Topic: Good time to run seafoam?

[csmadore]

Good plan to try Castrol motorcycle oil, 20-50W. You might be surprised how you consumption improves. Also, checking compression with an automotive compression tester will give low results. Try one designed for small pistons/ bores. Afterwards, shoot a little oil in the cylinder ( teaspoon). If the result improves dramatically, plan the top end rebuild.

Thank you! I'll report back.

[calj737]

Seafoam does well on cleaning out hydraulic lifters and such but honda sohc have a rocker arm running direct on cam and opening valve by pivot, no pushrods, no followers, no cam buckets etc

Well if you’re using SeaFoam as an oil additive, it will certainly work its way through the entire circulation system of the oil and “unclog” rings, restrictors, lubricate the seals and so on. Seems immaterial that it’s being used in an SOHC, DOHC, pushrod or modern valve train motor.

[newday777]

Welcome aboard csmadore from southern NH! Where in Maine are you? I lived in E. Eddington as a young kid in the early 60s while dad was the service manager at the Bangor Sears.
That Penzoil is most likely the cause of your clutch slipping. Penzoil has friction modifiers and that causes the clutch to slip in wet clutch bikes. It is fine for car motors as clutches on them are dry clutch systems but not good for wet clutch bikes.
I learned the hard way too using it in my 83 goldwing when I got back to riding in 2009 from a 25 year away from bikes. I bought the bike that had slept for 13 years or more and brought it back to life. The clutch slipped on my 1st ride.
I also learned from that asking on the goldwing forum I was on, that Seafoam and Marvel Mystery Oil both can be used to flush the crankcase of the grunge of old oil left in the motor of the bikes for years, and if done properly it will clean the clutch plates of the friction modifiers.  So I did it according to the forum advice of long time members there to put in Rotella 15w40, put in 2 qts of oil, then put in a full can of Seafoam, 16 oz, then fill the oil level to full mark with the Rotella. Go out for 1 ride, of 100-200 miles, keeping the rpms below 2,500 so you don't harm the motor works, shifting lots up and down to clean the clutch plates and circulate the oil in the clutch housing as there isn't a lot of oil flow through the  clutch area. Again, don't hammer the motor. The 100-200 miles will fully heat the motor and any grunge in it so that when you get back home, drain the oil while it's still hot so all the grunge will flow out with the oil. Change the oil and filter. Put in fresh Rotella.
Then you can ride it for another 1500 miles as normal and then change the oil and filter again. Then do normal oil changes at 3,000 miles after that. I put 26,500 miles on that wing in a year and a half with no problems, and didn't have to change the clutch in it.
I've used the Rotella in all my bikes, wings and CB750s, and also have flushed each of the old engines with Seafoam to get the old oil grunge out. I haven't bought a new bike since 1976.
For my 750 I run Honda 20w50 oil in the summer months and Rotella 15w40 in cooler months for easier starting. I usually put the bikes away mid November for the winter nap with a fresh oil change after the last hour ride to warm the bike 1st.

[scottly]

I just wanted to correct something I said in my original post: I went back and measured the oil I drained from my crankcase

I'm sorry, but you don't figure oil consumption based on what you drained. A bit of oil always stays in the case, some goes with the filter etc. You should go by the reading on the dipstick: starting from a fresh oil change with the dipstick reading full (dipstick not screwed down), check how far the level drops with mileage, and how much oil is needed over time to keep it topped up.

[csmadore]

