Seafoam question, looking for details

M

mmawonder

Seaman
Joined
Mar 6, 2009
Messages
55
Hey guys, first time I heard of Seafoam was on these forums here. Here in California, not many people now about it, outboard, auto parts and marine sops like west marine dont carry it. After a week of asking around finally the general manager of West Marine told me that it is illegal in California and if I want is I need to get it out of state. I am not sure how true this is but considering no body knows about it or sells it makes sense paralell to this idea, anyhow. I tried to read about the product here on these and other forums. Most popular application seems to be on cars and people usually dumpthe liquid in the vacuum hose line, half a can in to the oil mix and spray the intake manifolds with the spray can. After all reviews it looks like it is a great agent to use on old motors with a lot of miles.
If I get positive reply's here, I am going ot get 4-5 cans of the stuff and run it thru my 78 seahorse , 2 v8 350 chevy marine motors on my 32' fisherman and my girlfriends 96 accord with 200k+ miles.

Is this thing really safe to add your oil to run it thruthe tranny? Do you guys agree the seafoaming process of vacuum lines? What is the proper seafomig process of an older outboard.

Tnx.
 
Mas

Mas

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Oct 3, 2006
Messages
1,656
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

Seafoam should be added to the fuel or directly into the intake manifold. I do not think that it should be added to oil???

Evinrude I believe makes a similar product using a different name. I believe it is called "Engine Tuner" or "Carbon Guard." Call your local shop.

MAS
 
14ftgrumman

14ftgrumman

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 19, 2008
Messages
416
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

SeaFoam is the greatest thing since canned beer. I use it in outboards, Dakota pick-up truck, Pontiac Grand Prix, lawn mower, weed wacker and leaf blower. Basically anything with an engine. Two or four stroke. Added crank case, it cleans oil pump pick-up, lifter drains, and condensation. Added to gas tank, it will clean fuel system innards. Put in thru vac. hose will take care of deposits on intake valves.
Go for it.
 
Silvertip

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,762
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

My gosh this stuff has been around for years. It is stocked in nearly every store that sells anything related to the internal combustion engine. I use it religiously in everything I own with an engine -- except my airplanes. It is not just a carbon removal agent. It is an excellent fuel system treatment that helps keep the fuel system clean. It is almost a "must have" if you have to burn ethanol blended fuel (E-10).
 
jay_merrill

jay_merrill

Vice Admiral
Joined
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Messages
5,653
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

Mas said:
Evinrude I believe makes a similar product using a different name. I believe it is called "Engine Tuner" or "Carbon Guard." Call your local shop.

MAS
Click to expand...

The BRP "equivalent" is called "Engine Tuner," but it is not added to fuel. The best way to use it on a carbureted motor, is to pull the plugs and spray a good amount into each cylinder, before putting the plugs back in. Leave overnight and apply the rest the next day. The way to do so, is to spray Engine Tuner into each carb throat, one at a time, until the motor begins to falter. You then stop and move on to the next carb throat, repeating in sequence until the can is empty.

You then run the engine for about 30 minutes to an hour, to let the motor burn out the loosened carbon. As with Seafoam, your motor will smoke like a house on fire, so be careful of where you do this. Tolerant neighbors are always a plus, if you apply Engine Tuner at home.

For injected engines, I would ask a local BRP/OMC dealer. I'm not much of an "injected engine guy," so I don't want to give unproven advice. Suffice it to say, however, that it needs to get into the air intake system somehow.
 
S

spktho

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Apr 1, 2009
Messages
81
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

Here in Southern Calif. they have the pourable cans at Autozone.
 
6

66mstgfsbk

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
97
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

i just saw some the other day at kragens, i live in the bay area.
 
W

Whoopbass

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 29, 2006
Messages
649
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

Napa has the spray kind and some Kragen's and Autozone's carry it but not all.
It is legal in CA so i don't know what that guy was thinking.
Boat shops carry the stuff under a Mercury label and probably BRP as well.
For some reason in the last year the stuff has went from $7 a can to about $10.
Kinda ticks me off about the price since it probably costs .50 to make.
The ingredients can't be a secret formula so i don't know why somebody else can't make it for under $5.00 a can.
 
B

BDbill

Seaman
Joined
Oct 20, 2007
Messages
65
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

If I was to add sea foam in a 6 gallon tank, how much would I add with a 24 to 1 oil mix? I have a 58 Johnson 18HP that probably could use a fuel system cleaning.
 
SKEETR

SKEETR

Chief Petty Officer
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May 3, 2008
Messages
430
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

Don't be giving the governator any more bright ideas.
 
Silvertip

Silvertip

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Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

When added to the fuel, follow the directions on the can. You can't really use too much of the stuff but unless you want to smoke up the lake, you would not add a full can to six gallons. For preventive purposes, use it in every 6 gallon tank but four ounces or so is all that's needed. For decarb, mix it very rich, run it, let it sit. Then run the be jeepers out of it to blow out the crud.
 
