Seafoam? Does it work?
#46
Registered User
iTrader: (29)
I had a similar problem a year ago (rought idle) and I clean my throttle body with CRC throttle body cleaner and it went away. I didn't disconnect the throttle body harness. I removed it from the plenum and air intake and left the harness connect it and I sprayed it with the cleaner and use a clean microfiber towel to wipe it clean. I also cleaned my MAF sensor the same day, but I think the throttle body was the problem.
#49
I just seafoamed my car today, very happy with the results the idle is sooo smooth as though the engine isn't running. I put 1/3 in the gas 1/3 in brake booster and 1/3 in the crank case. Drove around for 30 miles then immediately changed my oil. I didn't get much smoke out of my tail pipes maybe thats a good thing.
#51
#52
I just seafoamed my car today, very happy with the results the idle is sooo smooth as though the engine isn't running. I put 1/3 in the gas 1/3 in brake booster and 1/3 in the crank case. Drove around for 30 miles then immediately changed my oil. I didn't get much smoke out of my tail pipes maybe thats a good thing.
#53
^^^yes
I've seafoamed my car and my wife's car before and both times made a funny white cloudy mess of my neighborhood, oddly enough her 8 year old mustang smoked less than my 5 year old G. I noticed both cars ran smoother and felt a tiny bit peppier after the treatment.
I did the recommended 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 treatment and everything worked out without any issues.
I've seafoamed my car and my wife's car before and both times made a funny white cloudy mess of my neighborhood, oddly enough her 8 year old mustang smoked less than my 5 year old G. I noticed both cars ran smoother and felt a tiny bit peppier after the treatment.
I did the recommended 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 treatment and everything worked out without any issues.
#54
Yup after the car is at normal running temperature I fed it through the brake booster slowly then shut of the engine and let it sit for 20 minutes before firing it up.
#55
Hey Fine Fellas,
Ran across this thread during after Christmas chill out while the kids play day.
Can some of you set me straight on a few questions:
1.) I use 1/2 in my OIL (right after an oil change - never heard that it's supposed to be right before an oil change - the bottle doesn't mention it - I've looked several times. My understanding was it would work through mixing with my full syn and clean and then when it's time for an oil change I put more in again). Maybe I'm doing the opposite of what I need to be doing? If so, how many miles BEFORE an oil change would be a good point to pour some in the oil?
2.) I put 1/2 in my gas - as I would any "fuel injector" cleaner. As above, I don't do this when I'm about to get an oil change - just whenever. Is this INCORRECT as well?
3.) I promise to do more research after I post this question - but what is the "BRAKE BOOSTER" line? First - what is it's function? Second, do you guys actually pull on end of that rubber hose off and pour Seafoam down it???? What does this accomplish?
Thanks so much Guys!
-WoW
Ran across this thread during after Christmas chill out while the kids play day.
Can some of you set me straight on a few questions:
1.) I use 1/2 in my OIL (right after an oil change - never heard that it's supposed to be right before an oil change - the bottle doesn't mention it - I've looked several times. My understanding was it would work through mixing with my full syn and clean and then when it's time for an oil change I put more in again). Maybe I'm doing the opposite of what I need to be doing? If so, how many miles BEFORE an oil change would be a good point to pour some in the oil?
2.) I put 1/2 in my gas - as I would any "fuel injector" cleaner. As above, I don't do this when I'm about to get an oil change - just whenever. Is this INCORRECT as well?
3.) I promise to do more research after I post this question - but what is the "BRAKE BOOSTER" line? First - what is it's function? Second, do you guys actually pull on end of that rubber hose off and pour Seafoam down it???? What does this accomplish?
Thanks so much Guys!
-WoW
#56
Hey Fine Fellas,
Ran across this thread during after Christmas chill out while the kids play day.
Can some of you set me straight on a few questions:
1.) I use 1/2 in my OIL (right after an oil change - never heard that it's supposed to be right before an oil change - the bottle doesn't mention it - I've looked several times. My understanding was it would work through mixing with my full syn and clean and then when it's time for an oil change I put more in again). Maybe I'm doing the opposite of what I need to be doing? If so, how many miles BEFORE an oil change would be a good point to pour some in the oil? [COLOR="Navy"]It goes in before your oil change, then you drive your car around for several miles (10-25 maybe) to make sure it does it's cleaning. Then you change your oil. The contaminants it's cleaned out will be in your oil, which you'll want to change quickly. Personally, I won't put it in my oil--- the jury is still out on whether this is a good idea and in fact, this practice is controversial here and in other car and tractor forums. My concern follows the logic that Seafoam dilutes your engine oil and by so doing, it could cause damage, such as a bearing wear b/c an oil passage became clogged from being loosened by the Seafoam. I'm no expert and am just learning, but there are many others with more knowledge than me.
2.) I put 1/2 in my gas - as I would any "fuel injector" cleaner. As above, I don't do this when I'm about to get an oil change - just whenever. Is this INCORRECT as well? I use it every few months and worry less about the oil change.
