Register now to get rid of these ads!

Technical Tell me about SeaFoam

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by jaw22w, Oct 16, 2023.

  1. jaw22w
    Joined: Mar 2, 2013
    Posts: 1,717

    jaw22w
    Member
    from Indiana

    The other day I made a Summit order and came up $9 shy of free shipping. The math said spend the $9. So just on a whim I bought a bottle of SeaFoam. Never used it or seen it used. The can says to add it to the fuel, but I have heard of dribbling it down the carb while running. I have a pretty hot 355 that tends to load up a little on the street. I thought SeaFoam might clean it up a little. Is it just snake oil? Or does it really work? What is the difference of just dribbling water down the carb?
    Tell me how you used it and your results.
     
  2. tubman
    Joined: May 16, 2007
    Posts: 8,100

    tubman
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    "Mechanic in a Can". I put a pint into each of my cars before I go to Florida for the winter. Never had a problem with any of 'em when I came back, I've been doing this for twenty years now, and at least it never hurt anything. "Can't hurt, might help".
     
    pprather, Desoto291Hemi and SS327 like this.
  3. X38
    Joined: Feb 27, 2005
    Posts: 17,498

    X38
    Member

    I'm not joking, there must be dozens of threads about this.
     
    lothiandon1940 and 05snopro440 like this.
  4. Mike VV
    Joined: Sep 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,329

    Mike VV
    Member
    from SoCal

  5. 1ton
    Joined: Dec 3, 2010
    Posts: 722

    1ton
    Member

    Had an OT service truck that sat alot. Only used it when needed.
    One day, after it sat for a few months, I started it and apparently one or more valves seemed to have stuck open.
    Put Seafoam in with the engine oil, as directed. Started it and let it run till warmed. Shut er down and came back in a few days. It started up quietly with no ticking or clacking. Then took it for an oil change.
    It never did that again.
     
  6. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 11,195

    BJR
    Member

    We used to soak carboned up pistons in it and they would come out clean and free the rings up.
     
    tractorguy and lothiandon1940 like this.
  7. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,969

    BamaMav
    Member Emeritus
    from Berry, AL

    A lot of two stroke engine makers recommend using it in the gas and oil mix. Must be something to it or they have stock in the Seafoam company…
     
  8. lothiandon1940
    Joined: May 24, 2007
    Posts: 32,325

    lothiandon1940
    Member

    I've known people who swear by it as a fuel stabilizer and put some in the tank during the Winter down time. I'm just a bit leery of a product that goes either in the tank or the crankcase.
     
  9. 2OLD2FAST
    Joined: Feb 3, 2010
    Posts: 6,055

    2OLD2FAST
    Member
    from illinois

    We used a pan of used transmission fluid , cheap & very effective .
     
  10. Doublepumper
    Joined: Jun 26, 2016
    Posts: 1,793

    Doublepumper
    Member
    from WA-OR, USA

    Many moons ago, I worked at a pleasure boat outfit. The Evinrude/Johnson mechanic would use this before doing any tuning. I asked him what the stuff was that he was spraying into the cylinders...Sea Foam. He told me it loosens up the carbon so it can be cleaned from inside the combustion chambers and pistons. He would fire them up after a tune, and indeed, carbon would blow out the exhaust.
     
    tractorguy likes this.
  11. dirt car
    Joined: Jun 26, 2010
    Posts: 1,580

    dirt car
    Member
    from nebraska

    Most of the better 2 cycle oil has fuel stabilizer formulated in it.
     
    2OLD2FAST likes this.
  12. Speed~On
    Joined: Apr 28, 2011
    Posts: 1,724

    Speed~On
    Member

    I have used Sea Foam for the past 10 years. I live in a cold weather climate and use it to stabilize my fuel. I dump it in the gas tank when I Winterize my 2 cars. Each Spring the fuel
    seems to be just fine, never had a problem. I also dump it in the gas can I use for my snow blower and riding lawn mower. Once again, never had an issue with it. In fact, the next time I go to Menards I need to buy a few more cans as Winter is on its way.
    The 1 year I did not use it, the gas went bad over Winter.

    The only fuel stabilizer I've been told to stay away from is Stabil.

    As far as Sea Foam, I am very anal and protective of my cars and equipment. So for me to trust a product, it needs to be legit.
     
    tractorguy likes this.
  13. Los_Control
    Joined: Oct 7, 2016
    Posts: 1,182

    Los_Control
    Member
    from TX

    I have used it a few times ... more as a preventive thing and not to actually fix anything.
    Awhile back I watched a youtube video he wanted to try it.

    He had a motorcycle with 4 carburetors on it and had been sitting for awhile.
    It ran sorta ok but he needed to tear them down to clean them .... lets try seafoam.
    By the time he rode a tank of gas out of it the carbs were working perfectly.

    I have to pull the oil pan on my truck before I start driving it, check for sludge .... I have been using detergent oil in it and changed it twice while I only yard drive it .... I will add seafoam to it also before I pull the pan.
     
    Tim likes this.

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.