HOW TO FIX COMMON CARBURETOR PROBLEMS

Fixing common carb problems

Though carburetors on cars and trucks left the mainstream long ago, they can still be found in many different engine applications, notably power equipment. Lawn mowers, snowblowers, tillers, ice augers and generators are just a few examples. Many older recreational vehicles — ATVs, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, boats — that are carbureted are still in use today, as are classic cars.

It might be old technology, but the carburetor’s prevalence makes it worth understanding, as they are generally easy to maintain and fix should a problem arise — and they do.
The vast majority of problems in small and older engines can be traced back to the carburetor, not because of mechanical failure, but because of what degraded fuel can do to these parts.

CLEANING
A CARB

The EASIEST way CLEAN VARNISH FROM A DIRTY CARBURETOR IS BY TREATING YOUR FUEL. 

Gasoline treated with Sea Foam Motor Treatment will stay stable for up to two years, preventing the buildup of harmful varnish deposits. And it will work to reliquefy any existing deposits, cleaning your carburetor without the need to remove it for manual cleaning. For regular maintenance, add 1 ounce of Sea Foam Motor Treatment per gallon of fuel. To clean your fuel system, add 2 ounces or more per gallon.

Sea Foam is safe for all engines and will not harm any components, including your carburetor. So if you encounter a problem with your carbureted machines, don’t panic, just reach for a can of Sea Foam.
What is a carburetor anyway?

Simply put, a carburetor is a mechanical device that controls the mixture of fuel and air entering an engine.

Carburetor designs and sizes vary, but they all function the same:

Air enters a carburetor through a top blade or plate, which opens as the throttle is advanced, sucking in air.
The air travels through a bottleneck called a venturi, which speeds up the airflow. This causes a pressure drop that pulls in gas from a float bowl, through a tiny (pinhole size) jet, atomizing it and mixing it with the air.
The fuel and air mixture then passes through a throttle plate on the other end of the venturi and is fed into the combustion chamber.

Fuel related problems

Most carburetor problems are related to degraded fuel. In as little as a few weeks, fuel begins to break down, forming sticky varnish deposits. These deposits can gunk up float bowls and fuel passageways. It doesn’t take long. A single winter of unuse is long enough for varnish to make your lawn mower hard or impossible to start. The same goes for your snowblower after sitting through spring, summer and fall.

If you find that any of your carbureted equipment or vehicles won’t start, start hard, surge, or run rough after a period of unuse, it’s a safe bet that a carb issue, caused by fuel, is to blame. The good news is that these problems are often easy to remedy without mechanical work.

HOW SEA FOAM fixes carburetor problems

Gum and varnish buildup from degraded fuel is the #1 cause of engine problems in carbureted engines.
Sea Foam Motor Treatment cleans gum and varnish from the entire fuel system. It’s an easy way to clean carburetor jets, fuel passageways, and float bowls without removing engine parts.

To clean a carbureted engine that won’t start or run right, first drain any old fuel. Then, add 8 oz of fresh fuel and a high concentration of Sea Foam to the tank (up to a 1:2 ratio of Sea Foam to fuel). Crank/rope pull/prime the engine to draw the mixture into the tank, and let it sit overnight before starting.

Sea Foam Motor Treatment can also be used as a fuel stabilizer for engines that aren’t used frequently, preventing gum and varnish from dirtying carburetors and fuel passageways.
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WATCH customer stories
QUALITY OF PRODUCT
mega dose cleaned up gummy carb
“My gas trimmer was a bear to start and keep running. I added a Mega dose of Sea Foam to the tank and ran the trimmer until almost empty on fuel. What a difference after about 10 minutes of running. Now starts and runs like new again. I have done this numerous times with different gas engines and it really works to get the carbs cleaned up.”
★★★★★
t05ks / SMALL ENGINES / DO-IT-YOURSELFER IN MINNESOTA
EFFECTIVENESS
FIXES 4 OUT OF 5 WITHOUT TAKING CARB APART
“Fixes gummed up carburetors. Cleans injectors and absorbs moisture in fuel lines.”
★★★★★
DANGEROUS DAN / PRO ENGINE OPERATOR/MECHANIC IN WISCONSIN
EFFECTIVENESS
WORKS FANTASTIC
“Solves lots of problems – starting problems – cleans carbs – easy to use”
★★★★★
RESPIRATORY RICK / 2014 FORD FUSION / VEHICLE ENTHUSIAST IN FLORIDA
EFFECTIVENESS
RUNNING SO MUCH BETTER!
“Bought a garden tractor that kept stalling for no reason. Ran seafoam in the gas tank and problem went away like magic 3rd time cutting grass. Purrs like a kitten.”
★★★★★
Bumblebea / TRACTOR
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