Sea Foam?

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Agreen

Member
Feb 10, 2013
792
11
18
Southeastern GA
Never tried it, can't say I've ever wanted to.

The idea behind seafoam is that it steam cleans the engine's internals without you taking it apart. On the 2 stroke, the head comes off way easy. Mechanical cleaning will always outperform chemical cleaning.
 

YesImLDS

Member
Jun 29, 2013
960
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Columbia, Missouri
I'd only use it on disassembled parts. Seafoam strips oil and carbon build up which unless done properly on a 2-stroke can screw it over by oil starvation.
 

Tyler6357

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2012
1,293
294
83
Santa Barbara, CA
Maybe you are right about taking the head off, I guess it's not really necessary for these small engnes. Some guys in my RV forum swear by this stuff. They say it's great for use on carbs in RV generators and engines in motorhomes that have been sitting for a long time. I just thought it might be a convienent way to clean carbon build up. It claims to "Cleans carbon build up. Gives smoother idle. Cures hesitations & pings. Cleans intake valves & pistons, removes harmful gums, varnish and carbon. Frees sticky lifters & Rings. Cleans dirty parts. Removes moisture. Increases RPM's vacuum & compression. I don't think it could hurt.
 

YesImLDS

Member
Jun 29, 2013
960
12
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Columbia, Missouri
If it's a china girl there isn't really any build up that would be causing any loss of performance. In fact the carbon build up which would be on the piston would increase compression. So it's essentially useless on a china girl. A 4 stroke which you mentioned would be a whole different ball park because of the valves probably for build-up. You shouldn't have to worry about any of that on these 2 strokes.
 

Davezilla

New Member
Mar 15, 2014
2,705
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San Antonio Texas
I use it as a fuel stabilizer sometimes... it also helps de gum a carb if someone forgot to drain the carb before letting the bike sit for several months... I always try this and most the time it'll work after the engine has run a few minutes, if not, then it's time to remove the carb to disassemble and clean properly.
As far as pouring it thru a 2 stroke engine to de carbonize... not such a good idea...
Still, the best way to de carbonize the combustion chamber or piston crown is good plain Ole h2o... the steam produced will make short work of carbon deposits that can lead to scratched cylinder walls and piston skirts. There are better ways to boost compression than letting carbon build up, a little blackening on the piston or combustion chamber won't hurt, but a lot will break off and does nasty things to the cylinder and piston skirt's over time.
 

Slogger

Member
Sep 8, 2014
544
4
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nohio
I'm in the middle on Seafoam for the CGs. It does control carbon buildup, you can add a teaspoon to a tank of gas and it should keep the rings from getting sticky and excess carbon from building up.
It is much better in 4 strokes, cleaning valves and whatnot.
As a stabilizer it works great, I use it in the lawnmower gas can, the rototiller, the old truck that never gets driven much...

It was originally produced for boaters to keep the gas from gumming up an outboard over the winter and to clean them up. Most the outboards then were 2 strokes.
 
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Davezilla

New Member
Mar 15, 2014
2,705
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San Antonio Texas
It won't hurt your engine running a teaspoonful of Seafoam in each tank, it is an excellent fuel stabilizer and it can save you from having to remove and disassemble a carb if it got gummed from sitting if it didn't get severely gummed.
I just wouldn't use it for de carbonizing by spraying it thru the carb like one would do with a 4 stroker.... water will do the job just as good if not better.
just use it for stabilizing the fuel over the winter or de gumming the carb if you forget to drain it before putting it up etc, and don't expect miracles from the stuff and you'll be ok.