How To: Seafoam

Toysrme · October 31, 2005

Seafoam makes the world go round!

Not really, but at $5 a can it's a steal.

A can is 1 pint.

You need 2 cans.

Pour 1/2 a can in the gas tank when you stop to fill up. (This ensures it mixes well)

Pour the other 1/2 in with fresh engine oil.

At the least you will notice that the engine will idle noticeably smoother.

Here's where most people get confused. Using it down the intake to clean the combustion chamber & parts of the head.

1) Drive the car around the block until it comes up to temp

2) Pour 1/3 of a can into a separate container

3) Crank the engine

4) Pull the brake booster hose off & put your finger over the end so the car doesn't lean out & stall.

5) Drop the hose in the bottom of the container & let your finger off the end. If the engine doesn't stall out completely SHUT IT OFF ASAP.

The fluid will near instantly disappear & the engine should stall from being too rich to run, or being too lean from the hose letting air in afterwards. This will not break your engine. You're not using enough fluid to hydrolock it.

6) The engine should sit for 5 min.

7) Crank the engine & let it run until the smoke dies down

Normally you will get an ungodly amount of smoke.

8) As the smoke dies down, drive the car around. Be sure to make liberal use of 1st & 2nd gear to get to the higher portions of the RPM range a few times. That would be 5000-6850rpm..

You are not breaking your engine by running it at those rpm... All of the computers on all of the engines will cut the fuel to slow the RPM down before the engine is damaged. Yes, they are built for it...

Why someone would want to do this?

To clean gunk, sludge, & misc. heavy buildup out of the oil system. Pump, passages, bearings, walls.

To clean the fuel system.

To clean carbon out of the combustion chamber.

Now some people ask why you want to go to the trouble of cleaning carbon out of the engine.

Because as it builds up on the valves, they don't seal as well - causing poor compression while the leaking gas superheats parts of the engine that are not designed for it.

Because carbon in the combustion chamber is bad. mmmm kay? Any carbon becomes superheated. Superheated carbon / metal will cause the incoming fuel & air to ignite earlier than it should be. This (Detonation, pinging, kocking - all just names for pre-ignition) is very derailment to many aspects of engine life.

This is what a 3vz-fe looks like @ 95,000 miles.

(Forget the fluids, fluids spill look at the black carbon build-up)

Here's what it looks like 6 months after the last 3 Seafoam treatments.

Seafoam = Good. It's cheap & versatile, while working at least as good as anything else; regardless of the cost.

914lps · October 31, 2005

Have you tied Berrymans B12 Chemtool (Wal Mart has it) at around $3.00 a can?

"Pour the other 1/2 in with fresh engine oil.

At the least you will notice that the engine will idle noticeably smoother."

I'm assuming you mean to add the stuff to your engine oil and not to mix with oil and put in gas tank....

How long do you leave it in the engine oil before you change the oil? I'm assuming you do not run it in the oil all the time?

Toysrme · October 31, 2005

The normal oil change interval. 5,000 miles.

monarch · October 31, 2005

Here's what the Asian automakers think of additives:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/nissan.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/nis.jpg

Toysrme · October 31, 2005

That's great. :rolleyes:

Here's what Lexus & Toyota think the inside of your 1mz-fe should look like after only 6 years of ownership & power is down 5-10 horsepower across the board.

Old pics of my 3vz-fe @ 95,000 miles.

(Keep in mind, you guys with the newer MZ family engine have this problem two-three times as bad as earlier ones did. That gastly overactive EGR system. BLAAAH! LoL!)

This is why the tornado gas saver doesn't work on our cars... All the turbulence & fuel clinging to the carbon is like having one stock & we all know... Two tornado gas savers takes away the power one tornado gas saver gives!

Bawahahahahahahahahahaha :lol:

bartkat · October 31, 2005

Should I stop using Chevron with Techron or Shell with Cleanemup additives?

Toysrme · October 31, 2005

I'll take something that will clean that *BLEEP* off over what Nissan has to say any day.

*BLEEP* I just got finished replacing a mother f'ing MAF sensor they've had TSB's for over 650,000 units on the '02 Maxima. They've had the same problem on all their MAF's since the early 90s. Recall? Hell no. Cheap *BLEEP*s. It's no wonder Nissan is in the pits. (Maybe I'll get lucky & they'll fold the car division LoL!) A freaking WEEK after the warrantee runs out...

Drain your oil. Refill with 0, or 10 weight oil. Let the engine idle for 10-15 min. 20+ is dangerous. Drain the oil again & you'll wish you'd use a cleaner more often! Especially with the 1mz-fe's. I'd be scared to death of one sludging, evne tho I'm the biggest "It's not really a problem if you change the oil in the first place" supporter.

