Sea Foaming, Power foam, and the like fact or fallacy?

[Gordy]

I see quite a few threads on people ritually seafoaming their intakes, motors etc. I really tend to wonder if this is a good idea, or if it actually works. Aspecially on HIGH MILAGE vehicles. Hard carbon deposits actually wear into valve stems, guides, and seats on the exhaust side, a cleaning could actually create a problem because now the carbon is gone (if the treatment really even works) and the tolerances just got bigger.


Everyone seems to think that because there is a cloud of smoke that the treatment is actually doing something. Well the smoke is just the seafoam, or power foam or what ever being burned....an illusion that some type of large scale cleaning is actually happening in my opinion. Seriously what are the chances that you will blow carbon deposts all the way through the cats, and out exhaust system anyway.


I will bet if you seafoam a brand new engine it will smoke like that also.




I would also really refrain from using any type of engine flushes in the oil too. You really run the risk of breaking lose large deposits of gunk in cleaning the engine, and plugging up the oil pump, and passage ways which leads to engine failure of course. I do believe engine flushes clean engines, but its to aggresive. Plus running a thined solvent diluted oil for 10-15 min is going to wear on components.



I will probably get flak because everyone swears buy these products boosting their performance after use. Which may be true for a short period of time put there is the risk of damage that might not be realized because its a long term effect.


A lot of you do these processes all the time which is worse yet in my opinion.

 

[Physh1]

I just use this stuff in my gas...

Pennzoil Marine® Full Synthetic 2-Cycle Oil


http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91206

Been using it in every tank of gas since I got my Tahoe in July & have been very impressed with it.

Cameron

 

[Gordy]

I just use this stuff in my gas...

Pennzoil Marine® Full Synthetic 2-Cycle Oil


http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91206

Been using it in every tank of gas since I got my Tahoe in July & have been very impressed with it.

Cameron

What improvements do you notice from running 2 cycle oil in the gas tank?

I read the 40 some odd page thread on this per your link.



I'm very leary of additives. The manufacturers stand to make nothing but money. Improvements are sketchy. Not many people do before, and after tear downs of engines. As for gas mileage/ performance increases there are to many variable that can effect it over, and above the additive.


Damage from additives is to hard to prove to get any damages from manufacturers. To much to lose so little to gain in my opinion.

This is not to say 2 cycle motor oil manufacturers make any claims about benifits to using thier product in 4 cycle engines to enhance performance.

 

[Rivieraracing]

I've seafoamed my truck 2 times since I've owned it, both times I had an erratic idling problem so bad to the point of it stalling out on me at bad times. Both times after the seafoaming the idle went back to perfect and smooth, no more stall out or anything and would run like new!! Just saying!

 

[BOSS]

Great post/commentary...I have two experiences with additives, one good one bad. Used ZMax in my wife's Honda, which thinned out the oil enough to burn a couple quarts off. But I've also Seafoam'd a multiple misfire code away....

I've been reading this and other vehicle forums for a long time, I've never heard Seafoam dislodging an oil plug loose in a galley or something to cause a major engine issue. Seafoam is just a solvent that works good at slowly dissolving varnish in the fuel line, filter etc. Using it sparingly in the oil doesn't "seem" that dangerous to me either.
B

 

[ntxstallion]

Just got my Yukon and haven't used any additves but Seafoam and TransX did wonders for my 236K Monte Carlo SS. Seafoam allowed me to pass state inspection for about 9 bucks and opposed to having a cat replaced. I later replaced it myself but Seafoam has been nothing but good to me.

 

[DaRosa218]

Just got my Yukon and haven't used any additves but Seafoam and TransX did wonders for my 236K Monte Carlo SS. Seafoam allowed me to pass state inspection for about 9 bucks and opposed to having a cat replaced. I later replaced it myself but Seafoam has been nothing but good to me.

X2, My sisters F-150 with 210K miles didn't pass smog first time around and after a bottle of sea-foam it passed with no problems. I used seafoam religiously for 8 years and it has yet to cause me any issues

 

[Physh1]

What improvements do you notice from running 2 cycle oil in the gas tank?

On my Tahoe which has been running it for 20k...

1) quieter fuel pump as fuel now-a-days is so dry there is literally no lubricating qualities to it. Took 4-5 tanks before I noticed this but pump is quieter...
2) better gas mileage...I'm averaging 17mpg now versus 15 when I got it with no other real changes.
3) I changed the plugs, which based off of service records I had were almost 75k old, they looked very clean with no buildup. Not unusual since the motor uses no oil though...

Since I've only had my Tahoe for 8 months other benefits are hard to realize BUT I've been using this for 50k on my 94 k2500 with a TBI 350 that has 375k now on the odometer. Before I added it to the gas the motor would use 2 quarts of oil every 3k, throw o2 codes once in a while (dirty sensor), & smoke a little on start-up. Plugs also needed changing after 25k because of oil burn...since I've been using it...

1) oil burn down to 1qt every 3k miles...
2) no more smoke on start-up...
3) fuel mileage up to 18 from 16...
4) quieter fuel pump...
5) SES code has not come back...
6) plugs looks barely touched after 25 k...I don't remember the last time they looked so clean...
7) smoothed out an idle miss I'd been chasing for a while...

This stuff smells like detergent...this is a better, cheaper, & easier way to run a upper cylinder lubricant & cleaner to your engine IMHO.

I'm very leary of additives.

I am too...I haven't ever used them until I tried this in my 94. I read the thread & figured I was up for a new motor soon in my 94 any which way you look at it since I have no intention of selling. Why not?

After 4 tanks mileage was up, pump was quieter, idle was perfectly smooth...after that I was sold & started using it on my Tahoe.

The guy on LS1 did more than enough research & had enough to back up his info (which I verified) to make me feel more than comfortable trying this out.

It's not cheap stuff but if I get 2 mpg more out of every gallon it more than pays for itself. I have nearly 70k miles on this stuff between my 94 & 03...I have ZERO reason to stop...

Cameron

 

[waxworkz]

I just use this stuff in my gas...

Pennzoil Marine® Full Synthetic 2-Cycle Oil


http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91206

Been using it in every tank of gas since I got my Tahoe in July & have been very impressed with it.

Cameron

X2

benefits i've noticed in the last 4 months of using it:
1: smoother idle
2: starts easier
3: gas went up but only 1mpg

i have tried 1oz per 5 gallons which is a little thin, i have tried 1 oz per 4 gallons and it didnt seem to make a difference so i am sticking with 1oz per 5 gallons

 

[2005yukonxl]

I have done it to three vehicles. 97 C5 corvette at around 80k miles, smoothed out rough idle...96 dodge neon with 130k miles, same thing. 2001 hyundai sante fe with 153k miles....it had a cold start issue where it would stumble and sputter like a bad choke on a carb'd motor. all three vehicles it made the stumble or rough idle go away. lots of smoke for sure but as questioned, its probally just the seafoam. its a great cleaner for when theres an issue in my experience. doubt i'll use it in the yukon anytime soon though as we dont have any issues and im all about the if it aint broke dont fix it mentality