Sea Foam additive

[slip knot]

I use Seafoam in all my tractors that sit all winter, seldom have any issues with fuel the next season. Seafoam will clean out all the crud in a fuel system. Usually plugs the filter fairly quick when used the first time!! BTDT several times.

 

[wssix99]

err....

Thanks. If it was a snake, it would have bit me...

 

[Burtonrider10022]

Thanks. If it was a snake, it would have bit me...

We've all had those days before.

 

[Toomanytools?]

Here is some more info if no one has seen it.http://www.fuel-testers.com/is_gas_additive_safe_with_e10_list.html

 

[Conductor562]

There must be some magical properties to it. I had a full 5 gallon gas can that was treated with Seafoam. After nearly 2 years (said can had been hiding) I was curious. Filled my push mower, pulled 3 times and she purred like a kitten. No ****.

Was that with the suggested 1 oz. per gal. mixture?

 

[OHMS LAW]

All I know is gasoline has enough detergents and additive that it really makes these kinds of treatment obsolete. If anything the one to use is marvel mystery oil

 

[e-tek]

Great thread - shows how opinions quickly degrade into "Facts"!!!

Seafoam and Stabil both have the basic ingedients of fuel stabilization: Alchohol and Naptha. Both remove moisture - which is the main cuplrit in tanks that sit for long periods. Get rid of the moisture and it helps keep fuel "pure". Naptha (specific) keeps chemicals of many types from changing/degrading over time - thus, stabilizing.

The light oils keep seals pliable, parts moving and deposits from sticking - which makes everything better in the spring, hence the case that was made for adding 2-stroke oil to 4-stroke engines.

Alcohols
Loss of moisture is one of the causes of liquid fuel becoming more gel-like. Ethanol is an old-fashioned fuel stabilizer. Without additional chemical treatments, ethanol has water-absorbing properties which help keep fuel liquid. Other alcohols are used toward this end as well.

Hydrotreated light naphthenic distillate solvent extract, known by a number of other names, including mineral oil and petroleum distillates, is a substance which makes up the majority of many fuel stabilizers. It works to prevent changes in the chemical make-up of solutions to which it is added. It is also used in anti-freeze, engine flushes, seals and lubricants

I'd be surprised if one does it any better than the other.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I use a can of seafoam in my truck probably once every 2 or 3 months. I always add a little Marvel Mystery Oil every time I fill up though. I've also used both in my diesel vehicles / tractors.

The Ethanol in our gas is BS... There only benefit is it will kill an engine quicker cuz it's ****.

 

[Full Throttle]

Love the stuff. Use in boat 2 atvs. Diesel truck. Never an issue ooh and my Harleys. I just recently put 2 bottles in the tank of my 7.3 PSD and 1 in the oil. Rein till tank went dry changed oil and fuel filter runs smoother and picked back up to 19 mpg on the hwy frown 15.

My boat has 149 gallons of gas 7 years all ethanol use and not a problem

 

[Displaced Hokie]

I work in the power equipment industry, and have worked directly with engineers from Briggs, Kohler, Kawaski, and hand-held power products. Also in technical assistance and product support for a leading mfg of power products. A few things:

- SeaFoam does in fact work to clean carbs and stabilize fuel. Best stuff out there. The only other product I'd say works is Chevron Techron as a cleaner. Everything else is snake oil.

- Fuel quality has been dropping for the past 10 years, which as nothing to do with ethanol.

- Ethanol itself isn't the problem in most instances. However, I have seen engines down south vapor lock now that didn't used to due to the alcohol content.

- If a gas station has a crappy ethanol mix from the distributor above the 10%, you WILL have problems.

- fuel you buy at the pump is AUTOMOTIVE fuel. No where is it listed for small engines. Just saying.

 

[StaggeringGoat]

Great thread - shows how opinions quickly degrade into "Facts"!!!

Seafoam and Stabil both have the basic ingedients of fuel stabilization: Alchohol and Naptha. Both remove moisture - which is the main cuplrit in tanks that sit for long periods. Get rid of the moisture and it helps keep fuel "pure". Naptha (specific) keeps chemicals of many types from changing/degrading over time - thus, stabilizing.

