The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop "Seafoam" use for a dormant engine

I've got it on good authority that a product called, "Seafoam", is the best thing in the world to help prime an engine that's been sitting for a while and help it get running.
I'm told by my buddy that he knows two guys that swear by the stuff to use instead of carb cleaner to spray in a carb when first cranking it. The way he tells it, "Seafoam" cleans the carb and will take the place of ether in starting fluid while preventing damage that could be done by varnish caused by old gas in the fuel system.
My friend sites a deuce and a half truck sitting for years, an outboard motor and other engines brought to life using this stuff.
Anybody out there use this stuff too?
What do you think?
I'm considering using this when I fire up the 216 in my '46 that's sat for about three years.
Jacques

I used to own a parts store, had some people swear by the stuff for everything, others walk right past it.

Been wrenching for about 20 year myself, I like to start engines on fresh gas, regardless of how long they've been sitting.

Devin

I've used Sea Foam in a sticky transmission, but never in an engine. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. About 10 years ago I worked for an old school Chevy mechanic. He would use Marvel Mystery Oil in just about everything. Seized motor, noisey power steering, noisey lifters, just to name a few. I don't see any reason why Sea Foam wouldn't do the same.

I always use fresh gas for starting and maybe a detergent and seal softener (I use Dextron) for the oil on an engine that has been sitting for some time. A little starting fluid if I need a coax.

Seafoam is for preventing gasoline from going bad, not for turning bad gasoline into good. Put it in gas tanks in the fall for things that will be sitting over the winter.

Discard your 3 year old fuel and start with new. Old fuel can damage engines in just a few minutes.

I don't agree with cletis, go here to read about Sea Foam... Sea Foam

Sea Foam is a cleaner and fuel stabilizer, but bad gas is still bad gas. Think of it this way, whatever is in that carb is going to be flushed into the engine, the Sea Foam isn't going to stabilize fuel that is already bad, nothing brings that stuff back. Sure, use it to help things along, but no matter what your best friend when dealing with a long-dormant engine is always freash gas.

I am trying to clean up my 216 and get it to work a little better and put some of this in my crank case. I haven't run it a lot but my truck smokes and smells like something is going on. I hope it is just breaking the crud loose and burning it off.

I have had good luck with Seafoam so I expect it will live up to the claims on the can.

I've always used seafoam on engines that i know are going to sit for a while, some in the gas tank, and flood the motor out with it by pouring too much down the carb at a high idle, smokkes like crazy in the spring but never had a motor seize from sitting too long. have done it every winter on my vette since '74, works great......

Go with fresh gas, and if anything, maybe a gan of Marvel in added to the crankcase to free up the lifters.

I've delivered parts for Advance Auto a day or two a week for 3 years. A LOT of shops use it BUT for the most part boat owners use it. I live close to three lakes so lots of boats around. Most guys "fog" their engines with it to sit over the winter like someone above mentioned. It is also good to help clean the carbon and other junk out of and engine when used at regular intervals....its been around a long time like Marvel Mystery Oil which I personally prefer over most other stuff. Add it to gas, add it to you oil!