Proper use of Seafoam?

What do people use Seafoam for? Also, when you want to put it through the throttle body, do you open the throttle plate a little, and pour it in slowly? I'm thinking about using this stuff to clean out my combustion chambers, but I don't want to have a big puddle of it just sitting in my intake manifold.

I've been using Redline synthetic fuel system cleaner before...does Seafoam work better than this?

The directions on on the can. You can run it through a vacuum line. (brake booster) pour it through the thottle body, put it in the ga tank, put it in in the crankcase.

FYI, you may want to do this in an unpopulated area. If you do this at home your neighbors will hate you.

Is Seafoam safe for sensors and the cat. converter?

It is good stuff... I haven't tried it in any of the Jeeps yet, but it did wonders for my 15 year old 2-stroke outboard motor.

I used seafoam through my throttle body a couple of years back...didn't really notice any difference or change, and even noticed that things idled a little rougher for a couple of days after.

I just poured it in slowly at an idle, working the the throttle by hand to keep the engine running as I did so.

I also used it in my 79 CJ5, pouring it through the carb and noticed that it worked great...Just for some reason it didn't do much for my 99 XJ. I don't know if it was causing problems with all the sensors etc and that's why I didn't see any gains or better performance out of it. Either way I haven't used it in my XJ again other than through the gas tank.

MK96 is right...your XJ will SMOKE like no other while you do this and for awhile after....so be prepared.

Matt

mdwatkins said:

I used seafoam through my throttle body a couple of years back...didn't really notice any difference or change, and even noticed that things idled a little rougher for a couple of days after.

I just poured it in slowly at an idle, working the the throttle by hand to keep the engine running as I did so.

I also used it in my 79 CJ5, pouring it through the carb and noticed that it worked great...Just for some reason it didn't do much for my 99 XJ. I don't know if it was causing problems with all the sensors etc and that's why I didn't see any gains or better performance out of it. Either way I haven't used it in my XJ again other than through the gas tank.

MK96 is right...your XJ will SMOKE like no other while you do this and for awhile after....so be prepared.

Matt

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A couple years back, your 99 was only 4 years old. Maybe it didn't have the buildup your 24 year old 79 did.

On a side note, it also comes in an aerosol can. Perhaps it would be better to use this on the throttle body method and spray it in as a mist.

Dirk Pitt said:

A couple years back, your 99 was only 4 years old. Maybe it didn't have the buildup your 24 year old 79 did.

On a side note, it also comes in an aerosol can. Perhaps it would be better to use this on the throttle body method and spray it in as a mist.

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Trust me...at 70K on the clock when I did it, it had build up...either way I wasn't happy with the way my XJ responded to it for the week or so after I did it...For an older engine that is running a carb I wouldn't hesitate...but for a FI system I personally wouldn't run it through again...

Matt

If it matters.. I did my 98 before Christmas and a 1500 mile trip. Got it to full operating temp, dumped 1/3 in the TB with it running then added more to stall it. Dumped the remaining can in the tank and let it sit for 20 mins and went for a smokefilled drive! Took about 5 mins for the smoke to end then drove it about 15 mins more. Finished the tank driving across Iowa and Ill at 75 MPH. Much smoother idle, starts easier and noticed more improvement than with 2 bottles of Techron FI cleaner. I would guess alot depends on how the vehicle is used. Mine is mostly 10 mile Roundtrip to work and across town (Mrs drives it) so I expected carbon buildup.

HTH,
Travis :wave:

Anyone use it in the oil? I have a TON and i mean it, of carbon buidup on the head (rocker arms, valvetrain) and i wanna break it up. I know it says to put the seafoam in the crankcase, but are you meant to leave it there till next oil change, or run it for a while then drain? I ran it for an hour to break up the carbon, since that was my goal, and after draining the oil which has less than two days in the pan, was BLACK.. and smelled funky so i can only conclude that it broke a lot of crap up. I changed the RMS yesterday and scrubbed the pan and all underneath so i wanted to get the rest of the inside of the engine as well as oil channels. I wonder if i should put some in there until the next oil change.

Wallymander said:

Anyone use it in the oil? I have a TON and i mean it, of carbon buidup on the head (rocker arms, valvetrain) and i wanna break it up. I know it says to put the seafoam in the crankcase, but are you meant to leave it there till next oil change, or run it for a while then drain? I ran it for an hour to break up the carbon, since that was my goal, and after draining the oil which has less than two days in the pan, was BLACK.. and smelled funky so i can only conclude that it broke a lot of crap up. I changed the RMS yesterday and scrubbed the pan and all underneath so i wanted to get the rest of the inside of the engine as well as oil channels. I wonder if i should put some in there until the next oil change.

