# After putting seafoam, car started wasting gas **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [January 21, 2025, 4:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761 "2025-01-21T16:26:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Georgefocus2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Georgefocus2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Georgefocus2)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 4:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/1 "2025-01-21T16:26:17Z")
At the gas station I followed the 50/50 recommendation on the bottle. On my way home which is less than 1.3miles, I noticed the gas gauge on the dashboard dropping. Anyone experienced this before? A friend said he has never had this problem. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 4:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/2 "2025-01-21T16:29:35Z")
Do you think it might have something to do with your other post from a few minutes ago?? ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 4:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/3 "2025-01-21T16:31:39Z")
> [@Georgefocus2](#): > > I noticed the gas gauge on the dashboard dropping Gas gauges are not laboratory-grade measuring devices. In order to know whether your car is “wasting” gas, you need to have calculated its gas mileage prior to using Seafoam (did you do that?), and again after having added the Seafoam. If you don’t know the proper procedure for calculating gas mileage, let us know and we will tell you how to do it. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 4:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/4 "2025-01-21T16:32:23Z")
> [@davesmopar](#): > > Do you think it might have something to do with your other post from a few minutes ago?? +1 First, get the trouble codes read at a parts store, and then… ---
**Author:** ![Georgefocus2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Georgefocus2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Georgefocus2)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/5 "2025-01-21T16:42:34Z")
No sorry i dont know how to do that. Im still learning how to do higher maintenance on cars. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/6 "2025-01-21T17:10:52Z")
> [@Georgefocus2](#): > > No sorry i dont know how to do that. Fill the tank, and record your odometer mileage at the time of fill-up. When you next fill-up the tank, record the number of gallons that was necessary to fill the tank, and record the new odometer mileage. Then, subtract the “old” number of miles from the “new” number of miles, and divide the total miles driven by the number of gallons (including decimals) needed to fill the tank. You can do this going forward, but unless you also did this prior to using the Seafoam, you won’t be able to compare the “before and after” gas mileage. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/7 "2025-01-21T17:10:57Z")
> [@Georgefocus2](#): > > No sorry i dont know how to do that. You don’t know how to check you Miles per Gallon ? Example: You drove 200 miles since last fillup - it took 10 gallons to fill the tank - 10 into 200 means you got 20 MPG . Which will vary depending on each driving pattern ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 5:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/8 "2025-01-21T17:37:03Z")
> [@Georgefocus2](#): > > On my way home which is less than 1.3miles, I noticed the gas gauge on the dashboard dropping. In addition to what’s been mentioned already, I’ll add that if the car was really using enough gas for you to watch the gauge fall, then it likely wouldn’t be running at all. It would be flooded. As noted, start watching your mpg’s using math. ---
**Author:** ![Georgefocus2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Georgefocus2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Georgefocus2)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 5:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/9 "2025-01-21T17:47:40Z")
Thanks guys ill start doing the math. Thanks for that tip. It seems that my car also has a life time fuel filter integrated with the fuel tank. Just like the air filter. Oh well now idk if the seafoam was a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 5:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/10 "2025-01-21T17:56:18Z")
The fuel filter is under the vehicle. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/d/4/d47db9fd421d2c3fd6d033a2710c74df94d988b4.jpeg) Tester ---
**Author:** ![Georgefocus2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Georgefocus2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Georgefocus2)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 6:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/11 "2025-01-21T18:07:29Z")
Ill check under and see. Is that from an 09? The pic above. ![20250121_110558](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/c/2/c259a18f93724be3f4b4322b36e2c8ac7e36815d.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 6:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/12 "2025-01-21T18:13:46Z")
Rock auto shows this as being the fuel filter for your car. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/9/1/913c3fc88d52b22ce9ced45b28022ce0b8f8fc5e.jpeg) Tester ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/13 "2025-01-21T18:41:44Z")
My miles per gallon reading always drops for a couple of miles after I shut off the engine and fill the tank. In the cold weather we are experiencing, when I shut off the engine and then restart if only for 5 minutes, the.miles per gallon reading really drops. If I reset the mpg after a fill-up, I have to drive a couple of miles.before it rises to its normal.readout. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 10:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/14 "2025-01-21T22:15:40Z")
> [@Georgefocus2](#): > > It seems that my car also has a life time fuel filter integrated with the fuel tank. > [@Tester](#): > > The fuel filter is under the vehicle hmmm … I can see how that’s confusing to OP … Could be the owner’s manual is incorrect, or maybe the owner’s manual is referring to the fuel pump’s sock-filter, inside the tank. And attempting to say there’s no need to replace or service the fuel filter outside the tank as part of routine maintenance. Knucklelhead diyer opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/15 "2025-01-22T03:00:28Z")
> [@Georgefocus2](#): > > I followed the 50/50 recommendation on the bottle You put 5 gallons of seafome int 5 gallons of gas? ---
**Author:** ![Georgefocus2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Georgefocus2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Georgefocus2)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 4:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/after-putting-seafoam-car-started-wasting-gas/198761/16 "2025-01-22T04:18:28Z")
Fuel gauge was below quarter of tank. I used half of the bottle and filled up the tank.