Carbs cleaning each season after used in salt water? (BF30A)

Hello,

this is my first thread on this forum and I hope for some good advices/answers since I have read excellent answers in other threads.

I own Honda BF30A (year of production: 2000 and I own it since new). Each time I use it in sea water and store it for the next year, next year I must remove the carbs for cleaning (if not, can't reach full RPM when engine is loaded). On the end of the season, I always flush the engine with fresh water, remove fuel from fuel lines and carbs, and even put it to work with new fuel in tank for about 15min (then emptying carbs and fuel lines again). This problem persists only after seasons using it in salt water. So I have a couple of questions:

1. Will I prevent this, at least a bit, by using fuel filter/separator?
2. Is it possible to find some kind of appropriate air filter that could be used and would that help a bit?
3. After cleaning of the carbs, is the carburetors synchronization only thing needed that will make the idle to be more stable and closer to the one stated in shop manual (I
assumed ok/new spark-plugs and ok electric system)? What is expected price for this synchronization in repair shop since I do not have the gauges/tools for that?
4. I also found on internet in some thread something about new jets in carbs (Service Bulletin #60 - May '07...30 hp hard start), but I couldn't find the bulletin on the net, so
does anyone have it and would that make some improvement?
5. Would you use some chemical cleaner (fuel additive) to help and prevent this, would you recommend doing it and if yes, please recommend some?

I am aware that storing after use in salt water is a bit of a problem, especially compared to someone who constantly uses the engine in salt water over the year, but is it really possible to avoid cleaning of carbs every season after storing it? For me personally, the most boring and time consuming part of that job is cutting new gaskets (it is cheaper and not as critical as let's say head gaskets and I do not have to wait delivery which takes some time in my country).

Thanks in advance,
Nikola

Always run the carburetors out of fuel when done boating.-----Best way to keep carburetors clean.

Coating both sides on non critical, i.e., head,etc., with a very thin film of marine grease, usually makes the gaskets reusable for several seasons. Back in the day, carb gaskets were often factory coated with a graphite grease and reuseable (if careful) for many seasons. I've done this on my HONDA and have gotten several (CAREFUL) reuses of the gaskets. I also tried this on the top gasket of my MERC 5.7MIE with TKS carb ( and EXPENSIVE gasket) to good results.

Have you considered that it may not be the carbs that need cleaning, its because your home made gaskets are drying out?
The only way the carbs could be getting dirty is they have a small amount of corrosion happening.
Think about where you are actually storing it. In a completely covered enclosure there may be condensation happening and the air may get quite moist.

More likely however , is the other alternative is that you are accumulating a small amount of water in the carbs over the season and running the fuel out leaves the water to do its nasty thing.
Running out of fuel by disconnecting the tank will not clear it.
Add a little alcohol to the last run dry of the engine. The alcohol will dissolve the water and will pass through the engine.
If the fuel tank is portable its a little hard to add a water separator to it but it can be done. The plugs and connectors are available usually as aftermarket
Here are a couple of links as examples only, you may be able to get much better prices.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/RACOR-Fu...at_Parts_Accessories_Gear&hash=item3ccc920595
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SEASENSE...at_Parts_Accessories_Gear&hash=item4858c5141e

If your whole setup is portable then there is no reason you can't work out a "portable" water separator filter as well

Everybody, thanks for great replies.

Racerone: I will try running the carbs out of fuel, that one is easy, and it didn't occur to me.

Sandkicker: Regarding gaskets, I do grease them and reuse most of them if they are good, but some of them simply tear away every time when disassembling (intake manifold gasket is never reusable, carburetor gaskets-at least one of them happens to be teared away while disassembling). I am sure that most of us reuse gaskets, although shop manual says never reuse any of these gaskets.

Kimcrwbr1: I will check if the carbs have fogging port. Until now, I have always injected some oil in cylinders through spark-plug holes at the end of cycle before storing the engine, then returned the spark-plugs followed by couple of engine rotations with wrench (of course this only coats the cylinders, does nothing to the carbs). I am doing most of the procedure as you described, will add that part when carbs run out of fuel by themselves.

Berniek: Good point about gaskets. This is the first season I ordered all original gaskets (was very busy this year to make it by myself), so the time will show, can't just judge that one yet. I would appreciate more info on that subject, since there are many different materials on the market and the manufacturer probably won't share their technical specs about it. Talking about storage, that is possible since in my town air moisture is pretty high all year around, but then again, happens only after returning from the coast (salt water usage). Maybe, moisture washes the salt from air inlet walls straight in to the carbs, will check that one. I haven't seen a bit of corrosion when disassembled, but then again, I can't see inside the jets and some small ports, but the dirt is mostly white colored, not red, so i presume it is all salt. Interesting advice with alcohol, that has sense since issue with moisture looks like the most probable. Fuel separator is easy to attach, I was just asking if that would help with this issue.

Thanks again to everybody, I will expand the storage preparation procedure with these tasks I have learned from you.

I have a 99 90hp that has seen only salt water all its life. Up until last year it has only been filled up with E0. I drain carbs after each usetregardless. For the heck of it I pulled the carbs about a month ago for the first time on that motor and they were flawless. Though it was good practice I was pretty surprised. Motor still runs like new.