yeah, i wouldnt expect there to be no carbon at all, but i deff want it to be clean enough so that then engine can operate at peak efficiency.
i would first clean the deposits out manually, then use the best additive (assuming i can find one thats not too expensive) to keep the combustion chamber clean.
i picked up some of that Berryman B-12 Chemtool fuel treatment. $2.97 for a 16oz. can at Walmart, couldnt find it at any auto-parts or other stores in the area.. not sure what that says of the quality if i can only find it at Walmart... anyway, it comes in the same kind of container as Sea-Foam, but its deff not the same stuff. it has a much stronger smell. it also does not mention an upper cylinder lube, fuel stabilizer, or anything about being used in the engine oil.
it does however, warn not to spill it on painted surfaces because it removes paint. which it does quite well when applied full strength (i had to try) so im sure it will strip that nasty varnish outta the carbs. but i dont know how powerful it would be when you mix only 1 ounce (as directed) with a gallon of gas.
it actually smells just like carb cleaner spray, maybe a little more potent though. i put a little on my fingers, let it evaporate, and there was no oily residue left. deff only for cleaning, no lubing properties at all.
i have a nearly-new Honda engine (5.5hp vert shaft, on a log splitter) hasnt even been run long enough to need its first oil change.. had some old gas left in it. and now it wont run w/o the choke on. there are no adjustments on the carb to mess with, so i added an extra-strength dose of the Chemtool stuff to the gas, ran it for awhile to make sure the mix got into the carb, now im gonna let it sit overnight and see if there is any change tomorrow.
also picked up a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil for $3.64 at the same Walmart, it runs about $4.50 at the auto-parts stores.
ive been reading good reviews on the stuff, so i figured id try it.
interestingly, i heard someone mention online somewhere that when they tried to buy some, there was an age restriction on it, you had to be 18 to buy it. only saw that once, so i didnt think much of it. but when i went to the checkout, i noticed as the cashier was scanning it, that the readout on the register mentioned an age restriction! lol. well anyway, i didnt have to show ID (the cashier never even mentioned it) maybe cause i just look over 18 (im 19). but w/e, i got the stuff lol
the first thing i noticed when i opened the bottle was that it has a pleasant minty smell to it! dont know what that does as far as helping performance, but i dont think it would hurt any lol.
the Marvel Mystery Oil website mentions that it acts as a fuel stabilizer. the standard mix of the MMO in gas/diesel is 4oz. per 10gal. of fuel. which is 1oz per 2.25gal... that happens to be the same mix Sta-Bil recommends.
just cause im such an inquisitive guy, i think i might buy some fresh gas sometime and compare the two in separate cups to see which goes stale first. (all the gas i have already has Sta-Bil in it) MMO is much cheaper than Sta-bil, so if it works just as good, thats a way to save some cash lol.
anyway, its supposed to lube the fuel system, upper cylinder, valves, all that good stuff, and keep the carb clean too.
its also supposed to keep the spark plugs and fuel injectors clean of carbon deposits.
it says you can use it at a 10-20% mix in the crankcase every oil change to clean the deposits in the crankcase. i hear it has excellent cleaning properties. but i wouldnt use it all the time, just to remove the deposits and then drain the oil. i might see how that works in an engine im borrowing from someone i know doesnt change the oil regularly.
ive mixed extra-strength doses of the MMO in the fuel of my Kohler K181, in such concentration that would normally cause a fair amount of blue smoke with regular engine oil. but it seems to burn pretty cleanly. barley any more smoke than the engine already makes.
so i cant really tell if it will keep the combustion chamber clean without some good testing. i think ill clean out the little bit of carbon that might be in my mower, then run only gas that has been treated with the recommended dosage of MMO, and remove the head at the end of the season to see the results for myself, then post them here.
...crap i typed a lot!!
well, i hope someone gets some good info from all this yakking! lol
