Snake Oil?

[ebinmaine 67,696]

11 minutes ago, rmaynard said:

it stands to reason that as long as gasoline is MOVING through a carburetor, it's self-cleaning

 

Note the word I highlighted. 

 

I've taken apart carburetors on 20, 30, 40-year-old vehicles that were used, some more than others.

 

I believe it's the sitting that causes the varnishing, not the moving.

 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

4 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

make a very impressive smoke show

 

I don't usually admit this, but I can be a vindictive SOB at times.

 

Case in point about 40 years ago, there was a neighborhood feud going on with a neighbor family.  One July 4 they were having a party.  100s of people in attendance.

 

I pulled one of my cars up into my work area, and noted that the party was 'down wind'.

 

Removed the air filter, got out my can of Marvel Mystery Oil, started the car and proceeded to pour the oil down the carb.

 

Chaos ensued... at least no one went to jail...

And I STILL get a chuckle thinking about that HUGE cloud of white smoke waft over and through the party goers!

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by Jeff-C175

[lynnmor 7,315]

26 minutes ago, tom2p said:

been a while since I've snowmobiled - but  stabil (and/or 'dry gas' ) was almost a requirement - and gas was better back then 

 

guys that didn't use that stuff were often stranded when the temps dipped into the single digits 

 

guys that used the stuff rarely had a issue - unless they ran a lot in deep snow / powder and it made its way into the intake / carb 

 

In 1999 we took a snowmobile trip to Priest Lake, Idaho and stayed at a marina that was usually closed in the winter.  We purchased gas at the boat dock and added a can of dry gas.  All day our sleds ran kind of funny and produced a nasty odor when idling.  Upon return at the end of the day, we were stopped by the marina owner to check our gas where he siphoned out a gallon into a large pickle jar, half of it was dirty water.  If someone would have told me an engine could run on that mess, I wouldn't have believed it.  Somehow work that was done on the marina fuel system allowed lake water into the tank.  I believe that the dry gas was the only thing that got me in that night.

Edited January 3, 2021 by lynnmor

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

22 minutes ago, rmaynard said:

the more explosive a liquid is, the better it will clean

 

I think it depends more on what gunk you're cleaning, and what is a 'solvent' for it.

 

Sometimes a petro distillate, sometimes Naptha, Mineral Spirits, Alcohol, etc...

 

Watch for open pilot flames!

 

When I was a kid, my brother was fueling the push mower in the garage.  There was a nat gas clothes drier in the garage.

 

I was outside and heard this huge "WHOOSH" sound and turned to see my brother come running outside with the push mower in flames!

Funny shyte...

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by Jeff-C175

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

1 hour ago, rmaynard said:

My dad once told me that the more explosive a liquid is, the better it will clean. That's why he cleaned everything gasoline instead of diesel fuel or kerosene. So I guess it stands to reason that as long as gasoline is moving through a carburetor, it's self-cleaning. 

https://www.berrymanproducts.com/about/what-is-hest/.

[bc.gold 3,403]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Note the word I highlighted. 

 

I've taken apart carburetors on 20, 30, 40-year-old vehicles that were used, some more than others.

 

I believe it's the sitting that causes the varnishing, not the moving.

 

Fuel from the gas tank from the swather I had dismantled.

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,696]

1 minute ago, bcgold said:

swather

WOW

[squonk 41,164]

Sea foam engine tune up works awesome. When added to oil, I have personally seen it:

 

Take a lifter tick out of a Chevy Truck

Remove an engine knock from a Buick Skylark 4 banger

 

In fuel. Clean a stuck injector on a Pontiac Grand Am

 

Top engine cleaner: Remove pinging from a Dodge Caravan

Edited January 3, 2021 by squonk

[peter lena 8,647]

CSCHANNUTH, I too am a regular STABIL  user with terrific results , I add it to any fuel that I use , instant starts , good exhaust pipe color , plugs look very good . obviously this is a real issue to a lot of people , but its not an issue for me. what ever easily works for you , pete

[Maxwell-8 4,277]

On 1/3/2021 at 8:23 PM, bcgold said:

Fuel from the gas tank from the swather I had dismantled.

 

 

 

 

Ahj, Gone be a mess to get that all out

 

but gas with the oil can cause engine blowups. believe me 

[Maxwell-8 4,277]

On 1/3/2021 at 5:21 PM, ebinmaine said:

I've taken apart carburetors on 20, 30, 40-year-old vehicles that were used, some more than others.

