Mr. Demeanor

My version: http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/...r-rig-pics.html

A small shackle slipped through next to the zip ties transforms the anchor from a breakaway to a traditional style. You would be amazed how hard it is to break 3 or 4 zip ties. Would I want to trust my life and limb to it...no, but you would be suprised. 10 zip ties might be as strong as a shackle.

I should add that I have seen good results from using a direct application of seafoam in the same manner I described above as used with water. I have also sprayed it directly into the cylinders, let it soak overnight, and then sprayed it into the engine intake once warmed up. Of course that is a much higher concentration and I have been told that the carbon removal is likely a mechanical cleaning, just like the water, rather than an action of the solvent. A spark plug soaked in straight Seafoam does nothing...Ive tried. The diluted mixtures added to fuel just dont cut it IMO. Truth be told, with ethanol in our fuel we should be seeing much less carbon issues. Not rying to change anyones mind...just stating my observations.

I started a new thread to avoid a derail. Great info Kerno and I am intersted to hear your input on the other thread.

I wanted to start this thread as its own discussion. The question of fuel additives often comes up and opinions vary greatly. Many people will swear by an additive claiming they have "never had any problems". I am of the belief that a lack of problems is meaningless as so many of us (myself included) use nothing and have had zero issues. I always like to mention that there have never been any valid, independent, verifiable tests that show any of these products work as advertised. I recently listened to part of a radio discussion that mentioned a class action lawsuit against these companies (Techron was specifically mentioned) charing that the claims made by the producers are false. I have been a gear-head of sorts all my life. A little more than a shade-tree mechanic as I do all my own rebuilding except for machine work. I spent a long time racing motorcycles at the sportsman level and 100's of hours dyno testing combination of fuels, oils, and yes...additives in search of a few extra HP. I owned one street bike that had particularly bad carbon deposits on the intake valves. This was an engine that was built to make a lot of HP at very high RPM. The problem was that in order to achieve the desired top end performance, the low end drivability suffered. This is a picture of the intake valves and a result of fuel pooling on the intake runner surfaces then running down and burning on the hot valve. This is not blow-by on the valve seat. This engine had a very low leakdown number and this was a common problem with particular engine set up like this (Suzuki Hayabusa). I tried EVERY additive known to man and not only did these deposits remain, they became worse and worse over time. The head was eventually removed, valve pulled, and carbon mechanically removed. It came of very easy. These valves are not nearly as bad as the before and after pics Techron puts on their bottles! In the other thread I mentioned the use of straight water lightly misted into the intake of a hot running engine. I also did this to the same engine and the results were dramatic. Almost all of the carbon was removed but I went ahead and pulled the head off to do some other work anyway There was very little carbon, only coloring on the piston tops. Before you knock it, do a little Google research. If I can find some more pics I will get them hosted and posted. If anyone is interested in the ingredients in these additives or any other chemical products, just do a search for the MSDS for the product. You will see that most of the additives contain the same basic ingredients which are solvents and light oils. Any solvents added to your fuel are so diluted that the possibility of having an adverse reaction (washing the oil from the cylinder walls and bearings) is negligible but then so is their effectiveness at cleaning. This is something else I have tested by taking some fuel that had been treated and soaking a dirty fuel bowl for a few days. The result was absolutely no cleaning of the bowl....nothing. Even used straight/full strength, the cleaning was marginal at best and the same bowl was easily cleaned with a quick squirt of carb cleaner. Like I said above, in order to make these solvents work, they would also wash down cylinder walls and bearings. We have seen this very problem in engines designed to run on flex fuels which have a very high ethanol (ethanol is strong solvent) content. So...in my humble opinion, save your money, put it in a jar, and use it when you need a repair. There is no such thing as a mechanic in a bottle. What ever happened to Slick50

I wouldnt pour water into my motor either, but a fine mist works very very well. This is not a big deal and its done all the time. You dont think your motor consumes a little condensation from the inside of the in take at times? This is the same thing just a little longer. Do a little Goggle search before you knock just because it sounds scary. Many use windshield washer fluid and claim it works a little better than water. Have you ever looked at the MSDS sheet for Seafoam, Techron, etc. There all very very similar and contain naptha and a host of other solvents. Ethanol is a similar solvent....and known to wash oil from cylinder walls. So the question is, would you rather spray alittle water that instantly vaporizes and power washes the combustion chamber or add a solvent? Dont want to derail so maybe this should be its own topic as it bears discussion. Techron....http://www.jeadauto.com/msds/chevron/techron-concentrate.pdf

I am also a non-believer in additives. I had a motorcycle that had deposits on the valve stems. I tested a bunch of the carbon removing fuel additives and nothing touched it in the least. I tried using it at recommended strength and double. On a bike its easy to see as you can see the stem by opening the throttle and looking down the carb. When I tore it down, I even let one soak in a jar full of the stuff and it didnt soften in the least. I was recently listening to a radio show and they were talking about a class action law suit against these companies their claims because none of them work....at all. Techron was specifically mentioned. They were saying that there has never been an independent test showing they work as claimed. I love the Techron bottle with the before and after picture of the carboned up valve...BS. The best way to decarb a motor is to set it at a high idle and spray water with a misting action into the intake. This is something that has been done for many many years and is extremely effective. Some of you have seen a cylinder on an old engine that had a blown head gasket and the cylinder that was taking a little coolant looks like new. Some racing engines use water injection to cool the intake charge and they are also pristine when when torn down because the water cleans the carbon away. Just make sure to run the engine awhile at operating temp after the procedure and change the oil if its a 4 stroke.

We are reaching the limits of lower unit reliability. Even big Merc Bravo I/O units are only good to about 400hp and they are much beefier than an outboards lower unit. Sure, you can make the lower units bigger and stronger but then the HP is wasted in drag. I would imagine we are very close to the point where an increase in hp would be offset by an increase in lower unit drag to handle that power and the result would be wash. The Merc Verado 350 may be a perfect example of that.

I already registerd that name and a few more that came to mind. Ahhh the advantages of a new board.....

Wheres Dunk? I have a can of Seafoam and cant figure out how to use it.

I'm in.... Fountain sucks