How To: Seafoam

[monarch]

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.

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EGR valves do not get badly carboned up and engines do not sludge if the owner buys the car brand new and maintains it the way the factory engineers intended. I agree throttle bodies get gummed up over time. The factory engineers are aware of this and have developed a product to clean up the throttle plate deposits without risk of harm to the engine or emission system: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/tbclean.jpg

[mburnickas]

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.

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I think you are playing with fire adding it to the oil.

[mburnickas]

EGR valves do not get badly carboned up and engines do not sludge if the owner buys the car brand new and maintains it the way the factory engineers intended. I agree throttle bodies get gummed up over time. The factory engineers are aware of this and have developed a product to clean up the throttle plate deposits without risk of harm to the engine or emission system: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/tbclean.jpg

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So now all the people with 1997 to 2001 EGR issues are due to there fault and not design????? I think not, do a search on this forum and see how many owners have issues. More issues then you can count.

Also my car was CPO and the thorttle body and ivac were a joke. I only had the car 30K miles and it got that bad. Monarch come on. It is gummed up by design here; if it was not, they would not have came out with a product to clean there mistake.Even there own cleaner does not agree with there own manual.

Even Toysrme has posted on these issues time and time again. The guy is not wrong here.

Then the endless sludge debate. I also disagree on it since it was/is not the owners fault . If it was not they would not have sent letters to all the owners of these years and redesigned some areas on the engine.Even the letters are so general it goes against there own manual, yet again.

Case in point the engineers should have seen this coming if they were as good as always state.

[jragosta]

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.

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That's rather silly. If you let it boil off, the sludge remains in the engine.

If you put it in just before an oil change, it probably won't do too much harm. Just remove ALL the oil and the filter and you're probably OK.

[914lps]

Toysrme...

If I'm remembering right you are running water injection on your car?

If so your combustion chamber and intake should be clean and stay that way.

I have a unit on my turbo Saab. An 84 with 350,000 miles. Put the water unit on at about 225,000 miles.

The water not only "tricks" the computer into thinking your running 100+ octan, it cools the incoming air, but the water cleans the intake, and steam cleans your combustion chamber and valves, etc.

[dcfish]

Toysrme...

If I'm remembering right you are running water injection on your car?

If so your combustion chamber and intake should be clean and stay that way.

I have a unit on my turbo Saab.  An 84 with 350,000 miles.  Put the water unit on at about 225,000 miles.

The water not only "tricks" the computer into thinking your running 100+ octan, it cools the incoming air, but the water cleans the intake, and steam cleans your combustion chamber and valves, etc.

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Please do tell more about the water injection, Install on any car? Where can one be bought? etc... Thanx in advance.

[SKperformance]

Water injection is used as a way to reduce intake charge temps by injecting a fine mist into the plenum .This reduces the temps and the chance of knocking which is very bad for a turbo.

It allows you to run more boost but only works when you have water to feed the simple washer fluid like system.

It is also stock on a Subaru WRX STI from the factory.

[dcfish]

Water injection is used as a way to reduce intake charge temps by injecting a fine mist into the plenum .This reduces the temps and the chance of knocking which is very bad for a turbo.

It allows you to run more boost but only works when you have water to feed the simple washer fluid like system.

It is also stock on a Subaru WRX STI from the factory.

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Is it to be used only on turbo's ?

[jragosta]

It's worth noting that there's another active thread right now where someone used Seafoam and is now looking at a new engine.

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=22839

[dcfish]

It's worth noting that there's another active thread right now where someone used Seafoam and is now looking at a new engine.

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=22839

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I don't beleive for a second that seafoam caused a bearing to seize to the crank. So as far as I am concerned that link has nothing to do with this thread except that seafoam was mentioned. There was obviously a problem before the seafoam was added.

[jragosta]

It's worth noting that there's another active thread right now where someone used Seafoam and is now looking at a new engine.

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=22839

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I don't beleive for a second that seafoam caused a bearing to seize to the crank. So as far as I am concerned that link has nothing to do with this thread except that seafoam was mentioned. There was obviously a problem before the seafoam was added.

