Just the facts, ma’am

I have found many warnings on XJbikes to not run engine under load / high RPM with Seafoam added to the crankcase oil. But I have found no explanations for the warnings. I did not find such warning on the Seafoam website. (Are the many warnings regurgitated hearsay?)
I find it intuitively difficult to believe that a relatively tiny amount (few ounces of Seafoam per 3 quarts of oil) can have much of a detrimental affect to the mix of oil.
Can some people, who really know the answer and can substantiate their claim, explain why?
Don’t try to be a snake oil salesman.

 

I'm curious why you want to run your bike under load with seafoam in your tank.

No one is going to be able to give you the answer that your looking for.

They will tell you that seafoam will reduce the ability of your oil to provide nessecary lubrication to the bearings in your transmission.

Has anyone ruined their engine trying? Not that I've heard.

I do suspect the condition you are trying to address will not be solved by running your engine with seafoam under load.

 

Thanks for the reply Lou627
I never heard of Seafoam till I read on XJbikes.
I want to (am) use Seafoam in crankcase using a simple procedure – add the recommended amount and ride. Then in near future change oil and filter – but only because you can expect is has gotten dirty quick because Seafoam did it’s job. My bike needs oil passages cleaned and Seafoam is something I want to try. I know others have their preferred methods that may not include Seafoam, but my question is to those who do or at least think they can instruct others how.

Just to be clear, my question is regarding adding Seafoam in crankcase oil and associated warnings I read (Not a question on use of Seafoam in gas tank)
The reason I ask is the posts I have found on XJbikes instruct to not load engine, idle only, no high RPMs, change oil as part of the immediate procedure. Yet those same posts do not say what mix of Seafoam to oil they are using. The Seafoam site and can instruct a mix ratio that is a very low amount of Seafoam to oil. Seafoam (website FAQ) states to change oil only when it gets dirty. Seafoam site states nothing regarding loading the engine.

Seafoam site FAQ:
‘The most frequently asked question about using Sea Foam is as follows: “After using Sea Foam in my oil, fuel, or through the vacuum line (to clean carbon from the combustion chamber) do I need to change my oil?” The short answer is: No you don’t have to change your oil after using Sea Foam in any application.’

(There is more to this FAQ on Seafoam site but that makes my point)

 

I think the idea of using the foam in your crank goes like this;

1.)Add a fairly healthy dose to your old oil (Warm the bike up first)
2.)Run the engine for a few minutes (revv her up a bit too) to get the seafoam all throughout the engine.
3.)Change the oil AND filter RIGHT AWAY.

The thing here is that you don't *run* seafoam in your oil for any amount of riding. If anything you should think of it as a crankcase flush, it just gets all the garbage out before you put the new oil and filter in/on.

 

im pretty sure it may make your clutch slip, because in cars n such, their clutch doesnt use the motor oil..

 

mdee,

You stated that "your oil passages need to be cleaned" I'm not sure how you determined that. If the engine is dirty due to lack of proper maintenance your on the right track. Seafoam will clean the interior of your engine. But just remember the junk that dissolves into the oil may not get trapped in the oil filter. I think thats why people here are saying not to ride the bike with seafoam in the oil or put it under load. You would not want to pound any of the loose crud into your bearings. Just my thoughts

MN

 

I don't understand WHY you would want to take the risk of damaging your engine.
Seafoam significantly reduces the lubricating qualities of the oil.
An engine under load has massive amounts of pressure on the bearing surfaces compared to a idling engine.

Not to be a jerk, but how do you know the oil passages need cleaning?
If you say "my oil is black and dirty when I change it">> that is what is SUPPOSED to happen. There are a lot of detergents in motor oil for the specific purpose of cleaning all the carbon and other byproducts of combustion from the moving parts of your engine.
When you change your oil you leave an astouding amount of oil and filth behind to instantly make the new oil look "dirty".

