Keeping carb clean

I am gonna rebuild my carb this winter and basically do a overhaul. What would be the best practice to keep a carb clean year round? I'm thinking a fuel stabilizer, draining the fuel bowl if I'm not gonna be using the boat for more than a few days and I have read somewhere about another additive for the fuel that keeps the carb clean. Also read or heard someone say that today's fuels start breaking down after two weeks. Any thought. BTW I am a new member and although been boating a while and I am absolutely hooked on this site. Learn something new everyday, a lot of knowledge gets thrown around here. Thanks in advance.

Use 100% gas if possilble, stabil fuel additive helps, seafoam added to the gas will help as well. Some run a 2 stroke dry by disconnecting the fuel line when loading up, but there is a debate about damage done in the last few seconds of the motor running dry.

I love Seafoam, but remember that OBs run on fuel, not additives. I run E10 ethanol fuels and run even my small OBs through Racor fuel/water separators. I don't ever nor feel the need to add any additives during the season. But I never fill the tank more than I'll use in a couple weeks.

With the Seafoam, all my engines get a 'shock treatment' dosage every 50-hours or so, more for decarbing than anything carb/fuel related.

And for storage w/ E10 fuels, I too run them dry and we'll take care of up to a few dozen OBs each season. Since we're only @ idle speeds, I've never worried about running them dry ...

Ethanol free fuel and seafoam.. I run 1oz per gallon

What time frame will be your off season? I usually put the boat away in October and bring it back out in March so I have never really done anything special to my outboards other than try to use up the gas if it's premixed. But I run the SeaFoam once a year and I add a fuel conditioner or something to help prevent carbon buildup. I've never had any real carb problems in 25+ years of boating but I have had a couple of fuel pumps go bad with the ethanol in the fuel the last few years. I've never had a boat sit more than 5 or 6 months so I don't think there is a need to drain anything in that situation. If something was going to sit for more than a year, I would probably want to get the gas out of it.

when i get my rig out the first time of the year i run about a gallon w/seafoam mix and at storage time i pull the fuel line and run it dry i have never have any start up problems, seems to work good for me.

For some reason I don't trust sea foam. Guess it's the foam part that worries me lol. Is there a certain type for a two stroke or what? Is it just a generic can you get and use for everything?

Dstrickland said:

For some reason I don't trust sea foam. Guess it's the foam part that worries me lol. Is there a certain type for a two stroke or what? Is it just a generic can you get and use for everything?

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There is nothing to worry about!

I've run Seafoam through multiple cars, trucks and boat motors and it cleans up the carbon deposits on the valves and pistons, there's really nothing to worry about. On my current 1994 Mercury 60/45 jet I put it in a pump spray bottle and sprayed it directly through the spark plug holes onto the pistons and let it sit overnight. The motor runs great and using the fuel conditioner along with the Seafoam leaves the combustion chambers really clean for a 2 stroke motor.

Dstrickland said:

For some reason I don't trust sea foam. Guess it's the foam part that worries me lol. Is there a certain type for a two stroke or what? Is it just a generic can you get and use for everything?

Click to expand...

To add to whats been said, I use it in every gas / diesel engine I have. Everything from outboards to weedeaters, chain saws , mowers, cars, trucks , tractors. However to those who do the " shock treatment" I recommend that you change the plugs after wards.

Charger25 said:

Dstrickland said:

For some reason I don't trust sea foam. Guess it's the foam part that worries me lol. Is there a certain type for a two stroke or what? Is it just a generic can you get and use for everything?

Click to expand...

To add to whats been said, I use it in every gas / diesel engine I have. Everything from outboards to weedeaters, chain saws , mowers, cars, trucks , tractors. However to those who do the " shock treatment" I recommend that you change the plugs after wards.

Click to expand...

By Shock Treatment do you mean De-Carbing?
For those that don't know De-Carbing is where you run the motor on 1 gallon of fuel oil mix and about 12oz of sea foam. It's going to smoke a lot then shut the motor off and let it sit for awhile. Then run the motor on a regular fuel mix with the last 4oz of sea foam with new plugs.

First off Sea Foam is pretty weak. Okay to use but pretty weak. Read the contents and compare!
A good de-carbon job starts with a much more powerful chemical than SeaFoam. All of the major engine manufacturers make their own brew and most are similar.
To really have a chance at un-sticking piston rings and removing carbon from the top of pistons and combustion chambers the manufacturers brew is the one to use.
The OMC brand for example is called Engine Tuner. I think Merc calls theirs Power Tune. Those are the two most commonly used.
Engine should be warm and the chemical is shot straight down the throat of the carburetor(s) at an RPM that will barely sustain running. On large engines a complete can is used up. Smaller engines use common sense. The more used the cleaner the engine.
After using the chemical the engine should sit for at least 12 hours or so. I usually let them sit overnight. The engines are then started and run on a heavier than normal fuel/oil mix and not run hard for a while as carbon debris will be exiting the cylinders and engine.

lckstckn2smknbrls said:

Charger25 said:

Dstrickland said:

For some reason I don't trust sea foam. Guess it's the foam part that worries me lol. Is there a certain type for a two stroke or what? Is it just a generic can you get and use for everything?

Click to expand...

To add to whats been said, I use it in every gas / diesel engine I have. Everything from outboards to weedeaters, chain saws , mowers, cars, trucks , tractors. However to those who do the " shock treatment" I recommend that you change the plugs after wards.

Click to expand...

By Shock Treatment do you mean De-Carbing?
For those that don't know De-Carbing is where you run the motor on 1 gallon of fuel oil mix and about 12oz of sea foam. It's going to smoke a lot then shut the motor off and let it sit for awhile. Then run the motor on a regular fuel mix with the last 4oz of sea foam with new plugs.

Click to expand...

Yes ,De-carbing

Pappy , I'm sure that there is better stuff from the manufacturer , but its just that you can get the sea foam and deep creep from just about any auto parts store and wally world . I pick this stuff almost as an after thought when walking down the isle ( oh, yeah i need a can of that)

So I think I am gonna get the manufacturers version. Should I go right thru the throat of the carb or mix in the fuel is what I am not sure which way to go. . If I mix in the fuel I need to troll around the lake until I go thru the gallon of fuel I guess. With a 6 hp that will take a while. If I go thru the carb I will prob just do it a home in a trash can of water.

Should I go right thru the throat of the carb or mix in the fuel is what I am not sure which way to go.

Click to expand...

Engine should be warm and the chemical is shot straight down the throat of the carburetor(s) at an RPM that will barely sustain running.

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So I would think full strength

A little clarification.........
If you want to clean your carburetor. Best way is to disassemble, clean and put a complete kit in it. Use your favorite chemical (SeaFoam or whatever) to MAINTAIN a clean carb.
If you want to try and clean it with a chemical in the gas...good luck....but give it a try. Follow the recommendations on the can. Whatever chemical you want to try.
If you are doing a complete tune up and want to de-carbon the rings, pistons, and combustion chambers then follow the yellow brick road I laid out for you in the previous post.

imho good fuel and a better filter is the best way to keep a carb clean.

Got it. Thanks all.