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Remove valve cover and manually remove buildup.
You don't want to have that crap up your oil passeges and stick a lifter.
Shop vac would work best as you break it up by hand.

I ran it in the oil for about a ten minute drive. then changed the oil.

I wouldn't leave Seafoam in the oil for an extended period of time. It is a pretty strong stoddard solvent so use sparingly especially in the crankcase (I think Seafoam recommends a third of a can?) and change after driving it around for a couple of days.

Put it in the oil - drive for a few days then change the oil
Pour it in the brake booster hose and throttle body, let it run, cut it off and pour more in then let it sit
I like the Deep Creep type of aerosol more(same stuff but it foams up a bit). I spray that in all the vacuum lines and the vent casing, then I spray it in the throttle body and booster hose.

I have used it on every car I own, to include my wifes 2000 blazer and my 2002 SS camaro. Never had a problem with it. Both of my cherokees loved it, and it did wonders for the MJ the day after I bought it.

I ran some in my 89 when i gt it at the first of the year. Ran a can though the tank, 1/3 in the TB and rest in the case. with almost 200k on the clock it made a great improvment. Smoked for a good 15 min from it in the TB. Works well, its been about 6 months so im going to run it though again here shortly.

I havent had a chance to run the seafome special for the tranny, but i want to. As far as i read and what it says on teh can, you just put it in and leave it. just like the crank case. But I'm skeptical. Anyone used the Tranny stuff?

my jeep sat for about 5 months when I popped the motor and was gathering stroker parts. I used it to clean up some of the gum and weird shifting issues I had later. Worked great

This was on another forum, just a reply to a thread about seafoam into the brake booster vac line. A very knowledgeable guy posted this.

"I said what the consequences are in a recent thread. It was rebuked so I left it up to the members to decide. You have to remember I deal with this sort of stuff all the time so when I run into those who "know better" I back off.

I'll say it again: The product has it's uses but this isn't one of them. Using it this way only lightens your wallet and shortens the life of your cat without benefit. The product is mostly light oil. Where do you think all the smoke comes from? Since when is combusting oil in either the cylinders or converter good? Rich mixtures kill cats so oil won't? If it removes any carbon it'll only be a tiny amount. If all you have is a tiny amount you're doing more harm then good because a small amount works to protect the piston crown. Good thing it comes right back, which makes the "treatment" even more of a waste. If you want to clean excessive carbon use water injection, an overnight piston soak, walnut blasting, or any of the other *proven* methods. Once it's gone keep it at bay by regular use of a PEA based fuel additive.

Aside from all the other tests you could've done a simple way for verifying it's lack of effectiveness is to examine the motor, including the valves, before and after using a borescope. I have a surplus medical instrument I use for those jobs. It was originally designed for, well, lets just say it's been shoved inside far worse places than a motor. I would've suggested doing this except it's already been done by myself and many, many other people who aren't as gullible as most of the public. The results are always the same: it does squat. People who swear by it don't do science. They accept anecdotal evidence from others. Being ignorant is not the same as being a dumbass but imo anyone who uses something without understanding the science behind it, based on what others say who also don't, is.

At least you did some "research" even if it wasn't the best kind. And like most people you did it after the fact. Frankly, if I was going to rely on what others say about a product's effectiveness (and I never do) I'd sure as hell require a lot better than 50% odds before any cash came flying outta my wallet. And even if the product did work I'll point out injecting anything into the brake booster line results in a very poor distribution of it across cylinders. If you feel a need to dump stuff into your engine do it upstream of the plenum, through the throttle body for example."

Wallymander said:

Anyone use it in the oil? I know it says to put the seafoam in the crankcase, but are you meant to leave it there till next oil change, or run it for a while then drain?

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From everyone I have ever talked to on this topic many agree that leaving it in for more then a week or 200 miles and the seafoam its self will start to break down and form different bonds that can be harmful to the engine and components.

I also never put it in the brake booster, I try to find a vacuum close to the throttle body, if one can't be found pouring straight into the throttle body can be done as well.

Also, I use the thirds method. 1/3 in the gas. 1/3 in the crank. 1/3 in the vacuum.

Good luck
-omz

GinisKratos said:

blah blah blah blah

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GinisKratos, why is your avatar a picture of Sequioa, his wife, and their jeep?

cal said:

GinisKratos, why is your avatar a picture of Sequioa, his wife, and thier jeep?

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I'm just that cool.

I prefer this picture of him.