The light oils keep seals pliable, parts moving and deposits from sticking - which makes everything better in the spring, hence the case that was made for adding 2-stroke oil to 4-stroke engines.

Alcohols
Loss of moisture is one of the causes of liquid fuel becoming more gel-like. Ethanol is an old-fashioned fuel stabilizer. Without additional chemical treatments, ethanol has water-absorbing properties which help keep fuel liquid. Other alcohols are used toward this end as well.

Hydrotreated light naphthenic distillate solvent extract, known by a number of other names, including mineral oil and petroleum distillates, is a substance which makes up the majority of many fuel stabilizers. It works to prevent changes in the chemical make-up of solutions to which it is added. It is also used in anti-freeze, engine flushes, seals and lubricants

I'd be surprised if one does it any better than the other.

If it was that easy, then gas with 10% ethanol would never go bad. 2 cycle gas mixed with oil would never go bad. And you wouldn't need to buy a product like Stabil, you could just buy a gallon of naptha for a few bucks and have a lifetime supply! It's not that easy. Alcohol does nothing to "remove" moisture from your gas tank. All it does is allow the moisture to mix with the gas and thus easier to pull out of the tank and burn.

The fact is, I could go to the pharmacy and buy a $1 bottle of rubbing alcohol, put it in a fancy bottle and call it a fuel additive, charge $7 for it, and people would rave about it!

 

[Skin]

sta-bil is out the out and out as it doesnt do a whole lot to prevent phase seperation, and seafoam is a terrible fuel stabilizer, essentially the same as HEAT in that regard which has also been around forever. Briggs has a new "Advanced Formula Fuel Treatment & Stabilizer" out that works very well (cant recall who makes it for them) and Star Tron is also a very good fuel stabilizer for todays ethanol fuel. If you actually want a fuel stabilizer buy one of them. For $15-$20 you'll have a bottle that will last years.

There is no need to place an addative into fuel for equipment stored less than 6 months out of the year. In 99/100 cases of hard starting after such a period the root cause is generally debris/water in the fuel to begin with or really stupid storage spots. Its amazing how many people leave their stuff outside or under a roof that isnt really a roof because it has giant holes in it. Same for people storing stuff under a deck/porch, because thats waterproof.

 

[e-tek]

Now were getting silly! LOL!!

I work and have worked directly with engineers.......A few things:

- SeaFoam does in fact work to clean carbs and stabilize fuel. Best stuff out there. The only other product I'd say works is Chevron Techron as a cleaner. Everything else is snake oil.

- fuel you buy at the pump is AUTOMOTIVE fuel. No where is it listed for small engines.

EVERY "Snake Oil" is mandated by Federal Laws to have cleaners and detergents in it, yet no testing has ever proven that a particular fuel (including Techron) does anything to clean out deposits, etc.

As far as fuel being "Automotive", not "Small Engine: fuel.... Thanks - I nearly spit out my ice cream when I read that!! LOL!!

If it was that easy, then gas with 10% ethanol would never go bad. 2 cycle gas mixed with oil would never go bad. And you wouldn't need to buy a product like Stabil, you could just buy a gallon of naptha for a few bucks and have a lifetime supply! It's not that easy. Alcohol does nothing to "remove" moisture from your gas tank. All it does is allow the moisture to mix with the gas and thus easier to pull out of the tank and burn.

The fact is, I could go to the pharmacy and buy a $1 bottle of rubbing alcohol, put it in a fancy bottle and call it a fuel additive, charge $7 for it, and people would rave about it!

If your comment was any more contradictory, I'd say you were right......or left!

sta-bil is out the out and out as it doesnt do a whole lot to prevent phase seperation, and seafoam is a terrible fuel stabilizer, essentially the same as HEAT in that regard which has also been around forever. Briggs has a new "Advanced Formula Fuel Treatment & Stabilizer" out that works very well (cant recall who makes it for them) and Star Tron is also a very good fuel stabilizer for todays ethanol fuel.

I'd bet Stabil makes it ALL!

....the root cause is generally debris/water in the fuel to begin with

Thanks for restating the obvious!

I'd bet if we started a Regular vs Premium gas thread 50% would say Premium gets better gas mileage, is better for your car and gives you more power!!

