Seafoaming a 17 year old car, good idea?
11-27-2010, 02:27 AM
#21
i did my car when it was just under 100k ( 1 can in gas, 1/2 can in oil, and 1/2 can in break booster hose to intake.) when i was done and changed the oil after 100 miles i could tell the car ran better and when i would rev it, it moved faster into the rpm.
12-31-2010, 07:06 PM
#23
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People say the spark plugs will be fine if they're not too old. Seafoam only takes out spark plugs already on the verge of going out...true?
Otherwise I can put my old plugs back in, run it, then put my new ones back after I'm done.
Otherwise I can put my old plugs back in, run it, then put my new ones back after I'm done.
12-31-2010, 10:29 PM
#24
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This post is over two months old and you're still on the fence about doing this? 
I guarandamntee you if you were smart enough to change your oil faithfully and ran the car to operating temperature most every time it was started seafoaming it won't make any difference whatsoever.
I guarandamntee you if you were smart enough to change your oil faithfully and ran the car to operating temperature most every time it was started seafoaming it won't make any difference whatsoever.
01-05-2011, 02:58 AM
#25
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This post is over two months old and you're still on the fence about doing this?
I guarandamntee you if you were smart enough to change your oil faithfully and ran the car to operating temperature most every time it was started seafoaming it won't make any difference whatsoever.
I guarandamntee you if you were smart enough to change your oil faithfully and ran the car to operating temperature most every time it was started seafoaming it won't make any difference whatsoever.
Last edited by AmirGTR; 01-05-2011 at 03:03 AM.
01-05-2011, 08:02 AM
#28
No idea how this band wagon got started, but as already mentioned it is throwing money away in an engine that has been properly maintained, and it has the potential to do more harm than good.
Auto rx is the only product I would use, its not a miracle cure rocket fuel, but it does have more merit than sea foam imo.
Auto rx is the only product I would use, its not a miracle cure rocket fuel, but it does have more merit than sea foam imo.
01-08-2011, 01:22 AM
#29
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Look the only reason I'd ever want to do that is because lt1pcmtuning.com strongly suggests it. I'm fixing it because it IS broke. I just failed smog. I'm not asking if you like it or not, I'm asking if I should do it or not.
Now if anyone knows if I need seafoaming before getting a tune, leave me a line. That's all I wanna know at this point.
Now if anyone knows if I need seafoaming before getting a tune, leave me a line. That's all I wanna know at this point.
01-08-2011, 08:51 AM
#31
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Seafoam Seafoam/decarbon liquids DO NOT work period!!!
Please use some common sense here, and lets start with the basics first!
The correct process is to be finely mist the cleaning agent in front of the throttle blade/s but behind the MAF to follow the the path of the air flow using a controlled device.
Using the brake booster hose to suck fluid into the back of the intake (against airflow) is a complete joke and the agent will never make it to the front cylinders. (Whoever stated to use this method, I would never even let him touch my lawn mower, and for those would used this method stop working on vehicles)
Have you ever seen a engine before and after using seafoam or any other carbon cleaning product? I have, because I have worked on Mercedes-Benz for years. Client car comes in for a check engine light, misfire codes from the physical error with the cylinder head (tech removed cylinder head exposing the valves, pistons, etc this is where you can actually see the carbon beyond any resonable doubt.), carbon build up is everywhere!!! intake, valves, pistons. The tech fixs the error, the service advisor recommends and then sales a fuel injector and decarbon service to the customer.
tech performs the fuel injector & decarbon sevice, lets the vehicle idle and runs it through some 4000 rpms for about 30-45 secs to help burn off any exessive left over, (but this time the tech skips following the correct process for burn off & evaporation, the liquids puddle in the back of the intake) tech gets out of on the road and hammers the the vehicle to get rid of any build up in the cats, KA-BOOM!!! the puddled decarbon cleaner agent was still in a liquid form, cracked the piston, destroyed the cylinder. Ive seen 3 other techs make sloppy mistakes and try to rush a job.
