jjccamis

Can you use too much Seafoam or is more better?

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

Personally I like Seafoam. Not sure what you would accomplish running thru the Intake system cleaning that area up with constant use. I do not suggest running it thru the tank. Do a search on Rusty Tanks. What looks like rust in a tank, in my opnion is a build up of chemicals from the additives in the fuel. It does look like rust but I have cleaned tanks and there is no pitting from rust, looks like a new tank when done.

I have removed 3 pounds of crud from a tank in the past. That is just to much junk for your filter to stop. I know a member on here that got his injectors clogged when running cleaner in the tank. The tanks that are rusted to me are the ones where mud has sit on top of a tank and rusted holes thru.

I run it thru the Intake system once or twice a year or on a new to me truck for the first time. I do not use in excessive amounts. Normally one can is all I use.

This tank filled up a Folgers Coffee can with the gunk in it.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Depends on what your idea of to much is .

A few ounces or a few gallons

It also depends just which way your using it.

What end results your looking for.

kawazx636

iTrader: (3)

Seafoam does an excellent job of cleaning the internals of an engine, so much so that it can be very counterproductive and damaging to an engine. When you induce Seafoam directly into the combustion chamber it essentially steam cleans combustion chamber and valve train, thus the big cloud of white smoke it produces. Personally, I prefer to not have steam (water) in my engine.

An engine will wear to it's environment, meaning that if deposits and crud have formed inside your combustion chamber then over time components will wear to those deposits and crud. When you remove deposits from an old engine, you also remove the capability of the engine to seal - particularly around piston rings. The engine in my '83 was running like crap so before I rebuilt it so I decided to give Seafoam a shot to see what it did. If it blew it up, I didn't really care because it was going to get rebuilt and the truck was going to be restored anyway. I used the 1/3 method that they describe on the can - 1/3 in the tank, 1/3 in the crankcase and 1/3 through the intake. Easy enough to do and made a big cool cloud of white smoke that pissed off the neighbors but the results were not good... Before using Seafoam I was losing about 3/4 quarts of oil between fill ups due to blow by and bad valve seals. After using Seafoam I was losing over 1.5 quarts of oil between fill ups. It DOUBLED my oil consumption! My engine was essentially worn to and relying on the built up deposits that Seafoam cleaned away to seal up.

Bottom line, I would NEVER use Seafoam again. I know you can't fix what previous owners do or don't do in terms of engine maintenance, but there are better oil and fuel additives out there that you can use to more appropriately clean an engine without "sanitizing" it like Seafoam does. I use STP Oil treatment at every oil change and Lucas Oil fuel treatment at every 5th fillup on all of my vehicles. I only use factory recommended oil brands and only fill up with Shell gasoline - best fuel available in my area. Between my 2005 Tundra and my 2008 wife's Camry we have over 350,000 miles of absolutely trouble-free driving. Neither vehicle has ever had a single engine problem and both run like a top!

mwisham

I put a can of Seafoam in the gas tank of every vehicle I own at every fillup to keep the engine fuel systems clean and have never had a problem. My 1980 P/U I had just rebuilt it so there was nothing in the engine to clean up. But I have not seen anything coming from the fuel tank on it so the tank must have been pretty clean too. I also add Seafoam to the gas cans for all my lawn and garden equipment. Clean is always better than dirty except when it's on the outside as in mud all over from wheeling.

kawazx636

iTrader: (3)

Like I said, on older engines it is definitely a no go, but it could be used on a newer or moderately used engine as a form of maintenance.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

What does it cost buying sea foam by the case or do you buy it in 55 gallon drums .

Maybe you don`t drive that much .

I drive about a 1000 miles a week give or take.

mwisham

Well, I have a company supplied ext. cab diesel P/U so I don't put hardly any miles on my POV's. That's one reason I put the Seafoam in is to prolong the life of the gas in the tanks. It is almost impossible to get straight gasoline where I live. It is all 10% ethanol. I hate that stuff.

Odin

^ Just wait till 15% ethanol is standard.

More Money, Rougher idle, Less power, Less MPG, More Problems with our fuel systems.. What's there not to like?

Can't wait for the eventual mandated driverless E-Powered vehicles.
Sounds like a great time

voiddweller

I've always just used seafoam on crappy small lawnmower engines and older marine outboards.. I won't put that in my rig, anywhere..