Sea Foam

[SkyHog]

My data point: I have only used it once, in a carbureted mini-bike motor that was gunked up and would not run under load. The carbs were filled with dried up gas and the motor kept quitting.

Ran sea foam through it, watched the crazy smoke show happen, and the motor ran great afterward.

Smelled pretty harsh. Not sure I'd want to subject a good motor to all of that.

 

[Fearless Tower]

This is the only sea foam I need....Fender's new Mystic Sea Foam.....

 

[flyingron]

That's the "Mystery" part.

I never really knew about MMO other than for years my grandmother would rave about putting Mystery oil in the car. Of course, she also would rail on the importance of eating hydrocarbons and complaining that the (natural) gas company was watering down the gas as the house didn't heat up like it used to.

Years later I inherited her old Ford LTD. While poking around the autoparts store looking for stuff to fix the carburator with, I came across MMO. It never even occurred to me that the thing was an actual product. I took it home and showed my parents and we used it reguarly in her car ever after.

 

[denverpilot]

I never really knew about MMO other than for years my grandmother would rave about putting Mystery oil in the car. Of course, she also would rail on the importance of eating hydrocarbons and complaining that the (natural) gas company was watering down the gas as the house didn't heat up like it used to.

Years later I inherited her old Ford LTD. While poking around the autoparts store looking for stuff to fix the carburator with, I came across MMO. It never even occurred to me that the thing was an actual product. I took it home and showed my parents and we used it reguarly in her car ever after.

So it still needed a carb rebuild and probably some lead in the gas for the valves? LOL.

(Judging by "LTD" and "inherited", since that was probably a leaded fuel car running on unleaded? Did I guess right?)

 

[EppyGA]

 

[flyingron]

So it still needed a carb rebuild and probably some lead in the gas for the valves? LOL.

(Judging by "LTD" and "inherited", since that was probably a leaded fuel car running on unleaded? Did I guess right?)

Actually, it was a leaded (1968) car running on leaded regular. The carb was definitely suspect, I had already deep sixed the automatic choke on it.

 

[1600vw]

This is not how this product is used. You do not pour it into the carb. It gets mixed with the fuel. If you have dirty injectors it will clean them. I purchased a truck and it needed an engine. I put a brand new engine in it from the dealer. The thing ran like crap. I used a can of this per tank for a couple tanks and she ran as smooth as silk after. The problem with anything like this, it is a cleaner. It not only cleans your injectors but the inside of the tank and the fuel lines. After using this its a good idea to replace the fuel filter.
This man did nothing more then wipe away all oil residue that splash oiling supplies to the cylinder. Never run this straight into a carb like this. Very bad on things like rings and cylinder walls.

Tony

 

[SoonerAviator]

This is not how this product is used. You do not pour it into the carb. It gets mixed with the fuel. If you have dirty injectors it will clean them. I purchased a truck and it needed an engine. I put a brand new engine in it from the dealer. The thing ran like crap. I used a can of this per tank for a couple tanks and she ran as smooth as silk after. The problem with anything like this, it is a cleaner. It not only cleans your injectors but the inside of the tank and the fuel lines. After using this its a good idea to replace the fuel filter.
This man did nothing more then wipe away all oil residue that splash oiling supplies to the cylinder. Never run this straight into a carb like this. Very bad on things like rings and cylinder walls.

Tony

Well, I'd be wary of it on a two-stroke, but I have poured it into the carb on a 351w on numerous occasions and had no issues. Many people recommend pulling an intake vacuum line and having it draw from that, which is essentially the same thing. I doubt it would be too bad unless you were dumping mass quantities of the stuff down the carb all at once.

 

[unsafervguy]

interesting trivia, MMO was invented by the same man that invented the marvel carb you will find bolted to your engine. he invented it to keep the jets of the carb clean.

bob

 

[Stewartb]

http://www.marvelmysteryoil.com/index.php/site/about/

 

[1600vw]

Well, I'd be wary of it on a two-stroke, but I have poured it into the carb on a 351w on numerous occasions and had no issues. Many people recommend pulling an intake vacuum line and having it draw from that, which is essentially the same thing. I doubt it would be too bad unless you were dumping mass quantities of the stuff down the carb all at once.

I guess what I should have said. To clean injectors you would need to pour it into the fuel. Pouring it into the carb like this does nothing but clean engine parts like valves and carbon off the head. Both not really an issue with the modern engine. Fuel injectors get dirty first from the crappy fuel and people leaving stale fuel in the engine after it has sat for a few weeks. I am speaking of auto engines or 4 stroke FI engines. Or the modern auto engine.

