Sea Foam

Hi Guys, appreciate any replies I can get. However, if this is to much, just pass it by, but thanks for checking!

Seaking personal comments and experiences, good or bad, on using Sea Foam in an 82 xj750 carbs and engine oil.

According to the chemical codes, I believe the three main ingredience are: Petroleum Either, Paraffin Oil and Isopropyl Alcohol = (rubbing alcohol)?

Questions: What effect would the "Either" have if ued in the engine oil, even if it is only 1 1/2 oz per quart? Would the "paraffin" cause any clutch slippage on a wet clutch? And could their solvent degreaser cleaning effect clean out to good, and also may effect a wet clutch?

Question: As for the carbs: Would putting it directly into the fuel line to fill up the fuel bowls and let it set a while, clean out any gum or varnish in the bowls, and also clean out the jets when later taken for a ride?
Also, what effect would the "either" have on any non metal parts of the carbs? Or would this Sea Foam clean and loosen any crap in the fuel bowls and then close up the fine orife holes in the jets, and now you have real trouble?

Actually the bike runs like a raped ape when you turn up the wick. However, doesn't want to idle smoothly unless you keep the throttle turned up a little. But turning up the main throttle star wheel on the carbs works fine until you've been riding a few miles, and then the rpm will screem about 4000 rpm and you can't make a shift. And have to return to where you were before.


If the trouble is varnish in the low speed circuit or jet, would this Sea Foam correct that and the best way to use it. If it's an air leak at the carb throttle shaft seals, but then I wouldn't be able to get a proper 1050 rpm idle no matter what I did. Is that correct?

Thanks much.

 

Sea Foam is for several things, and works well, but it is not a magic bullet. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully.

In the crankcase, it is not meant to be run with Sea Foam in the oil for very long. You are supposed to change the oil shortly after adding the Sea Foam. It won't damage your clutch; it won't fix a damaged clutch.

In the carbs, it will clean varnish out of the bowls, and will make it run a little better, but it is no substitute for a proper cleaning. Carbs need a mechanical cleanse on occasion, which Sea Foam cannot provide. It won't damage the carbs if used according to the instructions. It won't loosen pieces in chunks large enough to clog your jets. It won't loosen chunks that large at all.

It probably won't solve your problem. It won't hurt to use it once, as long as you plan to clean your carbs properly soon thereafter. Or you could just cut to the chase and clean your carbs right the first time.

You can, and should, test for an air leak by using a propane torch or carb cleaner or starting ether and spraying it around the carbs to see if the rpm rises if you spray it at a certain point. Given your symptoms, you likely have an air leak somewhere.

 

Thank you very much for your quick and most informative reply.

 

NEVER IN THE CRANKCASE. No no no. Bad JuJu for 28 year old motor.

And it only ever made my bikes run funky, when I tried it as a fuel stabilizer (it's not.) What it IS, is Naptha (the "petrolem ether.") Dry cleaning solvent. Expensive dry cleaning solvent.

I doubt it will solve anything. You need to pull the carbs and do a proper service on them; and then see if you're still having issues before completely breaking the rack and changing throttle shaft seals. DO NOT submerge them in anything or you WILL be changing the throttle shaft seals.

The symptoms you're describing won't be solved with SeaFoam or any other "quick fix." Sorry.

 

I was told to use Seafoam on three restorations.
I have an 82 XJ750. It sat for 12 years. It would not run with Seafoam treatment. I had to tear down and mechanically clean.

Next was an 84 Honda GL1200 that was in decent running condition. Applied Seafoam...it helped maybe by 5%. I mechanically cleaned, tested valves, replaced a diaphragm...it purrs. Bump the starter and it catches.

I am now working to restore an 81 XJ750 with 22k miles. It has sat idle for 6-8 yrs (PO is not sure) I did not mess around. Mechanically cleaned 1st. I kid you not...pushed the button this weekend and it started immediately without ether. It idles smooth, revs up and drops to idle immediately.

Do it right. Polish the ports and jets with 000 steel wool, pass a wire through each idle port etc...you will not regret the effort.

 

That's all you really needed to say.

And if you still don't believe us, do a forum search on "SeaFoam."

 

Thanks to all for your comments, experiences and advice!

 

I agree do it right . Personally i wouldnt use it in my oil but i don't like oil additives or anything with a wet clutch. I use it in my gas on occasion just to keep the krud from building up in my float bowls. Just remember its not carburator rebuild in a can.

