Seafoam

[94_302]

I did a search on here and it seemed there was not much info, at least compared to a search on svtperformance.com. It seems no one has really tried it on their Marauder. Well I took the plunge today. I bought the can and read a little bit on svtperformance.com since it seems most of the sn-95 Cobra owners use this. I saw a few mention that running the whole can at once could potentially hydrolock the motor. Even though no one seems to have done that I thought, like others over there, better safe than sorry. So I only used half a can and proceeded to follow these instructions (http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2169829&postcount=3).
I figured this to be about half
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jeffreyk/seafoam.jpg

Now when I started the car it was already dark out. It did not start the first time but it struggled and started the second time. I let it idle and no smoke then reved it to 2800 rpm per svtperformance instructions. Still no smoke. So I went for a drive and as I was leaving my street I saw a haze in my rear view mirror. When I got to the top of the street I took a small vid clip (http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jeffreyk/Seafoam%20clip.wmv) and if you look in the side mirror you will see some of the smoke. The smoke poured out for the next minute or so while I was on the throttle. Then I went on the highway for a minute or so and drove around the neighborhood for a few minutes after that.
Many people over on svtperformance claim they feel like they gained 20 hp everything feels smoother and they love it. I do believe my idle smoothed out a little bit. I think my throttle has a little better response but not enough to make me sure. Other than that nothing else changed. It might be because I did not use the whole can at once, or my Marauder did not have that much carbon build up. I will probably run the other half through tom. in the daylight and try to get a good video of the smoke then. Another thing to keep in mind is that I have close to 60k miles, 59 and change. So a low mileage Marauder may not really need this or get any smoke at all. Overall cost was $5 and 35 minutes. Hope this helps anyone who has thought about it but wanted some more info on this process.

Edited: Daylight Vid (http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jeffreyk/Marauder%20seafoam%20part%202. wmv)

[Cobra25]

Interesting post I must say. By the way did you get a chance to mount those tires yet?

[94_302]

Interesting post I must say. By the way did you get a chance to mount those tires yet?
Not yet, I just ordered some rear tires a few days ago so when I get the rears mounted I will have the fronts done as well. They should be here soon though.

[Todd]

How do you use this stuff...?

Put it in your gas?

[rayjay]

Sounds like what we used to do with Gumout in carberators. What is the main ingredient?

[94_302]

You allow it to be sucked in through the pcv hose, the link I posted gives some good instructions. You can also pour it through the gas tank and its supposed to act as a fuel injector cleaner. But for it to be most effective you go through the pcv.
Edit: I'm not sure what the main ingredient is. Here is the Seafoam site. (http://www.seafoamsales.com/motorTuneUp.htm)

[blackf0rk]

I use a can every other month. The stuff is AWESOME! The GM guys who have problems with their injectors use it all the time too, and swear by it. Sea Foam is like GOLD!

[jimlam56]

I've used it on my Rangers quite successfully. I haven't taken the plunge on the Marauder yet simply because it's got less than 20k on it.
Seafoam does make your heart rate go up as you see your car belching smoke for a few minutes though...
Always wondered how Seafoam works, any comments from you techhies out there?
Jim

[SergntMac]

more blue smoke at start-up, eh?

[Bonedriver]

I used seafoam in my CVLXS after I hit 70k... smoked a bit not much though.
Used it in my friends 97 Cobra and it didn't smoke for a good three minutes of idleing.
Used it on a friends 97 CVPI and it smoked for like three years (J/K). Huge clouds of white/blue smoke that smelled horrid. His car purred like a kitten. We used only half a can and then dumped the rest into a half empty gas tank.

[David Morton]

SeaFoam is a good injector cleaner. Use it in the gas cause it can't clean the injector if it doesn't go through it.

Here's a way to clean up any carbon deposits from a motor ... and it's cheaper than flushing the toilet.

Run a quart of water through the PCV valve just like this guy did with SeaFoam on a hot engine. When the engine is hot, the carbon deposits are dessicated and easily accept the moisture then blow right off the valves, the pistons and the combustion chamber, leaving nice clean parts. After you do this you can shoot a couple of tablespoons of ATF through to lube things up a bit, makes good top cylinder lubricant/cleaner. You could clean things up with the ATF but it wreaks havoc blowing all that smoke all over the neighborhood plus I'm not too sure what it could do to the O2 sensor or the cats, probably overheat them.

