Seafoam

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Well summer isn't over yet but I would like to post an update to my trial.My 95 xp now flies like a new machine after only a concentrated seafoam treatment.the plug color is perfect,both cylinders are just a bit warm after a long ride and acceleration is almost scary.My boat does 45mph and my son flies by me on the ski.i hope this isn't just temporary because I've been playing with this thing for 2 years to get out it what I expected.I will not be running the Seafoam in the fuel on a regular basis though,maybe a concentrated treatment once or twice a season.But,I have no idea what effect it will have on longevity of the motor,but,I'll be back.

My honest opinion is you got lucky. I believe your carburetor must have been partially plugged with fuel gum and the seafoam dissolved it. Thus, I think you missed cleaning the small passages when you had the carbs apart or possibly something to do with the small filters inside the carb if you overlooked them.

2-stroke engines - Seafoam really isn't the best approach (IMO) but at least it worked in your case. I don't accept this route b/c I feel the solvent may cause damage to the rubber parts such as the metering diaphragm and solvents may interrupt the oil film surfactants (surface-reactant agent) package.

 

[Zadriel]

I've used seafoam once. In an old 97 mercury sable. Then car had sat for a year with the fuel in it. I dumped in a treatment started and ran it. Oxygen sensors went off shortly after. It could be they were bad after sitting for a year but I always felt it was something to do with seafoam. I was hoping it would clean injectors. Honestly it may have had no effect. But I've often worried about using in my ski. What if it jars loose something only to cause another plug up in a worse area?

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

I've used seafoam once. In an old 97 mercury sable. Then car had sat for a year with the fuel in it. I dumped in a treatment started and ran it. Oxygen sensors went off shortly after. It could be they were bad after sitting for a year but I always felt it was something to do with seafoam. I was hoping it would clean injectors. Honestly it may have had no effect. But I've often worried about using in my ski. What if it jars loose something only to cause another plug up in a worse area?

I don't mean to carry this subject on and on aggravating all the great mechanics here by sharing my experiences but you are correct IMHO.

At least replace the fuel filter before pouring the seafoam into the fuel tank b/c once the seafoam hits the filter it may dissolve the garbage inside it and that garbage can then pass to your injectors.

I think in your case the O2 sensors were probably contaminated by the gunk loosened up by the seafoam solvent.

Rotax 951!

 

[rvaughn704]

Okay. I have been watching this thread today and I think i will add my 2 cents.

I have a Ski Boat with a 3.0 mercrusier. Owned it 3 years.
I have a Center Console Fishing Boat with a 1971 80hp Mercury 2 Stroke Outboard. Owned it 2.5 years.
I have 4 Seadoos. Owned 1 for 3 years and the others 2 years.

Every year with the first tank of fuel they all get a bottle of Seafoam Dumped into them. The 2 Boats have not had the carbs done since i bought them and will crank and run as good as anything. The Seadoos I do have to rebuild/clean the carbs on every year. So Seafoam is not a fix all. I do believe it helps more ways than hurts. Is it good to use it. Who Knows for sure. What it all boils down to is personal opinion.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Thinking about this from a percentage ratio perspective perhaps you're right there is likely no harm done.

Considering there are 1280 ounces in 10gal of fuel mixed with 16ounces of seafoam (Best I can tell: 10% isopropyl alcohol, 50% white gas (naptha), 40% oil) this would increase the amount of alcohol from 10% to ~10.1% and it seems the concentration of white gas probably lowers the octane immeasurably.

16/1280*100=1.25%

 

[racerxxx]

Here's my input, a link to their website, you can also get the MSDS there too.

http://seafoamsales.com/sea-foam-motor-treatment/how-to-use-sea-foam-motor-treatment/

 

[mikidymac]

I want to play too......

We all say we hate these and oil threads but we can't help but get sucked into them can we? Guess it is like the train wreck.

So I have an opinion too... Playing the devil's advocate as far as the solvents breaking down the oil film and destroying bearings and pistons from seafoam and other mechanic's in a bottle I am not so sure because you know what else we put in our engines is a great solvent for the oil? Gas yep the fuel we are burning is actually a great solvent for oil. Also most of the top tier fuels already have great cleaners in them like Techron.

I am sure most of them are not good for all the rubber parts in our carbs like the thin diaphragms and o-rings that most other carbs do not have as well as the fine mesh plastic filters.

IF you have ever cleaned these carbs and found the infamous green goo you know that even with soaking and direct shots of carb cleaner it does not like to dissolve without some help so I am not convinced any concentration of seafoam would touch it. Also there is usually small pieces of dirt and debris in the small filters tat no solvent will remove. I am afraid that you still have to take them apart and clean them.

The argument that it works so much better after I used it... I guess is is possible but there is a great thing called the placebo effect. Remember the splitfire spark plugs that added like 15 horsepower?

It worked on an outboard and they are 2 strokes so it should be safe for my ski.... Not a valid argument. They are both two strokes but work under very different conditions and environments. There is not much stress on an outboard and they are seldom run under much load so what is "safe" for them is not necessarily safe for SeaDoo's. Just look at the oil requirements. In addition ask yourself how much horse power per cc does a outboard make compared to a Seadoo? What is the maximum rpm that your outboard turns compared to a SeaDoo? How often to you hold your outboard wide open and for how long? How often does your outboard run at full rpm under load, come out of the water and hit the rev limiter with no load and then go back into the water and experience a shock load whne it hooks up again. As you can see they are very different.