 

I believe it's the sitting that causes the varnishing, not the moving.

Varnish and rusting off the bowl and rest of the carb. 

When it's moving the momentum picks up stuff. 

[Greentored 3,216]

Know what I learned from almost 4 decades of dealing with internal combustion engines, mostly as a career, when it comes to additives?

Dont let em sit.

Period. End of subject.

...and why should we? These are Wheel Horses, not those green or yellow things.

Edited January 6, 2021 by Greentored

[Greentored 3,216]

On 1/2/2021 at 8:23 PM, lynnmor said:

Some of you know how I feel about additives in general, here is a video of a long term test.

That guy is actually pretty knowledgeable if you can get past the hair, teeth, and speech, which I struggle greatly with. ha.

[ebinmaine 67,696]

25 minutes ago, Greentored said:

That guy is actually pretty knowledgeable if you can get past the hair, teeth, and speech, which I struggle greatly with. ha.

Absolutely agreed

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

2 hours ago, Greentored said:

That guy is actually pretty knowledgeable if you can get past the hair, teeth, and speech, which I struggle greatly with. ha.

I do wonder what he really looks like without his 'getup' on.  

[ebinmaine 67,696]

5 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

I do wonder what he really looks like without his 'getup' on.  

Seems as though I've seen a picture of him somewhere....

Just your average Joe...

[305 380]

that's Taryl , he puts out a lot of really good videos and he seams to know his stuff.  but, yeah...the first time i saw him i was kinda shocked

 

as for keeping fuel systems clean, my 1966 Honda i have owned since 1973 and have never cleaned or even had off the bike the carburetor and the fuel tank. the tank looks clean inside and the motor runs perfect. for storage i use Sta-bil in the gas , run the motor to get it into the carb , shut off the fuel and run the carb dry. then i drain the tank and carb

 

my backup 1981 Toro 421 snowblower which has sat unused  for 5-6 years  started on the 3rd pull

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

2 hours ago, 305 said:

my 1966 Honda

 

"First gear, it's all right

Second gear, lean right

Third gear, hang on tight

Fasterrrrrrrr"

 

 

I had one too!  I think it was a CB350 maybe?  or was it a 305?  memory is dim.  Might not have been as old as 66 though.  Fun little machines!

More fun than a barrel of monkeys.

 

Edited January 6, 2021 by Jeff-C175

[ebinmaine 67,696]

1 minute ago, Jeff-C175 said:

More fun than a barrel of monkeys

That's been one of my favorite phrases since I was very young but you know... I've never one single time in my entire life seen or heard of anybody who had ever actually been in possession of a barrel of monkeys. Ever.

 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

9 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

That's been one of my favorite phrases since I was very young but you know... I've never one single time in my entire life seen or heard of anybody who had ever actually been in possession of a barrel of monkeys. Ever.

 

 

Well, here ya go!  Print this out and hang it on the shop wall!  At least you can say you have a PICTURE of a barrel of monkeys!

(we had this game as children)

 

Edited January 6, 2021 by Jeff-C175

[Maxwell-8 4,277]

7 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

That's been one of my favorite phrases since I was very young but you know... I've never one single time in my entire life seen or heard of anybody who had ever actually been in possession of a barrel of monkeys. Ever.

 

Quick google serach:

Hahahah, what is the point of it?

 

[ebinmaine 67,696]

5 minutes ago, Maxwell-8 said:

Quick google serach:

Hahahah, what is the point of it?

 

My grandparents toy box had that in it when I was a kid.

About all you could do with those monkeys was take one and hang another off of it and keep repeating that until you had a chain of hanging monkeys. 

 

A time or two that kept me entertained for about 38 seconds.....

 

[305 380]

mine is a CA77 305 Dream

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

6 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

all you could do with those monkeys was take one and hang another off of it and keep repeating that until you had a chain of hanging monkeys. 

 

I know we're getting OT here and I apologize for that...

As I recall the idea was to reach in with one monkey in your hand and use that to hook the others without using your other hand.  Supposed to teach eye/hand coordination.

 

Helped me the last time I had to fish a dropped piece of hardware out of an engine bay! 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

3 minutes ago, 305 said:

305 Dream

 

Beauty!  Looks like a 'gasser' in the background too!  Sweet!