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That may be true. However, lots of people have given lots of reasons why using Seafoam might be a bad idea. The car manufacturers do not recommend it based on their tests and may void the warranty if you use it. This person used it and seized a crank.

You can believe there's no correlation if you wish, but those things are enough that I think it's pretty silly to use the stuff.

[dcfish]

It's worth noting that there's another active thread right now where someone used Seafoam and is now looking at a new engine.

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=22839

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I don't beleive for a second that seafoam caused a bearing to seize to the crank. So as far as I am concerned that link has nothing to do with this thread except that seafoam was mentioned. There was obviously a problem before the seafoam was added.

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That may be true. However, lots of people have given lots of reasons why using Seafoam might be a bad idea. The car manufacturers do not recommend it based on their tests and may void the warranty if you use it. This person used it and seized a crank.

You can believe there's no correlation if you wish, but those things are enough that I think it's pretty silly to use the stuff.

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Considering the pressure/friction that it takes to cause a BEARING to be seized to a crank is something that has been adding up over time, Not within 11 miles of driving the car, Explain why you think the seafoam made the bearing sieze? At least it makes for good discussion

Maybe Toysrme will chime in and give us a better explanation as to why a bearing would sieze, He always has a great depth of info to share. :D

[mburnickas]

I still think you are messing in an area that will do more harm then good. You are adding something to the internal components are not to withstand. You can stay it will burn off and this and that, but when it burns off it still LEAVES something.

It is like having ash in your oil. When the oil burns off it leaves behind compounds and this will cause your wear numbers to increase. Most people and techs will not test their oil; so they will not see it. So they think everything is 100% fine. If you test you will see the increased wear numbers in Lead, Cupper, Alumim, Tin etc. That I can guarantee.

All the good stuff in the oil (whatever you use, not naming brands since it is not important) ;such as alkylated diphenylamines (antioxidants), hindered phenols (antioxidants), boron esters, concentrated calcium, zinc antioxidant/AW additive, phosphorus, MOLY, organic barium compounds, magnesium etc etc are going to have to work overtime since it things this fluid is bad, which it is.

I still think IF you tested the oil AFTER installing seaform in the oil, your oil would thicken, OXD and NOX would be very high (over 30% to 40% each), wear numbers very very high, TBN very low and soot and solids well you get the picture.

I know what I have seen using gas additives in, now you want to add a cleaning compound to your engines lubricating system.

Again this is my slanted whacked take.

Not stepping on Toysrme toes here.

[monarch]

Based upon what they read on the Internet, even some late model Toyota / Lexus owners are becomng convinced they need to "decarbon" their engines are using Seafoam or Water Injection.

Like today on the Toyota 4x4 Pickup Discussion Group a 2003 Tacoma owner wrote:

"My 2003 Tacoma with the 2.7 engine is carboned up again. I do not know where to introduce the Seafoam or water. Could someone please advise?"

[Toysrme]

M.R.M.

914lps I haven't used WI in months. See the thread I made with pictures of the latest head gaskets blowing up. The #2/#6 are normal, while #4 is completely clean. That's what WI looks like.

jragosta You have no, without a shadow of a doubt, Earthly idea what you're talking about.

Ice blew a set of head gaskets & had electrical problems months back & replaced/fixed them only to find the bearings weres siezed up from the associated oiling problems. Bought a JDM engine & swapped it on after much difficulty. Now it's having problems.That's how I remember it from talking to him.

Problem is when started and placed in gear you hit the gas and vechile does nothing. Put it in N and it rev's fine, back to D and it goes but barely you have to floor. the car putts around and the power is not there. Some white smoke coming out of pipes but smells like gas. This happens all the time but rarely it runs like it is meant to. but within10 mins, it back to running crappy...

174,169,176...145,150,145

Replaced HG's... ok all back together but it has a hard time starting and when started dies fast... very rough idle... car runs great at idle... press the gas and let off it dies immediatly. smoke still coming from the exhaust... strong gas smell and gas leaking from the exhuast tips... changed the PCV a month ago old one was clogged... Car smokes Blue (BAD) now and oil is out the tailpipe...

