STOP ME, before...

[Blk Mamba]

..I do something stupid. I bought a can of Sea Foam, and I want to sea foam the engine. I remember using GM's Top Engine Cleaner, in the past, pour in the carb, till the engine stalls, then pour the rest in the tank. In our MM's I've heard that you pour it in a vacuum tube...I'm unsure of how, what vacuum tube, engine running?, till it stalls?, Please all the info you can give is appreciated. I don't want to F it up. Thanks

[a_d_a_m]

I just ran a can of it through a full tank of gas.

[W4LTD]

I just ran a can of it through a full tank of gas.

ditto.....

[Pat]

Talked to FLAP and they said run it through the gas tank 1/2 full or more.

I will do mine next week after I change my EGR Valve. Car throwing code and running rich.

[SMOKE]

Search "Sea Foam" and you will have all the info you need....

Link to my favorite Seafoam thread HERE (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=34630&highlight=seafoam) - look inside post number 4 for a couple links to yet still more, very descriptive posts on use of Seafoam...

Jonathan

[pantheroc]

I'd like to see it done (via hoses) in person before I do it. Tony, how about I come witness you do it.. :D

[Blk Mamba]

I've read tons of threads on this, and everyone has a different approach, sure Jerry, bring yours over and I'll do yours.

[lucenti]

http://www.seafoamsales.com/motorTuneUpTechGas.htm

[Vortech347]

Don't run it through the PCV Valve.

If you run it through the intake you'll have a few issues #1 it will puddle like crazy. #2 it will not go to all cylinders...

The best way is to remove the spark plugs, dump an equal amount down all cylinders then turn the engine over with the spark plugs out and the coil covers on. (make sure you put the covers on or you'll have a big mess) Let it turn over for about 10-15 seconds while the gas pedal is floored (to turn the fuel injectors off so it dosn't flood). Then alow it to sit for 15 min. Come back. Re-install the spark plugs and fire it up! It will bounce around getting the intake valves, exhaust valves, and piston.

[hot-rauder]

Heres a good idea... Dont Sea Foam. If it aint broke, dont fix it!

[CRUZTAKER]

Why are you running ANYTHING foreign through your engine?

When Zack tore my motor down at 42k it was clean as a whistle inside....literally...appeared as new.
All I did was change oil frequently and use Sunoco 94 faithfully.

I will NEVER put any sort of additive (aside from race fuel) in my car that wasn't there when it was built...no way.

[Glockafella]

Running a can of seafoam through the gas tank wont hurt every 9-10K miles or so if you feel the need. I put Seafoam in my tank only when I know I am going to get an oil change within the next week or so. I run the treated gas through the motor within the week and when my gas light comes on I go get my oil changed. When finished with oil change I put fresh gasoline into the motor and It usually feels great (probably all in my head, I know I know). Done this with all my vehicles, never had any problems.

[Brian H]

I pulled the vac. hose off my M/C brke booster,crammed it in the the Seafoam can. Started the motor, and let'er rip! Smoked like a freighter, fer about 5 solid mins. and then ran like a scalded dog after that. Gettin' ready to do it again here soon....

[mpearce]

Why are you running ANYTHING foreign through your engine?

When Zack tore my motor down at 42k it was clean as a whistle inside....literally...appeared as new.
All I did was change oil frequently and use Sunoco 94 faithfully.

I will NEVER put any sort of additive (aside from race fuel) in my car that wasn't there when it was built...no way.

I agree with this 100%. ^^^^^^

-Mat

[FastMerc]

Why are you running ANYTHING foreign through your engine?

When Zack tore my motor down at 42k it was clean as a whistle inside....literally...appeared as new.
All I did was change oil frequently and use Sunoco 94 faithfully.

I will NEVER put any sort of additive (aside from race fuel) in my car that wasn't there when it was built...no way.
I agree just run some race fuel once and a while keep that engine good!

[BurpyTurtle]

I don't understand how the massive white clouds that come out when pouring directly into the engine are supposed to be anything other than burned Seafoam.

As Seafoam is mostly alcohol, white oil, and naptha, why not just put a half gallon of E85 in the tank then fill it the rest of the way with 93 octane instead?

Or am I missing something here?

[babbage]

It's meant to be used as a safe solvent. You get the engine hot, you let the engine suck in half a can via brake booster or PCV while running. Then shut off car and let sit for 20 mins.

Its like mouthwash sitting in your mouth. At this very same time seafoam is sitting in your intake dissolving gum and varnish that's in places you can't easily reach.

Then start car and drive it out. With all of the oil that gets sucked into the upper intake this is a good thing to help keep it clean - it's easier than taking off the intake and cleaning it by hand.

For the people that 'just run gas through it' take off your throttle body and look inside, it's probably very nasty dirty & oily. I'm guessing if you are afraid to seafoam you'll never touch something like the intake.

[hot-rauder]

I'm guessing if you are afraid to seafoam you'll never touch something like the intake.

Nope, noit afraid to clean up a motor by hand, afraid to run a substance through the engine that is oil or gas. Sorry, but Seafoam doesnt scare me, it bothers me. I just dont trust its helping more than its hurting.

I dont tear down my engine and clean it all the time, but if it needs done i would rather pull off the intake and clean it and run some race fuel through it, than Seafoam which stalls the motor and blows Godly amounts of smoke.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Hey if it makes people feel better, whatever. I am not dumping it through the MM. It's not a 1985 carbureted chevy caprice that should be carboning up the engine that bad inside.

