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SeaFoam?
- Thread starter DonoBBD
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I agree, i dont use it.
Irish1800
New Member
Try this stuff I swear by it. Home Depot sells it for they're lawnmowers but you really want the marine concentrated version. I use it in everything and it actually improves performance as well as the way the engine idles and runs. My test was on a lawnmower that had been sitting for 4yrs and would only run if you sprayed ether in the carb. I poured out the gas and mixed it with fresh gas. Started it on ether got it to run long enough to keep it running on the choke then it would sit and run on it's own. Pretty soon it was purring like a kitten and mowing grass. Same with the idle on my ATV rough idle now it purrs like a fine tuned race car. This ethanol fuel is really bad especially in the marine enviroment. My boat started acting up as well ran a couple tanks with this mix in it and runs perfectly now. I've put 2 tanks through the Sea Doo and it seems to be improving how it runs as well.
http://mystarbrite.com/startron//content/view/93/123/lang,en/
Dr Honda
Well-Known Member
Don't know. Personally... I don't like anything that clams to "clean" the fuel system. There are a few reasons for that.
1) To clean the system, requires a solvent. (In the stuff above, it's naphtha) That solvent messes up oil. Also, they list a 5% "Proprietary Organic Compound." What is it? Hell... Ethanol is "Organic". So... are they just selling you a bottle of B5 Diesel fuel??
2) As the insides of the system start to clean... where does it go? (into the carb filters)
3) When there is physical damage to the fuel system (Like bad Tempo fuel lines) how is that supposed to get cleaned? It can't. AND... if the melted rubber can go into solution... what do you think a liquefied polymer will do once it gets into your engine?
Stay-Bil does not clam to clean the system. It simply stabilizes the fuel, and keeps it from building varnish in the system. It a preventative additive... not a fix in a bottle. Not to mention... I've been using it for +20 years in my 2 strokes, (and lawn equipment) and I've never had an issue.
1) To clean the system, requires a solvent. (In the stuff above, it's naphtha) That solvent messes up oil. Also, they list a 5% "Proprietary Organic Compound." What is it? Hell... Ethanol is "Organic". So... are they just selling you a bottle of B5 Diesel fuel??
2) As the insides of the system start to clean... where does it go? (into the carb filters)
3) When there is physical damage to the fuel system (Like bad Tempo fuel lines) how is that supposed to get cleaned? It can't. AND... if the melted rubber can go into solution... what do you think a liquefied polymer will do once it gets into your engine?
Stay-Bil does not clam to clean the system. It simply stabilizes the fuel, and keeps it from building varnish in the system. It a preventative additive... not a fix in a bottle. Not to mention... I've been using it for +20 years in my 2 strokes, (and lawn equipment) and I've never had an issue.
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OfficerSeaDoo
New Member
Wow! I sure am glad I opened this thread. I just dumped SeaFoam into my 1997 GTI and 2001 Sportster a couple of weeks ago for the first time. A local mechanic told me to use it. Should I be concerned now, or is it not a problem if using it just once?
I had a conversation with a rep from Star tron about a year ago. I'm not saying Star tron is a great product but this is just a little bit of the info that the guy gave me. Alot of people think its some magic potion that will cure all the ethanol problems but it doesnt. When you understand how it works, then you can decide if it os something you need. I use it in all my small engines. Lawnmower, 4 wheelers, and especially the snowmobiles. I use it on every fill up with the sleds. I have been using it in the boat since the day I pciked it up as well. Not trying to pick a fight, just thought some people might want to know what it actually does rather than say its a cure all for fuel problems. Enjoy!
"Yes, Star brite makes Star Tron. (btw Star brite is a 35-year old NASDAQ-traded company - OBCI - with operations all over the world - we are as real as it gets) It is a good additive for ethanol-blended fuels, but it can't do magic like make the ethanol "disappear" or prevent ethanol from attacking fuel lines. No additive can do that.
Ethanol and gasoline cannot form a chemical bond - that is why they separate and is why the fuel companies add ethanol only when they load the truck that is bringing the fuel to your local gas station. The two form a loose colloidal suspension, somewhat similar to oil & vinegar salad dressing. Star Tron's enzymes keep the two in suspension for up to 2 years (we've had labs confirm this), which is ideal when fuel sits for a few months between seasons.
Brent, we're not saying you should buy it; you should use whatever works best for you and your machine.