I'm not a fan of oil additives either after BITOG nailed Lucas additive to the wall! But ya gotta get the built-up crap out somehow!

914lps · October 31, 2005

I can understand putting it in your gas every now and then, but if you put it in the oil and run for 3,000 miles... I don't know about that. It has to realy thin your oil out! After all it is made to be a solvent. As for sucking it into the engine from the booster vac. I would think you are going to "gum" up your plugs, and put the cats though hell???

I would like to hear from more folks that have done this, or will not do it and why?

mburnickas · October 31, 2005

I can understand putting it in your gas every now and then, but if you put it in the oil and run for 3,000 miles... I don't know about that. It has to realy thin your oil out! After all it is made to be a solvent. As for sucking it into the engine from the booster vac. I would think you are going to "gum" up your plugs, and put the cats though hell???
I would like to hear from more folks that have done this, or will not do it and why?

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I am sure it would clean but I would like to see an oil test. Since I am guessing your wear numbers would go through the roof!

jragosta · October 31, 2005

I can understand putting it in your gas every now and then, but if you put it in the oil and run for 3,000 miles... I don't know about that. It has to realy thin your oil out! After all it is made to be a solvent. As for sucking it into the engine from the booster vac. I would think you are going to "gum" up your plugs, and put the cats though hell???
I would like to hear from more folks that have done this, or will not do it and why?

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Now you can see why the car manufacturers don't recommend additives.

Cars are designed very carefully so everything works well together. The industry spends BILLIONS of dollars on this. Now along comes someone who thinks they know better than the car manufacturers and they dupe people into paying for their product. I'll create a new product that's pure kerosene. Put it in the crankcase and I guarantee you'll have less sludge in your engine. When you fry your bearings, I'll say it's not my problem - the engine must have had that problem before you put kerosene into the crankcase. Or maybe you did it wrong.

While it would be nice to have systems that don't get dirty, it's not going to happen. While people are free to do what they want with their own engines, I think it's wrong to try to pawn these things off on someone who doesn't know what the tradeoffs are.

Toysrme · October 31, 2005

Sorry... Just ranting. Nissan really has me *BLEEP*ed off right now.

Seafoam (for engine's) is 45% Naptha oil & you're only using a cup of it.

It would be like putting a half cup of kerosene, or light weight oil into the oil instead of putting a full quart, or running it off straight light weight oil to flush it out. (Or god forbid some people still lubricate off straight kerosene, or desil fuel during a flush!)

It's a safer version of flushing. Think of it as flushing for dummies. ;)

monarch · October 31, 2005

Now you can see why the car manufacturers don't recommend additives. Cars are designed very carefully so everything works well together. The industry spends BILLIONS of dollars on this. Now along comes someone who thinks they know better than the car manufacturers and they dupe people into paying for their product.
While it would be nice to have systems that don't get dirty, it's not going to happen. I think it's wrong to try to pawn these things off on someone who doesn't know what the tradeoffs are.

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I agree. I'm one of hundreds of Toyota 400,000 mile owners http://www.saber.net/~monarch/463.jpg who doesn't use additives. Simply operating and maintaining a Toyota engine the way the factory engineers intended (which means just say NO to aftermarket mods / alterations / products) prevents excessive power robbing deposits from forming on parts like the intake valves, the EGR valve and fuel injectors to begin with.

I don't think the pro mod, pro additive owners ever stop to think and ask themselves: "Hey I wonder what the intake valves, EGR valve, fuel injectors and other parts of a Toyota engine would look like after 400,000 miles of being maintained the way the factory engineers intended"?? or "Hey, I wonder why the aftermarket product and additive salespeople won't show show the public photos of Toyota engine parts after 400,000 miles of being maintained the way the factory engineers intended"?? or "Hey, I wonder why the aftermarket product and additive salespeople don't show show the public photos of Toyota engine compression test readings after 400,000 miles of being maintained the way the factory engineers intended"?

jragosta · October 31, 2005

Sorry... Just ranting. Nissan really has me *BLEEP*ed off right now.
Seafoam (for engine's) is 45% Naptha oil & you're only using a cup of it.

It would be like putting a half cup of kerosene, or light weight oil into the oil instead of putting a full quart, or running it off straight light weight oil to flush it out. (Or god forbid some people still lubricate off straight kerosene, or desil fuel during a flush!)

It's a safer version of flushing. Think of it as flushing for dummies. ;)

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Well, I'm not calling people who use this product dummies, but if you wish to, I won't stop you.

