SeaFoam vs Valvoline Restore and Protect

[Chief2025]

It's wildly overpriced for what it actually is.....
I'd never pay that much to use it.

 

[RDY4WAR]

Placebos get excellent reviews all the time.

Seafoam is just pale oil with a splash of alcohol and light naphtha. It has a KV100 of 2.6 cSt. For reference, a 0W-8 engine oil is ~5.5 cSt so you're diluting the viscosity of the oil significantly. It contains no additives thus the additives in the oil are diluted. It has a flash point of ~140°F. The alcohol and light naphtha are supposed to be the solvents but both are largely non-polar solvents, and thus they cannot dissolve organic polar compounds (like sludge). They also boil at temperatures below operating temp so they're evaporated the first time they see high heat around the rings, much less survive there long enough to clean anything. It causes the oil to oxidize rapidly, turning it black and making you think it's doing something. It's a gimmick. The only thing it does well is separate you from your money, and the same goes for most all oil supplements.

 

[Chief2025]

Placebos get excellent reviews all the time.

Seafoam is just pale oil with a splash of alcohol and light naphtha. It has a KV100 of 2.6 cSt. For reference, a 0W-8 engine oil is ~5.5 cSt so you're diluting the viscosity of the oil significantly. It contains no additives thus the additives in the oil are diluted. It has a flash point of ~140°F. The alcohol and light naphtha are supposed to be the solvents but both are largely non-polar solvents, and thus they cannot dissolve organic polar compounds (like sludge). They also boil at temperatures below operating temp so they're evaporated the first time they see high heat around the rings, much less survive there long enough to clean anything. It causes the oil to oxidize rapidly, turning it black and making you think it's doing something. It's a gimmick. The only thing it does well is separate you from your money, and the same goes for most all oil supplements.

Well written.....

 

[Mainia]

For a long time there has been a solution to cleaning your engine and that is SeaFoam. Per the company SeaFoam is 100% safe when used as directed. You dont need specialized Valvoline oil or Mobil Advanced Clean. All you need is a quick visit to Home Depot to grab SeaFoam and a measuring cup.

Im sure the Valvoline Restore and Protect works but Im also sure SeaFoam works as well.

View attachment 314525View attachment 314526View attachment 314527

Seafoam was made and invented in a garage in Hopkins Minnesota. They are still in the Minneapolis area. I have used it many times, but I myself think it so old school as far as chemistry, I no longer use it. 20 years ago I think it has been. There are far far better automotive products that work better and have advanced chemical technology to spend my money on. Comparing Seafoam to any large automotive chemical company..........Seafoam loses everytime in my book. We have far far better products then this now a days, Seafoam is a relic of time past.

 

[Hohn]

Did you quantify the improvement somehow?

Only in the coarsest possible terms. Before seafoan, the engine would hesistate off idle. After, it would not.

I think it was a “lean” bog, much like an older Holley with not enough accelerator pump shot. But I have no idea precisely what the Seafoam was helping.

 

[OilStainedNapkin]

Rumor has it that if you add MMO and stp oil treatment with the seafoam all at once, your engine will reach 1million miles

 

[Hohn]

Placebos get excellent reviews all the time.

Seafoam is just pale oil with a splash of alcohol and light naphtha. It has a KV100 of 2.6 cSt. For reference, a 0W-8 engine oil is ~5.5 cSt so you're diluting the viscosity of the oil significantly. It contains no additives thus the additives in the oil are diluted. It has a flash point of ~140°F. The alcohol and light naphtha are supposed to be the solvents but both are largely non-polar solvents, and thus they cannot dissolve organic polar compounds (like sludge). They also boil at temperatures below operating temp so they're evaporated the first time they see high heat around the rings, much less survive there long enough to clean anything. It causes the oil to oxidize rapidly, turning it black and making you think it's doing something. It's a gimmick. The only thing it does well is separate you from your money, and the same goes for most all oil supplements.

If you want to dissolve sludge you need a highly polar solvent. Like, say, hexanone/MBK. The smell of which was very familiar when I whiffed one of my favorite now-discontinued products.

 

[CleanSump]

Slick50 with Cerflon (PTFE) gets fantastically positive reviews too.

 

[altaylar]

Given Valvoline Restore and Protect costs justs a few bucks over regular oils, I am having a hard time understanding how does adding a solvent additive to an oil really makes sense.

I know some people really do enjoy using additives in their oil. If that is the case, HPL Engine Cleaner or LM Engine Flush would be far better choices

 

[AZjeff]

I did the Seafoam thing once long long ago. Don't remember the vehicle or result but the huge smoke bomb was impressive and worth the price of the can. Everyone should do it once, in an older car maybe.

 

[RDY4WAR]

I did the Seafoam thing once long long ago. Don't remember the vehicle or result but the huge smoke bomb was impressive and worth the price of the can. Everyone should do it once, in an older car maybe.

You can get a gallon of torch fuel from Home Depot for much cheaper per ounce and make the same smoke show with a citronella scent.

 

[OVERKILL]

Another fantastic performance from the Dunning-Kruger theatre guild! Bravo!

 

[Hootbro]

I will stand by Seafoam as a upper intake cleaner all day and twice on Sundays. As an oil additive, no way.