Sea Foam

[eddieirvine]

I have read where some use Sea Foam to clean injectors? do any of you do this by adding it to the fuel? If so does it work. Also read where it can be added to the oil before you change the oil for a good clean up? Let me kknow your thoughts on this and if you have done this to your diesel Engine. Thanks, Eddie

 

[diesel85]

All I know is steer clear if you have a DPF or SCT.

If it's straight old-school IDI or mechanical injection, it works fine.

 

[jaxs]

Sea Foam is one of the few additives I will use in fuel but I would never put it in a crankcase.

 

[atsah]

Make sure you use clean fuel and change your filters when they should be changed, I have used sea foam in a gas engine but I really don’t believe it did anything. I just had my injectors out for testing and they had no buildup of soot on them at all, if anything I would add a little cetane to every tank instead.

 

[mercdv]

I use Seafoam all the time. It does work and works pretty well. I might be able to find the old pictures I took of a string trimmer I tested it on that were before and after pics from the very first time I tried it. I have been using it ever since. There are some other ones out there that work well too but I like Seafoam for my all purpose stuff. I can give lots of examples where it has worked for me.

Sorry, forgot to say that I use it on my diesel too. I used it most recently on my diesel that sat for several years. When I went back to it the fuel rack was stuck, injectors gummed up, and fuel lines gummed up. I flushed all the lines with Seafoam and ran it off pure Seafoam from the filter bulb. I also put it in the oil before I drained it on that machine. It runs great now.

 

[eddieirvine]

I use Seafoam all the time. It does work and works pretty well. I might be able to find the old pictures I took of a string trimmer I tested it on that were before and after pics from the very first time I tried it. I have been using it ever since. There are some other ones out there that work well too but I like Seafoam for my all purpose stuff. I can give lots of examples where it has worked for me.

Sorry, forgot to say that I use it on my diesel too. I used it most recently on my diesel that sat for several years. When I went back to it the fuel rack was stuck, injectors gummed up, and fuel lines gummed up. I flushed all the lines with Seafoam and ran it off pure Seafoam from the filter bulb. I also put it in the oil before I drained it on that machine. It runs great now.

Sounds good to me, this is what i been told by several people, not sure why some seem to think differently about it?

 

[atsah]

People I know swear by it as well but I haven't had the same success. I honestly can't see any difference when I have used it. I am not much of a believer of repair cleaners in a bottle..

I don't see any need to put an "injector cleaner" in a well maintained diesel engine. My brother has 20 and 30 year old diesel tractors that run like new, never put anything in them other than winter antigel. A little cetane helps because the levels are low out of the pump..

 

[Deere Dude]

I run Sea Foam in my generator because it was acting up I presumed from gas or some carbonation problem. It cleared it up, of course I added half a tak of new gas along with it, so who knows. I never had the need or concern to run it in my diesel tractors or diesel trucks. If it works, don't fix it.

 

[txndncowboy]

The stuff works if you catch it soon enough. You are out of luck if you wait until the engine won't start. At least it does with motorcycles where I've seen it used the most. But an engine is an engine and jets/injectors are jets/injectors. I do think Star Tron works better on gasoline engines. I don't know if it works on diesel. Never read the label.

 

[Like Tractors]

People I know swear by it as well but I haven't had the same success. I honestly can't see any difference when I have used it. I am not much of a believer of repair cleaners in a bottle..

I don't see any need to put an "injector cleaner" in a well maintained diesel engine. My brother has 20 and 30 year old diesel tractors that run like new, never put anything in them other than winter antigel. A little cetane helps because the levels are low out of the pump..

You are so correct, additives are not needed with good quality fuel or oil, a cetane improver and lubricity additive is ok in diesel fuel, but most of the products that are pumped up by "google mechanics" are just hype, most are just a dressed up solvent. Now if you have some Sea Foam, place the container near an open flame and shoot the container, that provides much more satisfaction than pouring it in the engine!

 

[Gary Fowler]

The best carb cleaner I ever used was brake cleaner. My Onan generator was always hard to crank but ran ok when it finally started up. I filled the intake hose with brake cleaner, turned the engine for about 10 seconds to suck all the brake cleaner into the carb, let is set for 24 hours. Next day I hit the starter for about 3 seconds and it started up like a new engine. I was dreading having to pull that carb off since it was so hard to get to the bolts the way it was mounted in my motorhome.
I don't know if I would try this on a diesel engine though. That brake cleaner was about as flammable as ether.

 

[diesel85]

You need to be very careful what you put in diesels. Some of the seals do not like caustic substances. The seals will literally melt away turning into a nasty goop clogging your injectors, pump, lines, etc. Can turn into an expensive mess.

I've learned not to use brake cleaner, carb cleaner, and seafoam in modern engines. Especially anything that is built from 2005 and up.