If you feel safe using additives and they give you peace of mind and you are ok with whatever the outcome is keep using it, no harm no foul. If you are like me and want to make sure everything is new and good to go so I don't have to mess or worry about it then go that way too.

 

[Mickirig1]

I went to my parts guy / sea doo service "expert" today. He has Sea Foam on the same rack as the Amsoil Intercepter gallon jugs." Oh yeah, it works great" I asked about blue marine stablize. Looked at me like I am stupid!
He also says don't use carb cleaner on the Sea Doo carbs. Eats up the metal and makes "air pockets". Use WD40 or PB Blaster and air pressure.

 

[mikidymac]

I went to my parts guy / sea doo service "expert" today. He has Sea Foam on the same rack as the Amsoil Intercepter gallon jugs." Oh yeah, it works great" I asked about blue marine stablize. Looked at me like I am stupid!
He also says don't use carb cleaner on the Sea Doo carbs. Eats up the metal and makes "air pockets". Use WD40 or PB Blaster and air pressure.

Guess the "expert" doesn't know that 99.9% of all carbs are made of aluminum just like the Mikuni's. He probably knows that it is the carb maufacturer's that are actually making carb cleaner so it destroys the carbs and we unknowingly will have to buy new ones.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Those merc and Johnson carbs are made of Zamac(zinc alloy), I think. I never did like aluminum b/c it tends to corrode easier?

 

[mikidymac]

Those merc and Johnson carbs are made of Zamac(zinc alloy), I think. I never did like aluminum b/c it tends to corrode easier?

Correct, typically the american stuff was Zinc alloy and the European and Japanese was aluminum. Not sure why. I know the Minuni's are good old aluminum. 60% of the time it is true all the time.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Yes, at least the diaphragm Mikuni's are all aluminum as far as I know. I think the bowl types are zinc alloy.

There is a zinc chromate finish applied to the Zamac die-castings I think, and those caustic cleaners remove that, but our carb cleaner in a can (acetone) doesn't, as far as I know.

Fortunately I typically can get most any carb clean enuff using just brake cleaner or acetone and compressed air, even severely corroded ones that have been filled with water stuck butterflies and sitting wet for months.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

I want to play too......

We all say we hate these and oil threads but we can't help but get sucked into them can we? Guess it is like the train wreck.

So I have an opinion too... Playing the devil's advocate as far as the solvents breaking down the oil film and destroying bearings and pistons from seafoam and other mechanic's in a bottle I am not so sure because you know what else we put in our engines is a great solvent for the oil? Gas yep the fuel we are burning is actually a great solvent for oil. Also most of the top tier fuels already have great cleaners in them like Techron.

I am sure most of them are not good for all the rubber parts in our carbs like the thin diaphragms and o-rings that most other carbs do not have as well as the fine mesh plastic filters.

IF you have ever cleaned these carbs and found the infamous green goo you know that even with soaking and direct shots of carb cleaner it does not like to dissolve without some help so I am not convinced any concentration of seafoam would touch it. Also there is usually small pieces of dirt and debris in the small filters tat no solvent will remove. I am afraid that you still have to take them apart and clean them.

The argument that it works so much better after I used it... I guess is is possible but there is a great thing called the placebo effect. Remember the splitfire spark plugs that added like 15 horsepower?

It worked on an outboard and they are 2 strokes so it should be safe for my ski.... Not a valid argument. They are both two strokes but work under very different conditions and environments. There is not much stress on an outboard and they are seldom run under much load so what is "safe" for them is not necessarily safe for SeaDoo's. Just look at the oil requirements. In addition ask yourself how much horse power per cc does a outboard make compared to a Seadoo? What is the maximum rpm that your outboard turns compared to a SeaDoo? How often to you hold your outboard wide open and for how long? How often does your outboard run at full rpm under load, come out of the water and hit the rev limiter with no load and then go back into the water and experience a shock load whne it hooks up again. As you can see they are very different.

If you feel safe using additives and they give you peace of mind and you are ok with whatever the outcome is keep using it, no harm no foul. If you are like me and want to make sure everything is new and good to go so I don't have to mess or worry about it then go that way too.

I think this is about as close to correct as can be expected, good job.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Here's my input, a link to their website, you can also get the MSDS there too.

http://seafoamsales.com/sea-foam-motor-treatment/how-to-use-sea-foam-motor-treatment/

I found this in the Q&A section, it was the first question. I learned from this the 2-stroke oil isn't subjected to heat?

"Question:

Can I put Sea Foam in the oil reservoir of my Yamaha WaveRaider jet ski? The engine is a direct oil injection two-stroke.
Jim’s answer:

In your case, Sea Foam Motor Treatment would be much more effective added to the fuel tank. With a jet ski such as your Yamaha model, the oil is not subjected to engine heat. Heat is what causes oil to break down, so protecting against this is not needed in your oil-injected system."

http://seafoamsales.com/sea-foam-in-jet-ski/