# Did Sea Foam shock treatment, water turned to sludge???



## Incahiker (Mar 2, 2011)

I decided to do a deep creep treatment for my 4hp mercury. The motor is in a water bucket in the drive way so it will suck up the water (doesn't have muffs). I started to spray deep creep directly in the carborator and the thickest smoke I have ever seen came out, I did this for a while then sprayed it into the carb until the motor died. I fired her back up after 10 minutes and about choked to death :shock: , lol.... : Anyhow, after the treatment I noticed that the water of bucket had turned to sludge.. is this a bad sign? The water had never turned to sludge before running in the bucket. I thought that the lower gear unit had a leaky gasket, but I smelled the sludge and it smelled like 2 stroke fuel. 

So.... do you think that was just the crap coming out of the motor and going out the exhaust,or do I have a bigger problem? My motor sure did idle a hell of a lot stronger after the treatment, but I could not put it in gear because it was in a bucket, but I will find out this weekend if it is any better.


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## reedjj (Mar 2, 2011)

Its probably just crap that was in the carb, cylinder head, and exhaust pipe getting cleaned out.

Did you change the water in the bucket and start it again to rinse that stuff out of your motor? I would be more worried about sucking that stuff into my impeller and through the cooling system than anything else.

If your running better it must be ok...right??? I hope!


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## bulldog (Mar 2, 2011)

Change the water first and see if it turns out the same sludge or is a little thinner sludge. You might just be working a whole lot of old gunk out of your motor. Second, don't be worried to put your motor in gear as long as you have a hose in there to replace the displaced water and make sure the prop does not hit the bucket. Best bet is to get a junk 55 gallon drum and cut it off so you can put your motor in it. It holds a lot more h2o than a small bucket.


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## Incahiker (Mar 2, 2011)

Thanks,

I never really looked at the bucket until after I was done with the treatment and noticed that it was just a big, thick, greasy layer of crap on the water. Hope it didn't mess anything up. There was a ton more water then there was the sludge, the sludge was just floating on top. I will go to the lake and then spray some more deep creep in while I am on the water under load, then I should really be able to gun the throttle and knock the crap out of it for good.

So that sludge is what was in my motor? Was that stuff actually in the cylinder and around the piston? If it was I really can't believe there was so much of it in there, it was nasty. Hopefully that was all my motor needed. I put some more deep creep in the carb until it killed the motor again and this time I just left it to sit until I take the boat out on Saturday, hopefully saturating it some more. The motor was more responsive though. I hope the sea foam works its magic, cause I have already cleaned and soaked the carb twice until the think looked brand spanking new.


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## PartsMan (Mar 2, 2011)

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the crud came from the exhaust.


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## cajuncook1 (Mar 3, 2011)

Incahiker said:


> I decided to do a deep creep treatment for my 4hp mercury. The motor is in a water bucket in the drive way so it will suck up the water (doesn't have muffs). I started to spray deep creep directly in the carborator and the thickest smoke I have ever seen came out, I did this for a while then sprayed it into the carb until the motor died. I fired her back up after 10 minutes and about choked to death :shock: , lol.... : Anyhow, after the treatment I noticed that the water of bucket had turned to sludge.. is this a bad sign? The water had never turned to sludge before running in the bucket. I thought that the lower gear unit had a leaky gasket, but I smelled the sludge and it smelled like 2 stroke fuel.
> 
> So.... do you think that was just the crap coming out of the motor and going out the exhaust,or do I have a bigger problem? My motor sure did idle a hell of a lot stronger after the treatment, but I could not put it in gear because it was in a bucket, but I will find out this weekend if it is any better.




The Seafoam did exactly what it was suppose to do. =D> It helped breakdown all the old carbon and coke that has built up around the piston rings and in the cylinders. That dark and thick smoke and the old slug in the water is remains of the old coke/carbon from your engine. Yes....it is going to smoke like a house on fire...lol *No, you did not harm your motor.
*

This a quote from an experience mechanic from another forum regarding seafoam and decarboning an outboard motor.



> Decarb, take a can of seafoam put 3/4 of it in the gas tank, with only 1 gallon of premixed gas. put the rest in a spray bottle. start the engine, and let it come up to temperature. then remove plugs, and them some real good shot of seafoam into the cylinders, replace plugs, let sit 15 minutes. restart, and spray the rest of the seafoam into the carbs, so the the motor almost stalls, wait and repeat until the seafoam is gone.then take for a wide open spin. then put in new plugs, ad premixed gas to the tank, and take it for a wide open throttle spin. it is going to smoke like a house on fire, during this process.
> 
> Take it out for the wide open spin while using the one gallon with sea foam?" yes, burn the fuel use the rest in the tank, then fresh fuel/oil/ and new seafoam mixed according to maintainance schedule on the can. it will keep a clean engine clean. Also change the spark plugs, the decarb will ruin the old plugs.