 

[bcp]

The best carb cleaner I ever used was brake cleaner. My Onan generator was always hard to crank but ran ok when it finally started up. I filled the intake hose with brake cleaner, turned the engine for about 10 seconds to suck all the brake cleaner into the carb, let is set for 24 hours. Next day I hit the starter for about 3 seconds and it started up like a new engine. I was dreading having to pull that carb off since it was so hard to get to the bolts the way it was mounted in my motorhome.
I don't know if I would try this on a diesel engine though. That brake cleaner was about as flammable as ether.

I would never clean a diesel carb with brake cleaner, either!



Bruce

 

[mercdv]

You need to be very careful what you put in diesels. Some of the seals do not like caustic substances. The seals will literally melt away turning into a nasty goop clogging your injectors, pump, lines, etc. Can turn into an expensive mess.

I've learned not to use brake cleaner, carb cleaner, and seafoam in modern engines. Especially anything that is built from 2005 and up.

Seafoam is perfectly safe for modern engines but I agree 100% brake cleaner and carb cleaner in a diesel is a complete no go.

 

[JWR]

I suppose I'll bite too: First, I am an engineer and that is usually spelled s-k-e-p-t-i-c. Second, just based on these forums and word of mouth, SeaFoam is said to be top of the crop for general fuel additives. I have used it sparingly in both diesel and gas engines. It should be great since it is twice the price of most of them. I do not agree to the habit of using fuel additives of any kind on a regular basis. If I have hiccups with small motors (blowers, chain saw, edger, lawn mower, etc.) I admit to putting a gurgle of Seafoam in just in case it will clean/clear/help. Frankly I have never seen proof positive that any additive, no matter how great and no matter what for, was doing any good. Read that "snake oil." Show me the manufacturer that recommends additives -- they don't -- and I consider that fact stronger than 3 or 4 thousand anecdotal miracle stories. There is considerable popularity on the diesel side for the "Power Service" brand fuel conditioner which includes a cetane boost. Claims to prevent fuel gelling in cold temps, curing world hunger, etc.

I'm just not an additive person. If it is going below 10 deg F I will mix in #1 fuel (e.g. kerosene) exactly as the heavy equipment operators up north do. If I am suspicious of some crud in the fuel system I'll throw in a little Seafoam. I have NO experience with the higher tech def chugging, Tier umpty ump super modern diesels. I do know enough not to put anything strange in the fuel with those. Our diesel beetle was a super hero machine until VW caved in to the EPA. Another story.

 

[atsah]

I’m not an additive person either but if you lived were I live in January with no antigel your Diesel engine wouldn’t run and you would be changing a lot of crystallized fuel filters as well, I was an engineer for 30 years but that doesn’t mean my tractor will run just fine without an additive when it’s -20F..

 

[JWR]

I’m not an additive person either but if you lived were I live in January with no antigel your Diesel engine wouldn’t run and you would be changing a lot of crystallized fuel filters as well, I was an engineer for 30 years but that doesn’t mean my tractor will run just fine without an additive when it’s -20F..

That's why you mix 50/50 #1 and #2 fuel up there in very cold weather. That does not require any additive.

 

[mercdv]

I'll just throw this out...there isn't a single drop of fuel sold on the market to the general public that doesn't have an "additive" in it. It all depends on what the composition of the additive is...just sayin' that additives aren't necessarily bad.

I personally only use Seafoam when there is a problem, when I'm working on an old item with stale fuel (gummed lines), or to remove carbon buildup in the cylinders. I tested the carbon cleaning action myself with a old string trimmer and a borescope by pulling the plug and seeing before and after with my own eyes. This was also after trying a few other "solutions" people suggested that had no noticeable cleaning action. I'm not saying Seafoam is perfect but I am saying that IN MY OPINION it does have some cleaning affect which is noticeably stronger than just soaking things in fresh fuel which is one of the options I tried.

 

[shooterdon]

I view additives as cheap insurance. Had to walk to a house in -35* (-51* wind chill) once when running a diesel pickup so lesson learned.

I add fuel stabilizer to the gas I store for up to a year at a time. Just a bit of peace of mind dealing with snowmobiles and generators that may sit for a long time between use.

Add biocide, PS cleaner, and PS antigel to the diesel fuel.

Stuff that runs 50 hours a year, may benefit from “snake oil” more than equipment that runs 500 hrs a year. And for the low hour stuff, the cost is is of little consequence. As none of these additives can cause harm and some may be beneficial I see no downside except for the $100 a year I “waste”.

I am an engineer too but know nothing about the chemistry of these products.

 

[atsah]

That's why you mix 50/50 #1 and #2 fuel up there in very cold weather. That does not require any additive.

Let me see if I can get this across to you and it may not be possible you being an engineer and all.. If you don't add antigel in the winter were I live your engine will not run, period..