SeaFoam

[SpencerPJ]

Just wanted to throw a plug out there.

 

I have an Echo leaf blower, maybe 10 years old, been getting harder to start over the years. I was getting ready to order a $25 replacement carb, no big deal. Yesterday, after pulling it 10 times, playing with the choke, cursing, etc, it started. I saw a can of Seafoam on my shelf, said what the heck, but a small amount in the blower tank, maybe 1 oz, and used it. Today, in the garage, saw my blower, went over, 2 primes, started first pull, just like the old days.

 

Edited October 20, 2018 by SpencerPJ

[Kretz]

I'd never heard of the stuff until a few years back when I saw its virtues being plugged on this forum. I now put Seafoam in the gas I use for all my yard & lawn machinery, 2 & 4 stroke engines. Certainly doesn't do any harm.

[RDawson]

I use the canned fuel for my two stroke engines. It doesn't have all the additives in pump gas. I can leave it in the tank months at a time without eating fuel lines or clogging carbs. My saws get used once or twice a year and always fire right up.

[slowrollwv]

I was given two push mower for helping a lady move. They had set for about two years and she could not get then started. I drained the old gas out and removed the fuel lines and filled them with Sea foam for a day or two. Then removed the float boll to drain. They were full of crud. Filled the tanks with gas and added some sea foam and they started with two pulls. They ran ruff for a while then started to fun good. Now they start with one pull.

[cimmer]

I have been using Seafoam for years now in all my small engines and motorcycle. I always make sure to store the engines with Seafoam in the tank and I havent had any issues getting them to start right up at the first of the season. I also add seafoam to any gas I bring home for the mowers and such just so it stays good sitting on the shelf thru the season.

I know a lot of people up here in Minnesota that swear by it and have used it for years.

 

Rick F.

[leo3wheel]

Fixed my neighbor's snow blower last year with Seafoam. Wouldn't start that night, no matter how much we pulled. However,

it ran fine after it sat for a while. Sounded great!

[uncledj]

Yup, I swear by it. I use it in everything. When it goes on sale, I'll pick up 10 cans at a time. I think it says it'll stabilize gas for 15 months, but I've gone over 2 years without a problem. The big test will be with the motorhome...with Dad, we haven't been able to take it out since Spring of 2017,,,,,75 gallons of gas....I put 4 cans of Seafoam in it when I put it away.....should be fine, but likely won't be taken out again until Spring of next year.

[saddlebum]

I have been using Sea Foam for years myself. Recently I have heard some good things about Marvel Mystery oil as well, though I have never used it myself, I am curious about one vs the other.

[camos]

I have been using Sea Foam for years myself. Recently I have heard some good things about Marvel Mystery oil as well, though I have never used it myself, I am curious about one vs the other.

I'm not going to say anything bad about Marvel Mystery Oil but I've been using it for the past 6 months and will say with a good degree of confidence that it does not do what Seafoam does and therefore cannot take its place.

 

I ride my bike every day and have been adding 2 oz of Seafoam and 2 oz of Marvel Mystery Oil to each tank full. Prior to that I would add 1/4 bottle of Seafoam every 3 or 4 months or whenever the engine started running a bit rough. So far it hasn't run rough nor has it run any better. At a guess it would appear the MMO hasn't done anything either positive or negative.

[cimmer]

I have been buying Seafoam in the gallon can. I usually get it at Menards when they have their 11% off sales. Works out to less than $7.00 a pint. I have kept some of the used can and transfer it to them so I can transport it easier also.

 

Rick F.

[cowpuc]

After reading endless pro/cons on Seafoam, many years ago I did an actual dirty carb soak test using Seafoam, Spray carb cleaner from Auto Zone, Berrymans Chem Dip and Techtron injecter cleaner (add into the fuel tank stuff) - used em all full strength.. I took a bank of old ratty 750 Honda carbs apart for the comparison so each carb was comparable in grunge.. THEY WERE NASTY!! The Chem Dip took 100% 1st place, an hour and the internal parts were clean. 2nd place went to the spray, in less then 12 hours the grunge started loosening. Techtron came in 3rd with a difference seeing in 24 or so hours. Seafoam came in flat last, I left the parts soaking in pure SeaFoam for a week and no, nada, zero difference occurred as far as cleaning any parts - even the light shellacing on the bowl walls were not touched,, saying nothing for the solid sludge in the bowl bottom or the plugged solid main/slow speed jets. Never really used the stuff for much other than a fuel stabilizer after that (it does seem to work well for that IMHO). I will say though and I don't know why,, whether its an octane boost or what, but for some reason,, all engines I run with Seafoam in them do seem to run better with Seafoam added though,,, really not sure why.. I have also observed, on several occasions thru the years, that the ceramic area on plugs I have ran SeaFoam added fuel across have a "sheen" to them that is not normal,, IMHO of course. I have also noticed a change in plug life from my SeaFoam usage - plugs dont last as long for me after SeaFoamed.

