Is fuel system cleaner/additive used in small engines routinely?

[doitmyself]

I operate a few different mowers at work, a 5 hp push mower up to a 20+ hp liquid cooled Kawasaki engine rider.

A small engine mechanic told me to use Seafoam additive once in awhile to keep the fuel system clean of deposits.

Do any of you pros do this? Is it necessary or beneficial?

Thanks.

 

[SteveD2]

Yeah, it's allways a good idea. I was just seafoaming my lawnmower a few minutes ago actually. Small engines run dirty, much much dirtier than any car engine. Because of that it's much better to use additives like seafoam in one of those engines than a car. It's certainly not going to hurt anything...

 

[Rebel Rouser]

No pro here, but I did add Schaeffer's #131 Neutra to my dad's 8hp B&S snowblower engine's fuel tank this winter, and WOW, it hasn't run this good in years. No choking clouds of exhaust on start-up either.

 

[JohnBrowning]

I doubt it. Most small engines are ran until they will not function properly then corrective action is taken. With a small engine you can easily remove the plug soak the bore with solvent and restart it.

 

[Neil Womack]

I run my small engines with Neutra in the gas all the time and then put them to bed by changing the oil,running the carbs dry and fog the bore. No problems in the spring. R or r the plug and air filter fill with gas and go.

Now my brother always calls me over in March and I Seafoam his mower to get it going. Seafoam works wonders. And may kill small flying insects to boot.

 

[Bror Jace]

I'm always running a teaspoon of Red Line SI-1, Schaeffer Neutra or even an ounce or two of Isopropynol in my lawn mowers and every piece of power equipment.

Cheap insurance.

--- Bror Jace

 

[greasezerk]

A little preventative maintenance goes a long way. A shot of fuel system cleaner from time to time keeps the engines running at their best. Dont forget to keep the air filters clean and change the coolant on that kawi engine.

 

[Don C]

I always use seafoam in all my small engines, it cleans and acts as a stabilazer all in one.

 

[BUBBA0420]

I add Marvel Mystery Oil to my lawnmower gas as I do to my vehicles Seafoam is good also

 

[Johnny]

I was cleaning out my garage last Saturday to get my mowers ready and uncovered my 30 year old John Deere edger with it's little Briggs 3HP engine. After I poured out the syrp that was oil and changed the plug, I tried to start it. NO GO. Everything inside was so rusted up and stuck together it would not crank. So I thought nothing ventured, nothing gained. Heck I haven't used it in 18 years. So I pulled the spark plug and flooded the cyl with Lube Control, then put in two good squirts of Fuel Control in the little fuel tank, and let it set until this afternoon. Gave the old carb a good shot of either and BAM, it fired right up. You should have seen all the stuff coming out of the exhaust. After fogging the neighbors for about an hour she runs like new.

I would suggest you use an additive more often than every 18 years. Now I have to go buy a new belt and blade and put it to work.

 

[penzdude]

i use seafoam as well. 1oz per gallon of fuel, in my ohv 5.0 honda, and 10 and a half hp briggs. also use it in the lawn and leaf vac, which usualy gets used a couple of months in the late fall, then put away for the year. no starting problems the next year. also using amsoil 10-30 which i think helps alot.

 

[dave159]

What about using plain old carb cleaner?

 

[Stooge]

Try some 2-stroke oil in the gas. About 200 to 1. I've always used it in my 4-stroke "lawn" motors. The oil helps lube the upper cylinder area, has some gas perservatives built in, and the contained esters help clean the carb. I've never seen excessive carbon build-up on the valves, piston tops or cylider heads after I've removed/cleaned them after 100 hours (L-head noise makers).

 

[SteveD2]

I use 50:1 2 cycle oil in my 4 cycle lawnmower.

Doesn't get much carbon buildup, and it is really easy to take off the head and clean it.

 

[Bror Jace]

I always keep mixed-up 2-cycle fuel (40:1) on hand ... but I end up using very little of it ... in our weed whip and chainsaw only.

So, every 6 months I will pour this aging, leftover fuel into our 4-cycle lawn mowers (push & tractor) as well as the snowblower (seasonally depending, of course).

I figure if it is only done occasionally and never at a mixture richer to 100:1 by the time it mixes with the straight gas alreadu in the machine, there's the added top cylinder lubrication with no harm (deposit formation) done.

--- Bror Jace

 

[first5ny]

Little bit of redline fuel system cleaner in the first and last 5 gallons works for me.