Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: ipsd on June 25, 2006, 01:06:37 PM
Post by: ipsd on June 25, 2006, 01:06:37 PM
Friday I took the intercooler off my turbo coupe to change the plugs and do some cleanup to get ready for my trip to Kansas Speedway. Well I flushed out the intercoooler with Intake cleaner and it was new looking inside. Then I installed the the plugs and put it back together. Then I started it up and took off the vac line going to the the tree from the intercooler. Then I sucked up the seafoam with the vac line. I had to sorta suck some up then let the car recover then give it some more. Just like evryone said the car smoked and smoked like crazy right after. Took it for a drive and it smoked like crazy. Then after about 5mi it quit smoking. Now I've got 17in Vac at idle instead of the 10in I had before. It is amazing how much that stuff cleans. Most of the Vac lines on my car had already been relaced. I guess it just had that much stuff in the rest of the vac system. The car also Idles smooth as glass and runs better than it has the whole time I've owned it.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: cougarcragar on June 25, 2006, 01:50:53 PM
Post by: cougarcragar on June 25, 2006, 01:50:53 PM
Right on. I'm thinking about doing it myself.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: DVP on June 25, 2006, 02:39:08 PM
Post by: DVP on June 25, 2006, 02:39:08 PM
that stuff i think was the reason i passed emissions. i ranit though and it smelled likeass every time i ran it but afer i ran another 5gals ( when the car was illegal and i had to walk to get gas) out anfer it it stopped stankin. then i pass! fast pass none the less. and the only reason i got it was on sale for real cheap
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: cougrrr302 on June 25, 2006, 03:21:54 PM
Post by: cougrrr302 on June 25, 2006, 03:21:54 PM
How do you run seafoam through a 5.0 I need to do this, I just have no clue as what to do. This and some injector cleaner
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: 88turbo on June 25, 2006, 03:30:01 PM
Post by: 88turbo on June 25, 2006, 03:30:01 PM
dump it down your cfi gradually or put it in your gas tank
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: ipsd on June 25, 2006, 06:55:56 PM
Post by: ipsd on June 25, 2006, 06:55:56 PM
I did add it to the gas but the main thing is that I used it to clean the Vac system that is what made it smoke and clean things out so much. Adding it to the gas cleans it good but doesn't do anything for the vac system.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: cougrrr302 on June 25, 2006, 08:54:14 PM
Post by: cougrrr302 on June 25, 2006, 08:54:14 PM
Dumping it in the cfi cleans the vacuum system? I badly need to. Thanks for the info.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: SLEEPER T-BIRD 87 on June 25, 2006, 11:16:10 PM
Post by: SLEEPER T-BIRD 87 on June 25, 2006, 11:16:10 PM
Quote from: cougrrr302
Dumping it in the cfi cleans the vacuum system? I badly need to. Thanks for the info.
you can also get it in an aerosol... what i do is load it up real good then have someone switch it of then after 5-10 min restart it, and let idle then load it up again and repeat. ive had good luck doing it this way. on a cfi it would allow you to spray it out like carb cleaner.
or you could pull a vaccume line and spray it in there.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: 32VFoxBird on June 26, 2006, 12:44:48 AM
Post by: 32VFoxBird on June 26, 2006, 12:44:48 AM
Quote from: cougrrr302
How do you run seafoam through a 5.0 I need to do this, I just have no clue as what to do. This and some injector cleaner
pull the brake booster hose off, and pour slowly into it.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: cougrrr302 on June 27, 2006, 12:41:05 AM
Post by: cougrrr302 on June 27, 2006, 12:41:05 AM
Sadly I have to ask. Where the hell is the brake booster hose? And officially my Walmart is gay. They dont carry Seafoam. So Far I understand how to do this, and its as easy as I thought, and I knew how to do it without realizing it
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: sansabar on June 27, 2006, 06:36:16 AM
Post by: sansabar on June 27, 2006, 06:36:16 AM
The brake booster hose is the only vacuum hose that is connected to your brake booster, behind the master cylinder. It's titled "vacuum hose from engine" on the attached pic.(http://www.sansabar.com/Cougar/Brake_Booster.gif) It's 3/8" ID and is in-turn connected to the intake manifold (where you want the Seafom to travel). Be sure to let the stuff set for about 15 minutes before you crank it back up. Give it time to disolve and loosen some of the build-up.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: jkirchman on June 27, 2006, 10:20:21 AM
Post by: jkirchman on June 27, 2006, 10:20:21 AM
Wait wait. IPSD said he let the vacuum line suck up the Seafoam and then let the car idle for a few minutes and then he drove it for a few more minutes until it stopped smoking.
But sansabar said to let the stuff set for about 15 minutes before you crank it back up after you initially use the vacuum line to suck it in.
So which is the correct method?
But sansabar said to let the stuff set for about 15 minutes before you crank it back up after you initially use the vacuum line to suck it in.
So which is the correct method?