Tech took the engine apart to examine the carnage, guess what the other remaining cylinders still have the carbon everywhere!!! the only difference the intake is a little cleaner but still has carbon, the valves and pistons the same carbon everywhere!!! Again I have seen this 3 other times,
The smoke is a chemical process of burning off the toxic decarbon cleaning agent. not the removal of carbon from a engine.
If you believe a 8 dollar can of toxic crap is going to fix your engine then I am done talking.
Please use some common sense here, and lets start with the basics first!
The correct process is to be finely mist the cleaning agent in front of the throttle blade/s but behind the MAF to follow the the path of the air flow using a controlled device.
Using the brake booster hose to suck fluid into the back of the intake (against airflow) is a complete joke and the agent will never make it to the front cylinders. (Whoever stated to use this method, I would never even let him touch my lawn mower, and for those would used this method stop working on vehicles)
Have you ever seen a engine before and after using seafoam or any other carbon cleaning product? I have, because I have worked on Mercedes-Benz for years. Client car comes in for a check engine light, misfire codes from the physical error with the cylinder head (tech removed cylinder head exposing the valves, pistons, etc this is where you can actually see the carbon beyond any resonable doubt.), carbon build up is everywhere!!! intake, valves, pistons. The tech fixs the error, the service advisor recommends and then sales a fuel injector and decarbon service to the customer.
tech performs the fuel injector & decarbon sevice, lets the vehicle idle and runs it through some 4000 rpms for about 30-45 secs to help burn off any exessive left over, (but this time the tech skips following the correct process for burn off & evaporation, the liquids puddle in the back of the intake) tech gets out of on the road and hammers the the vehicle to get rid of any build up in the cats, KA-BOOM!!! the puddled decarbon cleaner agent was still in a liquid form, cracked the piston, destroyed the cylinder. Ive seen 3 other techs make sloppy mistakes and try to rush a job.
Tech took the engine apart to examine the carnage, guess what the other remaining cylinders still have the carbon everywhere!!! the only difference the intake is a little cleaner but still has carbon, the valves and pistons the same carbon everywhere!!! Again I have seen this 3 other times,
The smoke is a chemical process of burning off the toxic decarbon cleaning agent. not the removal of carbon from a engine.
If you believe a 8 dollar can of toxic crap is going to fix your engine then I am done talking.
Last edited by camcamaro1991; 01-08-2011 at 11:26 AM.
01-08-2011, 10:17 AM
#32
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for what its worth, ive used it and it neither blew up my motor nor did it foul my spark plugs. car had 155k on the clock when i did it. i did not feel any increase in power or better mileage. what it did do was smooth out my idle, so that alone made the 9 dollar can of seafoam worth it. what i would do is run 2/3 of the can in the gas tank and the rest through the intake. i did not do the oil treatment, but if you choose to, do not drive the car!
if youre afraid of seafoam, ive had alot of people recommend rxp for passing emissions. basically does the same thing, but you only pour it in the gas not the intake. ive used this product myself, again with no problems.
if youre afraid of seafoam, ive had alot of people recommend rxp for passing emissions. basically does the same thing, but you only pour it in the gas not the intake. ive used this product myself, again with no problems.
01-08-2011, 11:14 AM
#33
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Used it on my 185k mile formula. Ran significantly smoother and also uncovered a damn exhaust leak. Probably just a coincidence. Either way, I don't have anything bad to say about the product. Only reason I used it was because my friend had a crap ton laying around and said I can use it. Does it work? Debatable.
01-08-2011, 02:00 PM
#34
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Look the only reason I'd ever want to do that is because lt1pcmtuning.com strongly suggests it. I'm fixing it because it IS broke. I just failed smog. I'm not asking if you like it or not, I'm asking if I should do it or not.
Now if anyone knows if I need seafoaming before getting a tune, leave me a line. That's all I wanna know at this point.