200psi front... 220psi rear...

ran it in the garage for about 15 min. When you rev it a big puff of smoke comes out and water in the tail pipe...

smoke is all gone after 11 miles. Turned around to come home and the engine is knocking bad.

the people that had it before me must of never changed the oil. When I changed it , it was very thick sludge almost. 220 000 miles and i put 10 30 with some sea foam to clean things and this is what happens.

New oil doesn't cause bearing damage after thousands of miles of crap for lubrication. It's the other way around - the thousands of miles of crap causes the damage.

Compouned by the fact after thousands of miles with poor running conditions, including water contamination, his rear head gasket blew - letting oil & coolant mix which sent it over the top.

Bearings die from:

1) Severe overheating after no/too little lubrication oil

2) Old oil is corrosive & doesn't lubricate well.

3) Spin / shatter after the power produced exceeds what the bearing bolts / studs can hold down.

"Gritty" oil will score bearings, but the scoring itself doesn't kill the bearing - low flow from low oil / clogged oil ports causes them to fail. It's a sign that there has been, or is damaging occuring. The problem<s> need to be fixed & the bearings replaced.

In any case, you don't have to use it in your oil, tho it's a great idea. Be it Seafoam, Kerosene, or a light weight oil. I've been looking into the crevasses of my '93 3vz-fe for a good while now. Tho no passages had any build-up. Some walls had more gunk on them than I like to see, but otherwise great condition. If I had a later engine I'd be all over oil cleaning. Again, tho I don't think there is any critical underlying problem with the 97-02 1mz-fe's - I would still find a way to average cleaning the system a few times over a few years just to make sure no damage is incurred from build-up.

Tho I'll outright say Seafoam will clean combustion chamber & the like as good as anything else - if not better than the majority. It seems to clean the fuel system well. It also seems to cleans everywhere oil goes as well as anything else you can grab.

If you're so worried, spend your $50-$100 on Auto-RX kits that take months to complete. Otherwise I'll take 2* $5 cans of Seafoam you can do in 20 min whenever you want & have better, or in the worse case the same results.

When you get down to the bottom of it you have to do something with both carbon build-up & at least a semi-regular basis for fuel cleaning.

Oil for many engines falls under doing anything is better than the *BLEEP* that eventually ubilds up in them.

The problem with both carbon build-up & the oil system is that many of these engines build-up stuff at a much higher rate than many people normally account for.

It goes back to the old man & the rifle. The rifle stays in the kitchen & he shoots it every day, but never tears it apart to clean it. Yet the rifle is in immaculate mechanical condition! That's because every time he walks back inside with the gun he takes his cleaning rod & makes a single pass down the barrel.

It's only 90% the same as out right cleaning it, but it's far more than good enough.

[jragosta]

M.R.M.

914lps I haven't used WI in months. See the thread I made with pictures of the latest head gaskets blowing up. The #2/#6 are normal, while #4 is completely clean. That's what WI looks like.

jragosta You have no, without a shadow of a doubt, Earthly idea what you're talking about.

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No, I simply quoted the person who had a problem. I guess you know more about his problem than he does.

BTW, how much does Seafoam pay you for this?

[dcfish]

M.R.M.

914lps I haven't used WI in months. See the thread I made with pictures of the latest head gaskets blowing up. The #2/#6 are normal, while #4 is completely clean. That's what WI looks like.

jragosta You have no, without a shadow of a doubt, Earthly idea what you're talking about.

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No, I simply quoted the person who had a problem. I guess you know more about his problem than he does.

BTW, how much does Seafoam pay you for this?

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jragosta, No reason to get sideways on this topic, Comments like that get people banned because they start arguments, Which I am sure will end here and the thread will continue in a mature fashion. Thanx for your understanding.

[914lps]

Water injection article I wrote:

http://www.biznetonline.com/02-02/water2.htm

I also just got back from SEMA. There is a new unit coming out that is extrimly computer controlled and breaks the water into it's gas parts and injects the gas (H2o).

I'll tell more when I know it.

There is one thing I don't get. I have an 84 Saab, I drive the hell out of it. I have 350,000 miles on it. Factory turbo. 5 Speed trany. Added intercooler and water injection. Have a "hot" APC box. I have used no "additives" in it. Change oil every 3,000 miles. Keep it well maintaned. Had to put a new head gasket on at 150,000 miles after jerk at a shop, took car for a joy ride (shop paid for it), Replaced cluch at 175,000. Trany had minor work done at 200,000 miles. Org turbo, never needed any work. That has been it for major work, other then things like starter and alt, etc...