[babbage]

Hey if it makes people feel better, whatever. I am not dumping it through the MM. It's not a 1985 carbureted chevy caprice that should be carboning up the engine that bad inside.

I think you'd be surprised how much oil gets sucked in through the PCV and IAC. Seafoam can help clean it.

[hot-rauder]

I think you'd be surprised how much oil gets sucked in through the PCV and IAC. Seafoam can help clean it.


Have you taken yours apart before to see how bad it was? and then after Seafoaming it?

I agree with VEB.... Its not an old outdated engine. Its a hand built, high performance motor, that has a lot of enigineering in it....

[Vortech347]

DO NOT SUCK IT IN THROUGH THE PCV OR BRAKE BOOSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!

you'll clean out 3 cylinders.

[Phrog_gunner]

I don't understand how the massive white clouds that come out when pouring directly into the engine are supposed to be anything other than burned Seafoam.

As Seafoam is mostly alcohol, white oil, and naptha, why not just put a half gallon of E85 in the tank then fill it the rest of the way with 93 octane instead?

Or am I missing something here?


I'm no mechanical engineer, but white smoke coming out of your tailpipe means your engine is burning oil (for example cars that need valve stem seals). Alcohol and gasoline burn with no noticeable smoke (how your exhaust looks normally). That's how you know the additive is getting out caked in carbon and oil out of your engine.....

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

what about the oil content in the seafoam phrog?

[babbage]

DO NOT SUCK IT IN THROUGH THE PCV OR BRAKE BOOSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!

you'll clean out 3 cylinders.


PCV *is* a good place to suck in Seaform -- Why?

Because that's where the oil gets sucked into the intake to begin with !!!

[Phrog_gunner]

what about the oil content in the seafoam phrog?

Good point Vic. As far as I know, "white oil" is a form of vegetable oil. The company also claims that Seafoam will work as a starter fluid, so to me this means the amount of white oil is very low and the alcohol content is much higher. Regardless, the combination of alcohol and vegetable oil is pretty much what bio diesel is (methanol and vegetable oil) and even the exhaust from that is not white. Ive helped my buddy make bio diesel in the garage a couple times its pretty sweet, so I have seen this firsthand.

[Vortech347]

PCV *is* a good place to suck in Seaform -- Why?

Because that's where the oil gets sucked into the intake to begin with !!!

Because the point is to clean out everything right?

Its not a good place to suck it in. It gets distributed horribly. Like I said if you enjoy cleaning 3 cylinders. Go for it.

The correct and best method is to equally do each cylinder via the spark plug hole.

[BurpyTurtle]

I'm no mechanical engineer, but white smoke coming out of your tailpipe means your engine is burning oil (for example cars that need valve stem seals). Alcohol and gasoline burn with no noticeable smoke (how your exhaust looks normally). That's how you know the additive is getting out caked in carbon and oil out of your engine.....

No. That's how I know that the additive is being burned and expelled. The only way I'll ever know for sure if the additive has a cleaning effect is to take it apart and inspect.

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that Seafoam cleans and works wonders for performance. But there isn't much out there that I can find that has before and after testing to prove it.

Maybe the car feels like it runs better because the driver knows he just used Seafoam and saw all of that smoke and because it ran like **** during the clean out run until all of the Seafoam was burned, it must be running better now than before the Seafoam treatment.

In other words a psychological effect to the driver, not necessarily a subjective improvement in engine performance.


Getting back to what I was asking above: if I was going to add a can of Seafoam to my next fill up, but instead added half a gallon of E85, would the effects on engine performance and cleaning be similar?

[Vortech347]

Just an FYI....

I put some sea foam on a mustang piston with 20k on it and let it sit for 3 hours, went to wipe it off. Nothing happened....

LOL.

[Phrog_gunner]

Just an FYI....

I put some sea foam on a mustang piston with 20k on it and let it sit for 3 hours, went to wipe it off. Nothing happened....

LOL.

The chemicals like this require heat to help them do their jobs, thats why they say to let the engine warm up first. Doing it cold like that would require actually scrubbing off the gunk. Try running your dishwasher with cold water and see what the difference is. I'm in no way saying this stuff works, I had never even heard of it before but I'm just attempting to bring some enlightenment on the theory of this stuff.

[Vortech347]

We lit it on fire because we thought the same thing.

NADA.

[Phrog_gunner]

[quote=BurpyTurtle;751846]No. That's how I know that the additive is being burned and expelled. The only way I'll ever know for sure if the additive has a cleaning effect is to take it apart and inspect.

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that Seafoam cleans and works wonders for performance. But there isn't much out there that I can find that has before and after testing to prove it./[quote]

I think you just answered you own question? If you dont know how well the Seafoam works, how can you compare something else to it? You can't compare something with an unknown. But like I said Im no mechanical engineer, I don't know much about the scientific method.

Vortec I hope you didnt accidentally do a Michael Jackson impersonation with your experiments...:flamer:

[babbage]

Because the point is to clean out everything right?

Its not a good place to suck it in. It gets distributed horribly. Like I said if you enjoy cleaning 3 cylinders. Go for it.

The correct and best method is to equally do each cylinder via the spark plug hole.

That may work fine, but I always have used Seafoam as an intake cleaner. So what if you clean only "3" cylinders when sucking it in via PCV - this allows the seafoam to take the same path the oil takes when getting sucked in through the intake and helps clean that path! [my point]

If you want to clean the injectors, fuel system and cylinders dump a whole can in the gas tank. The intake will never get cleaned unless you take it apart or use Seaform which is a safe 100% petro solvent.