Seafoam

mityfun

mityfun

True Classic
I did a search and see many have used Seafoam in the X 19s.

What is the proper method of using Seafoam in a Fuel Injected X 1/9?

The can says 1/3 of can in gas, 1/3 in oil, and 1/3 in through a vacuum line (where do I find the correct vacuum line?)

The previous posts I read in the search indicated that the entire can was added to the fuel.

Any opinions and advice most welcome.

Thanks
Paul
 
I have used it in ....

....several of my carbed X's...but most notably in my Seadoo Speedster jetboat. Brought my gummy carbs back to life. Amazing stuff. Smoked like hell for about five minutes but cleaned them up good. Once treated, I used to pour a can into the tank about once a month.
 
I've used Seafoam on my bike carbs, but Chevron Techron and BG44k fuel injector cleaners in my FI X1/9.

I've never added Seafoam to intake lines, or oil. I've added it to gas tank, and hooked up a reservoir and tube directly to bike''s carb inlet hoses.

Ended up rebuilding bikes carbs, and getting remanufactured injectors on the X1/9, so regular use is probably best as as preventative measure.

In cleaning my intake and exhaust manifolds, the gasket cleaner got rid of carbon buildup, so not sure what the best way to get rid of that is?
 
Last edited:
I have added it to gas as a carb cleaner. I don't know that it would be any better or worse than any other fuel injector cleaner.
 
I don't know what Seafoam is...

... and I don't know what I am about to say is absolutely true...

BUT...

I firmly believe most strong FI cleaners can contribute to the degradation of REGULAR fuel lines and parts on CARBED models.

I found a lot of black slime in my carb after using some of these products... but I have no real PROOF it was the FI cleaner. I've seen lots of BROWN VARNISH from old gas... but never BLACK SLIME before.
 
I found it on the web

It looks just like any other petroleum-based carb cleaning product.
I understand some are better than others...

I'm guessing that the color of this product reflects the name.

Tony, if the fuel lines are at the point of breaking down, (cleaner or not) wouldn't it be time to change the lines anyway?
I always thought it was a good idea to empty a can of F.I. cleaner into an old tank of gas to keep things solvent.
 
I won't attempt to go into the "science" of it (because I'm ignorant of the chemistry behind it all and willing to admit it) but SeaFoam has such a great rep as gas treatment/carb cleaner it must be okay, I've had good results with it. I won't use it in my FI X though, because it doesn't have a carb. No idea what if any difference there may be between SeaFoam and FI cleaner.
Now, SeaFoam as an oil additive makes me nervous.
 
jvandyke said:
Now, SeaFoam as an oil additive makes me nervous.
Click to expand...
You're supposed to change your oil within 100 miles of doing it. I have never used it in my personal transportation but I did help a friend use it in his FI S-10 and he said there was an improvement in how smooth it idled. I have been tempted to try it in my truck to hopefully get rid of a pesky sticking lifter but just never got around to it since I drive so little and it seems like a waste of still good oil to do it before the oil needs to be changed anyways.

I do know the stuff was originally developed as a marine engine cleaner (hence the name), but people put it in all sorts of internal combustion engines with mostly positive results (from what I've read online).
 
Oh yes... it most certainly was...

Not only did I have black sludge... I had bits-o-rubber from the hoses disinigrating from the inside and clogging filters and the carb.

That was a long time ago... after I started the car on 7 year old gas and added a couple of cans of FI cleaner into 2 gallons of gas. This hadta be 15 years ago!

It ran great initially, then I started having these stumbbling problems and learned more about Webers than I wanted to know. After cleaning things up and replacing filters... it would clog again as I bumped hoses and moved things around. Live and learn...
 
I'm not conviced

That seafoam helps at all. It makes me nervous too to think about putting it in the oil or anywhere else. If there is a problem before seafoam, it will be there after and needs to be fixed properly. When I see a write up from any car manufacturer suggesting seafoam as a way to "fix" idle or any other problems, I might believe it then, otherwise is just another product on the shelf at the autopart store for people who think can buy engine-rebuild-in-a-can for $10
 
Seafoam is an excellent cleaner for carbs; in gas or 'sucked straight in' via vaccuum tube. Been around too long, used and recommended by too many to discount. I won't vouch for it beyond that. I'm picking some up tomorrow for a water pump motor that isn't running like it should. I bet it "fixes it".
 
You are comparing something that needs cleaned with something that needs replaced. If it's even remotely possible that a problem you are experiencing could be fixed by using an additive to break loose clogs or crud, it's well worth the 6-10 dollars to try before replacing anything, cause just about any part is way more expensive than that.

Now, with block seal and cooling system stop leak type products, I will agree with you.
 
