse to use it. Some fellow boat owners told me the only thing they use is Marvel Mystery Oil. What are everyones thoughts?

 

[robert graham]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

Seafoam is mostly Naphtha and Mineral Spirits(Stoddard Solvent), check: Marine Fuel Additives for more information, it's doubtful the Seafoam is causing your motor not to start. I believe the best fuel treatments are Stabil Marine and Ringfree, but I'm sure there are others that work.

 

[chevinrude]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

Im not saying it was directly the Seafoam, but it may have broke loose some carbon deposits and clogged up my carbs. I was disappointed to say the least. I was better off just leaving everything alone.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

Im not saying it was directly the Seafoam, but it may have broke loose some carbon deposits and clogged up my carbs. I was disappointed to say the least. I was better off just leaving everything alone.

Your carbs are at the wrong end of the motor to be affected by any carbon that may have been dislodged.

What method did you use to decarb?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

You have a severe misconception of how SeaFoam works. Carbon cannot get into your carbs because carbon is "after the fact". In other words fuel (with SeaFoam in it) passes from the tank, through the carbs, into the crankcase, through the transfer ports to the combustion chamber, THEN loosens the carbon, and it passes out the exhaust ports and out the engine exhaust. There is no way carbon got to your carbs internals. What it may have done is loosened carbon that has gunked up the plugs which IS an issue on really dirty engines. Have you actually removed the plugs and installed new ones as the decarb procedure actually suggests. So you see, SeaFoam really did do what it's job. Had you run SeaFoam or similar products all along you would not have the problem in the first place.

 

[chevinrude]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

You have a severe misconception of how SeaFoam works. Carbon cannot get into your carbs because carbon is "after the fact". In other words fuel (with SeaFoam in it) passes from the tank, through the carbs, into the crankcase, through the transfer ports to the combustion chamber, THEN loosens the carbon, and it passes out the exhaust ports and out the engine exhaust. There is no way carbon got to your carbs internals. What it may have done is loosened carbon that has gunked up the plugs which IS an issue on really dirty engines. Have you actually removed the plugs and installed new ones as the decarb procedure actually suggests. So you see, SeaFoam really did do what it's job. Had you run SeaFoam or similar products all along you would not have the problem in the first place.

#1 I sprayed it into the carbs as well as run it through the engine. #2 I dont appreciate the fact that you insinuate that had I done it all along it would be fine. I am the 4th owner of the motor, Ive owned it for 3 years. No way I could have prevented any carbon buildup.

Its funny how this forum works. If you ask questions, no one answers. If you make an incorrect statement, posters flock to you like fresh meat

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

#1 I sprayed it into the carbs as well as run it through the engine. #2 I dont appreciate the fact that you insinuate that had I done it all along it would be fine. I am the 4th owner of the motor, Ive owned it for 3 years. No way I could have prevented any carbon buildup.

Its funny how this forum works. If you ask questions, no one answers. If you make an incorrect statement, posters flock to you like fresh meat

That's the way it works when an incorrect assumption is made. :redface:
Trust me, this board is absolutely tame compared with others
Anyway, I use Seafoam and Marine Sta-bil as an additive. Used Startron products also. I've also clogged up plugs pretty severely during de-carb. It happens......and would happen with any de-carb product (OMC engine tuner, etc...)

 

[chevinrude]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

I replaced my plugs with brand new NGK's after the decarb process, made no difference. Engine is flooding itself. I went to remove one of the carbs and a plastic elbow broke. Now i need to find one of those.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

Check for fouled spark plugs, maybe caused by your efforts at decarbing motor. Check your entire fuel system from tank, fittings, fuel pump, filters, etc. You motor is probably O.K., just needs some TLC. Good Luck and let us know what you find!

 

[cougar1985]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

i use seafoam products.i never spay anything into the carbs directly.seafoam goes in the gas tank for maintinance and i use deep creep in the cylinders as a carbon killer.at least once or twice a year i take the plugs out of the v4 90 and spray a generous anount of deep creep into the holes and re plug and tilt motor and leave for several hours.turn on the water ,start up the motor and watch the neighborhood disappear under the smoke show.i see you used ngk plugs.toss them and get the proper champion plugs and you wont regret it.