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: cougarcragar on June 27, 2006, 10:26:03 AM
Post by: cougarcragar on June 27, 2006, 10:26:03 AM
I think you're supposed to let it sit for 10 minutes or so, then fire it up.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: 32VFoxBird on June 27, 2006, 10:31:38 AM
Post by: 32VFoxBird on June 27, 2006, 10:31:38 AM
Quote from: jkirchman
Wait wait. IPSD said he let the vacuum line suck up the Seafoam and then let the car idle for a few minutes and then he drove it for a few more minutes until it stopped smoking.
But sansabar said to let the stuff set for about 15 minutes before you crank it back up after you initially use the vacuum line to suck it in.
So which is the correct method?
the directions on the can say to let the car sit sit for 5 min, then start it up.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: jkirchman on June 27, 2006, 10:32:59 AM
Post by: jkirchman on June 27, 2006, 10:32:59 AM
Quote
the directions on the can
If all else fails....follow the directions! Thanks 5ohbird.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: sansabar on June 27, 2006, 10:49:02 AM
Post by: sansabar on June 27, 2006, 10:49:02 AM
Think of the Seafoam like paint remover. You have to let paint remover begin the chemical process of removing the paint - same thing with Seafoam. You want to get in in as quickly as possible for a better soak, let it sit - give it a chance to work for you, then fire the car up and let the internal combustion burn off all of the stuff you have removed. LOTS of smoke. The more smoke, the more you're burning off. In this case smoke is your friend. If you have an area that has a lot of mosquitoes, this is a good place to let it run.:D
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: 32VFoxBird on June 27, 2006, 05:50:03 PM
Post by: 32VFoxBird on June 27, 2006, 05:50:03 PM
another note would be to let the car warm up 1st, if your going the vacuum line route.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: Thunder Chicken on June 27, 2006, 10:26:03 PM
Post by: Thunder Chicken on June 27, 2006, 10:26:03 PM
Quote from: sansabar
The more smoke, the more you're burning off. In this case smoke is your friend. If you have an area that has a lot of mosquitoes, this is a good place to let it run.:D
Just don't do it in an underground parking lot in front of the Canadian Tire because it's raining out and you don't want to get wet. :nono:
Don't ask me how I know this. Let's just say the Bedford Fire Department was unimpressed :hick: (In retrospect it was not Seafoam but a simple carb cleaner used in the "incident" about 15 years ago, but smoke is smoke :evilgrin:)
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: Masejoer on October 11, 2009, 12:49:22 PM
Post by: Masejoer on October 11, 2009, 12:49:22 PM
Bringing this back up, I've got a question/thoughts on this very task.
I've always wondered about people's opinions or experience on this regarding how much ring/cylinder wear the engine will experience as this WILL also remove the oil film from the cylinder walls for a few rotations. If one were to do this once every 6 months, would there be a measurement amount of additional wear/cylinder hone wear over 10 years? I would think so and once those hone marks are gone, wear will be quicker.
I'm more of a fan of preventative solutions to keep oil out of the intake and perhaps using a little marvel mystery oil in the gas take to keep the injectors and cylinders clean.
I've always wondered about people's opinions or experience on this regarding how much ring/cylinder wear the engine will experience as this WILL also remove the oil film from the cylinder walls for a few rotations. If one were to do this once every 6 months, would there be a measurement amount of additional wear/cylinder hone wear over 10 years? I would think so and once those hone marks are gone, wear will be quicker.
I'm more of a fan of preventative solutions to keep oil out of the intake and perhaps using a little marvel mystery oil in the gas take to keep the injectors and cylinders clean.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: jcassity on October 12, 2009, 12:37:40 AM
Post by: jcassity on October 12, 2009, 12:37:40 AM
i dont see how all of you think adding seafoam to the brake booser line is going to clean out the whole vac system especially since all vac lines on the car are parallel branches off the tree. You'd have to add it to each far end vac termination connection in order to clean the whole system.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: 32VFoxBird on October 12, 2009, 12:45:16 AM
Post by: 32VFoxBird on October 12, 2009, 12:45:16 AM
Quote from: jcassity;294491
i dont see how all of you think adding seafoam to the brake booser line is going to clean out the whole vac system especially since all vac lines on the car are parallel branches off the tree. You'd have to add it to each far end vac termination connection in order to clean the whole system.
WTF? vac system?
you put it in there to clean the intake runners. not parts hooked to a vacuum line.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: ZondaC12 on October 12, 2009, 02:31:37 AM
Post by: ZondaC12 on October 12, 2009, 02:31:37 AM
Yeah cougrrrr may have misunderstood something ipsd said, HE initially suggested "oh it will clean out the whole vac system" not scott.
All it really could have done was clean out which ever line you used ipsd, which MAY have been clogged who knows. But yeah its only gonna go straight thru that one line to the manifold lol.
This is THE reason I completely blocked off my EGR as low down as I could....the explorer intake I got was CLEAN inside...and I want it and everything else to stay that way, not get exhaust particles all over everything which will then turn to gunk and sludge with fuel mist and moisture hitting it etc. Maybe I wont ever need to do this kinda thing...
