Anyone use motor flush or treatment

[Tonytoro416 1,034]

Wanted to see how others luck has been with running sea foam or other motor treatments in these Kohler a or onan engines. I use a amsoil fuel treatment in each tank of gas to help with ethanol related issues. If anyone is sold on an oil treatment tell me about it and your experiences. I’m interested to hear what seems to help and what doesn’t 

[ebinmaine 67,553]

This is a subject that pops up once in awhile and the opinions and experiences are as varied as you can get.

 

To the best of my knowledge with the information available to me at this point in time... 

There is only one true way to avoid /negate/modify the effects of ethanol.

 

Don't use ethanol.

 

That said, I do realize there are a lot of states where you have no option.

 

I'll be curious to see what we have for answers.  

[Pullstart 62,905]

I have found a local source of non-ethanol and that’s what I use, but I do run seafoam in the oil side of engines as well…

[Pullstart 62,905]

For what it’s worth, automatic transmission fluid does a dandy job cleaning fuel systems, oil systems too.  Dump it through a carb, dump it in the fuel, it matters not.  Whatever it touches, it tends to clean.

[peter lena 8,632]

@Tonytoro416  use sta-bil  in all my fuel ,  regularly use ethanol fuel ,also have 2 fuel filters on my horses , and clear vinyl  fuel rated hoses . add rislone  zink  to my oil , found it to be a real gain on  engine running and  very thorough engine cleaning . pete

[peter lena 8,632]

@Pullstart  agree with you on the ATF  fluid , used that on a few horse rear end  drive and flush runs . like to heat it up before draining it , add a qt ,and take it for a roadrive ,  use every gear , range . drainage is much more thorough , pete

[ri702bill 8,327]

@Tonytoro416 - I cringed when I read "Motor Flush" . Not sure if "Motor Medic" is even sold anymore - if not, good! As a young teenager in the late 1960's, i had a friend whose Dad had a side business buying & flipping used cars-his Dad used to flush all the cars to get rid of most of the sludge to increase oil pressure. Sometimes it worked, others made it worse. We also used to remove the valve covers, clean the insides and use a short lenght of broken speedometer cable with a low speed electric drill to ramrod the oil return holes - wicked messy.... learned a lot of basic do's and don'ts of fixing cars from him.

 

Joe & I used to flip a coin to see who the unlucky one would be to undo the oil pan plug - it was like zero weight oil!!!!

Edited January 4, 2023 by ri702bill

[Bill D 1,922]

I use ethanol free fuel in all my equipment.  I have dumped a can of Seafoam into a full tank of gas.  Seemed to help my Onan run better.

[lynnmor 7,307]

I put gasoline that contains ethanol in my gas tank.  I put oil that is formulated for small engines in the engine.  The only additive I use is Sta-Bil in the fuel if it will be stored a long time.  I do believe that ethanol free gas would be best, but it is much more expensive in my area so I only use it for engines that will be stored for a long time.  Here is a video, there are others done by him doing long term testing if you care to watch, but bottom line is that it is pretty much all snake oil.   The videos were not scientific and one reason for variability is that engines were stored with no regard to valve openings, for example a valve being open will allow air to pass in and out carrying moisture.

 

[ranger 1,750]

My old British motorbikes, which had no oil filter as such, sometimes just a strainer, ran on a straight, non detergent oil. Rather than use an engine flush every few oil changes, I would fill with “AgriCastrol” tractor oil high detergent and run  for a few days. This really cleaned all the “gunge”, etc, out of the engine. I’ve run the 2ltr “Pinto” engines in my kit cars on 15-40w diesel oil and had zero sludge issues, even with stop start, short journeys.

