Seafoam for real?

[dodge man]

I’m one those skeptics when it come to additives. I’m not a fan of adding stuff to my fuels or oils unless it’s for a specific reason. For example I use Stabil in my gas that will sit around for more than a few weeks and I add anti gel additive to my diesel in the winter.

Seafoam seems to be one of those miracle additives that I think works. Mainly in small engines that are running a little rough. If this actually does something, how does it work? I assume some kind of cleaner?

 

[RalphVa]

I've used Seafoam in carbed engines and have avoided taking the carb apart many many times. It works.

No longer have any gas engines other than on the cars and pickup now though. Gone battery power.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I was the same, a mechanic advise me to use it once a year to clean injectors or carbs so I have been doing it since...

 

[CalG]

Got to wonder? Acetone? MEK? Toluene? Naptha? Some aromatic hydrocarbon...

It must be some common enough solvent.... I've never read the label or the MSDS

 

[kf4uda]

I have used Seafoam for years in vehicles, tractors and various small engines. I have used it in both gasoline and diesel. It has its limits but has saved me from opening up a fuel system many times. It has been a good tool for me.

 

[Doughknob]

Yep, same, it Does work. I get ‘catalyst malfunction’ codes in a vehicle and a can or two in fill-ups will make the light and code go away. It cleans the cat and/or O2 sensors. Good stuff.

 

[newbury]

USUALLY there's some guy on here that will jump in with a formula that involves IIRC naptha and acetone.
But Seafoam has saved my carbs many a time.
At one time I was running 4 (3 Stihls and a JD) chain saws frequently doing CSM. My back went out, I was laid up for about 6 months and didn't get to empty the saws properly.
They gummed up totally. When I got back to being operational I started adding Seafoam and trying to fire them up.
I'd try to start about 10 or so pulls, then move on to the next saw, let them rest a few days between pull sessions. Didn't really need the saws at time, so just kept doing that for a month or so, and darned if they didn't ALL start running fine.
Did the same thing about 2 years ago with a Stihl brushcutter that clogged up.
If I needed them for a profit making enterprise I would have bought new carbs. But this has been sort of "soak in place" and works for me.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

You all must be buying crappy gas, or I'm one lucky son of a gun. Other than fogging a small boat motor, I've never done anything other than turn of gas and run dry, or just run dry if there is no gas shutoff. NEVER had a problem with starting 6 months or so later. Even storing gasoline for 6 months or so, and no issue using it.
Even 2 stroke, amittledly, they are a little harder to start in 6 months, but once they do, runs great.

 

[dodge man]

I have some stuff that sits for a while, push mowers, log splitter, chain saws etc. I normally don’t have problems and but ethanol free gas but once in a while I’ll have one run a little funny.

 

[bmg88201]

I have had good results with Seafoam. I put a bottle in both cars twice a year. One has a carb and the other has injectors. I also put some in my mower with a completely full tank of gas for winter storage. I do not have much faith in Stabil though, our local small engine guy, he is really good, told me he would never ever use Stabil in anything. He said it ends up gumming stuff up.

 

[DEWFPO]

Whatever's in it seems to work. I was sceptical for years but started using it in older gas equipment that sat for years and it definitely helped smooth them out.

 

[JasperFrank]

I'm a compete disbeliever in snake oil additives. BUT. I did the thing about pouring Seafoam in to the engine oil, cause I have a sticky valve. It sort of worked. Its less sticky then it was before. Didn't cure it. But now less times I have to restart to get that valve working.

 

[Rockbadchild]

found this web site:

Seafoam Reviews: The Truth About Seafoam (All You Need to Know) – AutoVfix.com

This is what google had to say ...

 

[Mtsoxfan]

found this web site:

Seafoam Reviews: The Truth About Seafoam (All You Need to Know) – AutoVfix.com

View attachment 739988

This is what google had to say ...

View attachment 739987

Link is more of a commercial.

 

[RandyT]

I have had good results with Seafoam. I put a bottle in both cars twice a year. One has a carb and the other has injectors. I also put some in my mower with a completely full tank of gas for winter storage. I do not have much faith in Stabil though, our local small engine guy, he is really good, told me he would never ever use Stabil in anything. He said it ends up gumming stuff up.

Most lawnmower and even a lot of motorcycle shops won't touch Stabil. It claims to stabilize fuel up to 2 years, but I have actually seen on a bottle of Stabil that is expires 2 years after opening. So how good is a product that stabilizes fuel for 2 years that expires itself in 2 years. And I love to pull apart lawnmower carbs and after disassembly make a comment to the customer about them using Stabil. The look of how did you know is awesome.

 

[Thomas]

Seafoam save me headaches and $$'s over the years.

 

[Str8shot]

I've used Seafoam many times and it always helped. Then I remembered that long ago my Dad and friends would always use Marvel Mystery Oil in engines they worked on. Dad passed long ago, but I got in contact with 1 of his old buddies. He said they put it in the crank case as well as the gas tank and it always worked great. I tried it and it did as well as Seafoam and is cheaper. So I've gone "Old School" and back to what they did 50 years ago. I add it in gas as well as diesel engines about every 3 to 4 months. Everything runs perfect.

 

[sea2summit]

ProjectFarm has done a ton of videos and actual tests on it, pretty informative.

I add stab and seafoam to all my gas at home, small engines get some in the oil the last time I run it before an service if I remember. Maybe it’s snake oil, maybe not, doesn’t seem to hurt.

 

[tomplum]

Seafoam is a reasonably good cleaner and probably does OK as a stabilizer. Not so much with dealing with residual water. I make up a few cans of S&M. 1/2 Seafoam 1/2 MMO to deal with lightly sticking valves on small OHV engines.
Their spray Deep Creep works great for that as well plus is a decent lube. I've used their Trans Tune a few times as well which helps with shifts on those wonderful Aisin transmissions when doing a DNR.

 

[spruce Deere]

Sea foam user here.

With today's low quality gas even the non-ethenol stuff, all of my gas cans get sea foam added to them at fuel up. That way all the small engine implements I use get it. Says on the can keeps fuel fresh for two years, I have an old husky 288 chain saw with sea foam in the fuel fired and ran fine after setting and collecting dust for darn near that long. Since I have started keeping sea foam in the gas, I have had zero fuel issues, carborator conundrums or bad fuel from sitting for just a couple weeks.

Myself, I have found it more useful than sta-bil. I can fog engines with it, add to crankcase oil, fill fuel filters or just add to the fuel. I buy sea foam by the gallon.

The stuff works for me