All it really could have done was clean out which ever line you used ipsd, which MAY have been clogged who knows. But yeah its only gonna go straight thru that one line to the manifold lol.
This is THE reason I completely blocked off my EGR as low down as I could....the explorer intake I got was CLEAN inside...and I want it and everything else to stay that way, not get exhaust particles all over everything which will then turn to gunk and sludge with fuel mist and moisture hitting it etc. Maybe I wont ever need to do this kinda thing...
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: Old_Paint on October 12, 2009, 06:04:38 AM
Post by: Old_Paint on October 12, 2009, 06:04:38 AM
The Seafoam is NOT what corrected the low vacuum at idle. Something that got moved, taken off, and re-installed is what corrected the vacuum. Low vacuum at idle is a leak, and normally results in a fast idle, albeit a lean idle. Either way, NOT a good idle.
Been there, done that, with a failed gasket between the plenum and the lower intake on my F-150. The vacuum gauge is exactly what told me I had a leak. Then, it was up to me by process of elimination to find WHAT was leaking. After disconnecting and plugging everything except the MAP and FPR vacuum lines, and STILL finding a low vacuum, I used an unlit propane torch to point propane all around the intake. Amazing how quick that will show you an intake leak.
The Seafoam is great stuff, I use it myself, but it won't do diddly for a vacuum leak. I won't take anything away from it for cleaning injectors and intake runners, throttle body, etc, etc. The ONLY way it could improve vacuum is if the throttle body or IAC was sticking open, and the Seafoam washed out some crud and freed up whatever was stuck. In which case, the Seafoam STILL did nothing to help the vacuum. Fixing a defective part fixed the low vacuum issue.
Been there, done that, with a failed gasket between the plenum and the lower intake on my F-150. The vacuum gauge is exactly what told me I had a leak. Then, it was up to me by process of elimination to find WHAT was leaking. After disconnecting and plugging everything except the MAP and FPR vacuum lines, and STILL finding a low vacuum, I used an unlit propane torch to point propane all around the intake. Amazing how quick that will show you an intake leak.
The Seafoam is great stuff, I use it myself, but it won't do diddly for a vacuum leak. I won't take anything away from it for cleaning injectors and intake runners, throttle body, etc, etc. The ONLY way it could improve vacuum is if the throttle body or IAC was sticking open, and the Seafoam washed out some crud and freed up whatever was stuck. In which case, the Seafoam STILL did nothing to help the vacuum. Fixing a defective part fixed the low vacuum issue.
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: Watchdevil on October 12, 2009, 09:35:08 AM
Post by: Watchdevil on October 12, 2009, 09:35:08 AM
Quote from: cougrrr302;90745
Sadly I have to ask. Where the hell is the brake booster hose? And officially my Walmart is gay. They dont carry Seafoam. So Far I understand how to do this, and its as easy as I thought, and I knew how to do it without realizing it
Advance Auto Parts sells Seafoam...
Title: The miracle of Seafoam!
Post by: CatCarMan2012 on October 13, 2009, 04:18:24 PM
Post by: CatCarMan2012 on October 13, 2009, 04:18:24 PM
Ive tried Sea-Foam once. I have mixed feelings about it.
I tore down an old 302 and had to soak the pistons in Berryman B12 Chemtool for hours and still had to se the wrinkled carbon off with a plastic ser. I tried carb cleaner, brake clean, and others. Nothing even began to touch the carbon buildup (which was up to about 1/16" thick in some areas).
I think the solution would have to sit in the engine for hours to even begin to loosen that crud. Even then, if they made stuff strong enough to melt the carbon (like B12) its probably going to rot out any rubber hose it sits in long enough.
On the other hand, Seafoam works pretty good on stuck IACs. I usually remove them, knock any junk free, and then fill them up and let them sit. Then again, just knocking the junk out of them might be the trick.
When my SC blew the headgasket, it scrubbed a piston clean. Maybe I will tap a pipe fitting into one runner on an old intake before I tear the next engine apart. Then I can run Seafoam through just one cyl and compare it to non-cleaned pistons.
Clean piston on the left, dirty pistons middle and right.
I tore down an old 302 and had to soak the pistons in Berryman B12 Chemtool for hours and still had to se the wrinkled carbon off with a plastic ser. I tried carb cleaner, brake clean, and others. Nothing even began to touch the carbon buildup (which was up to about 1/16" thick in some areas).
I think the solution would have to sit in the engine for hours to even begin to loosen that crud. Even then, if they made stuff strong enough to melt the carbon (like B12) its probably going to rot out any rubber hose it sits in long enough.
On the other hand, Seafoam works pretty good on stuck IACs. I usually remove them, knock any junk free, and then fill them up and let them sit. Then again, just knocking the junk out of them might be the trick.
When my SC blew the headgasket, it scrubbed a piston clean. Maybe I will tap a pipe fitting into one runner on an old intake before I tear the next engine apart. Then I can run Seafoam through just one cyl and compare it to non-cleaned pistons.
Clean piston on the left, dirty pistons middle and right.