 

[Conductor562]

After reading all these I'm not really sure about anything. Some believe Sea Foam is great, some argue it's useless, others seem to be clueless. I should've added a poll on this one

 

[ChristopherLutz]

Interesting thread.

FWIW (and, that's "not much") - my local O'Reilly's guy has me alternating between Sea Foam and Lucas every 5-6 tanks. It's not that much money....and, I'm not sure it REALLY does anything.... I'm only using to try and keep the engine "cleaner" and "lubricated".

The skeptic in me asks: "Have you ever come across a product that can do 20 different things?"

It's unlikely it does all of those things really well.

 

[Full Throttle]

Here's another. My mothers Toyota Avalon any one that knows they have a history of motor sludge. Well lost oil pressure. Popped valve cover sluged. Pulled pan yreplaced 1 bad main. Filled up with cheap oil and seafoam. Ran 100 miles and repeat. Clean as a whistle. Bench test my brother did seafoam was the only product that dissolved the sludge.

Sorry I am on my phone so this is the short to the point version.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Here's another. My mothers Toyota Avalon any one that knows they have a history of motor sludge. Well lost oil pressure. Popped valve cover sluged. Pulled pan yreplaced 1 bad main. Filled up with cheap oil and seafoam. Ran 100 miles and repeat. Clean as a whistle. Bench test my brother did seafoam was the only product that dissolved the sludge.

Before I change my oil, I'll add a quart of diesel into the oil, drive it around until I get the engine hot, then change...

 

[Dustin Echoes]

I use seafoam products in everything, from a gas trimmer up to cars. Very happy with it!

 

[LG63]

After reading all these I'm not really sure about anything. Some believe Sea Foam is great, some argue it's useless, others seem to be clueless. I should've added a poll on this one

Don’t overlook the placebo effect. I’m not saying these type additives are useless but if you “believe” they work that may be a big part of your positive experience with them. 40 years ago guys swore by names like STP, Rislone, Wynn’s, etc. and 10 years from now I suspect there will be a whole new round of additives on the market. My neighbor had an old Murray lawn mower that started knocking. I told him to start shopping for a new one. Instead he bought a bottle of Lucas oil additive and ran it for another season. Would it have run another season without the Lucas? Hard to say, but I’ll be more likely to try a Lucas product as a result. Full disclosure: I take Omega 3…….don’t know if there is any legitimate science behind it but I “believe” I feel better.

 

[Toomanytools?]

Don’t overlook the placebo effect. I’m not saying these type additives are useless but if you “believe” they work that may be a big part of your positive experience with them. 40 years ago guys swore by names like STP, Rislone, Wynn’s, etc. and 10 years from now I suspect there will be a whole new round of additives on the market. My neighbor had an old Murray lawn mower that started knocking. I told him to start shopping for a new one. Instead he bought a bottle of Lucas oil additive and ran it for another season. Would it have run another season without the Lucas? Hard to say, but I’ll be more likely to try a Lucas product as a result. Full disclosure: I take Omega 3…….don’t know if there is any legitimate science behind it but I “believe” I feel better.

No matter how much I want to believe the gas in my snowmobile is not going to turn to varnish while stored over the summer doesn't make a difference. Either something helps or it doesn't with fuel additives.

 

[SGKent]

About 1990 I did a test to see what worked at cleaning heavy carbon off intake valves. My 1982 CJ7 was terrible at building up carbon/coke on the intakes. I pulled some pieces off the valves - each about the size of a pea or bean seed. Each one went into a glass jar with a lid. They held -

water
Marvel Mystery Oil
** Chevron Techroline
*** BG44K
Automatic Transmission fluid
*******GM Top Cylinder Cleaner
* Spray Carb cleaner (Berryman B-12)

The number of * is how well it worked at dissolving the carbon chunks. The best was the GM product which turned the carbon to like toothpaste overnight. Some had no effect in 2 weeks. One of the products that people swear by did nothing more than water after 2 weeks when I ended the experiment. Since then I use Techroline in the fuel, BG44K if it is available or the GM Top Cylinder cleaner per their instructions. Seafoam was not available at that time.