I know the top speed is 150mph. I know it will handle 140 mph for 400 miles.. Like I said I drive this car hard.

So, what I don't get is on toysrme, if you are taking care of your car, adding these great aditives, then why dose you car keep blowing up?????

Is it that you don't believe in stopping at the red line, or????????

This is not ment as a jab. I really don't get why your car keeps blowing up, if you are careing for it.

I would tend to be more open to your advise on car car, if it was working for you... Or am I missing something...??

[Toysrme]

;) It's cool.

See the head gasket thread, but in short. Lexus f'ed up when they didn't mill the warped head true when they did a warranty head gasket recall.

I hate dealers. Calling them money grubbing pr¡cks would be a compliment. It's like you have to have a batchelors of !Removed!-hole to run at least 1/2 of the f'ing places...

[jragosta]

Water injection article I wrote:

http://www.biznetonline.com/02-02/water2.htm

I also just got back from SEMA.  There is a new unit coming out that is extrimly computer controlled and breaks the water into it's gas parts and injects the gas (H2o).

I'll tell more when I know it.

There is one thing I don't get.  I have an 84 Saab, I drive the hell out of it.  I have 350,000 miles on it.  Factory turbo.  5 Speed trany.  Added intercooler and water injection.  Have a "hot" APC box.  I have used no "additives" in it.  Change oil every 3,000 miles.  Keep it well maintaned.  Had to put a new head gasket on at 150,000 miles after jerk at a shop, took car for a joy ride (shop paid for it), Replaced cluch at 175,000.  Trany had minor work done at 200,000 miles.  Org turbo, never needed any work.  That has been it for major work, other then things like starter and alt, etc...

I know the top speed is 150mph.  I know it will handle 140 mph for 400 miles..  Like I said I drive this car hard.

So, what I don't get is on toysrme, if you are taking care of your car, adding these great aditives, then why dose you car keep blowing up?????

Is it that you don't believe in stopping at the red line, or????????

This is not ment as a jab.  I really don't get why your car keeps blowing up, if you are careing for it.

I would tend to be more open to your advise on car car, if it was working for you...  Or am I missing something...??

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Just be careful not to suggest that his use of Seafoam could have anything to do with his continuing problems.

BTW, everyone needs to read advertising with a huge grain of salt. They're taking something extremely mundane (injection of a mist which then evaporates) and trying to make it sound like magic ("breaks the water into it's gas parts and injects the gas (H2o)"). It's not always easy to see through advertising crap, but it's a worthwhile skill to learn.

The article you cite is a good one. They accurately point out that water injection has no value for most users, but could be beneficial for people with engines like yours that just beg for more octane. If I were driving a car which was marginal even on 93 octane gas, I'd probably install one. Still, you need to be careful because if it's not installed properly or maintained, you could get a lot of headaches.

[mburnickas]

bring up the old-school thread! :)

But after you seafoam (going to try brake booster feed) do you need to change the oil?

[SKperformance]

It can work great if you add 1 can to a tank of gas

1/2 to the oil and the other 1/2 through the intake.

This way as you clean your intake yo are then going to clean out the residue in the oil.

[coleycoleman1906]

I just seafoamed my combustion chamber and gas tank, it appears to be working wonders!!

Thanks for the heads up!

[mburnickas]

I just seafoamed my combustion chamber and gas tank, it appears to be working wonders!!

Thanks for the heads up!

did you change the O2 sensors and spark plugs if this is your first cleaning?

[mrbutz1]

I just seafoamed my combustion chamber and gas tank, it appears to be working wonders!!

Thanks for the heads up!

Going to Seafoam this weekend! The way you all talk about it I feel like I'm going to have a brand new car rather than the 94 ES I have currently afterwards! Or...perhaps closer to it than now.

Trying to restore acceptable gas mileage (getting 14mpg city now) with this (also replaced O2 sensor 1)...how much success should I expect? It's going in the gas and oil as well as brake booster.