So you're trying to run your bike off pretty much straight seafoam? I don't think seafoam is combustible enough for an engine to run off of - even if your fuel:seafoam ratio was 3:1 you would still have trouble. The normal dosage of seafoam for cleaning is around 5 ounces per gallon, about 25:1 (if I remember right, don't have a can of seafoam right here to check the cleaning dosage)

 

I'd vote to clear as much Seafoam as possible out of your lines and carbs if there is a drain. Then attempt to start using starter fluid.

You may need to keep squirting into the intake to get it to run enough to get gas into your system and Seafoam flushed out. Be gentle, don't overdo like you did with the Seafoam and do it outside with a buddy and extinguisher handy. Starter fluid is extremely volatile, explosive and dangerous.

 

Another possibility is that the SeaFoam knocked some other crud loose and now your jets are plugged. DO NOT run SeaFoam straight. It's intended as an additive to help keep things clean, not as a cleaner.

 

hmm, sounds like it time to go to the shop before i do any more damage eh boys?

 

Just drain the fuel bowls let some fresh fuel into the bowls and try again - it may take a while to get the bowls full so keep trying - might want to check the spark plugs and see if they are wet and replace or dry out.

 

no shop needed. you can easily clear stuff up yourself. like has been said. drain the bowls, take out the plugs to let the cylinders clear up. one of 2 things happened. seafoam doesn't like to burn as easy as gas.

since it won't idle it's entirely possible that something gummed up over the winter. depending on how mechanical you are it could be a simple matter to R&R the carbs and soak them for a bit to clear them out.

 

Might just need to pull the bowls and blow out the jets. Old gas can really GUM stuff up. bowls probably dried up, Dried gas plugs stuff up bad and take a while to disolve.
Never try to start your bike on the storage fuel, even if you did use stabilizer. Always start the new season with FRESH fuel. You might want to store it with fuel in the tank, but only for rust prevention.

 

A rough idle could have been cause entirely by the old gas. Just get your fresh gas in the tank, clear the carbs by draining them (maybe multiple times) so some fresh gas can get in the carbs. Definitely check the plugs and replace or dry them out if you need to. Once it starts, run it until is it up to temp if you can (running for a little while and then stopping when still cold can gum up the plugs again).

Lastly, follow the directions on the seafoam can for cleaning and run a full tank of treated gas through the bike (normal driving is OK, its better if this is spread out over a couple days). If there is still a problem after running the tank through, then you might need to look at removing the carbs and cleaning them thoroughly.

I would bet the fresh gas and a one-tank seafoam cleaning will do it for you though.

 

Mmmmmm, That's the first time I've ever heard anything bad on this forum about the use of SeaFoam!
Phil

 

Knew we'd be hearing from you. Wait 'til I give my report on my new rear tire in a few days. :mrgreen:

 

Ok so you have fresh gas in tank right?! And fresh plugs? Spray starter fluid into air filter(it will go into carbs) If it starts but doesnt stay running, there is an old ******* trick to try before you do anything else and spend money left and right...This will sound stupid but it worked for me. An old Biker friend did this to mine and it worked...Take gas cap off, put your lips as tight as you can around hole and blow hard and long. Put cap on and try to start it. Like I said sounds stupid but worked for me, and cost me nothing.

 

You know these bikes have a vacuum operated petcock. Right?

Right?

Right?

 

I've done the deal with seafoam on cars were you pour it in the brake booster hose, then turn the car off and let it sit a bit, restart and blow smoke clouds.

is there a way to do this on a shadow??

I've added it to my gas a couple times, but never figured out hoe to do the super cleanout with seafoam on a bike.

 

I've done the deal with seafoam on cars were you pour it in the brake booster hose, then turn the car off and let it sit a bit, restart and blow smoke clouds.

is there a way to do this on a shadow??

I've added it to my gas a couple times, but never figured out hoe to do the super cleanout with seafoam on a bike.

brake booster hose.... blow smoke clouds?? huh? confused me there unless you meant something else maybe?

 

Straight Seafoam. Pretty brilliant.
About as brilliant as the time I tried to run my Shadow on straight Moonshine!
Ask me how that one turned out!

 

That's a waste of good "Gut-Rot" booze!
Phil

 

I put a whole can in the tank the other day after filling up. All I can say is **** what a difference.

 

A motorcycle mechanic I know claims that a high concentration of sea foam is pretty harsh on the rubber parts (gas lines, gaskets, o-rings, etc....).

Local John Deere dealer swears by sea foam for all his small gasoline engines. He says 1 oz./gallon, or 1:128 is all you need.

 

I don't know about being harsh on rubber parts; I just think it's a useless product, as are most fuel additives......

These fuel additives seem to fit nicely into our society's attitude about wanting an "Easy Fix."
Instead of taking care of our bodies, we want to be able to eat anything we want, and when a problem arises, we take a pill to correct it. Same thing with our cars and motorcycles.

I guess I'm missing something; because I don't see it as that difficult to keep an engine running properly without additives. Believe it or not, applying a simple, regular maintenance program can actually work miracles!
Phil

 

I am still trying to figure out the brake booser thing.... Brake boosters are just big vacuum diaphragms. I suppose it would be sucked into the intake manifold and into the cylinders but what is that accomplishing? the intake manifold should be clean anyhow as ther is only filtered air going through there. The smoke you are seeing is the mineral oil in seafoam being burned and doing absolutely nothing to the fuel system for which it is designed. There is another seafoam product that is designed for this and it is an aerosol designed to be sprayed into the throttle body to clean gunk out.
Adding it to the fuel cleans out the varnish etc. where it collects in the fuel system.

As for not being worth it I disagree. This IS part of my regular maintenance and the last time I took the carbs off after 50000 Kms and sitting for the winter, they were spotless.
I have been a mechanic for 21 years (on Aircraft) and I can certainly say that this stuff does EXACTLY what it says it will do.

 

As for not being worth it I disagree. This IS part of my regular maintenance and the last time I took the carbs off after 50000 Kms and sitting for the winter, they were spotless.
I have been a mechanic for 21 years (on Aircraft) and I can certainly say that this stuff does EXACTLY what it says it will do.

How do you know the carbs wouldn't be spotless without the use of SeaFoam?
Why did you pull the carbs in the first place if you know the SeaFoam is working.
Isn't the whole point of using SeaFoam so you don't have to remove your carbs for cleaning?
Phil

 

This trick is intended to de-carbon the piston head and valves. Add the Seafoam until the engine dies, then let it sit for an hour to soak into and loosen the carbon. After the restart there are clouds of smoke. On bikes, the carb sync port can be used for a vacuum line. YMMV Caution, too much liquid in the cyclinder can result in a hydro-lock, so proceed with caution.