Welcome aboard csmadore from southern NH! Where in Maine are you? I lived in E. Eddington as a young kid in the early 60s while dad was the service manager at the Bangor Sears.
That Penzoil is most likely the cause of your clutch slipping. Penzoil has friction modifiers and that causes the clutch to slip in wet clutch bikes. It is fine for car motors as clutches on them are dry clutch systems but not good for wet clutch bikes.
I learned the hard way too using it in my 83 goldwing when I got back to riding in 2009 from a 25 year away from bikes. I bought the bike that had slept for 13 years or more and brought it back to life. The clutch slipped on my 1st ride.
I also learned from that asking on the goldwing forum I was on, that Seafoam and Marvel Mystery Oil both can be used to flush the crankcase of the grunge of old oil left in the motor of the bikes for years, and if done properly it will clean the clutch plates of the friction modifiers.  So I did it according to the forum advice of long time members there to put in Rotella 15w40, put in 2 qts of oil, then put in a full can of Seafoam, 16 oz, then fill the oil level to full mark with the Rotella. Go out for 1 ride, of 100-200 miles, keeping the rpms below 2,500 so you don't harm the motor works, shifting lots up and down to clean the clutch plates and circulate the oil in the clutch housing as there isn't a lot of oil flow through the  clutch area. Again, don't hammer the motor. The 100-200 miles will fully heat the motor and any grunge in it so that when you get back home, drain the oil while it's still hot so all the grunge will flow out with the oil. Change the oil and filter. Put in fresh Rotella.
Then you can ride it for another 1500 miles as normal and then change the oil and filter again. Then do normal oil changes at 3,000 miles after that. I put 26,500 miles on that wing in a year and a half with no problems, and didn't have to change the clutch in it.
I've used the Rotella in all my bikes, wings and CB750s, and also have flushed each of the old engines with Seafoam to get the old oil grunge out. I haven't bought a new bike since 1976.
For my 750 I run Honda 20w50 oil in the summer months and Rotella 15w40 in cooler months for easier starting. I usually put the bikes away mid November for the winter nap with a fresh oil change after the last hour ride to warm the bike 1st.

Thank you for all the advice! I'm in Lisbon Falls, which is twenty minutes from Lewiston to the west, ten minutes from Brunswick to the east, and about half an hour north of Portland. I'm really enjoying the bike and looking forward to learning more and more about these beautiful machines.

[csmadore]

I just wanted to correct something I said in my original post: I went back and measured the oil I drained from my crankcase

I'm sorry, but you don't figure oil consumption based on what you drained. A bit of oil always stays in the case, some goes with the filter etc. You should go by the reading on the dipstick: starting from a fresh oil change with the dipstick reading full (dipstick not screwed down), check how far the level drops with mileage, and how much oil is needed over time to keep it topped up.

Ten-four. But couldn't I just subtract the oil drained from the amount of oil added to achieve a full read on the dipstick? That would correctly calculate how much additional oil was needed, no?

[newday777]

I just wanted to correct something I said in my original post: I went back and measured the oil I drained from my crankcase

I'm sorry, but you don't figure oil consumption based on what you drained. A bit of oil always stays in the case, some goes with the filter etc. You should go by the reading on the dipstick: starting from a fresh oil change with the dipstick reading full (dipstick not screwed down), check how far the level drops with mileage, and how much oil is needed over time to keep it topped up.

Ten-four. But couldn't I just subtract the oil drained from the amount of oil added to achieve a full read on the dipstick? That would correctly calculate how much additional oil was needed, no?

As Scott said, trying to figure how much your bike used by the drainage doesn't really work. Keep an eye on checking the oil level every ride, if it gets down the stick level at 500 miles 1/2 way between the hash marks, bring it up to the top mark, how much does it take to bring it to the top mark is how you figure usage. Always check the level with the bike on the centerstand(or held upright in a chock/or with a track stand if no centerstand). Remove the dipstick, wipe clean, put dipstick in to the point where you would screw in but don't screw it in, just pull it out to check the level.

[csmadore]

Thank you. I do check it, as well as work on it, on the center stand.

[Tracksnblades1]

Seafoam does well on cleaning out hydraulic lifters and such but honda sohc have a rocker arm running direct on cam and opening valve by pivot, no pushrods, no followers, no cam buckets etc

Well if you’re using SeaFoam as an oil additive, it will certainly work its way through the entire circulation system of the oil and “unclog” rings, restrictors, lubricate the seals and so on. Seems immaterial that it’s being used in an SOHC, DOHC, pushrod or modern valve train motor.

Thank you. I do check it, as well as work on it, on the center stand.

And with initially using the Rotella to scrub those ring lands and engine cases you don’t even have to worry about reducing the protection provided by a quality engine oil by mixing something with it that wasn’t designed to be used that way..

Attached is an oil analysis of Rotella T4 15w-40. It may have twice the detergent levels your gasoline Pennzoil does depending on which formulation you’re using. It’ll clean your 550’s innards quick. Calcium and magnesium are the detergents. Magnesium is more propular with def, dpf, catalysts, and converters. But T4 is for old stuff. T6 for the newer ones.

https://pqia.org/shell-rotella-t4-sae-15w-40-heavy-duty-diesel-engine-oil/