FYI, throw your Seafoam away and buy something else
11-11-2006, 03:36 PM
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FYI, keep your Seafoam but buy something else
Well, I should have said use the Seafoam for a different app. I wouldn't throw it away. I used the spray can version and it got rid of some rust on the crank pulley.
I think this is one area where I can offer some chemical advice. I have often heard people at this site swearing about Seafoam. But I never used it or came across it, until recently I saw some at Autozone, so I bought the lube spray and the canned fuel system treatment. I thought I would try it out. I cannot say it is a bad product, but I can say that I was disappointed when I looked up the CAS numbers and learned that it was not much more than Naptha/Napthalene, and a light petroleum distillate (most likely mineral spirits or diesel fuel).
Seriously, this stuff is nothing out of the ordinary and you may be wasting your money. There may be worse products but if you want to get a really good fuel system cleaner, try "Chevron Techron" (under $5), or "CRC Guaranteed to Pass," or "BG44K" ($20, for 12 oz). The BG stuff is only available at Auto Dealership Parts Counters, and I have not seen it sold elsewhere. But perhaps it is. I think shops can order it from the mfr. I use to get it at a Lexus Parts Counter.
The Chevron has Naptha too but also several Benzene molecule chains, and it is cheaper than Seafoam. But the BG44K and the CRC stuff has "Polyether Amine" in it (Car & Driver called Polyether Amine THE magical ingredient of a good fuel system cleaner). One day I got curious and so I checked all the labels of all the fuel system cleaners at Pep Boys and looked up all the CAS numbers.
I noticed that Valvoline Synthetic Power FI Cleaner has Polyolefin Phenolic Amine, but I'm not sure how it differs from Polyether Amine ... heck, it might even be better? I have used them all and the ones I mentioned seemed to work the best. Btw, make sure you change your oil afterwards (the BG44K label says this is very important). That BG44K stuff does a real good cleaning but it can soften low grade hoses a bit, so you may have to clean them out after. As to which one is the best I cannot say.
I don't use the BG44K anymore, because the CRC stuff is only $8.00 (three times cheaper than BG), and it also has Polyether Amine in it. I must have looked into twenty or so FI cleaners and I found there were about six chemically unique FI cleaners. I can't say how they differ in what they do, but I would guess that they were all designed to clean in a certain unique way. Btw, don't combine them. I'm told that can cause problems, but I have also heard of guys who actually do just that and wear by it. Go figure!?
Oh, one other thing, a few years ago I was talking to a tech support person at Pennzoil and he told me that there were two basic types of FI cleaners: One type cleaned as the motor ran, and the other cleaned while the motor was shut off. The second type soaks into the crud and then chemically breaks it down when the car sitting still. At any rate, I really think you can much better than Seafoam for a FI cleaner.
Btw, don't put FI cleaners or any solvents in your oil. It will only dilute the oil. True, Gunk motor flush has solvents in it, but that is only run for about 15 minutes max, from a cold start, as I recall. I used the Gunk like that and it worked well. If you want to cleam your engine try using a quart of 0-40W synthetic motor oil in place of a quart of your regular oil; or try running in it on just synthetic oil until the next oil change.
I own an older Cast Iron block/Al head Volvo wagon and I ran that engine with a quart of Dexron III ATF (added to my oil) one night for a few hundred miles (I drained a quart of oil out and then added a quart of the ATF) and then changed the oil the next day. A Volvo tech told me to do it. ATF is highly detergent, and he asked me if I ever saw a dirty tranny inside? I never did, so I tried it. It got the engine quite clean inside. The dipstick relfected the difference. BUT don't just go doing this without checking with a certified automotive authority > HONDA. I can tell you that there were many guys who told me not to do this. But the Volvo tech who told me about this, is a Master Tech, so I trusted him. But I certainly wouldn't do it for an extended time.
Modified by diyer at 6:23 PM 11/12/2006
I think this is one area where I can offer some chemical advice. I have often heard people at this site swearing about Seafoam. But I never used it or came across it, until recently I saw some at Autozone, so I bought the lube spray and the canned fuel system treatment. I thought I would try it out. I cannot say it is a bad product, but I can say that I was disappointed when I looked up the CAS numbers and learned that it was not much more than Naptha/Napthalene, and a light petroleum distillate (most likely mineral spirits or diesel fuel).
Seriously, this stuff is nothing out of the ordinary and you may be wasting your money. There may be worse products but if you want to get a really good fuel system cleaner, try "Chevron Techron" (under $5), or "CRC Guaranteed to Pass," or "BG44K" ($20, for 12 oz). The BG stuff is only available at Auto Dealership Parts Counters, and I have not seen it sold elsewhere. But perhaps it is. I think shops can order it from the mfr. I use to get it at a Lexus Parts Counter.
