Here goes nothing!!!!
Had a discussion on another site about SEA FOAM.
Well here goes!!!
I KNOW IT IS A DE-CARBONIZER. and I USE DE-CARBONIZERS ALL THE TIME. Now they were telling me they put it in the OIL??? In the fuel tank ??? And in the vacuum hose from the booster???
I said it is JUNK and a scam!!! I do use GM and Ford stuff for this and also Chrysler Chemicals. But they have a specific set of instructions. They got so mad at me when i said the stuff was JUNK they called me every name in the book and BANNED ME. (LIKE I CARE ANYWAY) Now i still feel the stuff is JUNK. And for years my DAD used water to de-carbonize. And taught me how to do it. So what do you guys think and do you use the stuff on a regular bases. No arguments just hashing it over. Lay it on ME!!!! Thanks!!!:hick::hick:
I never noticed a differance after using it, and chalked it up as just that.
Others have sworn by it.
I've used it before with good results. Both times the idle got better. I haven't used it on the Sport. I only have about 20,000 miles on the engine. I did use it in the last two engines.
I have used it on engines that won't quite pass emissions with just a tuneup, and it works fine for that. I haven't had much luck as far as curing "pinging" yet with it.
You see that is my point. Vinnie claims a better IDLE. WHY??? Jrad claims it did not help ignition ping??? Why not. It claims to clean out carbon deposits??? And stacks and Me are on the same exact page. I find absolutely no difference. Well thank you guys just trying to get input on the stuff. SCAM OR MIRACLE JUICE I CANT TELL!!! Thanks again
I don't know about miracle juice, but I've used it with good results for decarboning on my cadillacs, definitely notice smoother idle afterwards. but that may be from my habit of revving the piss out of the motor after I seafoam it.
Ping could have been from too much timing or not enough octane. Maybe it had so much carbon that only a tear down would fix. Don't get me wrong. I will not praise a product that I have never used. Would be nice to test it with a boroscope. Take a look into an engine that has carbon, and then seafoam it, and then take a look again. I have been wondering about this product myself.
In my opinion, its hard to get an engine not to pass emissions. If its tuned up, it shouldn't ping. If it does, you have a bigger problem then a $10 can of sea foam, and I wouldn't count on it to fix it.
I totally agree and you can remove carbon with H2O Just as well
Once again i totally agree with you stacks as well. So what is the hype???
Sounds like a MAGIC POTION. Or miracle chemical. Hard to figure???
I think the product, although it's not water, has the same function. I've seen guys pour water down the carb slowly to remove carbon build up. Same thing different liquid.
We pour a bottle of seafoam into the gas tanks of a lot of our used GM vehicles with misfire and/or hard starting problems. There's a bulletin out on almost every GM vehicle made since the early 2000's stating that the injectors clog due to poor gas (and yet this "bad gas" only affects GM injectors). The bulletin gives a whole procedure for cleaning injectors, including using a special tool and (of course) GM fuel injector cleaner. We simply drop a can of seafoam into the tank, and after a hundred or so miles the problem usually goes away. We've got around a 95% success rate with it.
I've also heard people having great success freeing up the stuck rings in their Saturns by pulling the plugs, filling the cylinders with Seafoam, and letting the car sit overnight. I've never done this one personally, though - when my rings stuck in my old SL2 I honed the cylinders and re-ringed the engine...
I ran it in the crankcase of my 96 silverado when the intake gasket let loose and filled my oil with coolant, after I fixed it all of course.
I did notice the gunk under the oil fill lid was completely gone and looked like a brand new nos lid. So it cleans something.
Ive also run it through the brake booster on most of my vehicles, seems to idle smoother when done. Definately gives a "smoke show".
I also run a can in my fuel tank occasionally. Mostly as a fuel stabalizer, as my cougar sits alot with the ethanol blend in it. I hate Stabil...
On my '92 5.0 F150, I had a rough idle that didn't give any codes. After a tune up, it was still there. Someone (think it may have been someone here) suggested running a can of sea foam into it. I did. Cured the miss/rough idle.
On my '88 Chevy (305m engine) I ran a can through it. Made it worse. Now has a h/g leak. Kinda doubting the sea foam caused it, but I have a 50% success rate....in other words, drive Ford :)
The pinging issue was actually only under heavy load on a separate, bone stock vehicle that ran through emissions fine. Other than that one issue it was a great running little truck. The one that wouldn't make it through emissions was a 180k mile Cadillac that should have been sped, but due to budget constraints they wanted to keep it on the road a little longer.
Thunder chicken, I think that's pretty funny about the GM injectors(Since I don't own any of those!) I've heard the ring trick as well. I have a friend that has an issue with his 60k mile Jeep (3.7L) occasionally limping along at 20 MPH even when floored. Says it stutters bad, but if he shuts it down for a bit, it'll run fine afterward. Some Jiffy lube guy told him it might be his injectors.
That's probably sticking intake valves, a common problem with the 3.7. They don't rotate like they're supposed to, so they wear into the seats funny. Then for some reason they do rotate, and the valve no longer seats properly. There's a bulletin on this one too, that involves pulling the heads, replacing the valves, and replacing the retainers.
Oh boy. He's not gonna like that.
Excellent results that cured rough idle and hesitation on my 01 kia sportage and my old lawn mower . A guy at work used it on his 90's lexus and claimed it damaged his cat and 02 sensors and dealer had to replace everything.
I love the stuff
I have used it as a de-carbonizer , I use it as an injector cleaner/ fuel stabilizer by adding it to the tank on used cars at my friends lot quite often also .
I generally don't have much good to say about "mechanic in a can " but Seafoam has done everything I wanted it to do
I would not say its junk or a scam but I don't think it's magic either . just a product that has its place
A Lot of good info. My gut feeling is the stuff is a concentrated de-carbonizer. That is a fact. But like i said GM Ford and Chrysler has upper cleaners that are a different formula TETRON seems to be the dealers choice. Chicken the MULTECH injectors are the good ones according to AERA that are stock on GM. Pintle injectors are the bad guys in my experience. But i have changes many pencil injectors on GM engines for service codes 301-308 ETC. Well i have to run some tests on this stuff. Greg i have also had to change exhaust components with the use of Sea Foam as you explained about the LEXUS. Like O2 sensors. Thanks
I use it in my bbq sauce.... but really, I have had good look with Marvel Mystery Oil in the gas tank to shut off CEL on a 1997 Grand Marquis that was indicating a bad o2 sensor. Half the price as a can of Seafoam, but I have used Seafoam also to try and help single out some issues with a "problem child" 2001 Windstar.
I thought I should add that it works great to remove varnish from old lawn mower gas tanks. Otherwise I've never used it on a car for anything else but to decarbon, never tried it in the oil or the gas tank
people love cans of stuff that come in a bottle and will do the same thing as an ASE certified mechanic can do. Cans of stuff can virtually rebuild your engines now a days , increase your gas mileage and reduce atmospheric carbon.
gotta love it.
-WD40 down all vac lines to lub up various vac actuated solenoids.
-stuck rings, WD40 again
-Ether or non residue leaving spray on cleaner for 02 , MAF or ACT sensors
-No-Ox-Id for electrical connections and connectors