Gas Treatments

Just wondering what everyone does about treating the gas for there outboards? I have a 150 yamaha 4 stroke. The manual reads useing a Ring Free Additive.

I was told by a yahmmy dealer Ring Free is a waste of money. He suggested SeaFoam. I run a can through with every tank. Haven’t had a problem yet.

Sea Foam

Jami

Absolutely, without a doubt, SEAFOAM in every other tank…

I brought that specific question up to a service mgr that I absolutely trust and he told me that Ring Free is a great cleaner, but Sea Foam helps make this modern gas more “digestable”. As per suggested specs on the bottle I use 1 oz per 10 gallons of gas and with nearly 1000 hrs on my Yammi 115, I’ve had no fuel related problems. Knock on wood!

Fresh gas. Seafoam when stored for winter.

It’s cheaper or vitually the same as SF to run premium which holds up longer and cleans internals better than regular. I have a lot of personal experience behind this.

Seafoam. First and last tank for the year. In spring top off with fresh gas and add Seafoam. I do this in my boat, sleds, motorcycle, atv, lawnmower, chainsaw, generator, and trimmer. Anything with a motor 2 or 4 cycle. Never had a fuel related problem in anything. Ok to do mid year treatment too. Add anytime you think there my be water in fuel.

Johnson/Evinrude 2 + 4 Fuel Conditioner was recommended to me by my dealer, so that is what I go with. I run a 140 hp Suzuki. We don’t burn much gas per season compared to some guys, so I usually add a double qty per the “Storage” instructions vs the regular instruction. The boat tends to sit a few weeks between uses at times.

http://shop.evinrude.com/dyn_prod.php?p=2%2B4+Fuel+Conditioner&k=84000

If anyone has any opions as to why I should be running something different (like seafoam), I’d be all ears, but I’ve been very happy so far.

Mike

Yamaha reccomends running ringfree every tank, if you actually follow the directions on ringfree it’s cheaper to run than seafoam… Fwiw, I run both of them. (not at the same time) I prefer seafoam, I run it my own way, I normally add a can of seafoam when I fill up, normally I don’t add more than 25 gallons, seafoam claims to treat upto 25 gallons with it’s 16 ounces, or ringfree free’s case you add 1 ounce per 10 gallons. Though not very scientic, I figure 16 ounces for fuel treatment is better than 3 ounces of another, all upon the assumption they are fairly equal. (which I think is a fair assumption) All that being said seafoam stabilizes gas for upto 2 years, ringfree doesn’t.

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Absolutely, without a doubt, SEAFOAM in every other tank…

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X2 On my Yamaha 115FL and T-8

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Yamaha reccomends running ringfree every tank, if you actually follow the directions on ringfree it’s cheaper to run than seafoam… Fwiw, I run both of them. (not at the same time) I prefer seafoam, I run it my own way, I normally add a can of seafoam when I fill up, normally I don’t add more than 25 gallons, seafoam claims to treat upto 25 gallons with it’s 16 ounces, or ringfree free’s case you add 1 ounce per 10 gallons. Though not very scientic, I figure 16 ounces for fuel treatment is better than 3 ounces of another, all upon the assumption they are fairly equal. (which I think is a fair assumption) All that being said seafoam stabilizes gas for upto 2 years, ringfree doesn’t.

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Same as I do on my F115.

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I brought that specific question up to a service mgr that I absolutely trust and he told me that Ring Free is a great cleaner, but Sea Foam helps make this modern gas more “digestable”. As per suggested specs on the bottle I use 1 oz per 10 gallons of gas and with nearly 1000 hrs on my Yammi 115, I’ve had no fuel related problems.

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-Seafoam is 1oz per 1 gallon of gas (if you follow the instructions).

-Ring Free is 1oz per 10 gallons of gas.

Ringfree is cheaper if you run the labeled amounts. Ringfree is about $1.5/oz and a 25 gallon refill would take 2.5 oz ($3.75). The same for Seafoam would be $6 (price of a can).

I run both the Seafoam for the fuel stabilizer properties (and moisture removal), and the Ring Free to keep the carbon buildup down. The cost is minimal vs outboard service after something breaks.

39 gallon tank in my CL Sportfish, and it never really gets much below half a tank before I fill it up. Some weekend and daily use (not used weekly), but mainly 4-5 bigger weekend trips each year. I have not been on the water since the 4th.

I think maybe you/we ought to qualify what you do to your fuel based on how much you run through your boat. I have a 40 gallon tank (F150/2-20 gallon tanks) in my Skeeter. Based on my fishing regularity (every weekend and maybe once more during the week +/-). I use Ring Free in every other tank fill. I also use Seafoam at the end of the season when I am putting my boat in the locker for more regular parking (more than 3-4 weeks at a crack). This will occur in December usually – and generally last until March.
I guess my response to you might be,…. How much do you run your boat? If you fill it once at the beginning of the season and then top it off at the end, I would use Seafoam. I like Ring Free for mor regular use conditions, but have no heartburn over Seafoam either. I’ve done it both ways.
Splitshot

Yeah, pretty much bottomline is run one or the other, to be on the safe side, Small cost in the long run, compared to a new motor. I’ve heard the claim’s that carbon is the number one problem causing outboard motor failure… I can’t provide any facts to support this claim, but a couple bucks extra, I sleep better.

This stuff http://www.starbrite.com/sproductdetail.cfm?ID=1537 Is suppose to be good too, but the product it too new for me to rely on, I’m waiting out some test guinea pigs online, before I try it or switch to it. I’ve head claim’s the diesel stuff is the same formula just twice as strong, for the same price…

I am surprised no one mentioned stabil, I use that in my boat, lawnmower, and 4 wheeler, and have had no problems, if I remember correctly its 8oz per 10 gallons, as mentioned above I use it according to my time in the boat, if on vaca or have a few days off I dont use it as I will burn thru a tank pretty fast, if the outlook is bad for time on the water in the near future I’ll add a bottle, may switch to the new ethanol stabil for this winter.

I have a Yamaha F75 and just had to have $500 worth of work done do to bad gas . I had to pump out 21gal of fuel, BC of water. Now i have a water/fuel separator filter. I was told to use stabil on every fill up, and once in a great while some type of heat or STP fuel treatment. AND absolutely no ethanol is what i was told by my dealer.