 

[SoonerAviator]

I guess what I should have said. To clean injectors you would need to pour it into the fuel. Pouring it into the carb like this does nothing but clean engine parts like valves and carbon off the head. Both not really an issue with the modern engine. Fuel injectors get dirty first from the crappy fuel and people leaving stale fuel in the engine after it has sat for a few weeks. I am speaking of auto engines or 4 stroke FI engines. Or the modern auto engine.

Gotcha, I won't argue that one. If an injector is clogged, it's less likely to be able to pass the deposits through the nozzle simply because you ran fuel system cleaner through it. Carb jets/fuel passages are more easily cleared if you can loosen the deposits.

 

[GUIDO]

My 1986 chevy s-10 2.8 liter 6 at 310,000 miles still passes inspection with low hc
It usually fails until i break the vacuum line and suck 1/2 can of sea foam into the intake manifold let it set 15 minutes then run it for 10 minutes works every time. i have done this with several friends vehicles that would not pass with the same positive results. It is incredible the difference it makes in the smoothness of the engine.

 

[GUIDO]

Just spoke to seafoam and they no longer recommend using vacuum line. they recommend using their new spray can directly into the carburetor or air intake. The product has not been certified for general aviation engines to expensive for the benefit they would receive.

 

[RJM62]

Back when I drove Saturns, I used to use Sea Foam (among other solvents) as a piston soak to clean the pistons and combustion chambers when they got crudded up with carbon and started to burn oil. It was neither any better nor any worse than any of the other solvents I tried, including the piston cleaner that Saturn sold, for that purpose. Once the synthetic oils came out, the carbon deposit problem seemed to go away, and the piston soaks were no longer necessary.

About the only time I use Sea Foam now is mixed in with the last tank of gas that I run through seasonal power equipment before I store it away for the off season. I don't know if it does any good, but I have a can I have to get rid of. At the rate I use it, it may wind up as part of my estate. It's not a bad product. It's just ridiculously expensive compared to other products that are just as good if not better.

The only additive I use on a regular basis in my car nowadays is STA-BIL. I use the marine flavor because it supposedly has better protection from the corrosive properties of ethanol. It's also cheaper because the dosage is only one ounce per 10 gallons of gas. I also use it in any gasoline that's stored in cans, including the gas that goes into the contraptions that I fly.

I recently had to cut away a tree that fell onto the road in front of my house, and the oiled gas for the chainsaw had been in the can for two years. I debated mixing up a fresh batch or daisy-chaining extensions cords and using the electric chainsaw, but I decided to give the old gas a try. It had been dosed with STA-BIL when I mixed it up. Besides, if worse came to worst and the chainsaw wouldn't start, the other options were still available. But even with the gas having been in storage for two years, the chainsaw started right up. As a fuel stabilizer, the stuff is amazing.

Pretty much everyone uses (and sells) STA-BIL up here. If a store sells only one automotive-related product, it'll be STA-BIL. The reason is that for 10 months of the year, the volume at the local gas stations is so low that it's not unusual for the gas to be borderline stale (or worse) by the time you buy it. The STA-BIL doesn't make it fresh again, but it does prevent it from getting any worse before you burn it. It's also a very good general fuel system cleaner.

I use an ounce of the Marine STA-BIL at every fill-up except for the ones during which I use Techron, which is specified by name in the Kia owner's manual when "Top Tier" gas is not available. I add a jug every of Techron every 3,500 miles per the manual and scan the receipt because I'm OCD in case I have a warranty claim. The rest of the time I use STA-BIL.

Rich

 

[TRocket]

Anyone here ever use Sea Foam on their auto engine? The whole treatment, oil additive, gas additive, and throttle body spray... If so did you notice an improvement in the engine?

I am a fan. You can really clean out some carbon if you get it in through the intake. I had a 97 Silverado with a 350 and it worked well. Get it good and hot, pull the brake booster hose and pour the whole thing in slowly, if the engine starts to sputter slow down. When you get close to the bottom of the can, pour faster and choke the motor out. You can have buddy shut it off if it doesn't die on its own. Let it sit for 15 minutes, fire it up and take it for a spin...preferably right past your tree hugging neighbors house. The smoke will roll, trust me. Take it somewhere you can really open it up and burn all that stuff off. Only thing to be careful of is if it's really dirty, breaking off a big piece of carbon and clogging a cat. Never had it happen to me but have heard of it. I think the stuff works great in my opinion. My 2 cents.