So I just found out about Sea-Foam.

I usually shy away from all additives for engines, oil, cooling systems and fuel systems etc- regardless of wild claims of how well they work. And usually you can find reviews on the internet that debunk, discredit or disprove these products wild claims.

Well all I can find on Sea-Foam is positive so far. It would seem it's carbon deposit cleaning properties are legendary.

Does anyone have anything to backup it's proponents claims? or personal experience with this product?

I'm more than curious now and am on the verge of buying a can or six and give it a go.

 

I've used it in my fuel tank and seems to work well. I've never tried it in my oil.

 

My father; Oldsdguy, used it in the oil of a 1989 Ford Crown Vic he owned. After he added it per the directions the engine started smoking like the Exxon Valdez. Don't know why, but that car was always sort of a POS.

Why are you considering using Sea Foam? Does your engine burn oil or smoke?

 

Me, too, except for one thing. I add a container of STP oil treatment after an oil change to make sure the needed ZDDP is present. Otherwise, unless you're storing the car for a length of time and don't want the fuel to go bad, I don't see a reason to add anything else to anything. Unless you're having some kind of problem, don't fix what ain't broken.

 

I have several modern Mopars in my fleet, and thru the Mopar forums I have run across a company called BND Automotive. BND makes both fuel additives and vehicle-specific oil. Like most, I'm skeptical of snake oil additives. But after doing much reading on the Mopar forums and even speaking with Brian, the owner of BND, several times on the phone, I've become a big fan of their products.


I use their ACES IV gas additive in all the Mopars. In the cars that require 91 octane, I run 89 octane and ACES. In the cars that require 89 octane, I run 87 octane and ACES. I have put close to 20,000 miles on cars running ACES with great results. Not only does it raise the effective octane, it also helps combat ethanol, and works great for winter storage. I run ACES in all my cars and motorcycles and will be using it in my Cutlasses as well.


I also use the Quantuum Blue oil sold by BND. I changed the oil in my 2017 Dodge Charger 5.7 HEMI with QB at 4000 miles. It now has 13,000 miles on it. I checked the dipstick over the weekend and the oil level is full and it still looks clean. QB oil is specifically blended for the car it goes in. It's far superior to what is available in the mass market. I run it in all my cars.


As I said, I've spoken with Brian on the phone several times. He is an extremely smart man and when he's talking fuel and oil it's way above my head. He's also a Charger owner and a car guy and is passionate about what he does. I have complete faith in his products. As I said, I am very skeptical of additives, but I believe in Brian and I believe in his products.


http://www.bndautomotive.com

 

I once used some down the carburetor for top end cleaning. Luckily, I had read all the warnings on the forum and drove to a secluded area to do it instead of doing it in the driveway. I am so glad that I did as the amount of smoke that came out the exhaust was incredible, and likely would have resulted in multiple neighbors calling the fire department or possibly even running me out of the neighborhood with threats of bodily harm if I ever came back.

 

I like additives. I like the STP fuel treatment in the similar càn as the sea foam. It has more cleaning additives and a fancy spout. I really like the Kllenflo combustion chamber cleaner. It freed up piston rings in my Olds 350. Seafoam did nothing.

 

Sea Foam is like magic, I have used it in all kinds of motors, But of course it can't fix worn out parts!

 

Did it help with a ticking lifter?

 

Rislone engine treatment will help a ticking lifter. Most often on Oldsmobile though, the issue is a worn rocker bridge, lifter, and/or cam lobe. Is there a lot of sludge under the valve covers?

 

No, it's very clean. The rocker arm and bridge are ok, the push rod is not bent and is clear. The lifter was quiet when first started after reinstalling the rocker arm and bridge, then after a few seconds it resumed ticking again. I was hoping it is just dirty, but I may have to pull the intake and do lifters. I tried Marval Mystery oil and seafoam but I don't drive it much, maybe it will take a lot of driving with any of these additives to clear out a clogged lifter, if it can be done at all.

 

Not a big fan of additives either. However I do like to use Berryman's gumout, the pour
in kind once in a while in a 1/2 tank of gas.

For an engine with sticky rings for example we picked up a 02 explorer cheap that hadn't had the oil changed for never it seemed, black as coal. After the change, it started using a quart about every 200 miles and took about three changes just to get the oil back to a clear, at about 1500 mi intervals. A quart of Shaler Rislone in the last change, and it quit using. right around 2000 mi and the oil is just now started to change color and still full.

 

I am not a fan of Sea Foam, its just smoke and mirrors to me, actually alot of smoke. Im with tru-blue442, I have been using Berrymans B12 for 40ish years, it will clean your carb and combustion chambers. Spray and pourable. When i first got my Vette in 1976 it was running like crap. Someone told me to clean the carb with Berrymans. I sprayed it inside outside and alot in the bowl vents. Spray it straight down the barrels working the throttle with your hand "engine running". After that it ran like a scalded dog, i was very impressed. It wont fix worn out parts but it will clean them.