C

chucko

Cadet
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
22
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

BDbill said:
If I was to add sea foam in a 6 gallon tank, how much would I add with a 24 to 1 oil mix? I have a 58 Johnson 18HP that probably could use a fuel system cleaning.
Click to expand...
I am amazed at all the talk about seafoam. Its expensive and there are other brands that do the same thing for much less. Modern fuels and oils already have dispersants. As for the 24 to one mix in your 58 rude, use 40/1 and youll have clean plugs after hours and hours of wide open throttle running. Your just dumping oil in the lake, and carboning it up running it that rich, with modern oils you can really use much less. Try it, youll love it! Take care.
 
W

wilde1j

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 15, 2002
Messages
5,964
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

Around here, most NAPA stores carry Sea Foam and/or DeepCreep (the aerosol version) and is the same stuff BRP sells as Engine Tuner. Stuff works great to decarbonize. BYW, it's inexpensive at ~ 5 to $6 a can.
 
J

jay mendoza

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
81
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

Go to West Marine, pick up a can of Valv-Tect Marine Engine Decarb, its in a black and orange spray can. It works great, and is availlable in California, I buy it all the time.

When you look at the active ingredients in de-carb solutions, it amonia, in a petroleum base, nasty stuff to say the least, and definitely something that should not be used on fresh water lakes that are sources of fish and drinking water. I use the stuff full strength by spraying it into a hot engine, piston at TDC, then run the engine in a trash can. With the heat all two-strokes are getting from green whackos and the EPA, we should all try to use this necessary, but nasty, stuff responsibly. I never run this stuff in my local lake, as we do fish and swim there.

A work of caution about spray or gas tank additives with fuel injected cars that have EFI, and OBD 1, or OBD-2 computers: You get any of that crap on the mass airflow sensor in the throttle body and it will mess it up to the point where it has to be replaced. It's an expensive misstake, I know!!!
 
W

wilde1j

Vice Admiral
Joined
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Messages
5,964
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

Sea Foam contains no ammonia (see MDSS below):

Sea Foam Motor Treatment SF-16, SF-128, SF-55
Sea Foam Trans Tune TT-16, TT-55
34066
MSDS Preparation Date (mm/dd/yyyy): 07/15/2008 Page 1 of 4
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET
: Sea Foam Motor Treatment SF-16, SF-128, SF-55
Sea Foam Trans Tune TT-16, TT-55
Product identifier
SECTION 1 - PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION
Product Use : Motor Treatment - Fuel system treatment, Trans Tune - Transmission treatment
Chemical Family : Mixture.
Manufacturer part no. : 34066
Refer to Supplier
Supplier?s name and address: Manufacturer?s name and address:
Sea Foam Sales Company
12987 Pioneer Trail ? Eden Prairie, MN, USA 55347
24 Hr. Emergency Tel # : 1-800-535-5053 (Infotrac)
NOTE: INFOTRAC emergency number is to be used only in the event of chemical emergencies involving a spill, leak, fire, exposure or accident involving
chemicals.
SECTION 2 - COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
(Rabbit, dermal)
LD50
(Oral, rat)
LC50(4hr)
(Rat, ihl.)
Ingredients
CAS # Wt.%
Pale Oil 64742-54-7 40.00 - 60.00 N/Av >15000 mg/kg >5000 mg/kg
Naphtha 64742-49-0 25.00 - 35.00 N/Av >5000 mg/kg N/Av
IPA 67-63-0 10.00 - 20.00 17000ppm 4720mg/kg 12890mg/kg
 
J

jay mendoza

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
81
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

I was refering to OMC engine tuner, and Valv-Tech as containing amonia/soduim hydroxide(lye). They are both basically petroleum based versions of Easy-Off oven cleaner.

Looks like SeaFoam is a penetrating solvent, not a caustic cleaner like the two above, so it works differently. I have had great results with OMC, and Valv-Tect however, they remove carbon on contact, and the hotter the surface, they better they work.

One thing I learned many years ago about cleaning gasoline and petroleum based residues away is this: If gasoline left it, then gasoline won't remove it, and it usually takes a different chemical and abrasive action to remove heavy deposits.
 
W

wilde1j

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 15, 2002
Messages
5,964
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

BRP Engine Tuner has the same stuff as Sea Foam. No ammonia or sodium hydroxide. All you need to do is smell it. Can't speak about the ValvTech product, as I've never used it.
 
2wings

2wings

Cadet
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
19
Re: Seafoam question, looking for details

I always keep a can or two around. It did wonders for my 1977 75hp Johnson, made that baby purrr like a kitten.:)
 
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