Author Topic: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "  (Read 30117 times)

Offline C14-Pilot

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 50
  • Riding Pushmountain Road In Arkansas
SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« on: May 18, 2011, 07:53:49 AM »
I apparently bought some bad gas Saturday while out riding.
I didn't notice it immediatley but as I got down to about 1/4 of a tank
the bike starting running bad.

It got to where it was a little hesitant to take the gas and if I held a steady
speed in 4th gear I could feel the engine was not running smoothly as it normally does.

I rode the bike until it was almost empty and filled it back up last night, it held 5.3 gallons.

A couple friends suggested Seafoam so I added some to this new tank of gas last night and
it seems to be running better this morning on the way to work.

Anyone else used Seafoam, it it safe for the engine?

thanks,
C14-Pilot
2008 Kawasaki Concours 1400, 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 900, 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan 750
1980 Yamaha 650 Maxim,1977 Kawasaki KZ 400 Deluxe II,1973 Honda 250 Elsinore

Offline So Cal Joe

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 639
  • Country: us
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2011, 07:58:06 AM »
Lots of people use it periodically to clean the fuel system, it will not hurt anything.

If you are born once you will die twice
If you are born twice you will die once

Offline stevewfl

  • Arena
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4268
  • Country: 00
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2011, 08:02:09 AM »
Seafoam is safe for about any gas engine
“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” St. Augustine

Offline MAN OF BLUES

  • Arena
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2898
  • Country: 00
  • WHISKEY.Tango.Foxtrot.
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2011, 08:59:04 AM »
Seafoam is a fair fuel system cleaner, but it isn't the best for removing water, which is the major factor in "bad gas". you must have realllly gotten a lot for it to mess with the C14, being a pressurized injector fed bike. On the C10 it wreaks havoc in minute amounts, so I suspect you got onces of water in that tankload.

do not mix "multiple snake oils" in the same tank of fuel, the have a tendancy to make fuel very questionable, so when this tank gets low, re-fill with a good fuel (bought from a station on high ground), and add a full bottle of IsoHeet to the tank, and ride at least 100 miles.
IsoHeet is safe for all engines, and will bind water into an emulsion with the fuel, allowing it to be burned with the fuel. it will not work just dumping it in, and letting it sit, you need to burn the combination up, and keep using good fuel. I ALWAYS carry 2 bottles of the stuff when travelling, as questionablre fuel is always there waiting to attack.
Adding a bottle every few months, as a precautionary thing is good also, just remember to do it before going on a long ride, to give it the needed time to work.

46 YEARS OF KAW.....  47 years of DEVO..

Offline Pokey

  • Arena
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2487
  • Country: us
  • WESTERVILLE OHIO 'Twit"
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2011, 09:01:31 AM »
I use it regularly, also am a big fan of Chevron Techron.
2006 DL1000  2006 SV650
08 C14 "gone"

"All we have to do is decide what to do with the time given to us". Gandalf the Grey

Offline stevewfl

  • Arena
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4268
  • Country: 00
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2011, 10:08:14 AM »
I use it regularly, also am a big fan of Chevron Techron.

+1 me too
“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” St. Augustine

Offline CRocker

  • Arena
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 668
  • Country: us
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2011, 10:35:41 AM »
I have found that I use Star Tron more than Seafoam anymore...
'02 C-10

Offline MAN OF BLUES

  • Arena
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2898
  • Country: 00
  • WHISKEY.Tango.Foxtrot.
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2011, 10:41:36 AM »
duely noted that all those work well as a preventiv measure to keep a system "clean" but not to be confused with an "emergency water removal tool", which the O/P wished to accomplish...just saying folks.
Recently my best Techron gas stations closed up....I'm bummed.

46 YEARS OF KAW.....  47 years of DEVO..

Offline stevewfl

  • Arena
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4268
  • Country: 00
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2011, 12:42:15 PM »
duely noted that all those work well as a preventiv measure to keep a system "clean" but not to be confused with an "emergency water removal tool", which the O/P wished to accomplish...just saying folks.
Recently my best Techron gas stations closed up....I'm bummed.

