Sea Foam
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,842
Likes: 285
From: Palmdale CA
Not sure about the Seafoam. My fiance ran bottles and bottles of Techron through the Blue One (87') for years, with little difference in how it ran. I've gotta ask; have you replaced the stock factory injectors yet in your early C4? If you haven't, you might consider the FIC rebuilt injectors. It was night and day how the 'Blue One' ran after getting a set put in.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,067
Likes: 2,177
From: Schaller Iowa
I buy it by the case for here on the farm....pour it into everything from the diesel engines to the lawn mowers. Never had an issue yet and we've been doing it for years. IIRC there was a thread about this sometime back and one of the answers was one can of seafoam every three tanks of gas. I've also heard Techron is good too.
astepup said that
astepup said that
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,129
Likes: 1
From: Pasadena CA
Bought a can, then never used it. I only put Chevron (with Techron) in the Vette. Remember shoving a bottle of this up the CRX intake back in Blighty. Made lots of white smoke. Not sure if it did anything else. I ragged the **** of that car without mercy.
Any actual perceived improvements in performance?
Any actual perceived improvements in performance?
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 190
From: Custer, WI
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,218
Likes: 2
From: Plainfield IL
Thanks for the great feedback. My '86 has the original injectors. I'm going to add Sea Foam to a tank of gas and see how it works. Techron sounds like a good product, but it's harder to find at retail.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,502
Likes: 3,302
From: Hartford WI
If you have the original injectors they are quite a few years old. Why rely on guesswork? Send it out to FIC to have them tested and cleaned. Why rely on these snake oils or "cleaner in a can"? Sure, they might do no harm but how do you measure the good it does? Huge cloud of smoke? Butt-O-Meter? Try cleaning a room in the dark. Yes, you have a pile of dirt but you don't know how much has been cleaned or how much is left. It isn't that difficult to take the injectors out. I do it every 3 years.
Only thing I use seafoam for is to stabilize the gas if I am storing my lawn equipment
Only thing I use seafoam for is to stabilize the gas if I am storing my lawn equipment
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,218
Likes: 2
From: Plainfield IL
If you have the original injectors they are quite a few years old. Why rely on guesswork? Send it out to FIC to have them tested and cleaned. Why rely on these snake oils or "cleaner in a can"? Sure, they might do no harm but how do you measure the good it does? Huge cloud of smoke? Butt-O-Meter? Try cleaning a room in the dark. Yes, you have a pile of dirt but you don't know how much has been cleaned or how much is left. It isn't that difficult to take the injectors out. I do it every 3 years.
Only thing I use seafoam for is to stabilize the gas if I am storing my lawn equipment
Only thing I use seafoam for is to stabilize the gas if I am storing my lawn equipment
I think my problem is I don't cycle enough fresh gas through the injectors. I only drive about 500 miles a year. If the sun's shining, I ride my Harley.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,502
Likes: 3,302
From: Hartford WI
I had the injectors professionally cleaned about 1.5 years ago. There's nothing wrong with the injectors, so I'm not inclined to remove them.
I think my problem is I don't cycle enough fresh gas through the injectors. I only drive about 500 miles a year. If the sun's shining, I ride my Harley.
I think my problem is I don't cycle enough fresh gas through the injectors. I only drive about 500 miles a year. If the sun's shining, I ride my Harley.
I don't think that is so much an issue as long as you stabilize the fuel if you are not using it for a while.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,179
Likes: 673
From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
I treat my Cherokee DD about twice a year. 1/3 can each in the gas tank, intake stream and crankcase. Engine seems to smooth out some and less lifter clatter for sure.
Not inclined to treat the Vette since she gets plenty of miles and lots of maintenance.
Not inclined to treat the Vette since she gets plenty of miles and lots of maintenance.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,218
Likes: 2
From: Plainfield IL
Pro
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 635
Likes: 1
I've read that putting seafoam in some year corvettes will harm the injectors. I believe it was true on my 93 year corvette for sure. It had something to do with the cleaner ruining o rings or seals in injectors on some year cars.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,502
Likes: 3,302
From: Hartford WI
I doubt it does much more than harm your wallet. Certainly doubt it has ill effects on the injectors
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 182
Likes: 0
From: Bowling Green Ky
[QUOTE=aklim;1578025001]I doubt it does much more than harm your wallet.
this comment from one who changes injectors on a 3 yr schedule? if they are getting that dirty so soon you should locate the root cause, because many original injectors run for over 100K.
I've not yet heard one other Vette owner say that cleaning injectors that often does anything more than give the owner a warm fuzzy, and lightens the wallet a bit. Sounds more sensical to add seafom, as Biker says.
"me new injectors are fine, but you never know unless you take them out and verify."
this comment from one who changes injectors on a 3 yr schedule? if they are getting that dirty so soon you should locate the root cause, because many original injectors run for over 100K.
I've not yet heard one other Vette owner say that cleaning injectors that often does anything more than give the owner a warm fuzzy, and lightens the wallet a bit. Sounds more sensical to add seafom, as Biker says.
"me new injectors are fine, but you never know unless you take them out and verify."