3.) I promise to do more research after I post this question - but what is the "BRAKE BOOSTER" line? First - what is it's function? Designed to increase force applied by the brake pedal. The pedal force, when you push it, is doubled (or quadrupled). The Brake booster uses atmospheric pressure and the manifold vacuum of the car engine to do the work of applying pressure to the brakes.
Second, do you guys actually pull on end of that rubber hose off and pour Seafoam down it???? You use the suction of the vacuum line to suck the Seafoam out of a plastic cup, very slowly and while engine is running and already warmed up. Most people use 6-8oz in the vacuum line and pour the rest into the tank. Lots of YouTube videos on this. I followed the one done by BytheBay and it worked perfectly.
What does this accomplish? In the crankcase it' supposed to to clean out any engine sludge. In the gas tank it cleans out the injectors. In the vacuum line it probably cleans up the valves, floor of the intake plenum and piston tops. It also cleans up the unburnt carbon deposits in the combustion chamber.
For the record, Seafoam contains:
PALE OIL 40-60%-- this is a light lube oil t
NAPHTHA 25-35%--- This is mineral spirits or paint thinner
IPA 10-20%--- Iso Propyl alcohol
Thanks so much Guys!
-WoW
Do some research before you dive in. Some folks view Seafoam as snake oil, others swear by it!
Ran across this thread during after Christmas chill out while the kids play day.
Can some of you set me straight on a few questions:
1.) I use 1/2 in my OIL (right after an oil change - never heard that it's supposed to be right before an oil change - the bottle doesn't mention it - I've looked several times. My understanding was it would work through mixing with my full syn and clean and then when it's time for an oil change I put more in again). Maybe I'm doing the opposite of what I need to be doing? If so, how many miles BEFORE an oil change would be a good point to pour some in the oil? [COLOR="Navy"]It goes in before your oil change, then you drive your car around for several miles (10-25 maybe) to make sure it does it's cleaning. Then you change your oil. The contaminants it's cleaned out will be in your oil, which you'll want to change quickly. Personally, I won't put it in my oil--- the jury is still out on whether this is a good idea and in fact, this practice is controversial here and in other car and tractor forums. My concern follows the logic that Seafoam dilutes your engine oil and by so doing, it could cause damage, such as a bearing wear b/c an oil passage became clogged from being loosened by the Seafoam. I'm no expert and am just learning, but there are many others with more knowledge than me.
2.) I put 1/2 in my gas - as I would any "fuel injector" cleaner. As above, I don't do this when I'm about to get an oil change - just whenever. Is this INCORRECT as well? I use it every few months and worry less about the oil change.
3.) I promise to do more research after I post this question - but what is the "BRAKE BOOSTER" line? First - what is it's function? Designed to increase force applied by the brake pedal. The pedal force, when you push it, is doubled (or quadrupled). The Brake booster uses atmospheric pressure and the manifold vacuum of the car engine to do the work of applying pressure to the brakes.
Second, do you guys actually pull on end of that rubber hose off and pour Seafoam down it???? You use the suction of the vacuum line to suck the Seafoam out of a plastic cup, very slowly and while engine is running and already warmed up. Most people use 6-8oz in the vacuum line and pour the rest into the tank. Lots of YouTube videos on this. I followed the one done by BytheBay and it worked perfectly.
What does this accomplish? In the crankcase it' supposed to to clean out any engine sludge. In the gas tank it cleans out the injectors. In the vacuum line it probably cleans up the valves, floor of the intake plenum and piston tops. It also cleans up the unburnt carbon deposits in the combustion chamber.
For the record, Seafoam contains:
PALE OIL 40-60%-- this is a light lube oil t
NAPHTHA 25-35%--- This is mineral spirits or paint thinner
IPA 10-20%--- Iso Propyl alcohol
Thanks so much Guys!
-WoW
Do some research before you dive in. Some folks view Seafoam as snake oil, others swear by it!
#57
I'm one of those people that swear by seafoam, although I don't use it very often. There's no real need for it as often as you guys are using it in the fuel system.
I used it in my N/A 300ZX when my father gave the car to me. It's only got 30000 miles on it (1990 car) and sits for long periods at a time. Dad never knew about stabil for the gas, and I can only imagine how long a single tank of fuel sometimes went in that car.
He had told me that over the years he must just be remembering wrong what the car had been like performance wise. He'd installed a Stillen intake, exhaust, and ECU on the car long back, and had a memory of what it was. That memory simply wasn't being lived up to.
Well we did the treatment, and let the car sit for about 10 minutes after turning it off (recommended to turn off as soon as you finish introducing the seafoam through the vacuum line). We hopped into the car and took off. First thing I noticed was a slight valve tap, but it only lasted a second. I looked in the rear view and the car was POURING smoke out the exhaust. Probably the coolest thing I've ever seen. I got on it lightly and kept going until no more smoke. Turned around and hammered it.
A smile went from ear to ear on my dad, and he said "now that's the car I remember." He was totally doubtful of the seafoam treatment, and didn't expect a thing. I let him drive it again, and he confirmed, as did I, that the car was once again performing as it had years before.
I've already done the treatment on my G35 when I got it as well, and will continue to use it as needed with every car I own.
