Topic: Seafoam = better mileage?

[evanphi]

Why does my bike get better mileage when I have seafoam in the gas?

No seafoam: 22MPG.
Seafoam: 26MPG.

I know these results aren't great regardless, but I always get better mileage when on a tank of seafoam. I am commuting to work in traffic, mostly, and running below 6K RPM most often. Should I just keep the revs up more? I haven't checked for fouled plugs.

[flybox1]

check for fouled plugs. do your tuneup.
in spirited riding i still average 38mpg...

[mjstone]

Why does my bike get better mileage when I have seafoam in the gas?

No seafoam: 22MPG.
Seafoam: 26MPG.

I know these results aren't great regardless, but I always get better mileage when on a tank of seafoam. I am commuting to work in traffic, mostly, and running below 6K RPM most often. Should I just keep the revs up more? I haven't checked for fouled plugs.

And I thought that I got crappy gas mileage at 35-42 mpg.

MJ

[Schnell]

38/39 mpg here

[cheftuskey121]

I get 36-39 around town and to work and back everyday. long highway trips I get 40-46. thats just E10 gas, nothing else added

[nccb]

I guess you better tune ol' Rhonda the Honda up

[onetruepunk87]

I get about 30mpg in basically all stop and go traffic to and from work. I've done 1 trip that was almost solely highway and I got 45mpg then. I just filled up and put a little Seafoam in that I had, I'll let you know if it makes a difference.

[tlbranth]

Why does my bike get better mileage when I have seafoam in the gas?

No seafoam: 22MPG.
Seafoam: 26MPG.

I know these results aren't great regardless, but I always get better mileage when on a tank of seafoam. I am commuting to work in traffic, mostly, and running below 6K RPM most often. Should I just keep the revs up more? I haven't checked for fouled plugs.

Pure imagination would be my guess. But with the mileage you're getting you have serious tuning or mechanical problems anyway. I routinely get 40-49 mpg on my 1970 CB750.

[MiGhost]

Why does my bike get better mileage when I have seafoam in the gas?

No seafoam: 22MPG.
Seafoam: 26MPG.

I know these results aren't great regardless, but I always get better mileage when on a tank of seafoam. I am commuting to work in traffic, mostly, and running below 6K RPM most often. Should I just keep the revs up more? I haven't checked for fouled plugs.

Any increase in fuel mileage when using seafoam would be due to the seafoam cleaning contaminants out of the carb passages, and fuel system. This allows the carbs, and engine to function properly reducing the amount of throttle required. A 1/16th, or 1/32nd change in throttle position will affect fuel mileage.

That said. You have some serious issues with the mileage that you are getting. Try running 1 gear down from your normal riding to keep the rpms up a bit higher. Use 4th instead of 5th etc... The sohc4 really was designed for higher rpm use. This will also help the charging system function better.

[seanbarney41]

Why does my bike get better mileage when I have seafoam in the gas?

No seafoam: 22MPG.
Seafoam: 26MPG.

I know these results aren't great regardless, but I always get better mileage when on a tank of seafoam. I am commuting to work in traffic, mostly, and running below 6K RPM most often. Should I just keep the revs up more? I haven't checked for fouled plugs.

Pure imagination would be my guess. But with the mileage you're getting you have serious tuning or mechanical problems anyway. I routinely get 40-49 mpg on my 1970 CB750.

+1, my cb750 gets better mileage than that while dumping gas out of the overflows, averages around 45mpg when not dumping gas, frequent and extended high rpm flogging only seems to make 1-3mpg difference

[TwoTired]

Why does my bike get better mileage when I have seafoam in the gas?

No seafoam: 22MPG.
Seafoam: 26MPG.

I know these results aren't great regardless, but I always get better mileage when on a tank of seafoam. I am commuting to work in traffic, mostly, and running below 6K RPM most often. Should I just keep the revs up more? I haven't checked for fouled plugs.

How much seafoam are you adding?  Enough to alter the calculation?  You are adding more liquid to the volume, yes?

[Deltarider]

The sohc4 really was designed for higher rpm use. This will also help the charging system function better.

+1
I don't rule out products like Seafoam do alter the [I don't know the word, something like viscosity] of gaz somewhat. I had amazing results (much better driveability) with a similar product, but can't recall it improved mileage. Gaz and seafoam are all hydrocarbons. If you add Seafoam there's more of them.

[Bailgang]

That said. You have some serious issues with the mileage that you are getting. Try running 1 gear down from your normal riding to keep the rpms up a bit higher. Use 4th instead of 5th etc... The sohc4 really was designed for higher rpm use. This will also help the charging system function better.

I would tend to agree with that. I use seafoam from time to time but only as a preventive maintenance routine but never seen any affect on fuel mileage when using it in fact I have to be very careful how much I put in because too much will make the bike run like crap. When I first got my F2 earlier this spring the bike had sat for a while so the PO put about a gallon of fresh gas in it but threw in enough seafoam for 10 gallons of gas with it, the bike ran horrible until I drained the tank and put fresh gas with no extra additives in it.

[lrutt]

I get solidly mid 40's numbers on both my 750's. You're problem is not which gear your in, it's something else. A solid tuneup is due obviously. Also, stock or modded. If stock, do you know if all the jets etc. are still stock. Or has some PO hogged them out with a drill bit or some such. Jet needle stock. Float valves working properly? Choke off? Air cleaner clean? Brakes dragging?

the questions is not the seafoam, it's the MPG.

[evanphi]

PO put a MAC 4-1 onto it, and I have no idea what their jetting turned out to be. I am pulling the carbs soon and putting stock jetting back in. They probably fudded something up!

[flybox1]

Stock jetting may not be appropriate for your MAC.
you'll need to know what is stock for your '75K and what is in there now, if your MAC is open or baffled, intake specifics(airbox w/ new or used filter) or Pods (type-oiled/dry), needle clip position, mixture screw position.
Verify floats are in the correct position
Do a proper bench sync, and prepare for a vacuum sync (once your valve lash, timing and advance, and cam chain are all dialed in)

[Don R]

Float level will make a huge difference in mpg if it's too high.

[evanphi]

Stock jetting may not be appropriate for your MAC.
you'll need to know what is stock for your '75K and what is in there now, if your MAC is open or baffled, intake specifics(airbox w/ new or used filter) or Pods (type-oiled/dry), needle clip position, mixture screw position.
Verify floats are in the correct position
Do a proper bench sync, and prepare for a vacuum sync (once your valve lash, timing and advance, and cam chain are all dialed in)

stock airbox, muffler is baffled (getting the cone eng quiet core soon!), new filter, 3/4 turns on the mix. need to verify float height for sure.

[tlbranth]

When I first resurrected my 750 after 25 years of inactivity, it was burbling, sooting up the plugs and getting 27mpg. On advice from members here, I chucked the new air filter I got from PartsNmore because I was convinced it was an Emgo and others figured it was stifling air input. Changing to K&N made the biggest change in mileage and smoothness. Fixing leaky floats and dimpled float tangs improved it more. I'm still running rich and working on it but I'm getting well over 40mpg. So anyway, if your new filter is after-market, it's probably an Emgo and you'd be well ahead to write it off and get a good one.