How to use Sea Foam in my 73 with SU carbs

[240 ZeffR]

What is the best way to add Seam Foam to my stock dual SU carbs?

[Mat M]

OK, at the risk of sounding like an arse, through the fuel tank. Have you searched? I got 19 threads searching the term "+sea +foam".

Follow the directions on the can. I used 1/3 in the tank, 1/3 in the block, and the rest sucked through a vacuum line connected to the balance tube while holding the throttle at elevated RPMs.

Edited January 4, 2010 by Mat M

[240 ZeffR]

I did the same search. However, I don't know enough about engines to understand where the vacuum line is located.

I thought I would post again and hope to get more info.

Problems have been resolved:

1. Removed air filters off SU carbs.

2. Very slowly funneled 5 oz of sea foam into each carb alternating every few seconds. The engine would rev up and white smoke would billow out the exhaust pipe. If I put the Sea Foam into the carb, closer to the firewall, too fast, it would stall.

3. As I closed the choke the engine stalled.

4. I put 5 oz in with the oil. I started the car but there was no audible difference, just more smoke.

5. I put the rest of the sea foam in the gas tank.

6. I pulled it out of the driveway and it was still running rough.

7. I pumped the gas and got the rpms up until the exhaust let out a big pop. The car then idled great.

8. I pulled out onto the highway and it smoked for a mile and then it was pretty much back to normal. Problems solved.

[Langford Chuck]

there is a bit of a debate about changing the oil after a sea foam experience. my own view is that it can't hurt to have clean oil so i would recommend it. The carbon and other residues freed up by the sea foam have to go somewhere: in the oil is where it goes.

[240 ZeffR]

I agree that I should get an oil change. I have read to wait 100 miles.

The question is how long does it take for the seafoam to complete its cleaning? 0,1, 10, 100, 1000 miles?

[sblake01]

I agree that I should get an oil change. I have read to wait 100 miles.

The question is how long does it take for the seafoam to complete its cleaning? 0,1, 10, 100, 1000 miles?

Good question. When I do a fuel injector cleaning (pressurized cannister w/injector cleaner through the fuel rail), I change the oil and filter and fuel filter immediately afterwards. Are there any benefits to waiting?

[azuka]

My 77 runs rough. The car had set for 10 years and the well-meaning hacks that did much of the work decided not to drain the old gas as I had requested since they took a 'whiff' and since it smelled like gas, decided it was still 'good.' So now it runs rough and idles poorly. They DID finally drain the old gas, replace the fuel filter and so on, but by then too much of the old stuff had gone through.

Wanting to clean the injectors in the easiest way possible, I filled the car with fresh gas and added a can of seafoam to that tank. Shortly after that, the car developed clutch trouble, and so was taken out of commission for a few days. Shortly after that developed a couple different brake problems and the garage working on that had trouble getting the right parts..... delaying things another couple of weeks. Since then, the car runs pretty rough. The gas to which I added seafoam is still in the tank and in theory should be running through doing it's job cleaning the injectors. But i'm wondering if the seafoam is still doing anything or not, now that so much time has passed, 4 - 6 weeks since I added it to the gas.

Should I run another can through the gas tank with a refill, or do something more labor intensive and/or exotic? Am also thinking perhaps I should replace the fuel filter again, just in case some of the old crap from the tank has fouled it somewhat.

Thoughts?

Edited May 17, 2012 by azuka

[black gold man]

Old school decarbon was to use water .

I did it to my 78 it liked it.

I took a garden sprayer with fine mist and put a half gallon through the brake vac.

Edited May 17, 2012 by black gold man

[Gary in NJ]

Old school decarbon was to use water .

I did it to my 78 it liked it.

I took a garden sprayer with fine mist and put a half gallon through the brake vac.

Water is a non-compressible fluid. You run the risk of hydro-lock if too much water is used. The end result would be bent con-rods.

[LeonV]

Water is a non-compressible fluid. You run the risk of hydro-lock if too much water is used. The end result would be bent con-rods.

Ok, maybe if you stick a garden hose into your intake. Water evaporates and water vapor is compressible. This is essentially water injection, except instead of cooling your intake charge it essentially steam-cleans your combustion chamber. Nothing wrong with misting some water into your intake, just don't pour it in.

[black gold man]

I tell you the car loved it. This has been used for 100 years,