seafoam?

[SVTJON87]

whats with this seafoam and or berrymans, whats it do? clean the motor up? were do i buy it and how to use it. thanks

[SVTJON87]

or is this it? haha should have seached first.
http://members.nuvox.net/~on.roz/cars/z28/seafoam.html

[starjammir]

You can use either one. They are available at Wal-Mart or most auto parts stores. You can use it in your oil, suck it into a vac line, or in the gas tank.

[SVTJON87]

thanks sorry i i reaized i should have googled first

[Tourige]

You suck Seafoam through the intake ports on the top of the UIM.

Basically it just cleans most of the carbon buildup out of the engine. You will probably notice a small gain.

[ddasilva99]

Hi Guys,

I want to seaform the engine. Which vacuum line do I disconnect and where is this vacuum line located?

Thank you,
Derek

[SVTJON87]

the 2 on the top of the intake manifold. they are right behind the throttle body. you remove those and put a tube in the holes. one at a time.

[Ray]

Go to the Duratec Maintenance forum, and read the "read me first" thread for a "UIM/LIM cleaning via vacuum" how-to. Imagine that.. a how-to for Maintenance on the UIM of your Duratec in the Duratec Maintenance How-to thread.

[SVTJON87]

Go to the Duratec Maintenance forum, and read the "read me first" thread for a "UIM/LIM cleaning via vacuum" how-to. Imagine that.. a how-to for Maintenance on the UIM of your Duratec in the Duratec Maintenance How-to thread.

hahhahaha haha don't think you can get more specific than that lol

[svthawk]

Question re: the SeaFoam in the vacuum lines.

Do you turn off your car before switching vacuum lines? The FAQ isn't clear on that part.

[Tourige]

Dosent matter, The car will die if you leave it without vaccum for to long.

[SpinningMarkVIII]

You can use a product called seafoam deep creep, I find this better than regular seafoam. You spray it into the TB afetr the car is warm.

[Kevinm]

The only thing I would not do is pour SEAFOAM etc into the crankcase. I think this is asking for trouble.

[elraido]

The only thing I would not do is pour SEAFOAM etc into the crankcase. I think this is asking for trouble.

It is fine in the crankcase. What you want to do is put it in there, start the car and let if idle for 5 min or so, then drain the oil. Just don't leave it in there for too long...I accidently did that and my oil pan gasket didn't like it too much :).

[SpinningMarkVIII]

The only thing I would not do is pour SEAFOAM etc into the crankcase. I think this is asking for trouble.

This is incorrect. It can be used qs an oil additive to break up junk in the crank case (like 10,000 miles penzoil). You only leave it in for a bit so it can cycle through and dissolve what it needs to.

[Cucamongan]

I have a question, but I didn't want to start a new thread

Which is more effective at cleaning out the UIM/LIM: Seafoaming it repeatedly or the manual dissassembly of the UIM/LIM and cleaning?

The reason I ask because I seafoamed the engine 3 times to clean out the Intake Manifold. It smoked like a FOREST FIRE! It was SUPER clean compared to before.

BUT im still wondering if I should take it all apart and clean it.

What do yo guys say? which works better?

Thanks in advance

[Tony2005]

I have a question, but I didn't want to start a new thread

Which is more effective at cleaning out the UIM/LIM: Seafoaming it repeatedly or the manual dissassembly of the UIM/LIM and cleaning?

The reason I ask because I seafoamed the engine 3 times to clean out the Intake Manifold. It smoked like a FOREST FIRE! It was SUPER clean compared to before.

BUT im still wondering if I should take it all apart and clean it.

What do yo guys say? which works better?

Thanks in advance
Welcome. Manual disassembly of UIM/LIM works better.

[Ray]

Especially if you have never cleaned it before!

From a new start, clean manually.
Vacuum clean it every 10(12?? 15??)K miles or so.

manual clean again every 60-65K miles.

[Icefury]

You can use a product called seafoam deep creep, I find this better than regular seafoam. You spray it into the TB afetr the car is warm.

Sounds just like Amsoil Power Foam which I have personally used a few times and like. Works well, but is still no substitution for a good UIM/LIM hand cleaning. Having a good oil/air separator drastically cuts back on the need/frequency of having to do either!

Only note I would add no matter what product you run into your vac lines or TB, I'd do an oil change shortly afterwards for good measure. I've read somewhere over on Bobistheoilguy forums these products have a tendency of thinning the oil.

[morbid]

It helps if you get a long screwdriver and hold the secondary bracket open a little. Otherwise your secondary ports (especially in the head) will never get the seafoam.

I think my scheduling is similar to Ray's. Seafoam every 10k miles, but manual cleaning every 30k. I always suck seafoam right after doing a manual cleaning too. It's really hard keeping the secondary valves clean.