[Horse Newbie 7,071]

2 hours ago, lynnmor said:

I put gasoline that contains ethanol in my gas tank.  I put oil that is formulated for small engines in the engine.  The only additive I use is Sta-Bil in the fuel if it will be stored a long time.  I do believe that ethanol free gas would be best, but it is much more expensive in my area so I only use it for engines that will be stored for a long time.  Here is a video, there are others done by him doing long term testing if you care to watch, but bottom line is that it is pretty much all snake oil.   The videos were not scientific and one reason for variability is that engines were stored with no regard to valve openings, for example a valve being open will allow air to pass in and out carrying moisture.

 

Seems kinda funny that the one with Seafoam had rust and gel forming after only 5 months… I thought Seafoam was supposed to walk on water…

Edited January 4, 2023 by Horse Newbie

[ebinmaine 67,553]

27 minutes ago, Horse Newbie said:

Seems kinda funny that the one with Seafoam had rust and gel forming after only 5 months… I thought Seafoam was supposed to walk on water…

I've found that seafoam does well to clean a slightly gummed carb but nothing I've seen yet prevents ethanol pearls from forming. That's likely the gel.  

 

 

[kpinnc 12,067]

4 hours ago, Pullstart said:

For what it’s worth, automatic transmission fluid does a dandy job cleaning fuel systems, oil systems too.  Dump it through a carb, dump it in the fuel, it matters not.  Whatever it touches, it tends to clean.

 

Agreed, though I wouldn't "work" the engine with ATF in the oil. Maybe crank and idle for a few minutes before draining. Allow to warm up and splash around to break the gunk, but much more than that can be rough on bearings.

 

But yeah it cleans exceptionally well. Just open any Sundstrand that is full of it. They look like the gears and shafts were just machined after 50 years...

[953 nut 55,280]

Non Ethanol gas with Barrymans B-12 fuel treatment is the only thing that goes in my gas tank.

I use 30 weight motor oil intended for diesel engines because it has a higher zinc content. Changing the oil on a regular basis is the key to engine longevity in my opinion.

[ebinmaine 67,553]

3 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

Changing the oil on a regular basis is the key to engine longevity in my opinion.

I'll second that. 

[Tonytoro416 1,034]

I haven’t ever used any type of oil additive just a fuel stabilizer. So I am glad to hear a lot of these experiences. I am an amsoil dealer so I use their products and have nothing but good to say about them or I wouldn’t be a dealer.  I do use a high zinc oil for my garden tractor engines 

[Pullstart 62,905]

3 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

Agreed, though I wouldn't "work" the engine with ATF in the oil. Maybe crank and idle for a few minutes before draining. Allow to warm up and splash around to break the gunk, but much more than that can be rough on bearings.

 

But yeah it cleans exceptionally well. Just open any Sundstrand that is full of it. They look like the gears and shafts were just machined after 50 years...

Sorry… yes.  In a crank case, I wouldn’t ever run straight ATF.  

[Bill D 1,922]

1 hour ago, Tonytoro416 said:

I haven’t ever used any type of oil additive just a fuel stabilizer. So I am glad to hear a lot of these experiences. I am an amsoil dealer so I use their products and have nothing but good to say about them or I wouldn’t be a dealer.  I do use a high zinc oil for my garden tractor engines 

Do they have fuel system or engine cleaning products?  Are you running their ZRod oil in your tractors?

[Tonytoro416 1,034]

2 hours ago, Bill D said:

Do they have fuel system or engine cleaning products?  Are you running their ZRod oil in your tractors?

I do run z rod and they have a fuel stabilizer called hotshot that I run in every tank.  I can not vouch for the hotshot as of yet time will tell 

[ri702bill 8,327]

9 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Barrymans B-12

I am not a fan of those "Mechanic in a Can" additives - B12 is the only exception - it works.

Next door neighbor had a snowblower that ran poorly and would not idle. I drained the old gas, added a half a tank of new gas and a double shot of B12. Ran it at 3/4 throttle for 5 minutrs - it ran better and now would idle and take the throttle up just fine. Topped off the gas & gave it back to him....

Bill

[ri702bill 8,327]

12 hours ago, kpinnc said:

idle for a few minutes before draining. Allow to warm up and splash around to break the gunk, but much more than that can be rough on bearings.

