# Seafoam Test....



## longislandcamper22 (Jan 7, 2017)

My little 98cc failed to start last week which isn't all that uncommon for this thing. I always use new premium gas with stabil and echo oil for a 50:1 mix. Usually all I have to do is take the screw out from under the bowl, clean out the holes in that bolt and I'm good to go. I did that but this time I added some store bought 50:1 fuel and she started right up but sputtered a little and died as soon as I removed the choke. 

That's when I took to youtube and watched a ton of videos and read threads about carb repair since I have ZERO experience. I gather that I still need to remove the float and needle to spray some carb cleaner and air up in the holes to clean them out too. Seafoam has also been a commonly used item.

So last night I got some liquid Seafoam and the aerosol too. There's not much fuel in the blower, maybe a cup or two so I put in an equal part of Seafoam. The blower started right up but died a few seconds after putting it to mid chocke which was a step in the right direction because after the basic carb cleaning I did a few days ago she would die immediately at half choke. I started her again and left it in full choke a bit then moved to half choke and sprayed the aerosol Seafoam in the air intake. She sputtered with a ton of white smoke but wouldn't shut down. After a few seconds of doing this I turned choke off and she still wouldn't shut off so I kept spraying. After about 20 seconds of no choke and spraying she eventually shut down. She did seem to be running at a higher RPM and ran a bit smoother.

So I parked her in the shed for now. In a few hours I plan to start her up again to get a new batch of Seafoam in there. My initial report is that the stuff works because I was finally able to take the choke off. I'll report back later.


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## vmaxed (Feb 23, 2014)

When you mix your oil and gas put in the Seafoam in :2cents:


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## longislandcamper22 (Jan 7, 2017)

vmaxed said:


> When you mix your oil and gas put in the Seafoam in :2cents:


I plan to. I've got any empty gas can that I'll fill up once we're getting a storm. No need to buy gas and have it sitting around any longer than it has to.


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## vmaxed (Feb 23, 2014)

I only mix 1gl at a time for weed wacker and back pack blower,the last two snow storms we had here I used my Stihl 600 magnum back pack to clear the deck and drive way :icon_smile_wink:


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## toroused (Mar 1, 2015)

Let the Seafoam marinate in there for a couple of days or more and that carb will run even better. If you were to take a look at the back of that Seafoam can, you'll see that the directions
state that up to a 50/50 SF/gas mix is allowed. You don't have to go that heavy, but a heavy batch of SF marinating in that carburetor for anywhere from 3-7 days will clean out all sorts of 
gunk in there.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

longislandcamper22 said:


> There's not much fuel in the blower, maybe a cup or two so I put in an equal part of Seafoam.


Thats waaaaaaaaaaaay too much seafoam.
thats 50% gas and 50% seafoam, no good, the proportion is way off.

You need to mix a brand-new batch of gas.

Get a new bottle of 2-stoke oil, read the can of seafoam to see how much to use per gallon.
(I dont know what it is off hand, im at work and my bottle of seafoam is at home.) 

add the oil and the seafoam to the empty gas can, then fill up with gas.
(adding the oil and the seafoam first, then the gas last, helps mix everything well.)

If you can, try to get Ethanol-free gas:

Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada

Drain out as much gas as you can from the machine, add in the new gas, then try it..

The gas is your biggest problem, and right now your gas isnt right! 
need to fix the gas first..

Scot


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## longislandcamper22 (Jan 7, 2017)

sscotsman said:


> Thats waaaaaaaaaaaay too much seafoam.
> thats 50% gas and 50% seafoam, no good, the proportion is way off.
> 
> You need to mix a brand-new batch of gas.
> ...



The directions actually say that a 50:50 mix is what you should do for carb cleaning.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

longislandcamper22 said:


> The directions actually say that a 50:50 mix is what you should do for carb cleaning.


oh wow! I did not know that..
but I just went and looked at my bottle, and sure enough, it does say 50/50.
I stand corrected..

but! to clarify, it doesn't say you _should_ use it at 50/50 for cleaning..
it only says you _can_ use it at 50/50. 
The actual wording is:

"For use in injector cleaning machines, use 50% seafoam 50% fuel"
(doesn't apply to carb cleaning)

"Safe to use Seafoam Motor Treatment with a higher ratio in fuel for cleaning, a ratio of 50% seafoam and 50% fuel maximum."

That does apply, but it only says you should use 50/50 maximum..not that you necessarily need 50/50.

IMO, 50/50 is still way unnecessarily high, although its apparently fine for short-term use.

