Kawasaki Vulcan Forum banner

seafoam

21K views 119 replies 36 participants last post by  Bear2123 
#1 ·
ive seen a few post about seafoam i just got a can i need to know how its used in the carb of a vn2000 direction say to warm engine up then shut down engine open throdle and spray for about 2 mins. than start engine than give gas lightly than go for a aggesive ride i have a thunder intake with a kn filter thats been cleaned once a year i was just thinking if i should clean the carb its running fine it does back fire a bit with arien nes rad. pipes but thats it is it a waste of time
 
#2 ·
Most people use the liquid in a can, pour it in the gas tank (I use about 4 ounces for a tank of gas; you can use however much you want if the bike is dirty in the carb/fuel system as it won't hurt anything) and ride a full tank through the bike. You can also put it in the crankcase with the oil, ride it a ways and then change the oil to clean a lot of gunk out of there.
 
#5 ·
Well, I wouldn't dump the whole can in, but you can use up to 2 ounces per gallon of fuel, or half a pint. Any more than that would be a waste. But according to their website, there are no harmful components in it to rubber.

"For more than 65 years, Sea Foam has been proven to be safe for use in all engines, both diesel and gasoline, and won’t harm gaskets, seals or other internal components of the engine, fuel system or oil system. Sea Foam is a pure petroleum blend with no chemical additives. Sea Foam has been endorsed by numerous engine manufacturers, and is recommended by thousands of professional mechanics and service technicians throughout the U.S. and Canada."

Still, you rarely can go wrong following directions.
 
#6 ·
First of all, I have to learn how to spell...what the heck is a comonent?
It says that it contains causes no harm, but in the fine print it probably states "When used according to manufactures directions".
It is kind of like alcohol in gasoline. In small doses, no harm done, but up the ratio and there is ugly all over the place!
 
#7 ·
My own personal opinion. I would never upset complex oil chemestry by the addition of Seafoam. Modern oils do their job so well that there really is nothing in your crankcase to remove that is worthwhile removing. Motorcycles, as a rule, are just not subjected to conditions that cause crankcase contamination such as starting in -30 degree weather, short trips to the corner store, no oil changes, etc. But this is my opinion only.
 
#40 ·
Motorcycles, as a rule, are just not subjected to conditions that cause crankcase contamination such as starting in -30 degree weather, short trips to the corner store, no oil changes, etc. But this is my opinion only.

I know I don't always follow the rules, but it's like you're psychic! :( Stop watchin' me! lol
 
#9 ·
Seafoam is a great additive. Some people swear by it, others knock it even though they've never tried it. Get a can or two, use as per the MFGR's directions in your gas tank and your oil and come up with your own conclusion.

I personally use it in both my gas and my oil. I put about 4oz of seafoam into the oil about 100 miles out from an oil change and ride it like I stole it, oil comes out blacker than I've ever seen so I'd have to say from not using it, it's doing it's job at reliquifying sludge and gunk built up in my crankcase. Just run about 8oz through your gas tank (4oz per tank) and you'll do wonders on your carb without having to tear anything down.
 
#10 ·
To get real technical....2 -4 glugs to a tank really does clean the fuel system out. You can put in the crankcase (with your oil) for an hour and will do a nice job cleaning your lifters etc. But I wouldn't do it unless your engine has started getting noisy.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I've used it, never seemed to fix anything for me, but lots of people swear by it. Does it have benefits for something? Maybe, but I've not yet found a miracle in a can (or bottle) with any additive...except maybe GM EOS when put on non-roller lifters and cam for break-in.
 
#12 ·
Just a clarification - I am 99% sure that there are at least two different Seafoam products, one labeled for gasoline treatment and another for oil treatment. Just be sure you are getting the right one. I have only used the gas treatment and have been very happy with it.
 
#13 ·
I use this-it's for gas, diesel and engine oil.

 
#14 ·
I believe that it should be used at least once a month regardless of what ride your on. This is similar to a good beer. Every now and then you need to clear out the plumbing. Some of you take it to extreme, I'm sure :), with both the seafoam and the sudz. Too much anything is not good for you or scoot. 1oz. per gallon is all you need for bike, 36oz. of beer about once or twice should do it guys... hehe!
 