The author is speaking of doing this at the lake, pond, bayou, or where ever so you can effectively run the motor. Seafoam does a great job of decarbing.

Good luck!!


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## Jim (Mar 3, 2011)

wow! I would of liked to have seen this.

Thanks for the report.


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## Bobg (Mar 3, 2011)

I used to use an Amsoil product to decarbon my engines. Seafoam is also one of the better products. Most major engine Mfgr's have one with their brand on it.

The carbon build up in todays engines is a lot harder than it used to be, due to the makeup of the gasoline. Almost like ceramic. I tried to get a 9.9 Merc running that had a serious fuel problem, I thought. Turns out the Merc was used mostly to troll for stripers on Boone Lake in Tn. I went as far as putting on a new carb. Finally called Merc and they told me to remove the power head and physically clean out the exhaust tuner.

When I removed the power head, the exhaust hole was about as big as my little finger and it should've been as big as a .50 piece. It took a hammer and chisel to open it up. Put it back together with the old carb, and it ran like a dream.

Point is, decarboning does more than free rings. If an engine can't breathe, ( Intake/Exhaust) it can't run right.. Here's another example. In your yard equipment with little two stroke engines, they now have a spark suppressor screen in the muffler. On most now, you can take the muffler apart. When that piece of yard equipment quits running good, take the muffler apart and clean out that screen and it usually runs like a new one.


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## jbakerinc (Mar 3, 2011)

I keep my engine sea foamed all the time. love the stuff. works good in my truck too.


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## Incahiker (Mar 3, 2011)

Bobg said:


> Point is, decarboning does more than free rings. If an engine can't breathe, ( Intake/Exhaust) it can't run right.. Here's another example. In your yard equipment with little two stroke engines, they now have a spark suppressor screen in the muffler. On most now, you can take the muffler apart. When that piece of yard equipment quits running good, take the muffler apart and clean out that screen and it usually runs like a new one.



Mine seemed like it was having trouble breathing, and I never thought about the exhaust... it would go about mid throttle and bog... never even crossed my mind it could have been the exhaust was junked up. I took out the carb and cleaned it twice letting it soak over night 2 times and checked all hoses, fuel tank, etc... for cracks or holes. 

I did mine at night so that the neighbors wouldn't be able to see what was going on, but lets just say that the smoke dimmed the street lights.... lol. Thought that the police or fire deparment would be showing up in the neighborhood at any moment.


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## RBuffordTJ (Mar 3, 2011)

Yep, the spray did its job, cleaned out the crap. It will probably run a little better, you have already seen an idle improvement. Its good to clean them out.

A good regular treatment is from Yamaha and its called Ring Free. You can use it as a shock treatment to do what you just did with the spray, or you can use it as a fuel additive to keep deposits cleaned out. Works great in cars too! 

No, I don't work for Yamaha...just love a good working product.

Bufford


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## ohiobass (Mar 3, 2011)

cajuncook1 said:


> This a quote from an experience mechanic from another forum regarding seafoam and decarboning an outboard motor.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've done this with several outboards with Great success! 8)


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## PartsMan (Mar 3, 2011)

cajuncook1 said:


> The author is speaking of doing this at the lake, pond, bayou, or where ever so you can effectively run the motor. Seafoam does a great job of decarbing.
> 
> Good luck!!



It would be better if he didn't. No need to put that crud directly in the lake.


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## Butthead (Mar 4, 2011)

PartsMan said:


> cajuncook1 said:
> 
> 
> > The author is speaking of doing this at the lake, pond, bayou, or where ever so you can effectively run the motor. Seafoam does a great job of decarbing.
> ...



That's exactly what I was thinking...


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## Bobg (Mar 4, 2011)

Now you all know why the EPA has restricted the building of 2 stroke engines. They always have been since the 20's, an extremely polluting inefficient engine.

Homelite, the same folks that make your yard equipment, built 4 stroke OB engines in the mid 50's.

It is the recommended procedure to take them to the water and finish blowing them out. I do most at home on the hose before blowing all that crap in the water.


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## Decatur (Mar 4, 2011)

PartsMan said:


> cajuncook1 said:
> 
> 
> > The author is speaking of doing this at the lake, pond, bayou, or where ever so you can effectively run the motor. Seafoam does a great job of decarbing.
> ...




+1!


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## Bobg (Mar 5, 2011)

Bobg said:


> Now you all know why the EPA has restricted the building of 2 stroke engines. They always have been since the 20's, an extremely polluting inefficient engine.
> 
> Homelite, the same folks that make your yard equipment, built 4 stroke OB engines in the mid 50's.
> 
> It is the recommended procedure to take them to the water and finish blowing them out. I do most at home on the hose before blowing all that crap in the water.



Let me rephrase that. I blow most, if not all, of that crud out at home. I never liked that recommended procedure either.