Now if anyone knows if I need seafoaming before getting a tune, leave me a line. That's all I wanna know at this point.
02-01-2011, 03:48 AM
#35
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I failed smog because my car tends to overheat and use more gas than it should. 11-14mpg is not normal. I figured it needs a PCM a tune. Got the cable and all the programs. I went on the website, and he says do a seafoam first. And I did.
I put half into the gas tank. 1/4 in the oil, and 1/4 in the brake booster. I carefully watched for any changes in oil pressure because I had heard horror stories about chunks of gunky stuff breaking off and getting stuck in the oil lines. Nothing happened.
A coupla minutes after being done feeding it through the brake booster it didn't smoke anymore, eventhough it still had some left in the gas tank and in the oil. Then we change the oil and filter.
Any difference? It seemed to run smoother but could be just placebo. Or maybe it was the 10-50 oil we put in there. Either way about a week or two later my exhaust started to make a lotta noises, could be my cats clogged, or just an exhaust leak. Who knows.
It was worth a shot and cool to watch, and that's about it.
I put half into the gas tank. 1/4 in the oil, and 1/4 in the brake booster. I carefully watched for any changes in oil pressure because I had heard horror stories about chunks of gunky stuff breaking off and getting stuck in the oil lines. Nothing happened.
A coupla minutes after being done feeding it through the brake booster it didn't smoke anymore, eventhough it still had some left in the gas tank and in the oil. Then we change the oil and filter.
Any difference? It seemed to run smoother but could be just placebo. Or maybe it was the 10-50 oil we put in there. Either way about a week or two later my exhaust started to make a lotta noises, could be my cats clogged, or just an exhaust leak. Who knows.
It was worth a shot and cool to watch, and that's about it.
Last edited by AmirGTR; 02-01-2011 at 03:56 AM.
02-01-2011, 05:52 AM
#37
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I failed smog because my car tends to overheat and use more gas than it should. 11-14mpg is not normal. I figured it needs a PCM a tune. Got the cable and all the programs. I went on the website, and he says do a seafoam first. And I did.
I put half into the gas tank. 1/4 in the oil, and 1/4 in the brake booster. I carefully watched for any changes in oil pressure because I had heard horror stories about chunks of gunky stuff breaking off and getting stuck in the oil lines. Nothing happened.
A coupla minutes after being done feeding it through the brake booster it didn't smoke anymore, eventhough it still had some left in the gas tank and in the oil. Then we change the oil and filter.
Any difference? It seemed to run smoother but could be just placebo. Or maybe it was the 10-50 oil we put in there. Either way about a week or two later my exhaust started to make a lotta noises, could be my cats clogged, or just an exhaust leak. Who knows.
It was worth a shot and cool to watch, and that's about it.
I put half into the gas tank. 1/4 in the oil, and 1/4 in the brake booster. I carefully watched for any changes in oil pressure because I had heard horror stories about chunks of gunky stuff breaking off and getting stuck in the oil lines. Nothing happened.
A coupla minutes after being done feeding it through the brake booster it didn't smoke anymore, eventhough it still had some left in the gas tank and in the oil. Then we change the oil and filter.
Any difference? It seemed to run smoother but could be just placebo. Or maybe it was the 10-50 oil we put in there. Either way about a week or two later my exhaust started to make a lotta noises, could be my cats clogged, or just an exhaust leak. Who knows.
It was worth a shot and cool to watch, and that's about it.
02-17-2011, 04:00 AM
#38
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Like I said, because of overheat and the resulting knock. CO2 and the other stuff was fine.
The cure was replacing the coolant sensor and the EGR that had gone bad. Now the fans kick in when they should, and that prevents it from overheating. After these two repairs it passed with flying colors.
The cure was replacing the coolant sensor and the EGR that had gone bad. Now the fans kick in when they should, and that prevents it from overheating. After these two repairs it passed with flying colors.
