Seafoam and the Spider

mctaco · Post by **mctaco** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 2:22 pm

I am picking up my first 1975 Spider 1800 tonight, and I'm making a to-do list of general maintenance. Many people have praised using Seafoam in high mileage cars to clear the crud out of the engine, and I'm thinking that it might be a good idea to Seafoam my Spider.

Does anyone have any tips/advice/warnings about Seafoaming these cars?

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 3:25 pm

I'd be careful about desludging and engine. If there is sludge in yours, you can plug the oil screen once you loosen that stuff. I'm not familiar with Seafoam, just what is it?

mctaco · Post by **mctaco** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 4:14 pm

http://www.seafoamsales.com/motorTuneUpTech.htm

Here's a good video about it: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... &q=seafoam

People seem to swear by this stuff for cleaning up old, high mileage engines.

Jim DeShon · Post by **Jim DeShon** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 4:43 pm

I'm not familiar with this stuff either. I've used ATF a few times by adding it (no more than 1/2qt.) a few hundred miles before an oil change. You have to be careful with anything like this. You not only can dilute the viscosity of the oil but as Mark said, you can plug things up

...J.D.

P.S. Be sure to change the oil filter when you are done.

racydave · Post by **racydave** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:24 pm

I think that is to radical of a approach to clean up, all that junk will end up somewhere. Ive done the trans fluid thing before, it is a good thing. Once you get into it, you probably will find pleanty of other items that need attention. There have been many previous threads to new owners. You might consider a service manual along with your first parts order. and the top replacment is complecated, ck pervious posts. good luck

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:33 pm

I swear by the stuff on my old motorcycles. Worked wonders on my old Triumph and Honda bikes...it's amazing stuff. I'll stop short of calling it a mechanic in a can, but it's darn close...!

You can use it in the crankcase as well as in your gas tank.

All that being said, I am not sure HOW it does what it does...I don't know if it dissolves the gunk, or if it literally breaks it apart, and you end up with chunks of gunk travelling around. I've never heard of anyone having problems with it, however.

nickfury · Post by **nickfury** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:04 pm

if you do try it on your spider please report back on your findings it almost seems to good to be true

Jim DeShon · Post by **Jim DeShon** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:28 pm

Someone once said, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". 45 years of working on cars and other mechanical equipment has made me very leery of any "snake oil" that will do miracles right out of the can

J.D.

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:56 pm

Jim DeShon wrote:Someone once said, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". 45 years of working on cars and other mechanical equipment has made me very leery of any "snake oil" that will do miracles right out of the can J.D.

Me too...but it works.

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 12:49 am

if it disolves sludge, then the oil will be completely contaminated. If it breaks it up and loosens it, then you stand the chance of blocking the oil screen. I may be old fashioned, but I believe if the engine is that sludged up, you need to take the oil pan off and clean it. Cleaning varnish is another story, but sludge build up is usually caused by neglect which also means worn parts, not merely dirty

HOLLYWOODSPIDER · Post by **HOLLYWOODSPIDER** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 9:19 pm

I used it in the spider I just bought. I poured a whole can in the gas before I even started it. The guy said it had been sitting for 5 years and would start with starting fluid, but wouldn't idle or stay running if you let off the gas.
For the carb/fuel system treatment, you pour a whole can into a half a tank of gas. Run the engine until you're sure that the SeaFoam has made it up to the fuel system and into the engine, about 15 minutes. Then you let it sit overnight and that's when it does it's work. It softens varnish and gummy deposits in your fuel/intake system. When you start the engine the next morning, it burns off all of the gunk and it smells terrible. A little fishy. I usually run it another 15 minutes, then shut it off and let it sit all day again. I'll do it in cycles (running then sitting for 8+ hours) until the exhaust doesn't stink when I start it. The car runs fine now. Idles and everything.

I've never used it in the crankcase. Scared of what it would loosen into the oilstream.

Jim DeShon · Post by **Jim DeShon** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:08 pm

And what does this do to your catalitic converter ?

I thought they were talking about putting this in the oil

I think I'll pass on this stuff. ...J.D

HOLLYWOODSPIDER · Post by **HOLLYWOODSPIDER** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 10:22 pm

It hasn't done anything to my catalytic converter. Also, I know that we were talking about using it as an oil treatment, but others seemed unaware of its uses, so I was explaining other ways I have used the product. Just offering additional information.