Chevron Techron fuel additive can be purchased about anywhere
“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” St. Augustine

Offline George in N Az

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 15
  • Country: us
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2011, 12:47:31 PM »
The local Checker/OReilly Auto store had a buy one Chevron Techron get one free as of last week (it was in the paper too so it might be national). There were others buy one get one free, I didn't notice if they had Seafoam the same. A good deal though. 
2002 Concours various farkles,
04 Wee Strom - Killer Renthal conversion, Sonic
89 Councours

Offline jimmymac

  • Arena
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1076
  • Country: us
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #10 on: May 18, 2011, 04:34:41 PM »
If you buy a batch of bad fuel, dump it if you can...
You can't make bad gas good.
The grass isn't always greener.

Offline Boonedawg

  • Arena
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 98
  • Country: us
    • Jet Associates East
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #11 on: May 18, 2011, 04:57:21 PM »
another thing to be aware of is when you pull into a service/gas station and the tanker truck is there----GO TO ANOTHER FACILITY!  Regardless of what they tell you large fuel tanks develop condensation, when the fuel from the truck is added it stir/mixes that up and you can EASILY get it into your tank.

I'm a big fan of Startron as well as Stabil Marine.  I use these in all my snowmobiles and duck boats!  I noticed that Amsoil has a product called HotShot out, I haven't used it but heard good things on the ski doo forums.  Another additive is Lucas, they make good stuff.


Offline Rockstar

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 35
  • Country: us
  • Don't call em bikers until you've seen them ride
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #12 on: May 18, 2011, 05:04:27 PM »
If you buy a batch of bad fuel, dump it if you can...
You can't make bad gas good.

+1  There are alot of good products out there but the best thing to do is dump the gas.
GL1800 my 2 up ride ZG1000 my alone time ride
Ninja EX 500 stolen by my son ride
Honda CRF off road ride
Scooter go get the mail ride

Offline C14-Pilot

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 50
  • Riding Pushmountain Road In Arkansas
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #13 on: May 18, 2011, 05:21:35 PM »
Guys,

Thanks for all the feedback.

After refilling the tank with gas and 3 ounces of Seafoam and riding 50+ miles the bike seems to be running
normal again, I'll see what happens when the tank gets low again.
It seems the seafoam did the trick!

later,
C14-Pilot
2008 Kawasaki Concours 1400, 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 900, 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan 750
1980 Yamaha 650 Maxim,1977 Kawasaki KZ 400 Deluxe II,1973 Honda 250 Elsinore

Offline Pokey

  • Arena
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2487
  • Country: us
  • WESTERVILLE OHIO 'Twit"
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #14 on: May 18, 2011, 05:49:13 PM »
I "prefer" to find stations with seperate hoses for each octane, but that aint always available.
2006 DL1000  2006 SV650
08 C14 "gone"

"All we have to do is decide what to do with the time given to us". Gandalf the Grey

Offline Ron Dawg

  • Arena
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 333
  • Country: us
  • a/k/a ron203
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #15 on: May 18, 2011, 06:43:32 PM »
Once back in a previous career when I worked for one of the big oil companies, one of the trucks was steam cleaned and someone failed to drain it. We had dead cars all over Roswell Rd in Atlanta. Did NOT take long since (at that time anyway) the pump lines fed out near the bottom of the tanks and gas floats (water sinks). Oops.. If you get gas with water from a station, you'll know it soon.
2014 C-14 Red

Offline jimmymac

  • Arena
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1076
  • Country: us
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #16 on: May 18, 2011, 07:17:34 PM »
 :o

This Site is kicking me off and not being user friendly. :P

I'll give ya a couple more chances... :-*
The grass isn't always greener.

Offline mikeboileau

  • Arena
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 804
  • Country: us
  • It ain't easy bein cheesy....
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #17 on: May 18, 2011, 07:35:02 PM »
:o

This Site is kicking me off and not being user friendly. :P

I'll give ya a couple more chances... :-*

Huh??

Offline Rockstar

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 35
  • Country: us
  • Don't call em bikers until you've seen them ride
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #18 on: May 18, 2011, 08:45:00 PM »
Are you sure its the site? I have had no issues :o
GL1800 my 2 up ride ZG1000 my alone time ride
Ninja EX 500 stolen by my son ride
Honda CRF off road ride
Scooter go get the mail ride

Offline DocPigskin

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 191
  • Country: 00
  • I'm kind of a big deal
Re: SeaFoam To Treat Bad Gas "Ok For The Engine ? "
« Reply #19 on: May 18, 2011, 08:53:38 PM »
Big Fan of Seafoam.  Have used it for years in bikes, cars, and atv's.   I also like the Lucas products.   Completely fine to use and like many of the other members already stated, using periodically can be found to be beneficial.