[PurpleMystique]

Here are some pictures I took when I did it.
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb173/mtgustaf/Pix034.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb173/mtgustaf/Pix035.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb173/mtgustaf/Pix036.jpg

I used aquarium tubing from Wal-Mart and wrapped the end with tape to make it the proper diameter to fit in the vacuum hole. Do one at a time, you might have to open the throttle a bit to keep the car from sputtering and dying. Also, be sure the wind will take the exhaust away from you. Breathing those fumes will give you quite a headache.

[Cucamongan]

Thanks for the input fellas. I might just take pics to show how dirty/clean it got after Seafoaming it.

[S2Knott]

guys i went to see foam my car car today, and i took out the vacuum like in the picture above and the car immediately died is this normal? and do i just pour it in the wait 5 minutes then start it or what?

[rollinstylee]

Well duh the car died, you pulled a vacuum line while it was running! And no, you don't just pour it in, that'll do absolutely nothing but maybe clean wherever it pools up. You need the manifold vacuum to inhale the cleaner into all the runners. What you need to do is exactly what has been shown and explained...insert a hose into where you removed the vacuum line from the UIM and make sure it's at least somewhat snug with tape or something, put the other end in the Seafoam can, start the car and let is suck up half the can (careful, takes less than a minute!), immediately shut the engine off, reconnect your vacuum line, let it sit for 10 minutes, then start the car and create a smokescreen. If you want, you can use the other half can on the other UIM vacuum line.

[zorrex]

Wow this is a very informative Seafoam thread. Quite helpful. However, I know this is the Duratec forum, but what about the Zetec? Where would I be able to suck up the Seafoam? I'm not sure which hose is which and whatnot and I currently don't have the tools to take lots of things apart to get to where I need, so a little insight would be wonderful, so that way I know what I'm doing when I actually decide to do this. TIA :)

[AliasJerk]

Wow this is a very informative Seafoam thread. Quite helpful. However, I know this is the Duratec forum, but what about the Zetec? Where would I be able to suck up the Seafoam? I'm not sure which hose is which and whatnot and I currently don't have the tools to take lots of things apart to get to where I need, so a little insight would be wonderful, so that way I know what I'm doing when I actually decide to do this. TIA :)

I did it on my zetec about 6 months ago, there is a vacuum hose on the brake booster that you can pull off to do the same kind of work, pull the vacuum hose, and get another piece of hose to add to that. Then use a C-clamp on the attached hose (like pictured above) to SLOWLY suck sea foam from a small dish, too much sea foam is bad for the motor, if you suck to much of it in you do risk hydro locking the motor, the chances of this happening are very low, but its still there.

the motor will smoke a little bit, and the exhaust will smoke a lot as well as it is cleaning out the motor. I should do a How-to on it sometime soon.

[BrApple]

Wow this is a very informative Seafoam thread. Quite helpful. However, I know this is the Duratec forum, but what about the Zetec? Where would I be able to suck up the Seafoam? I'm not sure which hose is which and whatnot and I currently don't have the tools to take lots of things apart to get to where I need, so a little insight would be wonderful, so that way I know what I'm doing when I actually decide to do this. TIA :)


don't even bother ... the zetec intake is so different that it doesn't gum up like the duratec. first the zetec uses a plastic intake manifold, next the vavle cover is vented before the airfilter so the oil that does come out it doesn't go back into the engine like the duratec because its valve cover breathers come back in after the airfilter. I don't recall but I don't think that the zetec has egr passages like the duratec behind the tb either.

[alex894]

this is a good threat...I just subscribed to it.

wouldn't sea foaming clog the cat?

and please do post more info on how we do this for zetecs, there must be a way to do it.
I need to clean this reliable beast a bit also, and switch to synthetic.

[PurpleMystique]

don't even bother ... the zetec intake is so different that it doesn't gum up like the duratec. first the zetec uses a plastic intake manifold, next the vavle cover is vented before the airfilter so the oil that does come out it doesn't go back into the engine like the duratec because its valve cover breathers come back in after the airfilter. I don't recall but I don't think that the zetec has egr passages like the duratec behind the tb either.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the Zetec doesn't need EGR since it has VCT.

[Big Jim]

VVT didn't happen until 98.

[BrApple]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the Zetec doesn't need EGR since it has VCT.


mine has an egr since it doen't have VCT :P









:laugh:

[SVT#4967]

I didn't see anyone mention anything about the spark plugs... I've never used Seafoam though all over the Honda forums I see that it's standard practice to replace the spark plugs after using Seafoam. Something about the Seafoam doing something to them? I don't know, I'm just wondering.

I can tell you that I don't think any amount of Seafoam would have helped my motor. I posted some pictures of my heads, one dirty and one clean here...
http://contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=25612 I don't think Seafoam would have helped me. Don't know if it's ever been done but my motor has 130K miles on it.

I am having a oil separator made so that I can vent the PCV and valve covers into a box rather than back into my engine.

