Anyone use SeaFoam with their saws

[cmarti]

For all you guys that worry about putting alcohol in your gas, Sea Foam is simply a mix of pale oil (very light weight oil similar to kerosene, Naptha (as found in coleman lantern fluid) and IPA - isopropal alcohol. You can mix your own for about $6 a gallon..

Which of these is dissolving true varnish? none...

I suspect the naptha aids ignition (low octane), the IPA takes any water out of the jets, and the pale oil just coats any surfaces that dry out (your mix oil already does this).

Fresh gas....

I have mixed 16 oz in my 15 gallon fuel storage tank for years, and then mix my 2 cycle out of that. I was convinced it kept all my toys (2 & 4 cycle) running clean. I fog my engines in storage with it. Now you have to go and throw logic all over my beliefs:jawdrop: I go through the 15 gallons in 2-3 months so I don't even know if storage is an issue.

B12 is a far stronger solvent, but I am afraid of it's effects on fuel lines, diaphrams, etc...and it does not stabilize. I have had minimal carbon buildup in exhausts, but don't know if I can scientifically give Seafoam the credit. I have also wondered how Seafoam affects the oil, but they state it is safe for
2 cycles. Any chemists to tell us what it does for the lube properties?

The one success I can attest to is runnig it through a vacuum line for cleaning the intake and top end, and use as ring soak. I have used it to clean up some high mileage engines my sons drag home. But you are probably correct, it is a mild solvent, and it may be a waste in a saw mix.

 

[brinkwolf]

Hmmmm......Seafoam made their name in the boating biz, fogging outboards.....Hence, the name 'Seafoam'.....I've been fogging outboards with it yearly for 15 years and no ill effects to date. I originally bought it just to use as fogging oil, then realized it had many other uses and liked it so well, there has been a can lying on my work bench ever since.

If you fellows don't like it or don't think it's worth its price tag, don't buy it.....Sorry, but ya still haven't convinced me, that it's no good!

I can attest to this. I had a Johnson 110 outboard that would not idle. I ran some Seafoam thru a tank of gas thru it and it never gave me another problem. I also used it in my lawnmowers. I had an old Craftsman riding mower I used to keep at the lake house. After a year of siting I replaced the battery in it and with the Seafoamed fuel that was in it,it fired right up. I also use to be in outside sales for my company. I would go to customers shops with the Seafoam rep and was amazed at how it would straighten out most rough running cars at their shops.

 

[spacemule]

It's amazing how easy a sawman and his money are soon parted.

 

[John D]

I use it,and it works great.Bottom line. Why stabilize or fog with anything else? When you take the engines out of storage,they run better than when you out them away because it breaks the carbon loose while it sits.I've taken the mufflers off my saws and trimmers,looked inside,and I know it works by how clean the exhaust ports,and piston/head are.

 

[parrisw]

I use it,and it works great.Bottom line. Why stabilize or fog with anything else? When you take the engines out of storage,they run better than when you out them away because it breaks the carbon loose while it sits.I've taken the mufflers off my saws and trimmers,looked inside,and I know it works by how clean the exhaust ports,and piston/head are.

What kind of 2stroke oils are you guys using that you constantly need to clean up the carbon in the cylinders. I run Amisoil Sabre professional at 50:1 and never have a carbon issue, I'm sure the same goes for Stihl Ultra. I don't store fuel either so I don't need to stabilize it.

 

[Lakeside53]

There is nothing in SF that actually dissovles carbon... if anything, the action of fogging is just keeping it "wet" so it doesn't dry out and go hard. Synthetic 2 stroke oil does a pretty good job of that.

Btw... most deposits are not carbon, but calcium compounds added as a lubricant to 2 stroke mix oil.

 

[Fastcast]

There is nothing in SF that actually dissovles carbon... if anything, the action of fogging is just keeping it "wet" so it doesn't dry out and go hard. Synthetic 2 stroke oil does a pretty good job of that.

Btw... most deposits are not carbon, but calcium compounds added as a lubricant to 2 stroke mix oil.

So what's all that nasty black/brown schit that comes out the exhaust of my outboards when firing them up in the spring to blow out the fogging oil/Seafoam?.....Calcium compound deposits?.....I'm not talking about typical un-burnt 2 stroke oil but excessive amounts of nasty looking schit. opcorn:

It's cleaning something out....I can attest to that!

 

[PB]

LOL Andy, now your talking my language, I run IPA through me, never thought about putting it in my saws, I wonder if they'd run better.

I certainly do!

