Is seafoam really a good idea?

[Gadgetman]

I have recently had some problems with my chainsaw and my 15 horse 4 stroke Yamaha and both places (different businesses) brought the use of seafoam into question stating that it has alcohol in it and is raising the amt of al cohol in the fuel over an ecceptable amt. I have always been a seafoam guy but am begining to wonder. Anybody else getting the same line? the chainsaw tech told me to dump any gas that was over a month old and mix a new batch, saying that due to the high rev of a chain saw that old gas is a bad thing seafoam or not. I am very confused. what to do what to do wack a du wack a due

[Slyster]

I bought a BRAND new 15hp 2 stroke Johnson motor in 2004 and in just 3 years the carb was totally gummed up and needed an overhaul... with using regular ethanol gas. I KNOW that if I would have added SeaFoam I wouldn't have had to cancel a day of fishing and spend a hundred bucks to clean it out.

And I DID do all the standard maintenance on this motor.

Now I use both SeaFoam and also non-oxy gas. I would bet anyone I won't ever have this carb problem again. Although I am not sure which is more important.. the non-oxy gas or the SeaFoam.. but doing both will be the ticket..

[delcecchi]

The breaking down water part sounds like baloney to me. It may bind to the water, causing it to disperse in the gas and be run through the engine, but breaking down into hydrogen and oxygen? They ought to be ashamed saying that. This is not an opinion as to whether seafoam has beneficial effects.

[Ralph Wiggum]

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...but breaking down into hydrogen and oxygen? They ought to be ashamed saying that.

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Yeah, you'd have to add a ton of energy to break water down into hydrogen and oxygen--not something a bottle of Seafoam could do.

[LaXCarp]

I think its called spontaneous dissociation when alcohol and water mix, the H20 breaks apart and bonds with molecules in the alcohol. I think thats what they mean by "bind"...Atleast I think I learned that in chem

[delcecchi]

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when alcohol and water mix, the H20 breaks apart and bonds with molecules in the alcohol. I think thats what they mean by "bind"...Atleast I think I learned that in chem

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Oh my, I hope you didn't learn that in chemistry because it is not true. Metallic sodium will rip apart the water molecules and form sodium hydroxide and hydrogen. But if alcohol did that you would notice some commotion. And a shot of whiskey would be even more dangerous than it is...