You'd be suprised what you can run through an engine. An oldtimer told me you can make puffed rice and popcorn by running it through an engine. Of course you wouldn't want to eat it and it would clog up a cat, but on something w/open headers, just pour in some Uncle Bens or Orville Reddenbachers and voila! Instant confetti.

[Vortech347]

I was gona say...sucking it through the PCV isn't gona help the injectors.

[94_302]

I decided to put the rest of the bottle in during the daylight and this is a chopped bit of the video I took. In the second half I am reving the motor up but that is what is recomended on the svtperformance instructions and it did have a bit to clear out. When I went out for the test drive, the vid didnt come out too well. It let out a lot of thick smoke. So I guess there was a little build up afterall. Daylight vid (http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jeffreyk/Marauder%20seafoam%20part%202. wmv)

[Vortech347]

I wonder if it actually works...

Anyone here ever use it, then pull the heads off and look? :)

[Warpath]

I wonder the same thing. I wonder whether the seafoam smokes when it burns and everyone interprets it as the carbon build up burning off. On the other hand, many people that have used it report improved drivbility and/or increased power output.

[MENINBLK]

Daylight vid (http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jeffreyk/Marauder%20seafoam%20part%202. wmv)

Should have put the camera in the back...

Penzoil Gumout Regane does the same thing in your tank,
and it makes a noticeable different after 2 tanks.

[94_302]

I wonder the same thing. I wonder whether the seafoam smokes when it burns and everyone interprets it as the carbon build up burning off. On the other hand, many people that have used it report improved drivbility and/or increased power output.
I think the white smoke is the seafoam itself, but I got a little dash of brown and I think that is from carbon build up.

[cyclone03]

I'm not trying to slam this product or anybody that has used it,I'm sure it works.
DO NOT TAKE WHAT I"M ABOUT TO SAY AS ANY TYPE OF SLAM.


The only problem I have with the aplication of this ,or any,product into the inlet system is our intake system itself.

Our intake system unlike the carburated systems of old is designed for dry flow that is air only no fuel flow.As such our intake manifold runners dips down below the intake ports and it's that low area that concearns me when introducing liquid to the intake.

Sucking the product into the PCV hose puts it right into the manifold,the product is much heavier than the air in the system and if the air flow is low,idle,what doesn't get to the combustion chamber will just sit in the low area of the intake waiting for high airflow to pull it into the nearest intake port and combustion chamber.If that gulp is large you could hydraulic that cylinder not good.

Now if the product tends to vaporize this may not be a problem.
I would think that if you could mist it into the airflow and keep the engine at a higher RPM,2000 or so,you would reduce the risk of the manifold filling with fluid .
Just a thought.

[metroplex]

I'm not trying to slam this product or anybody that has used it,I'm sure it works.
DO NOT TAKE WHAT I"M ABOUT TO SAY AS ANY TYPE OF SLAM.


The only problem I have with the aplication of this ,or any,product into the inlet system is our intake system itself.

Our intake system unlike the carburated systems of old is designed for dry flow that is air only no fuel flow.As such our intake manifold runners dips down below the intake ports and it's that low area that concearns me when introducing liquid to the intake.

Sucking the product into the PCV hose puts it right into the manifold,the product is much heavier than the air in the system and if the air flow is low,idle,what doesn't get to the combustion chamber will just sit in the low area of the intake waiting for high airflow to pull it into the nearest intake port and combustion chamber.If that gulp is large you could hydraulic that cylinder not good.

Now if the product tends to vaporize this may not be a problem.
I would think that if you could mist it into the airflow and keep the engine at a higher RPM,2000 or so,you would reduce the risk of the manifold filling with fluid .
Just a thought.


+1

I did this on a 1981 302 V8 with 110k miles of 100% city driving (used Seafoam that is) and all I got was a smoke show. No carbon or deposits blew out the exhaust. I didn't even get much of a smoke show.

I would never put anything other than engine oil into the engine, ATF in the trans, gasoline in the gas tank, etc... The only "additives" I'd use in the gas would be Chevron Techron or gasoline. Drive it like you stole it and you won't have carbon deposits.

[Vortech347]

I'm not trying to slam this product or anybody that has used it,I'm sure it works.
DO NOT TAKE WHAT I"M ABOUT TO SAY AS ANY TYPE OF SLAM.


The only problem I have with the aplication of this ,or any,product into the inlet system is our intake system itself.

Our intake system unlike the carburated systems of old is designed for dry flow that is air only no fuel flow.As such our intake manifold runners dips down below the intake ports and it's that low area that concearns me when introducing liquid to the intake.

