rmaynard 15,458 #26 Posted January 17, 2022 13 minutes ago, Darb1964 said: I use mm. All the time in my small engines, when I acquire a new to me tractor the first thing I do is add fresh gas and mm oil. Oil change also, there will be some smoke at start up, depending on the health of the engine it clears up after warming up. If it's been sitting for a long time I put a mixture of gas and mm down the sparke plug opening. Something a old timer showed me Years ago and I've done it ever since. I don't disagree with using some sort of light oil down the plug hole for an engine that's been sitting. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldredrider 2,548 #27 Posted January 17, 2022 45 minutes ago, rmaynard said: As of my last research on Seafoam, I haven't found any oil or gas companies that recommend putting them into their products. And the only reason we don't still have leaded gas or straight ethanol-free gas is due to government regulations, and when was the last time that worked for everyone? I'll get off my soapbox now. It's blatantly obvious, an oil or gas company, is not going to suggest or recommend you add anything to their product. Is so, why would you use it without "additives"? Just bought a portable generator (Briggs powered) that had a big fat label on the gas cap. "Add fuel stabilizer and fuel treatment". It's not the oil or gas companies! It's the engine manufacturers that know what engines need. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RED-Z06 2,221 #28 Posted January 17, 2022 47 minutes ago, rmaynard said: I know that my opinion on this subject is not shared by all, but those who agree with me, agree wholeheartedly. Here's the reason why. Seafoam is a mixture of: Pale Oil 60% (Pale oil is straight naphthenic mineral oil) Naphtha 25% (Same as mineral spirits paint thinner, only evaporates faster) IPA 15% Isopropanol (Isopropyl alcohol) If these cheap and readily available ingredients did anything to improve the performance of either oil or gasoline, don't you think the refineries would include them in their products? As of my last research on Seafoam, I haven't found any oil or gas companies that recommend putting them into their products. And the only reason we don't still have leaded gas or straight ethanol-free gas is due to government regulations, and when was the last time that worked for everyone? I'll get off my soapbox now. I had a riding mower that had sat 10 years with a tank full of gas, the tank had condensed down to about 2" of black sludge and the lines were solid packed. I got tye bowl off the carb and the float was not visible, the bowl looked like it had burnt molasses in it...and to my dismay, carb cleaner just beaded off of it. I put a 50/50 mix of seafoam and gas in the tank and let it sit overnight...the next day the hard sludge was liquefied and i dumped it out. I put on new lines and a filter, and ran it to the carb, added straight seafoam to the tank and let it sit a day. Came back out and the bowl was leaking a bit, i dropped it and the float was now fully visible and the bowl was full of black slurry...i dumped it...carb cleanered the jets, bowl...float...now dripping the tank contents steadily...and added gas; put the bowl on...it fired up. It ran rough at first but after 10 minutes it ran mostly fine....after an hour it was perfect. It was a tecumseh so the fact it ran at all was surprising to me. But...it cleaned it. Vi also have had a few instances with briggs Lhead twins knocking due to carbon and give them a gulp...let it soak and then run it and the knock goes away. Its about the only thing like that ill trust to at least not cause damage 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,557 #29 Posted January 17, 2022 Not sure what to think, but a bit of oil in gas won’t “hurt” our old engines… I do know that I never use any additives in my Dewalt 20 v battery lawnmower, blower, chainsaw, hedge trimmer or string trimmer… 2 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 15,458 #30 Posted January 17, 2022 1 hour ago, oldredrider said: "Add fuel stabilizer and fuel treatment". If they truly were honest, they would say "Do not use gasoline with ethanol" So last night we had snow. The weatherman being pessimistic as usual, said to be prepared in case the snow and ice took electric lines down. I wasn't convinced so I did nothing. Then our power went off at 8:16 PM. Found out later it was a blown transformer in the neighborhood. I waited about 15 minutes, then decided to fire up the old Briggs & Stratton 5500/8550 generator. It had been sitting for nearly two years since last started. I thought that it might be a problem since back in 2020 due to Covid, I had problems getting ethanol-free gas. So I'm not sure what it still had in the tank. What I do know is that whatever it was, it had no additives, stabilizers or treatments. First pull nothing. Second pull it started and ran until 1 AM when it ran out of gas. This time I filled it with e-free gas. Power was restored at 2 AM. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonw440 187 #31 Posted January 17, 2022 (edited) I didn't need the tractor today as I just plowed the driveway with my truck and the ran got rid of most of the snow where I snow blow. So until this weekend I wont be able to post a video. Edited January 17, 2022 by jonw440 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 12,028 #32 Posted January 18, 2022 On 1/17/2022 at 12:22 PM, SylvanLakeWH said: do know that I never use any additives in my Dewalt 20 v battery lawnmower, blower, chainsaw, hedge trimmer or string trimmer… Not to worry. Plenty of additives are consumed and created at the point of origin for those items and at power generation facilities. You aren't missing any opportunities there. 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,557 #33 Posted January 18, 2022 12 minutes ago, kpinnc said: Not to worry. Plenty of additives are consumed and created at the point of origin for those items and at power generation facilities. You aren't missing any opportunities there. That is an understatement… 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
