Seafoam for oil

[viper]

I've read before that Seafoam is added to the oil to clean the engine of gunk...how much is added to the oil and how long should it be kept in before changing the oil.
I've been using Seafoam in my gas with great results on start up and smooth engine performance. I hope this added to the oil will help for better results.
Thank you in advance for your responses.

[voyager55]

Use the funnel to pour Sea Foam through the oil filler cap. You will need 1 1/2 ounces for every quart of oil your motor can hold.


Drive a minimum of 30 miles or 30 minutes. Do not exceed 100 miles.


Park where you will change the oil. When the engine is cool enough to be worked on, perform an oil and filter change as normal.

[JHD]

I wouldn't add it. I just split my engine case with about 60k on motor and it was extremely clean. There were deposits in the bottom of the oil pan but screen filters were pretty clean. I think the detergents in oil do the job.

[SgtSlag]

I bought a 1979 Honda 750, in 2006, with 9,600 miles on the clock. I added SeaFoam to the crankcase, idled the bike for five minutes, on the center stand, shifting through all gears to clean the transmission, as well as the engine. The oil changed from caramel-colored, to coal-black! Now, the API standard for engine oil, in 1979, when my Honda was built, was SE... Current API rating for automotive oils is SN. The SE is pathetic, compared to SN oils; SE oils are recommended to only be used in engines built in 1979, or earlier! An SE oil will damage an engine made after 1979.

I put 5,000 hard miles on that Honda, using Shell Rotella T/T6 oils. Then I treated it with SeaFoam again, same procedure: it never darkened, even after 300 miles of riding -- there was nothing left in the engine for it to dissolve...

I agree: with modern oils (SL and higher), there is no need to treat the crankcase with SeaFoam, as there won't be any carbon deposits, varnish, or other crud for it to remove. I treated several other vehicles: a '96 Beretta (I bought it new; treated it at 96,000+ miles -- no crud, no darkening of the oil); a 1975 Ford F100 with a 302 engine (lots of black crud...); and a 2003 Impala (nothing, nada, zilch, in the oil...).

I would recommend it for your small engines: lawnmowers, snow blowers, etc. They get a beating from most users, so what the heck -- it won't cost much considering how small they are.

I use it in the fuel tanks of all of my engines, around once per month, as a PM: absorbs water, dissolves varnish, etc. Great for that. I also use it to preserve gas in the engines, during the off-months. It won't hurt your engines, in the gas or in the crankcase, but with modern engines and oils, it is not necessary to put it in the crankcase. Cheers!

[drtechnology]

So I may want to do this for shits n giggles see if anything comes out - should I drain 6oz of oil first or just top off existing oil with it being overfilled now due to seafoam? I mean not gonna drive far or anything so should not hurt right? or?

[Nails]

I put Seafoam in my XII crankcase, and it seemed to work fine.

Then I had to pull the oil pan (a repair) and saw a lot of gunk. Cleaned it up.

Later ran a lot of Seafoam through. (Had a stuck ring that I unstuck by pouring Seafoam through the sparkplug hole, letting it seep into the crankcase.) Don't know how much, but a lot of Seafoam. I drained some and ran it a few minutes. The drained oil had a great skanky odor. But I think my crankcase is pretty clean now.

(I also suspect the stuck ring coming back -- but I have a long ride next week that'll hopefully fix it.)

[drtechnology]

I put Seafoam in my XII crankcase, and it seemed to work fine.

Then I had to pull the oil pan (a repair) and saw a lot of gunk. Cleaned it up.

Later ran a lot of Seafoam through. (Had a stuck ring that I unstuck by pouring Seafoam through the sparkplug hole, letting it seep into the crankcase.) Don't know how much, but a lot of Seafoam. I drained some and ran it a few minutes. The drained oil had a great skanky odor. But I think my crankcase is pretty clean now.

(I also suspect the stuck ring coming back -- but I have a long ride next week that'll hopefully fix it.)

Thanks - did u top off existing oil so it was about 6 oz too full or did u drain the 6oz and add 6oz seafoam after?

[Nails]

Thanks - did u top off existing oil so it was about 6 oz too full or did u drain the 6oz and add 6oz seafoam after?

I drained some oil, about the volume of Seafoam, but didn't get fussy about it. Just ran it a little on the centerstand to mix things up a bit.

[SgtSlag]

If you read my 2014 post, above, about my experiences with my 1979 Honda, and my other engines, you will see that the SeaFoam works very quickly! For stubborn deposits, leave it in longer.

The official directions specify to change the oil as soon as it darkens, which indicates dissolved sludge is now in the oil! It further states that you can leave it in the oil for longer periods, if the oil does not darken.

SeaFoam has multiple application techniques, and applications. Dissolving crud deposits within the crankcase is one of them, and SeaFoam is very good, in my personal experience, at removing the carbon build-up deposits. It is also superb at stabilizing gasoline, during winter storage; it absorbs water in the fuel system; it dissolves varnish within the fuel system; etc.

I've been using it routinely, since 2006. It is a go-to tool in my kit.

Modern motor oils are much higher in detergents, and quality, compared to motor oils used in the 1980's, and earlier! Most modern oils will prevent oil/carbon/sludge deposits from forming, under normal circumstances. As I stated in my 2014 post, the more modern engines had little, to no, sludge dissolved into the treated oil. I do it once, to clean the used engines out. After that, with modern oils used, it is not necessary, IMO. Cheers!

[Van Voyager]

And now, for an alternate point of view.....

People have been pedaling mechanic in a can since gasoline engines were invented.

Save your money.

[GrandpaDenny]

How about this one... if you want to use it, use it. If you don't want to use it, don't. My own experience: when I first got Gertrude, she wouldn't rev past 3000 rpm. I used about half a can per fill up for the first five or six tanks. Then I drained the carb bowls, getting a small amount of crap out of them. Then one day, going up through the Poconos, she opened up and I almost ate a Toyota getting on I-80. Now she runs beautifully, getting over 40 instead of 25 mpg. So, which came first, the Sea Foam or the carb bowl drainage? I haven't used Sea Foam since then. She started getting a little hesitant around 4k, so I drained the fuel bowls again. Again, a little bit of crap came out. I have a new fuel filter on hand; planning to replace it tomorrow morning. I did decide to buy another can of Sea Foam when at AutoZone the other day, but they were out.

So... "should" you need to use Sea Foam? Nope. Does it help? Maybe.

[Scott-(Altoona, PA)]

I had a 1982 Honda VT500 (bought in 2005), ran it for 2 summers and then it just wouldn't run. It would set and idle like it was brand new but as soon as you put any load to it, it felt like it was trying to run on 1/2 a cylinder. I even emptied the tank and put 1 gallon of fresh new gas (ethanol free) in it and nothing changed. Put it in gear and it would die or struggle to get up to 15 MPH down hill (seriously). I started asking a few folks (before I was part of the AVA) and one of them (a farmer from OHIO) suggested Seafoam. I had never heard of it and he explained that it will smoke to beat all and upset any neighbors setting out but to put it on the center stand, add the entire can to a gallon of fuel and let it run for 30-45 minutes. Then take it for a ride.
I did as he said and before taking off on it I asked my wife to stand by at home with the truck ready, advised of my intended route and off I went. To my surprise it ran like a raped ape! No smoke what so ever and power like I've never seen before with it. Sold it two years later and advised if she started running rough to add a few ounces of Seafoam.
Use it ~ Don't use it ! snake oil maybe; a placebo, I doubt since its a machine and not a human. I still use it from time to time and for winter storage!
Just me 2 cents and experience.