 

[Lakeside53]

So what's all that nasty black/brown schit that comes out the exhaust of my outboards when firing them up in the spring to blow out the fogging oil/Seafoam?.....Calcium compound deposits?.....I'm not talking about typical un-burnt 2 stroke oil but excessive amounts of nasty looking schit. opcorn:

It's cleaning something out....I can attest to that!

Yes.. calcium deposits with little particles of carbon stuck to them, unless you're running some disgusting heavy dino mix oil:greenchainsaw: it blows out because it stayed "wet".. Kind of like pentrating oil getting under lose rust..

 

[PatrickIreland]

I've tried every kind of snake oil fuel system cleaner/stabiliser/whatever available since I was a kid and the only one that I have ever found that works is Forte. It might not be available in the US but the stuff works like a dream. Dirty idle on your GTi? Run a tank of fuel with a bottle of Forte in it, and it cleans it up nicely. Leaky valve stem seals making smoke? A bottle of Forte seal conditioner will sort that out.
It's expensive (but not per gallon of petrol, saw-wise), and is meant to be only sold to garages but you can get it on Ebay. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Forte-Fuel-Treatment-Petrol_W0QQitemZ320330769347QQihZ011QQcategoryZ72205QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It's what the garages use when you bring your car in, hence why you can't buy it in auto shops... they'll charge you $40 for a "treatment" with it.

 

[Fastcast]

Yes.. calcium deposits with little particles of carbon stuck to them, unless you're running some disgusting heavy dino mix oil:greenchainsaw: it blows out because it stayed "wet".. Kind of like pentrating oil getting under lose rust..

Anyway.....Its gotta be better to get that crap out of there!....So than, it does have some useful applications for bad owners, that don't use Avfuel and synthetic oil? :monkey:

 

[Lakeside53]

yes, bad owners could bathe in it, but it won't change the owner:greenchainsaw:

 

[teacherman]

yes, bad owners could bathe in it, but it won't change the owner:greenchainsaw:

Well, they might undergo spontaneous combustion......:angry2:

A question regarding carbon/calcium buildup and Stihl Ultra:
I have noticed black liquid emerging from the muffler on older saws using Ultra. Is the Ultra loosening preexisting deposits? If so, does it soften them sufficiently to avoid scratching up the aluminum piston?

 

[Lakeside53]

Yes, the synthetic based mix oils stop the crap from sticking... and will eventually clean up some old crap.

Some engines I tear down that have been run on synthetic for years are spotless inside.

 

[teacherman]

Yes, the synthetic based mix oils stop the crap from sticking... and will eventually clean up some old crap.

Some engines I tear down that have been run on synthetic for years are spotless inside.

This is basically what I have been telling people. Now something strange: NONE of the three Stihl dealers in Topeka carry Ultra. They have the orange bottles, but no white ones. Something about costing too much. My dealer sells it to me for 3.50 per 2 gal bottle. Seems very reasonable to me....

I especially like the lessened odor when using the saw. I can now smell it when others use a different mix, and it stinks.

 

[Fastcast]

Yes, the synthetic based mix oils stop the crap from sticking... and will eventually clean up some old crap.

Some engines I tear down that have been run on synthetic for years are spotless inside.

This is basically what I have been telling people. Now something strange: NONE of the three Stihl dealers in Topeka carry Ultra. They have the orange bottles, but no white ones. Something about costing too much. My dealer sells it to me for 3.50 per 2 gal bottle. Seems very reasonable to me....

I especially like the lessened odor when using the saw. I can now smell it when others use a different mix, and it stinks.

Hmmmm.....Sure seems like SF does similar things (keeps stuff clean).....The old Evinrudes have ran tip/top for years on inexpensive 'dino' oil and annual fogging with SF.......Cost: $6:00 additional a year. Can do both outboards with one aerosol can.

 

[willsaw4beer]

I especially like the lessened odor when using the saw. I can now smell it when others use a different mix, and it stinks.

Straight up. I could care less if there was better performing oil after using Ultra just because of the smell. It has to be better for your health than some oils. The cleaning property is another good benefit- ten tanks of gas or so and I noticed there was considerably less carbon in the exhaust port then when I bought the saw. Good gas and synthetic are necessary as far as I'm concerned.

 

[PatrickIreland]

No Ultra HP over here as far as I can see - we get this - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Stihl-2-Two-Stroke-Engine-Oil-1-Ltr-With-Measure_W0QQitemZ360110543299QQihZ023QQcategoryZ139887QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247
Dino, I just mix it 40:1. Handy little measuring thing, as well, no need to do maths...