Which Carbed 2-Stroke Maintenance Method is Best?

[Zara Spook]

The goal here is to determine which of the above methods people think promotes optimal engine functioning and longevity.

Realizing one can certainly use more than one, if you could choose only one of the above, which would it be?

Please vote above if you would, and feel free to post in the thread and include your rationale.

Scheduled maintenance, ethanol-free gas, and engine flushing are givens and are therefore not included.

[ausnoelm]

I think you left out the best method of all... Use the motor often, the more it's used, the less chance there is of problems, not a huge fan of decarbon stuff, but it seems to be very popular in the US.

[99yam40]

ring free is an additive to help keep carbon from sticking the rings or to remove carbon if used at a higher dose just like sea foam.
Treat all the fuel you burn and run motor often to keep the fuel from going bad by using it up or drain the tank

[Zara Spook]

ring free is an additive to help keep carbon from sticking the rings or to remove carbon if used at a higher dose just like sea foam.
Treat all the fuel you burn and run motor often to keep the fuel from going bad by using it up or drain the tank

After watching this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8i9qftqKNY

...and then this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdT4DPFXIkM

...I'm skeptical that a fuel additive can work anywhere near as well as a decarbonizing.

[99yam40]

keep it from building up or clean it after it has built up are the 2 choices.
Seafoam was developed back when they used regular motor oil in a 2 strokes fuel mix.
Then they came out with 2 stroke oil and then synthetic which are better yet
It is not as bad as it use to be(carbon build up)

One poster has posted that ring free is techron or close to the same

What are you calling a decarbinizing?
Adding something to the fuel system or tearing motor apart to get the carbon off of everything?

[Zara Spook]

keep it from building up or clean it after it has built up are the 2 choices.
Seafoam was developed back when they used regular motor oil in a 2 strokes fuel mix.
Then they came out with 2 stroke oil and then synthetic which are better yet
It is not as bad as it use to be(carbon build up)

One poster has posted that ring free is techron or close to the same

What are you calling a decarbinizing?
Adding something to the fuel system or tearing motor apart to get the carbon off of everything?

Couple different methods. One is to run something like Seafoam through the fuel line in a concentrated mixture. The other is to spray something like Seafoam into the air intakes and/or the spark plug holes.

[rodbolt17]

keep the cooling system well maintained and the fuel clean and a two stroke wont die.

[99yam40]

Couple different methods. One is to run something like Seafoam through the fuel line in a concentrated mixture. The other is to spray something like Seafoam into the air intakes and/or the spark plug holes.

Ring free will do the same thing, clean the carbon when used in the heavier dose as the label states.

Both sea foam and ring free have low doses listed to add to fuel all the time to keep it from building up, so you do not have to do the shock treatment.

Running fresh fuel helps also. Fuel that is not as good as it should be does not burn as well as it should and leaves a lot more deposits that fresh fuel

[robert graham]

It has to be better to prevent carbon stuck rings than to try to decarbonize them after they're stuck...and after it's stuck, snags a port and breaks it's too late to decarbonize...

[boscoe99]

It has to be better to prevent carbon stuck rings than to try to decarbonize them after they're stuck...and after it's stuck, snags a port and breaks it's too late to decarbonize...

I believe the de-carbonization process is intended to remove any build up of carbon long before it ever gets to the point of doing any damage.

Keep in mind that most boaters don't de-carbon or use any fuel additives at all. And most of them will never have a carbon build up issue to the point that engine damage ensues. So, the fellow that decides to perform a regular de-carbonization procedure (say yearly) should be well ahead of the **** and enhance the life of his motor.

But if it is easier to simply add a de-carboning agent to the gasoline supply then that another way to hopefully get to the same point.

On my old Merc EFI I did the annual seafoam/gasoline mix de-carbon procedure yearly. Usage was about a hundred hours a year with lots of *****ing time. Motor would smoke like a fiend the first time it was refired after running it on the mix and then letting it sit for a period of time. After about three doses it would no longer smoke at all. Looked down the spark plug hole I could no longer see any carbon on the top of the pistons.

[robert graham]

I tend to keep my cars and boats/motors for decades, so preventive maintenance is more important than for folks who like to trade/upgrade every few years...to this group maybe some carbon build up on the rings and ports is no big deal since they trade motors more frequently?...just a thought...

[bajakeith]

spook

Hi, as a master marine mech/tech/electrican with 35+ yrs in the biz..ring free compared to a decarbon is like apples to pears..decarboning a 2 stroke (done right) cleans the piston ring lands and the combustin chamber area...the piston ring "land" area that has build up, stops the heat transfer of the ring to the piston and is not a good thing..yammys ring free IMO does nothing for a two stroke motor!! or at best very little...Seafoam is a GREAT product and is much better at running into the carbs for cleaning, but not as good as lets say, merc's motor tune or omc/debomb for cleaning behind the rings and piston

[Nautical]

Why not taking all the plugs out and direct inject or spray the cleaner into the cylinder .Rotate the crank by hand then let it set overnight. Then crank and blow it all out..

[TownsendsFJR1300]

For storage or a major de-carbon, I'll use Seafoam(let it soak for a cleaning).

For normal operation, I use Ring Free not only for carbon BUT for the fuel system maintenance

I have (and still have) an 8 HP chipper /shredder I use maybe 2x's a year. The last time I ran it, it was breaking up at WOT (3600 RPM's) and wouldn't idle. I put in 2-3X the recommended amount of Ring Free as I did my chipping (probably an hour and half of run time). By the time I was done, it was idleing fine, and no more misfiring at WOT.

For my 2001 4 Runner, (16,000 original miles- I ride the bike mostly), the idle slowly worked its way above normal. 2-3 tanks of RF at twice the recommended amount, now it idles back down at 650 in gear (normal). No doubt the injectors, sensors were acting up / causing issues. I did NOT do anything else. RF, IME, especially if run strong, fixed that issue.

My 15 year old Snapper mower (7 HP, OHV's), after I got my leak down tester, was checked. 98% efficiency @90 PSI

Agreed thou, a very carboned up 2 stroke rings, (or 4 stroke for that matter) manually cleaning/soaking in Seafoam (to loosen up the carbon) is mandatory.

Preventive maintenance, IMO, is the key..

[robert graham]

Ringfree by Yamaha is made by Oronite Additives Division of Chevron, same makers of Techron for automotive applications and additives for large marine/shipping diesel applications...They're into the additive business in a big way and have earned a good reputation. Google:marine fuel additives Safety Data Sheets and ingredients for more information...