Carb issue or not enough fuel

[Muyguapo123]

2012 ninja will start and idle, but only with choke on. If I take the choke off or give it any gas it will die. We used some seafoam, in the tank and also spraying into the carbs. No better. For some reason we started shaking the bike back and forth and it started to rev higher. Could this be a symptom for something related to my problem? Thanks.

[ducatiman]

possibly sticking floats? dirty seats? pilot jets/circuits clogged? I'd suggest a carb pull/full inspection will determine the root cause.

[DannoXYZ]

Originally Posted by Muyguapo123

2012 ninja will start and idle, but only with choke on. If I take the choke off or give it any gas it will die. We used some seafoam, in the tank and also spraying into the carbs. No better. For some reason we started shaking the bike back and forth and it started to rev higher. Could this be a symptom for something related to my problem? Thanks.

Seafoam is largely ethanol, very last thing you want to be putting into your fuel-system. Ethanol is crap in modern gas that absorbs water, causes separation and tonne of corrosion and clogging issues. Seafoam is snake-oil, much like STP Oil Treatment from '80s. I've actually sat next to Andy Granatelli @ Rotary luncheon in Santa Barbara were he lamented about how much money he lost due to class-action lawsuits from STP. Seafoam's day will come...

Instead, use PEA-based fuel-system cleaner. Works much, much better:

• Red Line SI-1
• Techron Concentrate Plus
• 3M Max Strength Fuel System Cleaner #08814
• Royal Purple Max Atomizer 18000
• Gumout All-in-One (might be off list soon due to lowering amounts of PEA)

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by DannoXYZ

Seafoam is largely ethanol, very last thing you want to be putting into your fuel-system.

I agree with all in your post, Danno, but for the record, seafoam has equally unwanted isopropyl alcohol in it, not ethanol.

[ducatiman]

i'd suggest to add Stabil 360 to the list as well

https://www.goldeagle.com/product/sta-bil-360-marine/

[Guaire]

Startron has ethanol. Startron says Starbrite attracts water and it gets run through engine. Usually, the water was in there in the first place due to ethanol.
Seafoam isn't alcohol. They've been in business since 1942. When I bought a EX250 a few years ago, the pilot jets were clogged. It was hard starting and it would not idle. It could only run at mid-range throttle and higher. I used sea foam treated fresh fuel and helped it start with Gum Cutter. In 15 minutes the pilots were cleaned, so the carbs didn't need a rebuild. After that the bike was running very well.
There are plenty of amateur videos on YouTube of documenting their use of Seafoam. Andy Granatelli is not connected to Seafoam.

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by Guaire

Seafoam isn't alcohol.

I didn't say it's all alcohol, but it certainly has a fair amount of isopropyl alcohol in it, which I would never intentionally put in my gasoline. PEA is much more effective anyway.

Page 3: https://seafoamworks.com/wp-content/...161205-ENG.pdf

[DannoXYZ]

Originally Posted by Guaire

There are plenty of amateur videos on YouTube of documenting their use of Seafoam. Andy Granatelli is not connected to Seafoam.

Amateur being keyword there. Any pro who makes a living servicing engines would not use Seafoam. PEA works so much better.

Granatelli/STP was used to illustrate how marketing works so much better than technical merits when it comes to selling products (i.e. selling refrigerators to eskimos). Same thing with Seafoam, its popularity is purely based on marketing. Sure it kinda works, but there's other products that works better at lower costs. But only a pro would know that.

[Guaire]

I found an explanation what is PEA here:
https://tipsforefficiency.com/pea-fuel-additive/

Thanks for the suggestion on better fuel additives. I'll be checking out the recommendations.

By amateur I meant amateur motion picture video production. From what I've seen there weren't many actual IATSE members making the videos!