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## redbug (Mar 5, 2011)

I also run ring free in my Yamaha every tank of gas i get. it does a good job keeping the gunk out of the motor.
keep the sluge out of the lake


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## cajuncook1 (Mar 7, 2011)

> The author is speaking of doing this at the lake, pond, bayou, or where ever so you can effectively run the motor. Seafoam does a great job of decarbing.
> 
> Good luck!!



The reason the author suggested doing this out at the lake is for a couple of reasons.

- Main reason, is allowing you motor to run at WOT (wide open throttle) is not option in a barrel or ear muffs unless want to ruin your engine from over revving. (Not everyone has a professional test tank for outboards)

- The smoke that is produces by the Seafoam dissolving and burning off carbon could get you fined in most urban neighborhoods.


The *carbon/coke *deposits that are remained in the cylinders, cylinder heads, rings and exhaust area are remains of burned up fuel/oil. Both are hydrocarbons. The petroleum part has used/burned away. So, all that remains is harden carbon(not harmful to the enviroment). Carbon is found in all living things! Very similar if you were to take a bunch of logs and burn them down to ash (carbon, phosphorus, calcium, nitrogen, and etc) all of which are found in the soil naturally and bottom of lakes.

The Seafoam's blends of oils mix with the harden carbon/coke to dissolve it and remove it out and return proper functioning of the rings, unclog exhaust ports and allow to engine to run more efficiently and cooler.



If you perform your decarboning at home and perform the initial *"blow out"* at home or in the barrel. Where does that contaminated water go to? (Ditch, sewer system, or down the road) The ditches drain back into the reservoirs or other bodies of water. The sewer systems drain hopefully into a proper sewer management system and is treated and water is later returned to reservoirs and drinking supply. The sewers systems treatment does not include removal of hydrocarbons/fuels. It is intended to significantly reduce harmful bacteria from entering the water system used for drinking.

So, unless your filtering and cleaning the water you use in the barrel or by using the ear muffs and disposing the slug mixture properly at a bio-hazard site, then you have done no more that the individual at the lake. (And if you are doing that then I highly commend you on your efforts for keeping the environment cleaner!!) 

The author (not me) that originally wrote that suggestion about the Seafoam and guidance how to effectively decarb at motor is an advocate of a clean environment. He often encourages use of synthetic blends of outboard 2 cycle oils because they are biodegradable.


The real contributors of pollution to our water systems is under regulated or non regulated industry dumping their waste products in the water system, so they do not have to absorb the cost of properly treating the contaminated water. Also the poorly supervised and poorly regulated use of some types of herbicides and pesticides that drain into the water systems from fields and irrigation systems.

*The use of the 2 cycle outboard motors by boaters and contaminates are extremely minor impact to the envirnoment. It is the lobbyist of large corporations that spread that seed of deceit to get the public off their backs!!! *


My comments were not intended to offended anyone personally, but I thought I would a offer a different perspective. 

Happy Boating!!!!


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## cajuncook1 (Mar 7, 2011)

Actually the proper way of decarboning a motor, is to take it apart. Includes the exhaust system, the head, pistons and rings and do a manual cleaning. :shock: Quite a lot work and money.


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## perchin (Mar 7, 2011)

cajuncook1... =D> =D> =D> 

Thank you for posting that.


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## Butthead (Mar 7, 2011)

No offense taken.  


cajuncook1 said:


> The real contributors of pollution to our water systems is under regulated or non regulated industry dumping their waste products in the water system, so they do not have to absorb the cost of properly treating the contaminated water. Also the poorly supervised and poorly regulated use of some types of herbicides and pesticides that drain into the water systems from fields and irrigation systems.


I highly agree with this! Agricultural runoff is a huge problem on the Chesapeake, especially with all the huge chicken farms on the eastern shore. 



cajuncook1 said:


> *The use of the 2 cycle outboard motors by boaters and contaminates are extremely minor impact to the envirnoment. It is the lobbyist of large corporations that spread that seed of deceit to get the public off their backs!!! *


4 strokes are still cleaner than 2 , But the newer ones are pretty decent. I'm pretty impressed with the Mercury Optimax motors.



cajuncook1 said:


> - The smoke that is produces by the Seafoam dissolving and burning off carbon could get you fined in most urban neighborhoods.


 I've never heard of this. What cities outside of CA and NYC does this apply to?


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## Ictalurus (Mar 7, 2011)

cajuncook1 said:


> The real contributors of pollution to our water systems is under regulated or non regulated industry dumping their waste products in the water system, so they do not have to absorb the cost of properly treating the contaminated water. Also the poorly supervised and poorly regulated use of some types of herbicides and pesticides that drain into the water systems from fields and irrigation systems.



X2. The use AND manufacturing of herbicides and pesticides are very detrimental to our ecosystem.


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## MtDewMadMan (Mar 27, 2011)

Cajuncook1.......
Hammer + nail head
You hit it right on the money 

+10 IMHO


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