The Chevron has Naptha too but also several Benzene molecule chains, and it is cheaper than Seafoam. But the BG44K and the CRC stuff has "Polyether Amine" in it (Car & Driver called Polyether Amine THE magical ingredient of a good fuel system cleaner). One day I got curious and so I checked all the labels of all the fuel system cleaners at Pep Boys and looked up all the CAS numbers.
I noticed that Valvoline Synthetic Power FI Cleaner has Polyolefin Phenolic Amine, but I'm not sure how it differs from Polyether Amine ... heck, it might even be better? I have used them all and the ones I mentioned seemed to work the best. Btw, make sure you change your oil afterwards (the BG44K label says this is very important). That BG44K stuff does a real good cleaning but it can soften low grade hoses a bit, so you may have to clean them out after. As to which one is the best I cannot say.
I don't use the BG44K anymore, because the CRC stuff is only $8.00 (three times cheaper than BG), and it also has Polyether Amine in it. I must have looked into twenty or so FI cleaners and I found there were about six chemically unique FI cleaners. I can't say how they differ in what they do, but I would guess that they were all designed to clean in a certain unique way. Btw, don't combine them. I'm told that can cause problems, but I have also heard of guys who actually do just that and wear by it. Go figure!?
Oh, one other thing, a few years ago I was talking to a tech support person at Pennzoil and he told me that there were two basic types of FI cleaners: One type cleaned as the motor ran, and the other cleaned while the motor was shut off. The second type soaks into the crud and then chemically breaks it down when the car sitting still. At any rate, I really think you can much better than Seafoam for a FI cleaner.
Btw, don't put FI cleaners or any solvents in your oil. It will only dilute the oil. True, Gunk motor flush has solvents in it, but that is only run for about 15 minutes max, from a cold start, as I recall. I used the Gunk like that and it worked well. If you want to cleam your engine try using a quart of 0-40W synthetic motor oil in place of a quart of your regular oil; or try running in it on just synthetic oil until the next oil change.
I own an older Cast Iron block/Al head Volvo wagon and I ran that engine with a quart of Dexron III ATF (added to my oil) one night for a few hundred miles (I drained a quart of oil out and then added a quart of the ATF) and then changed the oil the next day. A Volvo tech told me to do it. ATF is highly detergent, and he asked me if I ever saw a dirty tranny inside? I never did, so I tried it. It got the engine quite clean inside. The dipstick relfected the difference. BUT don't just go doing this without checking with a certified automotive authority > HONDA. I can tell you that there were many guys who told me not to do this. But the Volvo tech who told me about this, is a Master Tech, so I trusted him. But I certainly wouldn't do it for an extended time.
Modified by diyer at 6:23 PM 11/12/2006
11-12-2006, 10:11 AM
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Re: FYI, throw your Seafoam away and buy something else (SuShiBoiiii)
Good advice for a fuel system cleaner, but I had always understood Seafoam to be for cleaning deposits out of the motor more than the fuel system. It helps alot with a motor that hasn't been run in a while to get it back on its feet.
<=== has seen motors run noticably better after a "water torture" treatment with Seafoam
<=== has seen motors run noticably better after a "water torture" treatment with Seafoam
11-12-2006, 10:23 AM
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Re: FYI, throw your Seafoam away and buy something else (Prodigal Son)
i could be wrong about this but that seafoam stuff is a crock of sh**! When i put that stuff in there (added to the oil that is) in the next couple of months my car started to blow blue smoke. Which was the rings was shot i think!!! And also i been hearing about that stuff thowing check engine lights. Now when i put that crap in there i felt like i was a a oil/lube changing place getting a fuel treatment system done on my car when the "white" smoke comes out of the exhaust. Which it did thow a code for it. Just like u said it's a waste of time and money. And yes i did change my oil after i added the seafoam to it.
11-12-2006, 11:06 AM
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Re: (hondatuningboi96)
I've used Seafoam (as well as many other products) multiple times. However, I've never added it to my oil. I've ran it through the intake manifold to clean out deposits and poured the remaining amount into the fuel tank, and I've had 0 problems.
I don't swear by Seafoam, or any product really. It just happens that I can get Seafoam for $2/can. However, I am weary of adding anything to the oil. I've never added anything to my oil in either my current car, or my old car. That's a total of about 350,000 miles of treatment-free oil.
Oh, and no engine problems either.
I don't swear by Seafoam, or any product really. It just happens that I can get Seafoam for $2/can. However, I am weary of adding anything to the oil. I've never added anything to my oil in either my current car, or my old car. That's a total of about 350,000 miles of treatment-free oil.
Oh, and no engine problems either.
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11-12-2006, 11:11 AM
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I dont usually use any of those Gas tank additives.. I usually use the Direct port system, Where you add the chemical to a bottle, and runn it thrw the brake booster to the intake, or the PCV valve...
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