Fast forward now to the recent purchase of our Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid. It has an "Atkinson" stroke motor in it and is direct injection. Variable valve timing.. 13 to 1 compression but spected at 87 octane . Hyundai spec's 0-20 full syn oil.. Also,,, noticing on its service chart (doing my service work,, I am a geezer,, YES but I still like to tinker LOL) they also want me to add Hyundai fuel additive each 7500 miles if I dont use Top Tier fuel (most fuels here are Top Tier, must be countries where Top Tier fuels arent popular).. I get thinking,, it's detergent that makes Top Tier, Top Tier - Cleaner additives for keeping the valves clean and carbon from stickin.. Talked to the dealership tech about it and sure enough,, that and dirty injectors are their concern. Apparently, the Hyundai additive has something called PEA in it.. Then I find out that Techtron is basically another name for PEA so Hyundai is basically relabling Techron injector cleaner and selling as their label with PEA. After thinking about this, I reminded the tech that Trooper (our Ioniq) is direct injection so no fuel is flowing over the valves. I was told that in my case, the additive would be basically an injector cleaner. Thinking again (I do that to much) I inquired about SeaFoam and briefly told by the tech about my experience in the cleaning test.. Come to find out,, the tech informed me that Seafoam contains NO PEA or other form of actual detergent/cleaning additive so no surprise came upon the techs face when I explained my findings. I was also told that Seafoam would not suffice for my Ioniqs application. Techtron would suffice though as well as products by Lucas, Royal Purple and so on that all contain cleaners... As a matter of fact, I was advised that if I wanted to save some cash and wanted to occasionally add some injector cleaner even though we have ample supplies of Top Tier,, I could just go ahead and use any of the above and put the receipts for such in my service book along with my oil products receipts..

Thats my story and I am stickin to it,,, unless someone else does some testing like I did I can show a difference.. Then I may change my story

****

Another note,,, IMHO and in my short experience with all this stuff,, there is still nothing like actually pulling the carb or what ever apart and actually cleaning things with tools operated by human hands - especially skilled ones.. I have yet to find a product that cleans like human hands with proper tools all in tune with eyes that can see what they are cleaning.. WOWZY WOW WOW WOW,, rereading what I just wrote,, I am an opinionated lop eared varmint..

[videoarizona]

I have to agree, Cowpuc. My experiences don't ring as well as others when it comes to Seafoam. I've found it's a maintenance product not a true cleaner. 2 lawnmowers, 3 scoots and 2 outboard motors are my experience base. For a year now, Seafoam has been trying to clean out the passages of a 2.5 hp outboard to no avail. (I'm not really trying hard there) I had the same problem with the 6hp. What cured the 6 was good old carb cleaner. That took less than a day to clean out a carb that had been sitting without any fuel in the lines or carb but must have had some still in the little passages. I'm not that concerned about the 2.5 even though it's a new motor with about 12hrs on it. Maybe in January when we won't be boating for the month, I'll take the carb apart again, and this time use carb cleaner. Those tiny carbs have such tiny orifices, it doesn't take much to clog them. Meanwhile, I row the Zodiac to and fro. The Admiral says it's good exercise...row, row, row! (She can't row...hmmm)

 

BTW, no more lawn mowers! Yippee!

 

Seafoam does seem to work on the scoots as I keep some in there when I'm not running around and have no issues. But again, I've found it doesn't really clean like a good carb cleaner, rather it will help keep a motor running despite the worst intentions of Congress with their ethanol love relationship.

 

BTW, it's my fault on the little 2.5. I did put it away with fuel in it and Sta-bil. But it was longer than a year before I picked it up to use it. That was not my intention not to use it, the chance didn't come up where we needed a dinghy. Sta-Bil is good stuff, but it's not made to work for ever. Sigh.

[SpencerPJ]

Yes, I am a Lucas fan as well. I've never used Seafoam as a winter gas stabilizer, I always use StaBil. All I know, is it sure perked up my Blower, or maybe it was the good cussing out I gave it.

[saddlebum]

I have never saw Seafoam as a miracle worker. To my understanding it was originally developed to be used on marine engines put in storage during off season for which it seems to work very well. Part of its property's are to deal with moisture/condensation in the fuel to prevent moisture caused issues, such as gumming up within the fuel system and reduce carbon build up on the valve train, though it may not be as effective on gum build up already existing in the carb being more of a preventative than an all out cleaner.