Here is my Seafoam experience:

http://gold.mylargescale.com/scottychaos/ariens/Page11.html#question4

this is what sold me on the product, and its the reason why I still use it with every gallon of gas for my Snowblower and mowers..It un-stuck a sticky carb float!  I used it at the "regular" concentration, 1oz of seafoam per gallon. (that's a ratio of 128/1)..For cleaning, I might go a 9/1 ratio (90% gas and 10% seafoam) that would be plenty high for me.

Scot


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## mrfixit (Dec 3, 2016)

From the Sea Foam web site.
Sea Foam Sales Company - How to add Sea Foam Motor Treatment to Gasoline, Ethanol, and Diesel Fuels


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## sgtrwt (Dec 21, 2016)

The link to the Sea Foam web site was extremely helpful. It specifically had helpful hints for snowblowers and a short video.


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## mrfixit (Dec 3, 2016)

I have been a long time Sea Foam user.
I remember the cans saying use 1 -2 ounces per gallon of gas. I have always used 1 ounce per gallon for regular maintenance fuel system cleaning and 2 ounces per gallon for problem carb cleaning. If it will start and run with 2 ounces per gallon, most times 10 to 20 minutes of run time will cure it unless the carb needs taken apart.

This is a thread I recently started.
http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/snowblowerforums-lounge/106873-sea-foam-my-2-cents.html


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## a1411832 (Dec 19, 2016)

Isn't Berryman b12 much better than seaform? 
Berryman B12


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## mrfixit (Dec 3, 2016)

Never used Berrymans b12.


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## NJHonda (Feb 8, 2013)

a1411832 said:


> Isn't Berryman b12 much better than seaform?
> Berryman B12


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## mrfixit (Dec 3, 2016)

Thanks
Very interesting.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

a1411832 said:


> Isn't Berryman b12 much better than seaform?
> Berryman B12


Never heard of Berryman before, until now.

when we start to get into a "which is better" debate with these various additives, IMO it quickly becomes a "Ford Vs. Chevy" debate..people often have strong opinions and believe one is clearly "better"..but in reality they are all likely equally good and any differences are probably very minor and meaningless. Pick one, and it will probably be just as good as any other.

Im a Seafoam convert, because it _actually worked_ for me.
that's all I need to know.

Scot


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## Sid (Jan 31, 2014)

A little Seafoam, and let them run dry after each storm, and never had any fuel problems in around 50 years. Never had the head off the 6 HP Tech. I guess even before Seafoam.
Sid


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## toroused (Mar 1, 2015)

I recently had two older snowblowers which had been drained dry last year, but were still experiencing the state of only running at 3/4 full coke. Both were relatively recent Craigslist pick-ups and 
both were older Briggs engines. After putting a heavy dose of Seafoam into the gas tank of each, they both suddenly ran a little better. I then dumped about a 30% SF to gas mixture into each tank, 
let it run for a few minutes to pull it through, and then shut down the engines and let them sit unused for 7 days. Seven days later, not only did they both fire up on first pull, but they both also were 
suddenly running fine after gradually (and finally) turning off the choke. I knew there was gunk in the carbs, and Seafoam solved the problem without having to take the carbs apart. 

There's also another video up on that Seafoam website for cleaning chainsaws. In that tutorial, you spray Seafoam at full strength into the chainsaw carb while the engine is running. You then gun the engine
and blow/burn the Seafoam right off - in a cloud of heat smoke. 

Use as you like - it works......


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## longislandcamper22 (Jan 7, 2017)

So I just got home from work and started the blower for the first time in 25 hours which is also 30 hours since my initial treatment. It started on the second pull but still died at half choke. I started her up again and I ended up breaking the **** pull rope. lol

I was attempting to get out of manual cleaning the carb with the Seafoam addition but now that the rope broke I'll probably just bite the bullet and do the carb while I fix the rope.


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## guilateen02 (Nov 23, 2014)

I use both. From my experience Berryman is like seafoam on steroids. Use caution when using it on carbs with a diaphragm. It can eat it right up.


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## Mike C. (Jan 28, 2016)

I have limited limited experience with Seafoam and none with B-12,but know people who have used B-12.They all warn to be careful with the B-12 because it can/will eat rubber parts of all kinds-probably plastics,too.


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## NJHonda (Feb 8, 2013)

yea B12 ate thru the plastic cup almost instantly


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## 524SWE (Jan 20, 2017)

According to their respective MSDS sheets Seafoam is mostly the solvent Naptha while Berryman is Acetone, Toluene and 2-Butoxyethanol, probably why the Berryman melts plastic.


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## mrfixit (Dec 3, 2016)

^^^^^
Agree. That is why IMO. Safer to use Sea Foam.


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