It's very different from flushing. You're diluting the oil with a solvent (unlike flushing where you drain the oil and replace it with new oil). That means that the viscosity drops by at least a grade, maybe 2. You're going to have much less protection than if you use the factory recommendations. Look at the increased maintenance requirements for severe usage conditions. You're basically worse off then even that.

mburnickas · October 31, 2005

Sorry... Just ranting. Nissan really has me *BLEEP*ed off right now.
Seafoam (for engine's) is 45% Naptha oil & you're only using a cup of it.

It would be like putting a half cup of kerosene, or light weight oil into the oil instead of putting a full quart, or running it off straight light weight oil to flush it out. (Or god forbid some people still lubricate off straight kerosene, or desil fuel during a flush!)

It's a safer version of flushing. Think of it as flushing for dummies. ;)

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Well, I'm not calling people who use this product dummies, but if you wish to, I won't stop you.

It's very different from flushing. You're diluting the oil with a solvent (unlike flushing where you drain the oil and replace it with new oil). That means that the viscosity drops by at least a grade, maybe 2. You're going to have much less protection than if you use the factory recommendations. Look at the increased maintenance requirements for severe usage conditions. You're basically worse off then even that.

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I agree it will clean everything great. But I can just see it now, high Lb, Cu, Tn, etc. If you want to do the seafoam I would do it then drain the oil, ASAP. Or autoRx and call it a day.

mburnickas · October 31, 2005

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I agree. I'm one of hundreds of Toyota 400,000 mile owners http://www.saber.net/~monarch/463.jpg who doesn't use additives. Simply operating and maintaining a Toyota engine the way the factory engineers intended (which means just say NO to aftermarket mods / alterations / products) prevents excessive power robbing deposits from forming on parts like the intake valves, the EGR valve and fuel injectors to begin with.
I don't think the pro mod, pro additive owners ever stop to think and ask themselves: "Hey I wonder what the intake valves, EGR valve, fuel injectors and other parts of a Toyota engine would look like after 400,000 miles of being maintained the way the factory engineers intended"?? or "Hey, I wonder why the aftermarket product and additive salespeople won't show show the public photos of Toyota engine parts after 400,000 miles of being maintained the way the factory engineers intended"?? or "Hey, I wonder why the aftermarket product and additive salespeople don't show show the public photos of Toyota engine compression test readings after 400,000 miles of being maintained the way the factory engineers intended"?

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I agree but my 98 did not use additives etc before I got it. I can show you Lexus slips since I need a new EGR put on the very next year since the engine has issues in this area. Just do a search and you can find out.

Also if Lexus designed my engine correctly there would be no issues with plugged Ivac, TB and intakes now would there......there would be no slow to accel, rough idel, low mpg.....

I can show you the new shirt I used to clean my TB and ivac after 80K miles. Yea, it looked realy clean. :wacko: You could have used it to clean up tar and it would be the same color.

Here you go:

http://home.comcast.net/~94gsxr1100/lexus/tb_clean.jpg

Additives have there places and they do work. I had to replace my Radio LCd screen too. I wonder if the engineers where on a ITO break or something when the signoff came around.

All cars have issues. My wifes last Toyota had 200K and the 3rd owner just sold it. But what you do not know is all the $$$ it too get to that point. And that was maintained at the dealer and the dipstick still had varnish on it and leaked from 80K miles on....

anzial · November 1, 2005

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I agree. I'm one of hundreds of Toyota 400,000 mile owners http://www.saber.net/~monarch/463.jpg who doesn't use additives. Simply operating and maintaining a Toyota engine the way the factory engineers intended (which means just say NO to aftermarket mods / alterations / products) prevents excessive power robbing deposits from forming on parts like the intake valves, the EGR valve and fuel injectors to begin with.
I don't think the pro mod, pro additive owners ever stop to think and ask themselves: "Hey I wonder what the intake valves, EGR valve, fuel injectors and other parts of a Toyota engine would look like after 400,000 miles of being maintained the way the factory engineers intended"?? or "Hey, I wonder why the aftermarket product and additive salespeople won't show show the public photos of Toyota engine parts after 400,000 miles of being maintained the way the factory engineers intended"?? or "Hey, I wonder why the aftermarket product and additive salespeople don't show show the public photos of Toyota engine compression test readings after 400,000 miles of being maintained the way the factory engineers intended"?

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I agree but my 98 did not use additives etc before I got it. I can show you Lexus slips since I need a new EGR put on the very next year since the engine has issues in this area. Just do a search and you can find out.

Also if Lexus designed my engine correctly there would be no issues with plugged Ivac, TB and intakes now would there......there would be no slow to accel, rough idel, low mpg.....

I can show you the new shirt I used to clean my TB and ivac after 80K miles. Yea, it looked realy clean. You could have used it to clean up tar and it would be the same color.