I have found however that when added occasionally to gas of an engine that runs a bit rough the engine will smooth out. Maybe (just a thought) it may not work as a cold soak but used at engine operating temperature maybe it becomes more effective. As an example soak a carbon coated valve in water and it will do nothing, yet trickle water into the intake of a warm running engine and the carbon is gone. Any tech that has pulled the head of an engine can tell instantly which cylinder had coolant leaking into it be it just water or an antifreeze mix by the absence of carbon on that particular cylinder.

 

A word of warning as some may be aware treating the engine with water to get rid of carbon is chancy as you risk big pieces breaking off and and causing valve damage

 

I do not use Seafoam on a regular bases other than when as a fuel stabilizer or on the odd occasion when the engine seems to not run up to snuff which it does seem to help sometimes, so I have never experienced the plug issues that Puc has. In fact as a Mechanic for over 40 years, I have always felt that additives of any sort, should be used as little as possible if at all, except under certian conditions such as storage or in the hopes of a simple non-intrusive quick fix for minor issues. I therefore do agree with Puc, that the only sure fix for a gummed up and defective carb, is a physical overhaul.

Edited October 21, 2018 by saddlebum

[Marcarl]

Yah, I tried SeaFoam once, but thought it better to stay with Black Russians. On the other hand I did pour a little leftover in the gas tank to sea what it would do, and then I did a total rebuild anyways.

[saddlebum]

Yah, I tried SeaFoam once, but thought it better to stay with Black Russians. On the other hand I did pour a little leftover in the gas tank to sea what it would do, and then I did a total rebuild anyways.

Wiskey for my Men ...Seafoam for my Horses

[uhfradarwill]

Small engine this, 2 stroke that; I'll add a real world Venture related story.

 

I bought my 86VR this year with, I know now, 2 year old gas in it and it hadn't been cranked for the two years.

 

The bike ran pretty good and I had come to thought the roughness was just the V-4 design.

I kept reading on this site how smooth the XVZ's were and how they like to rev.

 

Over the course of 2,000 miles and three cans of Seafoam, I now know the smoothness of the VR's.

 

Granted my carbs were not clogged, but I have to give Seaform a thumbs up!!

[saddlebum]

After reading endless pro/cons on Seafoam, many years ago I did an actual dirty carb soak test using Seafoam, Spray carb cleaner from Auto Zone, Berrymans Chem Dip and Techtron injecter cleaner (add into the fuel tank stuff) - used em all full strength.. I took a bank of old ratty 750 Honda carbs apart for the comparison so each carb was comparable in grunge.. THEY WERE NASTY!! The Chem Dip took 100% 1st place, an hour and the internal parts were clean. 2nd place went to the spray, in less then 12 hours the grunge started loosening. Techtron came in 3rd with a difference seeing in 24 or so hours. Seafoam came in flat last, I left the parts soaking in pure SeaFoam for a week and no, nada, zero difference occurred as far as cleaning any parts - even the light shellacing on the bowl walls were not touched,, saying nothing for the solid sludge in the bowl bottom or the plugged solid main/slow speed jets.

 

Hey cowpuc, With regards to your soak test did you soak the various soft parts used in the carbs as well to see if they sustained any damage from the various products tested. I ask this because over the years, mostly back when overhauling vehicle carbs was common many of the carb cleaners we used destroyed gaskets seals and soft nylon type parts if you did not remember to remove them before soaking. Obviously any product that strong or harsh you would not want to run through an assembled carb.

[Sylvester]

I use Seafoam but never thought of it as a carb cleaner. I will put it in during seasonal riding and heavy dose it for delayed use and run the bike until it is in the carbs, close the petcock and walk away.

 

[luvmy40]

Sea Foam, Lucas Complete, STP, What ever... None of them are designed/meant to be cleaning solutions.

 

I've been using Sea Foam for close to 40 years in it it's intended and designed purpose. As a storage stabilizer and a periodic maintenance product. In this capacity, it excels, as does everything Lucas produces.

 

Berrymans B12 and other "Carb Cleaners" are decent cleaning solutions. I must say, I have noticed that the Berrymans cleaners are much less aggressive today than they were 30 years ago. Once upon a time, a 4 hour soak in a tank of Berrymans was down right destructive to aluminum parts. Today, over night is the minimum.

 

BTW, even now, a good carb cleaner is not friendly to rubber parts.

 

$0.02, YMMV

[steamer]

back when all gas sold in the U.S. went to 10 percent ethanol I worked for a John Deere dealer. The next spring we got five times more gas movers in the shop then ever before with starting and running problems, the shop was over loaded with work. One of our older guys who had been around for ever took about a dozen lawn tractors out back and dosed them with sea Foam and fresh gas and let them run for several hours. it was quit a site, but at the end or the day they were all running and starting a hell of a lot better. The shop made a hell of a lot of money for very little work. The stuff works when used in running motors and I've seen it get non starting motors running again. Not every time, but most of the time.