E-Tec fuel additive? Anybody?

Has anyone that owned or currently owns a etec run any fuel additive through it? I have read that it trashes the injector pre filters or whatever... Nervous to run any but feel like it needs it... Other then dying a time or two on a cold start up it runs great. I have noticed a puff of smoke if I rev it where I haven't in the past... What are you guys opinions?? Thanks!

I am currently running Bel-Ray through mine. I had not heard about the injectors getting trashed. I figure the ethanol will do more damage un-treated than anything else.

I would be asking a certified Evinrude repair shop or calling Bombardier/BRP direct and asking. Don't trust your $10,000-15,000 outboard to bro science on the internet. Get your info direct from the source on something this important.

lol... Why not ? Isn't that what the TFF is for ? Bro-science can only be true if it is posted in the OT

This site has a ton of good info. That being said you have to pick and choose what you take from it.

Not sure what year you are running, this from a 2012 etec owners manual:

When in doubt RTFM.


FUEL ADDITIVES
The only fuel additives approved for use in
your Evinrude E-TEC outboard are:
• Evinrude/Johnson 2+4 Fuel Conditioner
• Evinrude/Johnson Fuel System Cleaner
Use of other fuel additives
can result in poor performance or engine
damage.
Evinrude/Johnson 2+4 Fuel Conditioner will
help prevent gum and varnish deposits from
forming in fuel system components and will
remove moisture from the fuel system. It can
be used continuously and should be used
during any period when the outboard is not
being operated on a regular basis. Its use will
reduce spark plug fouling, fuel system icing,
and fuel system component deterioration.
Evinrude/Johnson Fuel System Cleaner will
help keep fuel injectors in optimal operating
condition.

I ran a 2010 200 H.O. E-Tec for four years and ran a can of SeaFoam in every fill up, also added Sta-Bil Marine per instructions...my outboard ran great never a hiccup...

Yep, or read the manual.

Other than what guidance we have within the Evinrude service manuals, we have public comments from the privately owned facility endorsed by BRP for cleaning their customer's fuel injectors.

The owner and operator has on public forums occasionally disclosed his observing an association of failed injectors he sees with use of the SEAFOAM line of additives. He readily identifies its negative effects on returned injectors and recommends to his customers to avoid its further use.

Additionally he identifies an injector performance advantage for his customer running E-10 fuels with its solvent capabilities better keeping the injector deposits from forming. He chooses to use E-10 fuels in his own Evinrude engine and prefers running without any to the tank additives.

With the widespread TOP=TIER gasoline distributors coalition now available, owners have easy access to fuels with the necessary injector cleaning detergents additives already included at the pump.

Dale's observations can be found searching on the E-TEC Owners Forum and others.

I've run SeaFoam in every outboard I've ever owned, from old OMC carb motors up to my current 2014 250 ProXs, my brother has run it in every outboard he's ever owned, and there are many people I've turned onto it over the years and non have ever had any negative failure and actually boast at how clean their spark plugs are every year... I've also had several mechanics push SeaFoam as well over the years...I've also run it in my Harley's, all my lawn equipment, trucks, cars and have never had any failure result from the product - period ! My guess is the outboard manufactures want you to buy their over priced additives instead of going to Wally World and spending 7 bucks... just my two cents...

I have owned two ETECs. A 225 ho and currently a 250 ho and the only additive is stabil blue. The 225 had over 800 documented hours before I replaced it with the 250. The 225 was purchased in 2006 and the 250 in 2014.

I've been using Pry-G for the last 16 yrs. Used it in a 98 Ficht and 2 E-Tec Ho's, and not a problem.

yeah... Giving them a call tomorrow (Monday) but just like to hear from owners too...thanks guys... I have just read a bit on the etec website and I read a write-up a injector tech wrote... Pretty interesting... Furthermore I don't really like to run additives because I melted a piston in a 150 Johnson quite a few years back and just happened to have seafoam in the tank.... Not blaming the additive just been sketchy to add anything since then... My motor runs good! Just notice a tad of smoke and little more carbon build up in the prop... And the dying on the cold start once or twice which started a little while back... Had an injector fail.... Replaced it... Back to normal... Just dies on cold starts if I barely give it throttle...

No offense to you. Personally I believe seafoam is a joke. As far as money goes. Seafoam is no cheaper than Star tron. Seafoam is a snake oil in my opinion. Star tron seems to work best with the ethonal while Yamaha ring free works best with cleaning. I do not run either since I burn so much gas. To each his own. Jmo.

KC,If you read the OPs above post, you will find the thread is a discussion about additives for an E-TEC and the other replies and invited comments discussed E-TEC injectors...not Mercs, lawn equip, Harleys and trucks and cars.

E-TEC injectors are patent unique using a rapid moving assembly very much like a speakers voice coil. They run very hot and are cooled by recirculating gasoline that in turn is cooled by pumped in water through a filled coil within the VST.

It is not difficult to suspect that the E-TECs unusually hot running injector surfaces might alter and compromise the chemical effects/capabilities of some additives meant to remove rather than add to the injector's deposits.

If you are really interested in E-TEC injectors and E-TEC owners use of Seafoam on them,and question the findings at the mentioned E-TEC injector cleaning service, his posts are readily available or Dale is reachable at his E-TEC injector cleaning business.

I hear y'all...the O.P. Asked for imput on additives for his E-Tec cause it was farting smoke! and I put over 300 hundred + hours on a 2010 200 H.O. E-Tec and ran a can of SeaFoam in every fill up...never dropped an injector, never burnt a piston, never had a fouled plug, didn't have any black coke on the inside hub of my prop...so my opinion is just that, my opinion... I like the " bro-science " comment, that's good...LOL