Here you go:

http://home.comcast.net/~94gsxr1100/lexus/tb_clean.jpg

Additives have there places and they do work. I had to replace my Radio LCd screen too. I wonder if the engineers where on a ITO break or something when the signoff came around.

All cars have issues. My wifes last Toyota had 200K and the 3rd owner just sold it. But what you do not know is all the $$$ it too get to that point. And that was maintained at the dealer and the dipstick still had varnish on it and leaked from 80K miles on....

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this still doesn't answer the question whether aftermarket additives prolong or shorten the life of the engine. After all, this your experience which may or may not be repeated by others. What is really needed is a very long, very expensive test running a set of cars as engineers intended and another set with aftermarket additives - both driven in absolutely same conditions. Only a few years later we might have more or less definitive answer. At this point, all there is a gimmick which appears to work for some ppl in the short run with unknown long-term consequences. After all, you can't really compare service record of engineer maintained vehicle with one subjected to aftermarket additives, 'cause both are different, used in different conditions, for different purposes, driven in different styles. Too many variables to account for, too little confidence in a meaningful comparison.

Just my $0.02 :)

anzial · November 1, 2005

BTW, why bring up LCD issue when it's completely unrelated to engine :) LCD, after all, was not even designed by Toyota, it's outsourced to Pioneer :D I mean, com'n, this is not a valid comparison! :chairshot:

smasood · November 1, 2005

After going through all the discussion, JUST wondering. Why not use a regular engine flush oil at the time of oil change instead of going through all the seafoam hassel, what would be the difference by flushing engine with seafoam versus regular flushing oil. Don't they get rid of sludge and carbon build up?? :pirate:

Toysrme · November 1, 2005

No.

You're only cleaning the oil system when you flush the oil. Just like you're only cleaning the fuel system when you do fuel additives, or you're only cleaning the combustion chamber when you put something down the intake.

The main difference would be that AFA the oil cleaning flush, seafoam you just pour it in & go about your biz. Using a light weight oil, or adding kerosene / desil to new oil to flush, you:

drain the old oil

Put in what you're flushing with

Let the engine idle for 10-15 min - NO LONGER

drain oil again

pour in another quart or two to try to get sedimants out of the pan

then add your fresh oil & go about your biz.

Seafoam is like a $50 kit of Auto-RX, but you can do almost as good, or just as good with 2 $5 cans.

914lps · November 1, 2005

The normal oil change interval. 5,000 miles.

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OK , now you have lost me. Seafoam clearly states on thier own web site to only leave it in the oil for about an hour before flushing with new oil.

I will be talking to SeaFoam in the AM but I expect they will say Seafoam in oil for 5,000 miles is not good.....

Toysrme · November 1, 2005

You're not only in the diesel engine section, but you're also skipping over, "for best results" in the deisel section.

For gas engine's it doesn't bother the service interval. Neither does Trans-Tune.

SKperformance · November 1, 2005

it also has a boiling point that is very low 180 degrees F.

So by it turning to a gas and vaporizing once the engine is hot it will be induced into the pvc system and burned off. Meaning it would only be in there for a short time.

That means it will burn off rather quickly even before the engine reaches normal operating temps.

I would use it before an oil change not after to remove gum and varnishes.

mburnickas · November 1, 2005

BTW, why bring up LCD issue when it's completely unrelated to engine :) LCD, after all, was not even designed by Toyota, it's outsourced to Pioneer :D I mean, com'n, this is not a valid comparison! :chairshot:

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Does not matter. Some engineer at Lexus/Toyota signed off on it and took responsibilty and it reflects their qulaity. So much for keep standards high.

Just like the EGR, Ivac and throttle body gumming up issue. Or the sludge issue right that is not an issue by design, sure.

:rolleyes:

mburnickas · November 1, 2005

Again adds work but the user much follow the directions. If you overfil them, install them to often, etc they will cause more harm them good. If you use them as outline there should bbe not problem.

I did not use an adds in my gsxr since this year and it always had a slight hesitation. Installed some gas add, and it was gone.

The things that I have found is the when you add adds to your gas there is a good chance they will show up if you test your oil.

914lps · November 1, 2005

OK, I talked to the techs at SEAFOAM today.

On putting it into the intake though a vacum line. You can do it and it does clean things. It can fowl your plugs but it is not likly. To fowl the plugs engine would have to be extrinly dirty.

On puyying it in the oil. You should flush it within an hour or so, but you can leave it in the oil.

Seafoam will desapate out of the oil after about 50 miles of driving. So you get more from it by adding it before you change the oil, and flushing the dirt out, then you do by putting it in with clean oil, and having the dirt stay in your oil for all the miles till the next oil change.