 

[wssix99]

Don’t overlook the placebo effect. I’m not saying these type additives are useless but if you “believe” they work that may be a big part of your positive experience with them. 40 years ago guys swore by names like STP, Rislone, Wynn’s, etc. and 10 years from now I suspect there will be a whole new round of additives on the market.

^^^ Quote of the day!

Seafoam is a good cleaner - but its nothing special. GM, MOPAR, MotorVac, and many other companies make similar products with the exact same active ingredients/chemicals in them.

At one point, I recall that some car companies were warning on overuse of this stuff, particularly on older engines. Something about beneficial sludge dissolving and leading to leaking seals/gaskets.

 

[Displaced Hokie]

After reading all these I'm not really sure about anything. Some believe Sea Foam is great, some argue it's useless, others seem to be clueless. I should've added a poll on this one

A poll would have helped. What you have is a majority of people that have had good luck with SeaFoam, many with actual examples of it working. I can give you a dozen times I've seen it actually solve a problem.

Then you have a few telling the unwashed few of us that we are full of it and too stupid to know better.

I was skeptical as well at first. But eventually I just heard too many stories of it working so I tried it, and now I'm converted too. In my job in product support I could not recommend things that could make problems worse, or affect my credibility.

Look at it this way, it certainly can't hurt. I think we've established that at least.

 

[Conductor562]

Well, for $11 a can at Advance I feel confident in saying they're proud of it whether it works or not. I bought 2 cans, dumped one in the tank, and I'm gonna add about 1/2 the other in the crank case after I change the oil tomorrow. I guess we'll see how it goes. Thanks for the input everyone

 

[wedge40]

I have a question regarding seafoam. I have two 5 gallons cans of gas that are about 6 months old. Is it ever to late to add seafoam?

Wedge

 

[JimInRadfordVA]

I use Seafoam in everything I own. Here's a pic of my carbs when I removed the bowls to change the jets. This was as I found them-no spraying, cleaning or scrubbing...

 

[trainer]

The fact is, I could go to the pharmacy and buy a $1 bottle of rubbing alcohol, put it in a fancy bottle and call it a fuel additive, charge $7 for it, and people would rave about it!

Rubbing alcohol (isopropol alcohol) is exactly what I use in my snowmobile to prevent with carburetor icing. Just be sure to buy the 99% kind and not the 70% variety.It's about 1/10the price of the de-icer that the dealer sells.

4 stroke engines (snowblower, atv, etc) get a shot of methyl hydrate every once in a while inthe winter to keep from icing.

everything gets a shot of store brand fuel stabilizer before storage.
I haven't needed to clean a carb in years.

 

[Conductor562]

I have a question regarding seafoam. I have two 5 gallons cans of gas that are about 6 months old. Is it ever to late to add seafoam?

Wedge

As long as the gas is still good I don't see why stabilizing it now wouldn't be effective.

 

[Displaced Hokie]

As long as the gas is still good I don't see why stabilizing it now wouldn't be effective.

Problem is, that fuel is no longer good. Past 30-days on non-stabilized and you are asking for trouble in small stuff. Put it in your car/truck and then refill the cans with new stabilized fuel. Stabilized it will be good for @ 1 yr.

How long were you going to keep this fuel anyway?

Your car/truck can handle old fuel better due to the variable igniiton timing and large components that won't stick (i.e. intake valves). Put that stuff in a small power equipment engine and you'd have all kinds of trouble.

 

[Gary S]

About 1990 I did a test to see what worked at cleaning heavy carbon off intake valves. My 1982 CJ7 was terrible at building up carbon/coke on the intakes. I pulled some pieces off the valves - each about the size of a pea or bean seed. Each one went into a glass jar with a lid. They held -

water
Marvel Mystery Oil
** Chevron Techroline
*** BG44K
Automatic Transmission fluid
*******GM Top Cylinder Cleaner
* Spray Carb cleaner (Berryman B-12)

The number of * is how well it worked at dissolving the carbon chunks. The best was the GM product which turned the carbon to like toothpaste overnight. Some had no effect in 2 weeks. One of the products that people swear by did nothing more than water after 2 weeks when I ended the experiment. Since then I use Techroline in the fuel, BG44K if it is available or the GM Top Cylinder cleaner per their instructions. Seafoam was not available at that time.

My limited knowledge says I need to agree with you 100%.

