Carb cleaner

[JPP]

Would it cause harm to put some carburator cleaner into gas used in chainsaws, lawnmowers, snowblowers?

 

[skwerl]

Why would you do such a thing? I can understand the intent, but you will end up with unintended consequences. I suggest you read some of the more inclusive threads here on fuel mix. Most who attempt to out-think the oil manufacturers end up frying motors.

 

[Freakingstang]

I don't think he meant to add it to the gas mix, but I could be wrong. I took it as for cleaning a tank out and letting it dry before adding fuel...

 

[jp hallman]

I read it as mixing it with the gas(fuel). Doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

 

[1953greg]

i take it to mean he wants to add some carb cleaner to the fuel then run the engine to clean out the inside of the carb. will it do harm? to the engine or the operator?

on 4 cycles u can add maybe 10% mineral spirits to the fuel for cleaning tarnish on the inside of carbs and 10% denatured alcohol to remove water.

but to answer the harmful carb cleaner question, if this is the question, not in my engines!!
its an absolute NO on any 2 cycle and only a maybe on 4 cycles. carb cleaner is some really nasty stuff. sure wouldnt want to breathe the exhaust fumes even if it was ok on the engine.

much room for intrepretation

good day 1953greg

 

[Bad E]

NO!

If you want to clean your carb, remove it and clean it thouroghly then put it back on.

 

[Jim Mesthene]

Don't allow any solvents into the crankcase. Lubrication is shaky enough on 2 strokes, avoid products that dissolve the little oil you have.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Some of the spray type cleaners will swell rubber all to hellanback. If you can let these parts air dry for a day or so they will return to their origonal shape.



If you swell your crank seals you are pretty much done.

 

[JPP]

I meant like Gumout or STP treatment that you can put in a car's gas tank.
Not the spray type carb cleaners.
Sorry, I wasn't very specific.

 

[TimberPig]

They are still no good for a 2 stroke engine. They wash the oil off the internal parts, and all the crud they knock loose goes right through your engine. Do you really want to push junk from the carb through the egnine, potentially causing damage to it, and running it with compromised lubrication, rather than taking the slight amount of effort to do it right, by removing the carb and cleaning it off the saw?

 

[JohnL]

I have seen no problem that would need this kind of run-through gas treatment. If gas has been left in them and they get gunked up, really just need to take them apart and clean them.

 

[pbtree]

I meant like Gumout or STP treatment that you can put in a car's gas tank.
Not the spray type carb cleaners.
Sorry, I wasn't very specific.

Probably not a good idea, unless you are looking for an excuse to rebuild your motor...