"Sea Foam" vs. "Lucas UCL"

[serious II]

My '01 LeSabre has 97,000 miles on it and has always run quite well. My driving is 95% highway milage. As with most of you, I want to keep this car for as long as possible and make sure its running at peak efficiency. I have been using Lucas UCL for about 6 months or so. (Its hard to determine effect on milage b/c of "winter blend" gas up here in the perpetually frozen north).

My question is whether I would derive any benefit from using Sea Foam. I have read up a little on it, and must admit that the idea of putting the same product in the crankcase AND gas tank strikes me as a little "weird". (I don't think that the Lucas folks would advise me to pour 1/3 of a bottle of UCL in my crankcase).

Have any of you switched from Lucas to Sea Foam? Has anyone analyzed what the heck its chemical composition is? Is it worth it? What can it do that Lucas UCL can't? Can I / should I use both ? I think that my 3800 is fairly "sluge free" but do not want to start pulling of valve covers to see. ["Sludge Denial Syndrome"] What is the "least invasive" way to check my "sludge factor"?

Valvoline SynPower
Valvoline Syn. Oil Treatment (1 oz. per quart)PureOne Filter
K&N Air Filter
Shell/Mobil 87 Octane gas only

 

[T-Keith]

I don't use either, I use FP60 and love it.

 

[DJ]

There was a recent post on exactly what the Lucas UCL is, worth a read. I think it a decent product but not really worthwhile for most injected vehicles. Seafoam is basically a few solvents some alcohol and a light oil again decent product for some uses as a steady treatment I would say no.
Fuel Power is good as is Neutra neither is as easy to get as Lucas or seafoam. I have used Lucas and Seafoam too Seafoam can be good for a quick decarbon and I have half a gallon of Lucas left I think I will try to use mostly in lawn equipment because my understanding of the above mentioned thread leads me to believe it will benifit carberated engines more than injected.

 

[serious II]

I had read the post re: Lucas UCL's chemical composition . It is isobutylene with suspended lubricants.

As it happens, I dropped by a local auto shop ( the only one that I know of that sells BOTH Sea Foam and Lucas UCL) and posed my question to the owner. He too praised Sea Foam's ability to reduce carbon deposits etc. He also stated that his personal preference was the Lucas. He was vary wary of "mixing" the two. He concluded that there was no reason to treat with Sea Foam if carbon/crud build-up and/or sluggish acceleration are not a problem ( which they are not).

I guess that I'll stick with the status quo for now. Maybe I will dose the old gal with Sea Foam at 150,000 if she starts to lose her ooomph.

 

[99]

I wanted to use Lucas, but it looks a little too much like oil for me so I went with my gut and instead use Chevron Techron cleaner a couple times a year.

 

[TitaniumGT]

Lucas UCL looks like oil because like gasoline, it is a petroleum product.

ive had nothing but good things happen to my cars with Lucas UCL, same with my daily customers in the parts store.