I have never tried any of these products except GM top engine cleaner. In the past 40 years, I've had a number of engines that developed top end knock from a large piece of carbon breaking loose in the cylinder. GM's top engine cleaner dissolved it every time. I never had to open any of those engines for repair because it fixed it right away.

 

[Burtonrider10022]

I have a question regarding seafoam. I have two 5 gallons cans of gas that are about 6 months old. Is it ever to late to add seafoam?

Wedge

Problem is, that fuel is no longer good. Past 30-days on non-stabilized and you are asking for trouble in small stuff. Put it in your car/truck and then refill the cans with new stabilized fuel. Stabilized it will be good for @ 1 yr.

How long were you going to keep this fuel anyway?

Your car/truck can handle old fuel better due to the variable igniiton timing and large components that won't stick (i.e. intake valves). Put that stuff in a small power equipment engine and you'd have all kinds of trouble.

I'd follow this advice. Dump the cans in your car, it should handle it just fine. Personally, I'd add a little bit of "octane booster" with the fuel in the car. Also, adding Sta-Bil when you put that into the car isn't going to hurt anything either. It'll help clean your jets/injectors a bit.

 

[chevy.stroker]

So, I doubt you can convince anyone in this thread. I actually avoided responding as this thread progressed, because to many people just seem to want to argue. However, I will tell you what my research of reading lots of MSDS reports and looking up the chemicals taught me.

Most throttle body cleaners, top end cleaners, and fuel injector cleaners (including the pressurized kind that are injected into the fuel rail) contain naphtha. It dissolves varnish, and breaks up carbon very well.

Most MAF cleaners don't contain naphtha. I can only assume that is because of the special coating of the wire in the MAF. Generally electrical cleaner is recommended for MAF cleaning. Reading the MSDS I don't see any substitute for just buying it by the can.

Fuel stabilizers generally contain chemicals that are formed during the distillation of diesel and is often called Hydrotreated Light Naphthenic Distillate Solvent Extract. In the MSDS sheets it has lots of different names. This link gives you the synonyms used:

http://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/category-details?id=10703&table=copytblagents

This link gives you some products it is used in:
http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=chem&id=2438

Anyway, have a great day.

 

[GRX]

^^ agree. Seems some simply want to argue. Have seen people say Sea Foam is useless, yet in the very same post describe how various components contained within affect the gas in a favorable way.

As many have said, all three main ingredients in Sea Foam can be bought separately at MUCH cheaper rates. While I would not recommend anyone mix chemicals without proper experience or equipment, there are many pages on the internet which describe doing just that, with very favorable results. I myself have used 99% Isopropyl alcohol (same as HEET) from the drug store to solve water/gas issues. And I can say from personal experience that White gas/Naptha (Coleman lantern fuel) is great for cleaning gummed up carburetors & fuel systems. Oh wait, that is two of the three main ingredients in Sea Foam right there

 

[LG63]

I myself have used 99% Isopropyl alcohol (same as HEET) from the drug store to solve water/gas issues.

I believe HEET is methyl alcohol unless they have changed the formulation.

 

[GRX]

I believe HEET is methyl alcohol unless they have changed the formulation.

Good call. We are both right actually. The yellow bottle is Methanol. The red bottle (Iso-Heet) is Isopropanol.

Here is a quote which may interest some here:

http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/heet/faq.aspx

"Q: Can I use HEET® brand in 2 cycle or diesel engines?
A: No, only use HEET® brand (in the yellow bottle) in 4-cycle gasoline engines. However, ISO-HEET® brand (in the red bottle) can be used in any type of internal combustion engine (2 cycle, 4 cycle and diesel). "

 

[Conductor562]

My truck (2009 Ram 1500 with 5.7L Hemi) has always ran with the temperature gauge dead on the halfway mark. Previous oil changes have never seemed to affect this. Yesterday morning I got my oil changed and added 1.5 oz per qt per instructions to the crank case. It called for 11.25 oz but I went ahead and rounded up to 12 oz. I put 140 miles on it yesterday and another 150 today. Today I noticed the temp guage running slightly lower than normal. This observation was made after driving about 50 miles continuous miles at around 75 mph. Could just be coincidence, but I thought it was worth noting.