WOW - that was what the instructions said on the can of Motor Medic !!

[Wild Bill 633 846]

FYI, my Ducati dealer claims Starbrite Star Tron enzyme fuel treatment is the best on the market. I personally do not use it because I run non-ethanol fuel.

http://www.starbrite.com/item/star-tron-gasoline-additive

[pacer 3,173]

I am also very .. leery? about all the ...MANY 'miracle' motor cures. I consider a frequent oil change with a good oil to give me a relatively 'clean' oil at time of change.

 

And as far as non-ethanol fuel .... well, to me THAT IS a miracle product. For the last 2-4 yrs since I have been using it exclusively I havent had to replace a single chain saw, weed whacker, blower, etc, where as prior I was doing every 2-3 yrs! 

 

I am presently trying something different with my tractors, well ONE of my tractors --- I changed to 10w-30 synthetic oil in a 16hp B-43 Onan, and at 40+ hrs I am truly impressed, the oil is almost as clear as when I put it in - which was very clear out of the bottle. The engine condition was unknown (no hr meter) but ran really well and used little to no oil prior to the change. What prompted this was my Toyota Trundra calls for 0w20 Synthetic and at change around the 5000 mi change, looks almost as good as when I put it in - which was little color out of the bottle. When grass cutting time comes around I'm going to try it in my D200s K532.

[peter lena 8,632]

@lynnmor  read your long storage  STA BIL  reference , I  put  an ounce or two  , into every tank top off that I do , can honestly say  that has been a game changer for me with any fuel issues , that combined with those 2 fuel filters , and clear vinyl fuel hoses , has given me bombproof  starting / running ,  absolutely  no  crud/ debris in my fuel bowls . with the regular  sta bil  addition  my fuels are  perfect with it . reading about  many  with fuel problems , makes me ask , why not try a change ?  the regularity of a problem , will let you zero in on it , and fix it . personally never thought it was the  ethanol fuel. eliminated  rubber fuel lines , clear vinyl  hose 2 fuel filters , clean carb bowls , never had  problems .  large bottle of sta bil  treats a lot of fuel .  pete 

[lynnmor 7,307]

8 minutes ago, peter lena said:

@lynnmor  read your long storage  STA BIL  reference , I  put  an ounce or two  , into every tank top off that I do , can honestly say  that has been a game changer for me with any fuel issues , that combined with those 2 fuel filters , and clear vinyl fuel hoses , has given me bombproof  starting / running ,  absolutely  no  crud/ debris in my fuel bowls . with the regular  sta bil  addition  my fuels are  perfect with it . reading about  many  with fuel problems , makes me ask , why not try a change ?  the regularity of a problem , will let you zero in on it , and fix it . personally never thought it was the  ethanol fuel. eliminated  rubber fuel lines , clear vinyl  hose 2 fuel filters , clean carb bowls , never had  problems .  large bottle of sta bil  treats a lot of fuel .  pete 

I started using Sta-BIL for storage about 48 years ago when I bought a new chainsaw and it was recommended in the owners manual.  Sta-BIL is to prevent the oxidation of the fuel that causes the varnish like smell.  I have four Wheel Horse tractors that are 32 to 26 years old and have replaced fuel lines on two of them with the usual rubber type.  Yes, I hate the Corn Lobby product as much as anyone but haven’t had problems in the tractors.  I did have problems in Maine with my snowmobiles when I bought fuel the first winter that the corn squeezens was used since it picked up all the water and crud from the bottom of the storage tanks.

 

My thought is that people don’t take proper precautions when opening fuel tanks and cans. The open time should be kept to an absolute minimum to reduce the absorption of water from the atmosphere.  Just take a stainless steel dog feeding bowl and pour in about 3/4” of E10 and watch the water being gathered during the first 15 to 30 minutes.  In addition, carburetors should be run dry if they won’t be used for an extended amount of time, the pearls won’t form if there is no fuel.