Sea Foam Needed?
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Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Gilbert, AZ
Good stuff for higher mileage vehicles with carbon buildup, and if you follow directions. If you have a LOT of carbon buildup, it can possibly foul the plugs as it breaks it loose and burns it up, though I have never experienced this.
Personally, I have never used it on a vehicle with under 60,000 miles.
Personally, I have never used it on a vehicle with under 60,000 miles.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Originally Posted by slipstream444,Sep 8 2008, 08:30 AM
You might as well put paint thinner in your oil - because that's what Sea Foam basically is.
When you suck that stuff into the intake through a vacuum line, you're ultimately washing the cylinder walls with what's essentially paint thinner (most of the contents of Sea Foam are aromatic solvents). Much of the Sea Foam then makes its way into the oil pan - thinning your oil. And then you're revving the engine to "high RPM" with what amounts to dry cylinder walls and thinned oil. Imagine what wear and potential damage you're doing to your engine's internals. That's a bad idea.
Sea Foam was a good product when gas had little to no additives and the motor oils available created sludge. It was okay to add solvent to the oil and through the intake because you were ultimately washing away the nasty parafinitic build-up that was inevitable over time. The mixture of gunk and solvent prevented lubrication starvation and the treatment did more good than harm.
The reason this type of treatment isn't needed any longer is there are no oils produced today (that you would use in any car you care about) that will cause the kind of build up that required this kind of treatment. This type of treatment is no longer needed and will do much more harm than good.
It's okay to use Sea Foam in the gas - as a fuel system cleaner. But remember, the contents are extremely aggressive aromatic solvents that will still cause some thinning of the oil through normal blow by. This is the same with all the strong solvent treatments - to include BG44K. It's a good idea to plan to change your oil about the same time you're about through the treated tank of gas.
As for carbon build-up - it shouldn't be a problem in modern cars (any amount of any consequence at least).
I use a slower treatment, treating my fuel with every fill up. I use Redline SI-1. You basically add 1 ounce with every 10 gallons and it prevents any build up. SI-1 uses milder solvents that don't break down oil, yet prevent deposits and carbon build up. It's available online and through Pep Boys.
When you suck that stuff into the intake through a vacuum line, you're ultimately washing the cylinder walls with what's essentially paint thinner (most of the contents of Sea Foam are aromatic solvents). Much of the Sea Foam then makes its way into the oil pan - thinning your oil. And then you're revving the engine to "high RPM" with what amounts to dry cylinder walls and thinned oil. Imagine what wear and potential damage you're doing to your engine's internals. That's a bad idea.
Sea Foam was a good product when gas had little to no additives and the motor oils available created sludge. It was okay to add solvent to the oil and through the intake because you were ultimately washing away the nasty parafinitic build-up that was inevitable over time. The mixture of gunk and solvent prevented lubrication starvation and the treatment did more good than harm.
The reason this type of treatment isn't needed any longer is there are no oils produced today (that you would use in any car you care about) that will cause the kind of build up that required this kind of treatment. This type of treatment is no longer needed and will do much more harm than good.
It's okay to use Sea Foam in the gas - as a fuel system cleaner. But remember, the contents are extremely aggressive aromatic solvents that will still cause some thinning of the oil through normal blow by. This is the same with all the strong solvent treatments - to include BG44K. It's a good idea to plan to change your oil about the same time you're about through the treated tank of gas.
As for carbon build-up - it shouldn't be a problem in modern cars (any amount of any consequence at least).
I use a slower treatment, treating my fuel with every fill up. I use Redline SI-1. You basically add 1 ounce with every 10 gallons and it prevents any build up. SI-1 uses milder solvents that don't break down oil, yet prevent deposits and carbon build up. It's available online and through Pep Boys.
Great post slipstream.
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,491
Likes: 11
From: Pensacola
Originally Posted by Vanishing Point,Sep 8 2008, 12:14 PM
Just run Chevron gas or buy Techron in a bottle at their service station.
Techron is a great additive, but is pretty darn aggressive when used in concentrated (bottled) form - so treat it the same as all other aggressive solvent cleaners and plan to change your oil soon following the end of the treated tankful application. It's not a problem when just using the pump gas.
I still use Redline SI-1 every tankful though - Chevron or not. It not only keeps everything clean, but also has upper cylinder lubrication characteristics that may provide other benefits. Additionally, I use Amsoil fuel stabilizer with every tankful. When the price of gas is high - fewer people use high octane which results in older gas. The Amsoil fuel stabilizer also bumped my mileage by a small amount, so I've continued to use it even though the price of gas has dropped and more people are using premium. I add around two ounces every tankful.
People sometimes look at me like I'm nuts when I break out what probably appears to be a chemistry kit every time I fuel up. However, my crazy mixture keeps my baby running like magic.
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,491
Likes: 11
From: Pensacola
Originally Posted by Ubetit,Sep 8 2008, 01:53 PM
The Seafoam junkies will come get you slipstream444.
I also use Redline SI-1
I also use Redline SI-1
Like I said - Sea Foam (in moderation and consideration of oil thinning) isn't bad in the gas tank - it's just not a good idea to use the "full treatment" by adding it through vacuum lines and into the oil.
Unless you run crude oil in your engine - those ancient rituals are a thing of the past.
Hopefully, the Sea Foam witch-doctor shamans will leave me be.