A couple ounces of seafoam in 3 qts of oil doesn't provide a big boost to the cleaning capabilities of the oil.
Doing a more concentrated seafoam treatment accomplishes two functions. It brings the solvent concentrations up to a point where it will disolve any perceived build up. It also thins the oil viscosity to the point that less oil is clinging to all the parts.
IF you really want to affect the perceived cleanliness of your oil, you should run a concentrated seafoam flush (NOT under load), drain the oil, leave the plug out and set the bike on it's side so some of the crevices that retain oil will drain out to the side (leave it there for a while), then put back on center stand and let drain out again, then go to the other side, repeat, then pick the back wheel up 2 feet and let everything in the middle gear section and oil pan drain forward.
Next fill with new oil and a new filter, ride for a day or two, and repeat above proceedure (if you are really concerned about it).
Do that about 6 times and your oil will appear clean for more than 100 miles. Of course you may have put on the equivalent of 20K miles worth of wear in a week but you will have "less dirty" oil.

Personally, I won't put many miles on the first change of oil after a flush treatment before I change it. There are too many places oil gets hung up in an engine that you get a LOT of carry-over between changes.

If you had an oil pressure gauge on your engine you would see what happens when you add solvents to the oil.

 

Thanks for the input(s). I would like to in the words of BP ‘make this right’

I agree that you want to avoid running the engine with dirty oil. Assuming that to be a principle, then one must also assume Seafoam does what it’s intended to do. Seafoam states to change oil when it gets dirty. If it works virtually immediately and there was a lot of dirt dislodged, then bravo to Seafoam. Also Seafoam instructs the amount to use. Mixing more than the manufactures recommended amount could have consequences. Many can take educated guesses as to what those consequences may be but they are guessing outside the designed limits of the product. I mix per the manufacturers recommendations. One possibly easy to imagine consequence of over dosing could be MUCH dirt into oil immediately. Yes, I agree, change the oil immediately under those circumstances. But I did not find revealed in the posts what mix ratio was being used. Yes over dosing will dilute the oil with Seafoam and COULD alter the oils lubrication properties, but I have found No evidence to support that claim. That claim leads to assuming Seafoam is not a lubricant itself. Yet Seafoam is also used (per manufacture) in gas to LUBRICATE upper cylinders. (No, I will not fill my crank case with gas!).

Seafoam possibly causing clutch plates slippage while at the same time reducing lubrication properties (different sources) appears as a contradiction, either it’s slippery or it’s not. I felt Seafoam between my finger’s and it’s not slippery relative to oil.

Yes, to my shame, the oil in my engine was neglected for many years during which I rode little. I left oil in for too long. (Done history, I don’t have my time machine running yet, so I must deal with the here and now).

My main reason for trying Seafoam is an attempt to resolve a many years starter clutch issue. It grinds and fails to turn engine, but ONLY when engine is hot, never when engine is cold. Reading XJbikes I found possible reason could be gunked springs in the s-clutch. I’m hoping Seafoam may help.

My plan (and for now I’m sticky to it) is to take the cautious approach of smaller mix ratio (the manufacturers recommend) and ride. Monitor oil and see what appears and accelerate oil changes accordingly. That seems like a simple logic approach and is also the instructions from the manufacturer of Seafoam.

 

One thing to bear in mind,especially these days, is that Seafoam writers will only be telling you the " good qualities" since they sell the stuff. Search for reviews in other forums as well. You need all you can read by actual users of the product to make an informed decision.

 

Thanks seaguy.
I expect to find limited negatives about the product via manufactures selling points.
That’s why I’m asking for clarification from the XJbikers on the details on how they have used the product and their REAL life experiences.

 

Seafoam is a Petroleum Distillate.
It's a Solvent.

If you are going to use a Solvent to clean the Oil Pressure Galleries of whatever you THINK might be lurking in there, ... you would do better to:

Drain the Oil
Change the Filter.
Put-on a Clean Filter.
Add the Solvent to the Crankcase.
Pull the Plugs.
Turn the engine over with the starter motor.
10 or 12 times in intervals of 10 -to- 15 seconds.
Drain the solvent.
Drain Plug, L & R Oil Gallery Plugs, Oil Filter. ... tilt the bike L & R.
Refill with Light Oil for flush.
Run it easy without exceeding 3,000 rpm's.
Warm is up good.
Shut her down.
Put it and on the good stuff.

 

Mother of a funny story:
Woman was preparing a roast and cut the ends off the meat before putting it in pan.
Her husband asked why she cut off the ends of the meat.
Wife reply’s, because that is how she was taught by her mother.
Wife calls mother and asks same question.
Mother calls her mother for the answer.
Grandmother say’s it’s because the pan she used was too small to fit the meat.