 

Bigfts,
I have to disagree with you about Seafoam not being a fuel stabilizer. It IS and works well for all my engines. I'm sorry to read you had a bad experience when using it, but perhaps it wasn't the Seafoam that caused it!

 

I hate to go against conventional wisdom but Seafoam might work if you do the following: 1st, follow the directions on the can and mix with a full tank of gas. 2nd, run at highway speeds until tank is nearly dry before refilling. 3rd, skip mixing in the crankcase. 4th, after a fresh tankful of gas later, if no results, clean carbs. Seafoam has been around a long time in the marine world for a reason; it will breakdown a light coating of varnish in the carbs... Good luck!

 

I achieve with Acetone what people are trying to accomplish with SeaFoam, at $0.25 a treatment, as opposed to $4.00.

Add 1 OZ to 4 GAL "name brand" gas, run at highway speeds, add more gas before going home. (do NOT spill even a drop on your paint; you Can spill SeaFoam, proving how mild it is).

 

I figure what ever works for you, keep on using it. It does for me what it claims to.

 

Fitz...i'm not disagreeing with you when you say to not put it in the crankcase, but do you have a reason? I know its not necessarily designed for wet clutches, but it doesn't claim to have any "friction-reducers" either. It is made for engine sumps, though.

 

I like TtR's idea about the acetone. I've never thought of it but it sure makes perfect sense. Now I just hope my wife doesn't miss her nail polish remover.

 

Usually I am not one to 'feed the trolls' but today I am going to feed this one someone in charge remove this jemsriki person. It is obvious they have no interest in motorcycles or XJ bikes. They are here to spam up the board and be a pain in the @55!

 

Side note: why do all the "curse" words need to be censored? I do the same sh!t in disguising all of my fcuking words. Just saying....also death to the spammers!

 

I'm gonna add my 2 cents worth on Seafoam.......

I tried following the advice given on the maxim-x . com for using seafoam (or so I thought...), I followed the hard treatment advice given (again, so I thought), I made sure that there was only 3 litres of fuel in the tank, then added HALF a can (half pint) to the fuel, took the bike for a run to make sure the fuel/seafoam was in the carbs.

I was expecting to have a rough running engine with loads of smoke by the time I get back.... I got NEITHER. SO assumed I'd read the instructions wrong, and emptied the other half of the can in the remaining fuel.... Yes I'd added a FULL can of seafoam into 3 litres of fuel.... I again took the bike for a run to get the added seafoam into the carbs, with the same result..... NOTHING. No rough running engine, NO smoke AT ALL.

I then checked what the advice was back on maxim-x . com, to see if I could find out what I was doing wrong to NOT get ANY of the expected results (rough running engine, possible not idling, and loads of smoke etc), and found out that I'd put double the amount advised in!

I left the bike for a couple of days (due to bad weather), and fully expected to have real problems with the bike when I finally did try to restart it.

Guess what.... NOTHING, NOT A PROBLEM at all, she started on the first push of the button, idled fantastically, and ran perfectly. So I took the bike out and used the rest of the fuel up (still no rough running or smoke), and then refilled the bike up.

You guys think Seafoam is expensive to you, you want to try getting it over here in the UK, it costs over £20.00 a bottle, yes 20 GB Pounds a bottle!

This then gave me 2 questions to answer regarding Seafoam....

1) Did the seafoam perform it's "miracle" and do as advertised?..... YES and NO, Yes because it had "Cured" the reason for me using it in the first place, but NO, because it didn't create any of the side effects as advertised and expected.

2) At £20.00 a bottle, do I think Seafoam is/was worth it, and will I use it again? Based on my experience with Seafoam this time, there is the same resounding Answer on both accounts....
.......
.......
.......

NOT A CHANCE!!!! (I might have been tempted to try it again IF... IF it was a hell of a lot cheaper)

 

Well done SnoSheriff

 

Oh, fer crying out loud... here we freaking go again with the freaking acetone.

The last time it about started a civil war. Anybody seen "ArizonaSteve" lately?

No, it doesn't. An entire country banned the stuff as a fuel additive. Go read the threads.

 

We always used Camp Fuel, white gas for stoves and lanterns, back in the day in snow sleds. 8 oz to a tank of gas. Of corse it wasn't to make them more fuel efficient, it was used to give it a little more pep.

 

What I do that's different - is I don't leave the Acetone in the bike (or carbs)
I run it thru as a solvent (at 500:1) then I go get fresh gas.
I never did a comprehensive fuel test on the XJ's for mileage - I use Acetone if they start to run crappy.