Sucking the product into the PCV hose puts it right into the manifold,the product is much heavier than the air in the system and if the air flow is low,idle,what doesn't get to the combustion chamber will just sit in the low area of the intake waiting for high airflow to pull it into the nearest intake port and combustion chamber.If that gulp is large you could hydraulic that cylinder not good.

Now if the product tends to vaporize this may not be a problem.
I would think that if you could mist it into the airflow and keep the engine at a higher RPM,2000 or so,you would reduce the risk of the manifold filling with fluid .
Just a thought.

This is also why wet nitrous systems on these 4V engines is REALLY stupid.

[GreekGod]

Ford used to sell a combustion chamber cleaner. I think you ran the (carburated) engine at a high idle and poured 1/2 the can down the carb and then poured the other 1/2 in until the engine stalled. Lotsa smoke after letting it sit for a few minutes. Oldtimers also used to say ATF (highly detergent) would do the same thing. Before Gojo hand cleaner was available, ATF was used to clean hands when Boraxo hand soap didn't do the job.

[1gtx]

As of about 4 years ago the California Highway patrol routinely ran one can of seafoam through each cruiser once a month. It was quite good at preventing problems with fuel systems icing up and rough idle issues at higher attitudes.

[Ross]

OK, this may seem a bit elementary, so someone enlighten me. There are different colors of smoke which can come out of the exhaust, depending on what's in the smoke and why it's there. It seems like built up carbon would come out as black smoke (or at least very dark), not the white smoke that this stuff makes. I, too, used to use the old ATF down the carb trick, and would produce clouds and clouds of thick white smoke. I'm always up for a safe, workable, low cost maintenance trick, so this stuff may be on it's way to my engine.

[GreekGod]

As I understand it, the catalytic converters eliminate much, if not all of the black smoke from "oil burning". The high temps and catalytic reaction reduce or eliminate the hydrocarbons for "cleaner" air. Since (most?) Diesels don't have converters, their smoke is most obvious.

[merc6]

Per chryslers mopar CCC route I did this on other cars...


Mopar Combustion Chamber Cleaner/Conditioner is really good for removing carbon deposits, but the directions on the can are not so useful. The following directions outline the way that professional mechanics have been using the cleaner for years -- they were finally published in TSB 18-31-97 for 1996-98 Jeep 4.0 Liter misfire conditions:
decarbonizing Procedure
1. Operate the vehicle until the vehicle reaches operating temperature.
2. Remove the air tube from the throttle body.
3. With the engine at an idle, spray the entire contents of Mopar Combustion Cleaner, p/n 04318001, directly into the throttle body. Allow the vehicle to load up with the cleaner to the point of almost stalling out.
4. Shut the engine OFF after the entire can is ingested.
5. With the hood closed and the vehicle parked inside the garage, allow the vehicle to soak for two to three hours. This will ensure that the engine will maintain its temperature and will allow proper solvent penetration.
6. Drive the vehicle on a highway/freeway that will allow the vehicle to be driven safely at the posted speed limit. Upon entering the highway/freeway, accelerate hard to the posted speed limit and maintain speed. Slow down and then perform 5 to 10 Wide Open Throttle (WOT) upshifts. Continue driving at the maximum speed limit for 1-2 miles (if conditions allow).
I remember the car gurgling and sunded like it was dyeing then split second it shot off down the highway like ***** ape. Clean tips for soot ;)

[GreekGod]

The MOPAR CCC instructions sound like the Ford CCC instructions from 25 years ago. Probably the same stuff-maybe a lot of Kerosene in it? We used to go to Tiger baseball games in Detroit in the '60's. The old 292 V8 '61 Ford my dad took us in never ran better (after driving around all winter in town with the choke on) than when we blew out all the carbon driving 85 mph for 4 hours down and back from Detroit on I96.

[Marauderjack]

When I put my ProCharger on I had to remove the upper intake to replace the injectors.

Looking at the PCV tube in it I believe that pulling this Seafoam in at this connection would send most of it to the driver's side intake ports??:confused:

My intake was not gunky at all....only light tan and the injectors looked new!! I see pix of injectors and intake valves on Injector Cleaner bottles that look pretty bad and wonder if the grade of gas has much to do with it?? I know that 87 octane is pretty bad around here and have been told that most "Premium Grade" fuels have additional cleaners and detergents......Maybe we don't need these cleaning products at all since most of us run 93 octane exclusively!!??:bows:

Just my thoughts on the subject??

Marauderjack:D