Thread: Need advice

Ok, here is my plan:
1. Replace fuel hose and primer bulb and fittings to eliminate any issues w fuel supply and test motor
2. If I can get it running again, I am going to run a full 3 gallons of fuel mixture with Seafoam through it to decarb and hopefully clean the carbs some; if she seems good after that I am done
3. If not, I have done enough research that I think I can tear into the carb and do a thorough inspection and cleaning and rebuild if necessary. I hope I don't have to, but if it comes to that I will post some pics of my adventure as it will be my first carb tear down.

Thanks again for the help and direction gents. This site is so helpful.

The following decarb method works. And believe him about not doing it on a nice clean driveway. It does make a mess if you have a lot of carbon build-up.

Tip for the Week
Do-It-Yourself Engine Tip; A Simple and Cost Effective Way to De-Carbon an Outboard
By Capt. Bob Dunkelberger
This works for Carbed, EFI, Ficht, HPDI, Opti-max and even 4-strokes... and should be administered after every 50-60 hours of use.
First you need a separate small fuel tank. One of those 3-gallon red Tempos works well or an empty gallon milk jug in a pinch, but it might be a bit messier.
I use Seafoam over the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) stuff like OMC Engine Tuner or Mercury Power Tune. Note: in the last few years they changed the formula and you have to let them sit up 12 hours. Who's got time for that? Seafoam does the job in 15 minutes and can be purchased from NAPA, Car Quest or other auto stores.
You'll need 3/4 gallon of gasoline and one 16oz can of Seafoam for each engine. Don't forget to add 3oz of oil if you are pre-mixing in a carbed engine. Use a 3 ft piece of fuel hose off the small tank. Connect this tank to your engine by pulling off the main tank fuel hose from the intake side of your water separating fuel filter and plug the hose off the small tank onto that fitting. Or you can separate the fuel line on the tank side primer ball, so you can still use your primer. If your engine has a fuel plug then you will also need a fuel plug on the smaller tank's hose.
Start the engine, let it warm up and start pulling the mix into the engine. You may have to increase the idle to keep it running once she gets loaded with the Seafoam. Run the engine 15 minutes at the dock or just cruising around under 2500 rpm's. Then shut it down and let it sit for another 15 minutes.
Restart the engine; the smoke you see is the carbon burning off. Do the whole thing again and let her sit again for 15 more minutes. If she smokes after the second time do it again.
I've never seen one still smoke after three doses. (I bought a Bronco two years ago that had 95,000 miles on it. When I used Seafoam on it I had the neighbors hanging out of their front doors looking for where the fire was after I started it the first time there so much smoke)
The gallon mix should be just enough to do this 3 times. You don't need a wide-open throttle and you don't need to change the plugs. The plugs are cleaned at the same time as the combustion chambers. My suggestion is that every 50-60hrs is the optimal time to change plugs in most engines.
I cleaned an antique Evinrude once that had a 1/4" of solid carbon on the exhaust chamber walls by running a 1/2 gal of the aforementioned mix through it. Seafoam, a great product, has been around since the 1930's and it's what they used when they were burning straight 4 stroke 40SAE oils in outboards.
For you guys with the 4 stroke outboards? Those engines work 10 times as hard as any auto engine ever will and they too will carbon up. Too many are under the assumption that it's totally the 2 stroke oil that causes the carbon, Wrong... it's also the additives they put in the fuels today. The carbon inhibitors in 2-stroke oil are there for this reason also. Remember when gasoline used to smell like gasoline, today it smells more like bad cologne.
For those guys that like to work the carbon treatment by spraying it down the carbs, Seafoam also comes in spray can called Deep Creep. It's the same stuff under pressure and notes on the can, "Oxygen Sensor Safe". After that, if your engine manufacturer recommends a daily additive treatment then do so. The tank and hose are a one-time purchase and the Seafoam is only costs $5-6.00 per can.

Thanks BB! Is there a reason I can't just run the Seafoam in my regular 3 gallon fuel tank? It has 1.5 gallons of mix in it so I was just going to put half the can of Seafoam in it and run it around the lake until it was dry. But, if seafoam will ruin my tank or fuel lines or something I won't do that.

I put a new primer bulb on my existing hose w existing fittings today and it still isn't priming like it should. I checked the hose really well and the fittings bc they look fine and are only a year old. The primer bulb was definitely bad as I could see fuel and bubbles around the crimp clamp.

After replacing the bulb and testing, I can hear gurgling or air in the engine or around the fittings or something when trying to prime it. It doesn't sound right to me but the motor will start and run but initial start is really hard. I was trying to get the bulb to prime up hard and I checked under the cowling and there was fuel dripping steady out of the carb. But, it still started and ran with my hose and my dad's hose and it didn't seem to make a difference. I am so confused at this point. My grandpa says the carb has an overflow and will leak if it is getting too much fuel, but others on this site have said that indicates e a bad carb?

You can run the seafoam just in your gas and it will not harm anything. When you do that procedure it blows carbon out the exhaust and that is what makes the mess. There are no overflows in a marine carb. But before you rebuild them run the seafoam thru. You might get lucky and it cleans the carbs out too. I have seem that happen.

Many people are confused as to how the primer bulb is suppose to work. All you have to do is pump it up until it gets firm. At this point you have filled all the carb bowls with fuel and that is what you want. To contunue to pump it pass this point does nothing unless there happens to be a little trash in the needle and seat. In that case you could flood the motor. It is normal to sometimes hear gurgling noise as you are replacing air in the line with fuel. Once the motor is running the primer bulb is no longer firm (but not collapsed) This is normal because there is no longer any pressure in it. There is a vacume from the fuel pump so it can draw fuel from the tank to the fuel pump. The only pressure is in the lines between the fuel pump and the carbs.

Very helpful as always BB.

I will just give a few pumps in the morning and stop and try to get her going. I hope you are right and the Seafoam works its magic. Another random basic ? is should I run the vent open or closed on top of the fuel tank? It seems to prime better with that vent closed.

Thanks again for all the help.

Originally Posted by htr2133

Very helpful as always BB.

I will just give a few pumps in the morning and stop and try to get her going. I hope you are right and the Seafoam works its magic. Another random basic ? is should I run the vent open or closed on top of the fuel tank? It seems to prime better with that vent closed.

Thanks again for all the help.

Vent must be open when running the motor.

there is a motor mechanic down below stutgart, ar that says do it this way. mix oil in a gallon of gas and pour one can of seafoam in the gas and run that through the engine. he said it will smoke like a freight train but will clean the carb. run the motor a while then try it on regular mixed gas with some seafoam. he said every year for the first tank pour one full can of seafoam in then the rest of the season mix like can says. google "the refuge" and get on the arkansas board and ask about seafoam. the man builds racing outboards or did and has raced them. he evidently knows outboards inside and out. every year i do pour a full can of seafoam in 6 gal of gas and plus the newer blue stabil and after that tank i'll mix the seafoam twice as heavy as the can says.

I still say sea foam will not solve the problem. I think you're problem lyes in the carb either the float or the needle and seat it sounds like too much fuel is flooding the engine, just my opinion....