Seafoam presentation

[CatatonicBug]

Cleans carbs?ok.Cleans sludge?maybe.Removes carbon?I doubt it.Improves mileage and performance?Please.How can this happen?Does it increase the btu and octane of the fuel?When someone makes all these claims I feel like they're trying to sell me snake oil.

When the carbs are clean, mileage and performance are directly affected. Sludge slows things down and creates drag, reducing mileage and performance as well. Doesn't take snake oil to make claims like that.

[Crazcnuk]

Lots of products make similar claims, the point you are missing is that many of us use this stuff and have had very good results.

If your engine is running properly it won't have a lot of carbon in it, part of the clean carbs legacy.

Sludge is an overplayed thing for lots of products. Sludge, for the most part collects in all the little nooks and crannies, where nothing happens anyway. I doubt very much you can find any tests, anywhere, that says sludge has any affect at all on engine performance, unless you let it build up for too long then jostle it loose with a cleaning product!

[DGXSER]

It does improve milage because you just went from 2 gallons in the tank to two and a half gallons. So when you run through that, you got 2.5 gallons worth of miles from 2 gallons of petrol purchased (you have to forget about the cost of the Seafoam)

[tw1980]

When the carbs are clean, mileage and performance are directly affected. Sludge slows things down and creates drag, reducing mileage and performance as well. Doesn't take snake oil to make claims like that.

Ok bug if you say it works I believe you and I'll bite and give it a try.But does it really remove carbon? Thanks Terry

[Crazcnuk]

I think any time you get the engine running properly it will get rid of carbon.

Carbon only builds up when you are running very rich, or you are burning excessive amounts of oil.

I am not sure the Seafoam 'eats' the carbon directly.

'Dammit Jim, I am a cleaner, not a janitor!'

[DiverRay]

The other, BIG carbon producer is to use a high octane fuel in a low octane engine, like the XS1100!! These bikes are designed to run on LOW OCTANE FUEL from the factory. If you run premium all the time, you WILL build up a LOT of carbon in the combustion chamber. If you have a big bore kit, you probably need the premium fuel.
SeaFoam WILL take the carbon off the top of a piston if you pour it on, and it WILL help ride of carbon in the combustion chamber if you spray it through the carbs on a warm engine, and then turn it off and let it set for about an hour.
This is all personal experience, Automotive School, and a few engines torn down.

[trbig]

Sludge slows things down and creates drag, reducing mileage and performance as well.

Almost quoted from the oil commercials on the TV.... their advertising is obviously working on some people.

If you leave your oil in the pan indefinately.. yeah, you'll have a sludge problem as the oil turns to a tar-like substance. You will get a thin layer of it over time in the bottom of the oil pan, but the excsess sludge comes out in the oil changes you're SUPPOSED to do regularly. I've had lots of these engines apart, and in the oil pan is the only area I have seen any of this sediment. Everything else above that point is getting blasted with oil from spinning pieces/parts and there's no place else for it to settle really.

A quick blast from some carb or brake cleaner in the pan will get rid of it... but the thin layer sitting there isn't hurting anything.

Tod

[Axel]

Never had my carbs apart

I use it in my gas / carbs in a high concentration all winter in storage . It not only stabilizes the gas but cleans the carbs . It runs better in the spring than when I put it away . No breakdown of rubber parts . I also have used it in the oil for 20 minutes on the center stand with a fan and I go through the gears and revs a bit.Then drain .
With this practice I will never need to clean my carbs by hand ...Bike runs great .

[boyat68]

The idea is not to persuade anyone, if it works for you, then use it. If you believe that it is snake oil, then do not use it. Reading information on this site as well as others leaves the reader with the job of winnowing the accepted facts from the blather. I accept that posters on this site tell what works for them. I tried the SeaFoam, and it worked for my application.

You can add a small amount of kerosene to regular gas and reduce the flash point, thus reducing the pinging caused in premature ignition, or use a higher octane fuel to accomplish the same thing within reason. The only draw back of the kerosene is the small amount of paraffin left in the distillate. That may cause a collection of gunk.

The SeaFoam probably does the same thing as other additives as well as dissolving the other gunk. It works for me.

[tw1980]

OK but I'm still going to keep some snake oil in my garage too.(it's 40% alcohol)

[boyat68]

40% ? that is 80 proof, you can pay 10 bucks more and get 100, 50%, or drink twice as much 40% for that accidental snake bite and be a lot happier. Depends on your taste.