However, many people do rely on it to make their sleds run better. It is the only fuel treatment that utilizes enzymes as the active ingredient. We make a traditional fuel stabilizer, but Star Tron is a completely different approach. Adding ethanol to gasoline makes it less effective in that it produces a bit less power, won't bond to gas and it attracts moisture. The enzymes allow more oxygen to attach to the gas and alcohol hydrocarbons. That just menas the fuel burns more completely for easy starts and no carbon deposits (carbon & smoke are unburnt fuel). The enzymes also keep the fuel chemistry stabilized. They also allow any moisture to be dispersed througthout the fuel so that it can be removed as tiny particles that are vaporized with the fuel charge. You can't magically remove water or make it burn, but you can break the water clumps apart so that they can be vaporized. Some additives claim to remove water, but they use alcohol to emulsify it. Emulsified fuel can lead to carbon deposits."
"Yes, Star brite makes Star Tron. (btw Star brite is a 35-year old NASDAQ-traded company - OBCI - with operations all over the world - we are as real as it gets) It is a good additive for ethanol-blended fuels, but it can't do magic like make the ethanol "disappear" or prevent ethanol from attacking fuel lines. No additive can do that.
Ethanol and gasoline cannot form a chemical bond - that is why they separate and is why the fuel companies add ethanol only when they load the truck that is bringing the fuel to your local gas station. The two form a loose colloidal suspension, somewhat similar to oil & vinegar salad dressing. Star Tron's enzymes keep the two in suspension for up to 2 years (we've had labs confirm this), which is ideal when fuel sits for a few months between seasons.
Brent, we're not saying you should buy it; you should use whatever works best for you and your machine.
However, many people do rely on it to make their sleds run better. It is the only fuel treatment that utilizes enzymes as the active ingredient. We make a traditional fuel stabilizer, but Star Tron is a completely different approach. Adding ethanol to gasoline makes it less effective in that it produces a bit less power, won't bond to gas and it attracts moisture. The enzymes allow more oxygen to attach to the gas and alcohol hydrocarbons. That just menas the fuel burns more completely for easy starts and no carbon deposits (carbon & smoke are unburnt fuel). The enzymes also keep the fuel chemistry stabilized. They also allow any moisture to be dispersed througthout the fuel so that it can be removed as tiny particles that are vaporized with the fuel charge. You can't magically remove water or make it burn, but you can break the water clumps apart so that they can be vaporized. Some additives claim to remove water, but they use alcohol to emulsify it. Emulsified fuel can lead to carbon deposits."
I've used sea foam for over 30 years and never had a fuel system issue in any of my bikes,cars,sleds or diesels. It works great for stabilizing fuel and it breaks down water so it can pass through the fuel filter and be burned, prevents phase separation for fuels that contain ethanol. I gave up on sta-bil years ago because the carbs on my sled still varnished with the reformulated fuels we are forced to run. My neighbor runs a small engine shop and hates sta-bil, he uses sea foam though he said the new marine grade sta-bil does work good with reformulated fuels. Sea foam was design for the boating industry back in something like the 30's.
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Dr Honda
Well-Known Member
14.5' challenger? 27 gal.
Tee he he 4.42 meters. 27 gallons. Thanks.
Like Dr Honda mentioned, many of the carb cleaners contain solvents. Most of the ones I have researched contain alcohol. I'll let the below links explain more.
http://www.fuel-testers.com/is_gas_additive_safe_with_e10_list.html
http://www.fuel-testers.com/marine_boat_ethanol_problems.html
http://www.fuel-testers.com/is_gas_additive_safe_with_e10_list.html
http://www.fuel-testers.com/marine_boat_ethanol_problems.html
They both contain naphtha which technically are solvents. I don't mind isopropyl alcohol in small quaunities but methanol can reek havoc. With the new seals being made out of Buna-N,Nitrile and Viton materials the methanol issue is slowing going away. The difference in northern and southern climates also play a role in it.
wildone72
New Member
I love sea foam I have used it for years and the rental company I use to work for uses it too in every thing. I have heard of star tron but not much I have also used sta-bil and I don't have any complaints about it. I say use what works for you and fallow the directions on the bottle.
CaptSteve
New Member
Sea Foam is a great product, for 4 cycle engines. But as Dr. Honda mentioned, the solvent in it is not so good for two cycle engines. In a 4 cycle engine to oil is pumped to the cylinders from the crankcase via oil passages and never mixes with the fuel. A 2 cycle engine needs to get the cylinders lubricated via the oil in the fuel mix. If you use a solvent that removes or breaks down that oil, you are putting more wear on the engine than necessary. So while Sea Foam may help keep the fuel system cleaner, the impact it has on the pistons and cylinders could be detrimental.
I would only use something that will counteract the effect of ethanol in the gas, but not something that has a solvent. I think I will stay with the marine grade stabil.
I would only use something that will counteract the effect of ethanol in the gas, but not something that has a solvent. I think I will stay with the marine grade stabil.
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