Outboard Carb Cleaning Fuel Additive -- Is there one?

[brettagostini]

I've searched the forums and as near as I can tell fuel additives to help clean carbs aren't looked highly upon. However, there do seem to be products out there designed for this. <br /><br />I know I need to pull and clean my carbs, but I also know if I do it this late in the season I'll never get the boat back in the water until next year. (Never pulled carbs before and I'm being realistic.)<br /><br />I'm looking for a safe additive that might give me some little bit of help to get me through the season. It's a 140 '78 Ev that is running... eh... fair to poor. <br /><br />Thanks for any advice guys.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Outboard Carb Cleaning Fuel Additive -- Is there one?

You can pour a can of "seafoam" into your tank.If it is any better or worse than other carburetor cleaner is a question which I have no answer for.I have used it for years with no bad side effects.

 

[ledgefinder]

Re: Outboard Carb Cleaning Fuel Additive -- Is there one?

The sad truth is that carb/fuel injector cleaner won't clean out the gumming present in outboard carbs. You can try it, but I don't think you'll see much improvement over just running it with fresh gas. <br /><br />Moreover, you may harm that engine if one cylinder is running lean (toast a cylinder). The 140s are pretty highly-tuned, & there's not a whole lot of margin for error. <br /><br />The V4 carbs really aren't very difficult to pull & clean - probably the easiest modern engine to do the carbs on. Buy a can of spray carb cleaner, and use the little plastic tube to spray cleaner in the idle & full throttle circuits. Access to a manual is nearly mandatory (preferably factory, but at least the Seloc). I'd say figure 3 hours to do a careful job, if you haven't done them before.<br /><br />What makes you think the carbs are dirty? What's the engine doing?

 

[real550A]

Re: Outboard Carb Cleaning Fuel Additive -- Is there one?

Second vote for SeaFoam. I use it religiously in my bigger Mercs, and Porsche engines. Never any fuel related problems.

 

[brettagostini]

Re: Outboard Carb Cleaning Fuel Additive -- Is there one?

Access to a manual is nearly mandatory (preferably factory, but at least the Seloc).

I bought a Seloc manual and have been using it. Thanks to whomever was the one who originally suggested THAT investment!<br /><br />

What makes you think the carbs are dirty? What's the engine doing?

The engine was wintered two years with gas in it. It runs now, and seems to have been slowly improving over the season, but... The engine will come up to 5 or 6 000 rpms no problem with the warm up lever. But, when running, the engine will only come up to about 4,000 rpms, and that is with a loooooong time of accelleration. Over two minutes runninbg full throttle. Add more load, like a person in a tube, and the rpms will only come up to 2500 or so. Someone on here told me that was likely a carburator problem.<br /><br />I've checked the butterflys... The are wide open when at full throttle and closed at idle (or vice versa... can't remember now. Whatever the correct way is) So I'm assuming my carbs need to be broken down and de-gunked.<br /><br />What do you think?

 

[FishHog]

Re: Outboard Carb Cleaning Fuel Additive -- Is there one?

yep<br /><br />cleaning carbs is not a big deal. Just take them apart carefully, clean and put them back together the same way they came apart.<br /><br />Check original setting so the jet adjustments before disassembly so you can put them back to the same spot upon reassembly.<br /><br />FishHog

 

[brettagostini]

Re: Outboard Carb Cleaning Fuel Additive -- Is there one?

Check original setting so the jet adjustments before disassembly so you can put them back to the same spot upon reassembly.<br />

I'm not sure what this means. I'll look at the manual, and examine everything I take apart carefully, but could you explain also? Every little bit helps.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Outboard Carb Cleaning Fuel Additive -- Is there one?

I did one of my V4s this year. I took both carbs off together without disconnecting the linkage between the two. I did not want to disturb the linkage. The job was a lot easier than I thought it would be and a hell of a lot simpler to work on than an automotive carb.