OK to use carb cleaner on a running 2 stroke?

[Home Cookin']

I know you shouldn't use starter fluid on a two stroke because it leans out the motor (runs without the benefit of oil).

Carb cleaners suggest spraying in to the carb throat while the (vehicle) motor is running--but it seems to me that would not be a good idea for a two stroke? Or is it OK since you do one carb at a time?

3 cylinder 1986 Johnson 70

thanks

 

[Chris1956]

Re: OK to use carb cleaner on a running 2 stroke?

Spraying carb cleaner into a carb throat doesn't do anything to clean the carb. It will certainly dilute the lubricating oil. I am therefore not sure why you would want to do this.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: OK to use carb cleaner on a running 2 stroke?

seafoam/deep creep to decarb.

 

[JimS123]

Re: OK to use carb cleaner on a running 2 stroke?

Back in the day OMC sold a product called "Engine Tuner". It was meant for carbon removal, but what's in it is similar to "carb cleaner". I used it for years, every fall, but then switched to regular carb cleaner because it was cheaper and more readily available.

I've never rebuilt an engine yet, so my guess is it won't hurt anything.

 

[brnschoneck]

Re: OK to use carb cleaner on a running 2 stroke?

y i dont see y not i use seafoam it surley helps ....

 

[JimS123]

Re: OK to use carb cleaner on a running 2 stroke?

y i dont see y not i use seafoam it surley helps ....

???

 

[Texasmark]

Re: OK to use carb cleaner on a running 2 stroke?

???

He said he uses Sea foam and it really helps. Thing about SF is that there is oil in the recipe so it doesn't dilute your fuel mix when you spray it into the venturi. Sprayed there, it can help the combustion chamber but bypasses the fuel system.

Mark

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: OK to use carb cleaner on a running 2 stroke?

If you have carb problems, you need to remove them, disassemble them and clean them.

It's a 1 hour job for 2 carbs for me, and I'm not even a mechanic. On 2 strokes, there are not even any carb kits to buy if you're careful removing any gaskets.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: OK to use carb cleaner on a running 2 stroke?

What you use and how you use it depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Spraying anything through the throat of carb does NOT clean the carb. It cleans the throat which is likely not dirty anyway so its a wasted effort and wasted money. If you are trying to remove carbon from the engine then carb cleaner is the wrong product. If you are trying to clean the carb then removal of the carb(s, disassembly, thorough cleaning and reassembly with new kits is the solution for that. Run SeaFoam or similar products all the time and you won't have the issue to begin with (ethanol or not).

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: OK to use carb cleaner on a running 2 stroke?

thanks, all. I have one of those intermittant could-be-anything issues (dropping a cylinder or two) on an old saltwater motor

I thought I might also spray some carb cleaner in the drain holes after I open them.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: OK to use carb cleaner on a running 2 stroke?

I understand that Seafoam "doesn't clean carbs" and all that. However, I was having an intermittent hiccup at speed issue last season and I did a decarb out on the lake by spraying aerosol SeaFoam into my motor for a bit until it stalled, let it sit for a bit, then fired it up and sprayed most of the rest of the can in little by little, then did a WOT run around the lake on a gallon or two of fuel with a can of SeaFoam in it. My hiccup problem went away. I know this is anecdotal but I'm basically just sayin' HC, that it couldn't hurt to try. This is assuming you don't have an electrical issue.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: OK to use carb cleaner on a running 2 stroke?

I understand that Seafoam "doesn't clean carbs" and all that. However, I was having an intermittent hiccup at speed issue last season and I did a decarb out on the lake by spraying aerosol SeaFoam into my motor for a bit until it stalled, let it sit for a bit, then fired it up and sprayed most of the rest of the can in little by little, then did a WOT run around the lake on a gallon or two of fuel with a can of SeaFoam in it. My hiccup problem went away. I know this is anecdotal but I'm basically just sayin' HC, that it couldn't hurt to try. This is assuming you don't have an electrical issue.

Well sir, you did introduce it into the fuel passages hence carb innerds by your "decarb" fuel mix. I had an old chain saw, weed eater, and 2 cycle garden tiller....Mighty Mite or something. Had a red cowl. I thought they were all toast and had already bought a replacement chain saw and WE.

One day I had nothing to do so I decided to do a decarb on those implements and lo and behold, I resurrected all of them. That made a believer out of me in addition to my recent look into my 10 year old carbs that hadn't been touched since the engine was new. I couldn't believe that there was nothing in the carbs but some pieces of internal fuel hose. I'm a believer. It's in every tank of gas I run through my boat and a lot of my 4 cycle implements.

Mark

 

[brnschoneck]

Re: OK to use carb cleaner on a running 2 stroke?

y thats all im saying is try it , ultimalty ull have to rebuild carbs soon but it all depends on how lng ago they were done if ever etc....but i have done it in the past on my 82 frd f-100 also i rebuilt the carb on it but use sea foam every know ang again never had another problem yet this was 4 yrs ago on the truck ....i just do it mainly as part of maint....