 

[chevinrude]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

Ive got the Champion Marine plugs for my boat as well. The NGK's were put in just because I didnt want to ruin the Champions from all the fuel that is flooding the engine right now.

 

[cougar1985]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

Ive got the Champion Marine plugs for my boat as well. The NGK's were put in just because I didnt want to ruin the Champions from all the fuel that is flooding the engine right now.

great!i also would believe that using the seafoam and your motor not starting are more than likely a coincidence.its more than likely that no matter what you used that day would of ended up the same and you would be cursing some other product.i use seafoam in everything motor related i own and have never had a issue in many years.id be interested in knowning how many ten of thousands of gallons are sold each year of that stuff,it flies off the shelfs up here.

 

[chevinrude]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

Not that popular around here. I had to go to a specialty automotive place and they had it.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

Let's set the record straight. First you bash the be-jeepers out of SeaFoam because it supposedly screwed up your motor. That statement alone may be enough to cause someone else NOT to use the product and their engine becomes "toast" because they did not decarb. Then I go into detail about how the decarb actually works and suddenly I'm the bad guy. I don't care if you owned the motor for an hour or 10 years or how you did the procedure. SeaFoam did not cause your issue. Ask a question you'll get an answer. The answer you get may not be what you want to hear. Flame a product that did not cause your issue and I will explain not only that you were wrong but "why" you were wrong. If that makes me a bad guy so be it.

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

If your motor has "Yamaha" on the side of it - use a Yamaha product.
If your motor has "Mercury" on the side of it - use a Mercury product.
If your motor has "Evinrude" on the side of it - use an Evinrude product.
If your motor has "Seafoam" on the side of it - use a Seafoam product.
If your motor has "Stabil" on the side of it - use a Stabil product.
That's how I'd do it anyway.

 

[chevinrude]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

Let's set the record straight. First you bash the be-jeepers out of SeaFoam because it supposedly screwed up your motor. That statement alone may be enough to cause someone else NOT to use the product and their engine becomes "toast" because they did not decarb. Then I go into detail about how the decarb actually works and suddenly I'm the bad guy. I don't care if you owned the motor for an hour or 10 years or how you did the procedure. SeaFoam did not cause your issue. Ask a question you'll get an answer. The answer you get may not be what you want to hear. Flame a product that did not cause your issue and I will explain not only that you were wrong but "why" you were wrong. If that makes me a bad guy so be it.

I have the right to my opinion of a product. Do you own stock in SeaFoam? I have friends that have owned boats for over 15 years. Never de-carbed. And their motors run mint.

No hard feelings ST, sorry I jumped down your throat. I was out of line. Thank you for your advice.

 

[Titanium48]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

Seafoam is mostly Naphtha and Mineral Spirits(Stoddard Solvent)

The label also says it contains isopropanol. If I had to guess based on the smell, I'd say at least 50%. Makes you wonder if ethanol containing gasoline might not provide the same benefits, especially in a 2-stroke where there's lubricant in the fuel already.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

Seafoam Ingredients
CAS # Wt.%
Pale Oil 64742-54-7 40.00 - 60.00 %
Naphtha 64742-49-0 25.00 - 35.00 %
IPA 67-63-0 10.00 - 20.00 %

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

Marvel Mystery oil ingredients:
Naphthenic Hydrocarbons 64742-52-5 70 ? 80 %
Mineral Spirits 08052-41-3 20 ? 30 %
Chlorinated Hydrocarbons 00095-50-1 0 ? 1 %

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Best Outboard Engine Treatments

I can't speak of the Seafoam product, never used it.

I did have a nightmare of a problem years ago with my car however when I thought I would add some fuel system cleaner. The car was 10 yrs old and had about 220,000Km on it so I THOUGHT the treatment was long overdue.

Not two day after adding the treatment (according to instructions) all hell broke loose. The fuel treatment worked very well and removed 10yrs of buildup and crap from the tank and lines and dumped it into the filter and fuel injector system. Car completely quit running.

Filter was completely plugged and the amount of crap in the lines and injector system was unbelievable. Cost me in excess of $600 to get it running again.