jamesgangnc wrote:
This is an interesting topic. I've always thought the add to the gas
cleaners were sort of snake oil. After all gas it's self is a pretty
good dissolver, what could be in these cleaners that would do it better
but still not be so corrosive that it ate up all the gaskets. Anyone
really take a carb apart, look at, put it back together, run a can of
cleaner through, and then take it back apart and see what got cleaned?
That would really tell the tale.

I've always been in a quandry about carbs with float bowls too. I add
stabilizer to my boat gas and fill the tank as winterizing but it
mostly evaporates from the float bowls over the winter anyway.
Merc/chevy small block with a holley on it. I figure the stabilizer is
good for the gas in the tank but the carb problems are typically
because the gas evaporates and leaves crud on the inside of the jets.

On my generator, which we only use once in a rare while, I shut the
fuel valve at the tank and let the engine burn as much as it can from
the float bowl. I do periodically run the thing but I always shut it
down by turning off the fuel.

I've thought about adding a valve to the boat gas line right at the
carb so I could do the same thing to it.

Do you carbs have a drain on the bottom of the bowl? Some do, some
don't. As far as the snake oil, I think maybe in the proportions that
would make it economical, that they don't work that well. A outboard
carb rebuild is pretty simple, and the kit is cheap. On our annual
fishing trip, one of the regulars invited a new guy. He brought his
boat, which had sat for months, and put it in the water, only to find
out it would barely run. I take him up to the marina in my boat, and he
buys two cans of some Merc product that has a fitting to hook directly
to the carb. Well, while we are all sitting on the dock watching, he
puts a can of the tune up stuff on, and putts around the cove, smoking
and stinking, won't get above 1000 rpm or so. Second can, same thing. I
go down there, and I do hear a difference... Asks me to run him back to
the marina, gets two more cans. Now, I never, ever thought after two
cans that more would make a difference, but he plugs in the third can,
and after about using it up, the thing starts running better and
better, then takes off!!! So, it did work, but I'd just as soon rebuild
the carbs for about the same price, and take less time, and know that
they are right. I rebuild mine on my 135 Evinrude every couple of
years, but they are problematic with small openings to get clogged
anyway.