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Seafoam bad ?

7K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  yamahacrazy 
#1 ·
Has anyone heard that Seafoam is bad to run in a motorcycle? I always thought it was beneficial to run it through the bike every once in a while to help keep the fuel system clean, but I recently heard a mechanic say to never run it in a motorcycle. Have you guys ever heard this?
 
#2 ·
a motorcycle engine is no different than a car engine. maybe he meant he wouldn't use seafoam at all in anything?

I have never used seafoam in anything. mainly because it just reminds me of something too generic to trust.
from the name down to the can just reminds me of a guy in a covered wagon from 1901 selling elixir. lol

I personally use Gumout Regane fuel system cleaner in my stuff. My old bike has over 50k miles and the valves are still clean as a new one. (you can see them down the throttle body openings) (exhaust valves never usually get build up on them)
https://gumout.com/fuel-additives/regane-complete-fuel-system-cleaner/

now the other benefit I notice using this stuff is the engine feels like it has better throttle response. people might think I'm nuts but I can feel a difference when I don't use it and when I do.
 
#3 ·
Snake oil. If you read the msds, it is basically kerosine, Isopropyl alcohol and petroleum additives. Basically it is the same, or similar, to what gas companies call techron, or whatever their brand name is.

I don't think it does any real harm to a fuel system, but it doesn't really do any real good, either. But some people like to run it through their oil.....which is just stupid. Would you think of putting alcohol, or kerosine in your oil under any other scenario? There is a reason Seafoam tells you to drain your CAR oil after doing it. Never mind what it would do in an engine that the oil serves to lubricate a clutch and transmission, like a motorcycle engine does.
 
#6 ·
Like I said, for fuel, it really isn't anything more than what you are getting with most premium brand gas. It's snake oil. But I don't think it will do any harm, but keep in mind that everything in it has a lower energy content than gasoline, so it will lower performance when it is in the tank.
 
#9 ·
I've used it. With excellent results. Bench tested a set of clogged up injectors and literally watched the spray patterns change before my eyes. Pump gas didn't do a thing. The bike had been sitting for 7 years. Will it restore them to peak performance? Probably not.
 
#10 ·
I'm a sailor and it is well respected in the boating world to help undue the effects of ethanol sitting in your motor clogging things up. A lot of guys use it from time to time to clear things out. i have. every sailboat I have had I have had a can of seafoam
 
#14 · (Edited)
interesting. nice to see actual results. I use gummout's regain stuff. that's not what he used. not sure if it's better but it is labeled differently. and I really only use it in my new vehicles from day one as preventative maintenance. I'm not convinced anything on the market can remove old deposits all the way.

I had a 4cyl s/10 and when I pulled the head because of a cracked head @ 156K miles, they looked pretty darn good.

keep in mind the head is cracked and leaked coolant in it also.


and a picture of the intake valves on my old R6 with roughly 36k miles. (the black ring you see is a shadow)
 
#12 ·
Used it a few times in the fuel tank.
Didn't really notice a difference, but I just rebuilt my carb at the time anyway...

I had a misfire in my truck due to a sticky lifter.
Poured some seafoam in the crank case, and viola! no more check engine light.

I wouldn't use it in the crank case of the a motorcycle because of the wet clutch.
 
#13 ·
but I recently heard a mechanic say to never run it in a motorcycle. Have you guys ever heard this?
Did you get any more information? In what context did he say that and did he say why?

Snake oil. If you read the msds, it is basically kerosine, Isopropyl alcohol and petroleum additives. Basically it is the same, or similar, to what gas companies call techron, or whatever their brand name is.
Maybe it's basically the same thing, but in a much higher concentration. You're never gonna get as much of the detergent through your injectors with pump gas in thousands of miles as you will dumping a bottle of seafoam straight into the intake.

However I do agree with you that it's mostly snake oil. Unless the vehicle has been sitting for a while with stale old gas in it, your fuel system doesn't need to be cleaned.
 
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