#39 ·
it's the IPA in it...
 
#19 ·
My wife and I both use it in our tanks. She has a Honda Rebel 250 and it helps keep her carb clean. We noticed an almost immediate improvement in starting and running on her bike. I put some in mine the last time it filled up and haven't really noticed much, but then again I've only put 120 miles on it since that last fill up a month ago.
 
#20 ·
Improvement will be more noticeable in the Rebel. It's small jets are much more easily restricted deposits. With the bigger bikes, it might not help much or it might stave off a carb cleaning over a long period of use. I use it on my Rebel and my vn 800b. I put 2 or 3 glugs in the tank (depending on which bike) about every 3rd tank on the Rebel and 2 or 3 times a season on the Vulcan.
 
#21 ·
I use it all the time

I generally use Seafoam every other tank of gas...probably too often, but I think it result in never having to clean the carbs...I buy it by the gallon for around $60.....I also use it in my mower and now and then put 8 oz into the gas tank of my little car..

I feel is is just a terrific product..

Bob
 
#23 ·
First thing you could do is read the label. I think it says one to one and a half ounces per gallon of fuel. You probably have a better idea how many gallons are in a 500 tank. I'm assuming you don't mean 500 gallons. Anyhow, if you're using it to winterize, I'd go towards the high dosage range on the label.
 
#24 ·
There is nothing magic or mysterious about seafoam other than its price. Heck, if you use ethanol gas, you are 1/3 there already since SF contains 10-20% isopropanol! The other components are naptha (Coleman Fuel) and light oil. The SF name is 90% of the price.

For those interested in brewin' their own, I found this interesting article:
http://hildstrom.com/projects/seafoam/index.html

Woody
 
#25 · (Edited)
I put that Sh%$ in everything!!!
I haven't chimed in on anything here lately...But this I can't resist to offer MHO
I put that sh%$ in an old snapper sit down mower, and it gave that rusty old thing life like never before. It couldn't make it over a hump into my garage without a running start. it did wheelies over it after. And since, Ive restored an old F150 clogged fuel injectors among other notable miracles.

Also fun fact # 123 "Gumout" (the crap that has many names) is owned by the largest American manufacture of catalytic converters. And that Sh%$ ruins the cats.
Just America being America
 
#26 ·
Some of my customers think I tuned up their bike after putting it in their tank. We use it by the gallons and don't use anything else. It is a great product. I've used it up to 2X the recommended dose with no problems what so ever. Its one of the few things in a can that does what they say it is supposed to do.
 
#27 ·
I use it all the time. I also use a couple ounces as a fuel stabilizer in the winter. Dip a little on a rag and clean the throttle bodies, etc. Just does everything I ask it to...
 
#28 ·
Seafoam worked wonders for my scoot. PO didn't take very good care of it so it had a rough idle among other problems, threw some seafoam in the tank and two tanks later it starts and idles like a champ, gets up quicker too.

Only caveat to that is seafoam will clean out gunk, not normally a bad thing, but gunk was the only thing keeping my petcock from leaking all over the garage floor I soon found out midway through my first treatment. A petcock rebuild kit fixed that issue though. Just food for thought.
 
#29 ·
That's precisely why a lot of people think, even in the right concentration, seafoam will cause 'older bikes' to leak. It's the exact same reason some folks say synthetic oil or detergent oil will cause an 'older engine' to leak. There was already a fault but gunk was plugging the hole, until you introduce something to clean it out!
 
#32 · (Edited)
I don't think anyone is saying that. But as bikes get older a really, really common issue is carbon buildup or a gummed up fuel system. Both of which seafoam can alleviate without having to take stuff apart and manually clean it. It also works as a preventative maintenance tool to prevent carbon build up or fuel gumming up in carbs/fuel injectors/petcocks.

Carbon buildup can also cause "hotspots" in the cylinder. Over time, seafoam breaks up that carbon eliminating the hot spots, which is why some folks report seafoam stopping pinging or making their engine run better.

The stories you always hear usually involve a clogged or dirty fuel system being quickly cleaned out (matter of a tank or two of gas), with minimal effort, to excellent running condition. That's well worth $8 or so a can.

Nobody is saying seafoam fixed their bent crank!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top