Driving again but--

[TTFarm]

My May job was rejuvenating the gas tank and TT was out of commission for a few weeks. Got it back together and my wife suggested a drive which am always happy to oblige. We had been working hard at cleaning up our grove. TT started off normal then after a few hundred yards the engine stopped like it was turned off. It started again but was running very rough with misfiring, and low power. I wasnt sure we'd get back to the shed without a pull but we did. I was thinking first plugged fuel line, or what does vapor lock act like, or poor flow in the carb. So I blew out the fuel line, rechecked the route of the fuel line past the exhaust, drained the sediment bulb and tried again. First hundred yards at slow speed were fine then misfiring and low power once again. About ready to look at the Kingston carburetor when I tried some Seafoam in the tank. Whatever was the TT's ailment, the seafoam was the solution. It probably took about as long for it to begin running smooth as it would take to get treated gas to the carb. So asking is this a bad gas issue or still doesn't hurt to look over the Kingston. It is on my list of things for the summer, but sometimes I look at if it isn't broke don't fix it. Other things need doing first. I guess I will try gas from a different place next time round. The first gas of the season was from a different place and the gas after the tank redo was from a second place, maybe one to avoid. I only ever run no ethanol unleaded but first time this kind of rough running.

[A Whiteman]

Hmm, possibly 'gunge' in then gas blocking the carb up a bit until it cleared?
Sounds like that given the air out and the 'seafoam' (not sure what that is but guess it is a fuel additive for cleaning?)

[A Whiteman]

OK, I was curious so did some 'looking' and found these comments on seafoam - so I guess if it worked for you, then it worked :

I assume you mean "Sea Foam Motor Treatment".

To answer adequately, let's examine exactly what its claims are.:

Sea Foam Motor Treatment will help:

Clean Injectors
Clean Carb Jets
Clean Deposits
Control Moisture in Fuel Systems
Add Lubricity and Protection to Fuel
Anti-corrosive
Lube Upper Cylinders
Quiet Noisy Lifters
Stabilize Fuels for up to 2 Years
Clean Passageways
Liquefy Gum and Varnish
De-Ice and Anti-Gel
Clean Intake Valves
Clean Pistons

The key word here is "help". They never say that it will do any of those things, only that it will help do those things (provided, one must assume, that those things need doing). If none of these things need doing because they're already done by other chemicals (gasoline ingredients, etc), then of course neither Sea Foam nor anything else will have anything to do.

So let's cluster their claims.

They say Sea Foam Motor Treament will help clean injectors, carburetor jets, "deposits" (???), passageways, intake valves, and pistons. Oh, and liquify gum and varnish.

Yep, most gasoline contains ingredients that do all those same things. Really stubborn cases almost always clear up nicely with dollar-a-jug any-brand "carburetor and fuel injector cleaner", which is just a slightly more aggressive solvent than is ordinarly contained in gasoline.

They say Sea Foam Motor Treament will help control moisture in fuel systems, add lubricity and protection to fuel, "anti-corrosive" (which is one oddball adjective in a list of verbs), lube upper cylinders, quiet noisy lifters, stabilize fuels for up to 2 years, and de-ice & anti-gel.

Ok, so... if your gasoline contains any methanol or ethanol (most gasoline does, these days, except "winter gas" in some northern states), then it already controls moisture to fuel systems, de-ices, and prevents gelling (which isn't something that happens to gasoline anyway - it happens to diesel if it's not chosen appropriately). If you're getting more moisture and icing than the already-contained alcohols can handle, you can always add dollar-a-jug "gas line antifreeze" to do the job.

Upper cylinders can be lubed, if necessary (probably not, since most of today's engines can outlast the car's electronics), by adding a small amount of really cheap motor oil (or any other kind of oil) to the gas tank with every fillup. Noisy lifters (if not catastrophically collapsed, which requires replacement, but only sticky) can be cured by adding a small amount of inexpensive Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) to the motor oil in the crankcase. If your lifters happen to be sticky and noisy. That's not common, in reality.

The one remaining claim is that of helping to stabilize fuels for up to 2 years. That one is handled by today's airtight fuel systems, or by airtight sealed gas cans. For the most stubborn, one can also easily add two ounces of a very common inexpensive brand-name gasoline stabilizer. I'm told that quite ordinary VM&P naphtha (from the paint department at the local hardware store) will also do that job, but I haven't personally tested it in a non-airtight sealed gas can.

So... yep, Sea Foam Motor Treatment appears to live up to its claim of helping with a number of things that you probably don't actually need help with.

Do other - simpler - things do the same job(s)? Yes, they do.

[Charlie B in N.J.]

Thank You Mr. Whiteman for a very conscise posting about the snake oil referred to as sea foam. This stuff is garbage. The only thing it cleans out is that piece of dead cow in your rear pocket But folks will defend spending their hard earned $ simply because they spent it. Not one single solitary iota of evidence exists to back up even one claim made by the manufacturer. Use this junk in anything that's still under warranty and have the manufacturer of the equipment find out and your warranty is history. I've taken classes from almost all the small engine manufacturers, ( Toro, Briggs, Husqvarna, Kohler & others) and EVERY SINGLE ONE will void a warranty if this swill (and a few others) is used. It is Impossible for it or any other additive to preserve fuel of any kind for 2 years. Not happening. But as I said you'll never convince someone that's spent their $ and has to defend that purchase. Want it to start after a year or 2 or 3? Drain it and run it until it quits. That is the only sure fire (and least expensive) answer.

[Scott_Conger]

James

WOW...only 8 posts and our experts have branded you as a l**r and a rube. This is probably a new record for this forum.

Myself, I've never used the stuff, have never taken classes in small engine repair, nor was I with you when you suffered trouble and eventually cleared it up to evaluate what was going on and what the cure might or should be. Good for you on getting that cool truck back into operation, one way or another.

Let me be the one to offer you a warm "welcome" and hope you continue to post...particularly more pictures, as I know I'm interested and a few others are, too.

[Charlie B in N.J.]

Lets keep in mind you brought up l**r and rube no one else.

[Wayfarer]

since I've just been going through a misfire diagnosis and repair issue myself - I feel your pain. I wish I had gotten as lucky with the Seafoam.

best of luck with figuring out the issue and preventing its return in the future

[TTFarm]

My wife and I did get our drive in through our grove, she drove, said it was fun.

[A Whiteman]

To be clear, I have never heard about this product before and as I said:

…. if it worked for you, then it worked

James, enjoy the TT, they might be slow but I like mine. My wife quite likes being warm and out of the wind in the cab compared to driving in an open car - and when it rains you stay dry too

[OilyBill]

I am a Jaguar guy as well as a "T" guy (I got a "T" because I needed at least one car that would run dependably, and it's NOT the jag)
Anywho.
They had a considerable discussion on gasoline, and the general consensus was be careful where you buy it, and stick to stations that are busy, because you can get older gas, and it will make your car miserable. I assume this applies to Model T's as well as to Jags.

[Roz]

This guy on YouTube is running a test of gasoline and several additives for a year. He starts and runs 10 different small engines to see what is happening to the fuel. Keep in mind he is part comedian, but he does have some good videos. The original post concerned SeaFoam, and one of the additives he is testing is SeaFoam. So far it is performing well. I will watch each month to see what happens.

Here is the link: https://youtu.be/JwxR4qlWTt0