How much Sea Foam Motor Treatment should I add to oil in an ATV [SOLVED]
I just bought an old ATV with 3700 kilometers on the engine. It was not running and has not had oil in it for a few years. Everything inside the crankcase is dried out. I have the cylinder and head off, and when I turn the back tires I can feel a sticky spot in rotation as it’s turning over the crank. The sticky spot is likely the bearings due to sitting and drying out. I want to fill the case with 10w40 oil to the full marker, then add as much Sea Foam Motor Treatment as possible. I plan to pull the start chord with the spark plug removed to help move the new oil around the bearings and crank. I do not intend to start the bike at this time. I want to pull the start rope several times, then let it sit for 6-12 hours, then repeat until the sticky spot disappears. I am trying to avoid cracking the case and taking the bottom end apart.
My question is whether I can use more than 1 ounce of Sea Foam per quart? Can I use 4 to 6 ounces per quart if I do this procedure without starting the engine? I intend to drain all the oil and Sea Foam out once the sticky spot is gone. I will then drain and install new oil and add 1 ounce of Sea Foam per quart of oil, start the motor and run it for 50 to 100 KMs, then change the oil and go with straight oil after that.
My hope is that Sea Foam will unstick anything within the motor, and want to know that it will be OK to add a concentrated mix without starting the motor.
Thanks for your advice.
Hi Kevin. Everything you explained makes sense and would be safe. It seems a wise approach to diagnosing whatever is causing the stickiness. If the stickiness is caused by oil residue, your method using Sea Foam should work to dissolve the sticky residue from the bearing. As far as Sea Foam added to a running engine, you can go as high as 1.5 ounces per quart and can leave in the crankcase for as long as you want to run the oil (full interval). All of this supposes that your visual perspective of the motor condition causes you to think that the internals appear healthy, not rusted or worn. Hope it all works out!
Jim D.TECH
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