I used it in my N/A 300ZX when my father gave the car to me. It's only got 30000 miles on it (1990 car) and sits for long periods at a time. Dad never knew about stabil for the gas, and I can only imagine how long a single tank of fuel sometimes went in that car.
He had told me that over the years he must just be remembering wrong what the car had been like performance wise. He'd installed a Stillen intake, exhaust, and ECU on the car long back, and had a memory of what it was. That memory simply wasn't being lived up to.
Well we did the treatment, and let the car sit for about 10 minutes after turning it off (recommended to turn off as soon as you finish introducing the seafoam through the vacuum line). We hopped into the car and took off. First thing I noticed was a slight valve tap, but it only lasted a second. I looked in the rear view and the car was POURING smoke out the exhaust. Probably the coolest thing I've ever seen. I got on it lightly and kept going until no more smoke. Turned around and hammered it.
A smile went from ear to ear on my dad, and he said "now that's the car I remember." He was totally doubtful of the seafoam treatment, and didn't expect a thing. I let him drive it again, and he confirmed, as did I, that the car was once again performing as it had years before.
I've already done the treatment on my G35 when I got it as well, and will continue to use it as needed with every car I own.
#58
Hey Fine Fellas,
My concern follows the logic that Seafoam dilutes your engine oil and by so doing, it could cause damage, such as a bearing wear b/c an oil passage became clogged from being loosened by the Seafoam. I'm no expert and am just learning, but there are many others with more knowledge than me.
My concern follows the logic that Seafoam dilutes your engine oil and by so doing, it could cause damage, such as a bearing wear b/c an oil passage became clogged from being loosened by the Seafoam. I'm no expert and am just learning, but there are many others with more knowledge than me.
Seafoam does clean some but very little(as seen on BITOG before and afters) but this is only on really neglected motors where you can see sludge build up. If your car has always received quality oil you most likely have zero sluge. All Quality oil it has detergents in it to clean your engine, so sea foaming on a well maintained car personally is useless. But thats totally up to the user.
Since Seafoam cleans so little, there is a very small chance if you had sludge build up that seafoam could clog up a oil passage ways. There is still a chance but there have been many people with sludged up engines using stronger stuff the seafoam (AutoRX) and not have any issues.
The Issue with stuff clogging the passage ways is more related with the machines that pressurize solvents into your engine.
#59
You hear of guys putting kerosene, Marvel Mystery Oil, diesel or mineral spirits into their crankcase to completely clean out their engines, and swear by these practices also. That's a bit frightening--- but then again, Seafoam has some mineral spirits.
OP, if I was going to clean my engine out, I'd run 2-3 brief oil changes, with each new oil change being used for <500 miles. The detergents in the new oils (such as in Castrol GTX) would likely do a better and safer job. It's slightly expensive, unless you do it yourself, but well worth it if you feel a need to do an engine clean. My dad had 3 Volvos with >1.2 million miles between them, he cleaned the engine out in this way, and also used MoS2 (lubromolly). You could visibly tell the difference within a few oil changes by peering into the oil cap hole. The head would go from bronze color to gray.
Good luck and I hope all of this helps
OP, if I was going to clean my engine out, I'd run 2-3 brief oil changes, with each new oil change being used for <500 miles. The detergents in the new oils (such as in Castrol GTX) would likely do a better and safer job. It's slightly expensive, unless you do it yourself, but well worth it if you feel a need to do an engine clean. My dad had 3 Volvos with >1.2 million miles between them, he cleaned the engine out in this way, and also used MoS2 (lubromolly). You could visibly tell the difference within a few oil changes by peering into the oil cap hole. The head would go from bronze color to gray.
Good luck and I hope all of this helps
#60
Registered User
iTrader: (10)
You hear of guys putting kerosene, Marvel Mystery Oil, diesel or mineral spirits into their crankcase to completely clean out their engines, and swear by these practices also. That's a bit frightening--- but then again, Seafoam has some mineral spirits.
OP, if I was going to clean my engine out, I'd run 2-3 brief oil changes, with each new oil change being used for <500 miles. The detergents in the new oils (such as in Castrol GTX) would likely do a better and safer job. It's slightly expensive, unless you do it yourself, but well worth it if you feel a need to do an engine clean. My dad had 3 Volvos with >1.2 million miles between them, he cleaned the engine out in this way, and also used MoS2 (lubromolly). You could visibly tell the difference within a few oil changes by peering into the oil cap hole. The head would go from bronze color to gray.
Good luck and I hope all of this helps
OP, if I was going to clean my engine out, I'd run 2-3 brief oil changes, with each new oil change being used for <500 miles. The detergents in the new oils (such as in Castrol GTX) would likely do a better and safer job. It's slightly expensive, unless you do it yourself, but well worth it if you feel a need to do an engine clean. My dad had 3 Volvos with >1.2 million miles between them, he cleaned the engine out in this way, and also used MoS2 (lubromolly). You could visibly tell the difference within a few oil changes by peering into the oil cap hole. The head would go from bronze color to gray.
Good luck and I hope all of this helps
OOHHHHH SNAP Shes alive...lol