I know plenty of people use this stuff... I've yanked a vacuum hose on my miata and run it thru her... let the motor suck some up till it's about to die... it's supposed to be awesome at knocking off carbon deposits. If your engine is well tuned, the deposits shouldn't be too bad... but lots of turbo types run pretty rich to avoid detonation and get a build up..

After you run some thru... I've always heard you let it suck up enough to kill the motor... let it sit for a few (steaming inside the cylinder?) minutes then restart it. When you start the car back up it will lay out a white smoke cloud for a few minutes that is pretty impressive. You can watch video's of kids laying down smoke screens with the stuff on YouTube! Just search Seafoam...

Now for the scary part. I have read at least a handfull of threads on Miata.net (I have a supercharged 90 miata besides the 'broken' 83 X1/9 I recently bought) and there is one guy who's motor locked up during the 'seafoam' in the vacuum deal. People argue back and forth about the problem... I think he had a turbo motor that was having problems. He's convinced the seafoam did it (locked it up)... others think it loosened up a broken ring or whatever...

Didn't stop me from doing it! The smoke cloud is pretty crazy... if you want to have some fun, do it to your car after the wife has driven it and call her outside and ask her 'what did you do to the car?'!!!
 
Seafoam through the vacuum line danger

mx5rush said:
Now for the scary part. I have read at least a handful of threads on Miata.net (I have a supercharged 90 miata besides the 'broken' 83 X1/9 I recently bought) and there is one guy who's motor locked up during the 'seafoam' in the vacuum deal. People argue back and forth about the problem... I think he had a turbo motor that was having problems. He's convinced the seafoam did it (locked it up)... others think it loosened up a broken ring or whatever... [/I]
Click to expand...

It's likely not specific to the Seafoam. Seafoam is a liquid, and liquids don't compress. So if you let too much get sucked in at once, the motor will hydrolock - the piston comes partway up on the compression stroke and stop hard. Something will break.

Mopar combustion chamber cleaner is a foam (comes out of the can sort of like shaving cream), carries a nice supply of nicely compressible air into the cylinder along with the cleaning liquid, so is a bit less likely to hydrolock.
 
Yes, but...

Chris St-Louis said:
Curious - Why would one feel they need to clean the inside of the engine? Isn't that the oils job?
Click to expand...

The oil doesn't get much chance to clean carbon deposits on the valves and in the combustion chamber. Of course, there won't be much of this in a properly maintained FI car, but it's hard to reconcile "properly maintained" and "previous owner".

And if a previous owner has neglected oil change intervals or used inferior oil (any dino oil sold 25 years ago is "inferior" by modern standards) there may be a fairly huge amount of sludge built up inside the engine.
 
Chris St-Louis said:
Agrred in the combustion chamber. I didnt word my question properly. I meant as far as putting this stuff in ones oil.

If you have a ton of sludge, I would say this would justify a rebuild, no? A little sludge can be cleaned away with proper oil.

I cannot imagine putting a bottle of petrolium disillettes(sp?) in your oil can possibly be a good idea.
Click to expand...
That's what makes me nervous.
 
I'm inclined to agree about that

Chris St-Louis said:
I cannot imagine putting a bottle of petroleum distillates in your oil can possibly be a good idea.
Click to expand...

I'm inclined to agree about that... I've used magic engine cleaners, but never in the oil - and I change the oil after doing the combustion chamber cleaning bit.
 
I don't see a problem in using it to clean combustion chamber / valve deposits, but i wouldn't put it in oil.

On two occasions I've used that "motor flush" stuff to clean out engines on my cars. On both occasions it didn't do anything positive, and I think accelerated wear by the sound of the engine afterward.
 
I have used seafoam in my last 4 cars at some point... including my fiat

1, my 323 GTX got a very rough idle from running very rich (had to at 18psi 450cfm) ran seafoam through my gas, oil, and straight into my pistons... Idled like a champ! much smoother... zero problems caused

2, my AE86 Corolla, simply would not idle. Sea foam in oil, gas, and motor, idle was back and a very noticeable power increase.

3, my fiero, v6FI generally ran like crap from years of abuse seafoam everywhere got better, still ran kinda crappy... ended up rebuilding the engine.

4, 1980 Fiat x1/9 Wouldnt Idle cold, wouldnt idle when too hot, was choking out, running lean, seafoam fixed! It was epic, I was pleased.
Also the air filter was so dirty it was BLACK, I dropped it on the ground and it kinda disintegrated... didn't remove it until after the seafoam though.

If you arent comfortable with throwing it in your oil then dont, but I have dont it on a 1.6L turbo 4 running 18PSI and had zero problems.
If it wouldn't kill me, I would drink this stuff when i didn't feel like I was running on all cylinders! (this would kill me right?)

Just my 4 cents :bla:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top