[Big Jim]

The plugs are usually not compromised. If you do a vacuum suck cleaning at the same time you are changing plugs, do the cleaning first. If not, don't worry about it.

[shaggist]

If you are trying the vacuum cleaning method, rather than injecting it into the plug on top of the intake manifold, try disconnecting the vacuum hose to the IAC and feeding it in there. This way you clean the IAC in addition to the other downstream parts. Use as small a diameter clear vinyl hose as you can find, and build it up to fit the vacuum hose inside diameter.

[TRicker]

i really think this is a bad idea. clean the intakes by disassembling them.

if you run seafoam through the thing, your just caking the exhaust valves, and the whole exhaust system with the carbon buildup. in essence, your just pushing the carbon buildup further into the engine.

[tozovr]

i really think this is a bad idea. clean the intakes by disassembling them.

if you run seafoam through the thing, your just caking the exhaust valves, and the whole exhaust system with the carbon buildup. in essence, your just pushing the carbon buildup further into the engine.


Interesting. You know many ASE qualified dealer techs and well versed techs do a similar procedure for de-carboning etc?

Caking the exhaust system? Have you seen the crap that will come out of the exhaust after the initial treatment? Insane. Subsequent treatments are far less smoky. That would lead me to the narrow conclusion that most of it is coming out. If you kept getting the same amount of crap billowing out, then I'd tend to agree more with your statement. That said, I would consider disassembly the best method for an initial cleaning (say you just bought the vehicle used etc...) and the seafoam for maintenance cleanings.

If you don't like the idea, don't use it, but your logic seems flawed here. The fact that the Toyota Landcruiser guys swear by this stuff (king of all Tech Weenies in my experience...) says something LOL.

RJ

[zorrex]

Interesting. You know many ASE qualified dealer techs and well versed techs do a similar procedure for de-carboning etc?

Caking the exhaust system? Have you seen the crap that will come out of the exhaust after the initial treatment? Insane. Subsequent treatments are far less smoky. That would lead me to the narrow conclusion that most of it is coming out. If you kept getting the same amount of crap billowing out, then I'd tend to agree more with your statement. That said, I would consider disassembly the best method for an initial cleaning (say you just bought the vehicle used etc...) and the seafoam for maintenance cleanings.

If you don't like the idea, don't use it, but your logic seems flawed here. The fact that the Toyota Landcruiser guys swear by this stuff (king of all Tech Weenies in my experience...) says something LOL.

RJ

Your logic is flawed. Spewing out all that carbon at once is most definitely bad for the exhaust...However I do agree with doing seafoam as regular maintenance.

[tozovr]

How is it bad for the exhaust? I'm not being argumentative, I'm curious. If we're cleaning the valves etc, what are we harming? The cats? can't be much worse than running rich I would guess.

RJ

ps...Sox pitchers and catcher report this week!

Your logic is flawed. Spewing out all that carbon at once is most definitely bad for the exhaust...However I do agree with doing seafoam as regular maintenance.

[Big Jim]

I really disagree that you are just pushing the carbon around. Once it is liquefied, it burns and blow out the exhaust.

When I needed to tear down an engine for a valve job, I eventually learned to decarbon it first. It made the clean-up much easier than when I didn't.

[LauraSVT]

i really think this is a bad idea. clean the intakes by disassembling them.

if you run seafoam through the thing, your just caking the exhaust valves, and the whole exhaust system with the carbon buildup. in essence, your just pushing the carbon buildup further into the engine.

I've never been a supporter of the vacuum method for cleaning intakes, either. I know that many folks have used it and stand by it, but I'd sooner do the extra work of dissasembling the plenum to ensure that nothing gets harmed. Wouldn't be that hard to wash down a valve and cause damage while pulling cleaner into the intake. I also don't trust that stuff, even in small amounts, to be floating around in the oil with the crank and other key components.

The shotimes.com method took this one step further -- it included washing the stuff out with water. How this could have ever have seemed like a good idea I don't know -- the description, as I remember it, made mention of the fact that the car will "burp, spit, heave, etc." or something like that. No kidding. The idea, I believe, was to introduce the water slowly enough that it could vaporize in the heat. Add too much, and, well, you can probably guess the rest.

[tozovr]

I've never been a supporter of the vacuum method for cleaning intakes, either. I know that many folks have used it and stand by it, but I'd sooner do the extra work of dissasembling the plenum to ensure that nothing gets harmed. Wouldn't be that hard to wash down a valve and cause damage while pulling cleaner into the intake. I also don't trust that stuff, even in small amounts, to be floating around in the oil with the crank and other key components.

The shotimes.com method took this one step further -- it included washing the stuff out with water. How this could have ever have seemed like a good idea I don't know -- the description, as I remember it, made mention of the fact that the car will "burp, spit, heave, etc." or something like that. No kidding. The idea, I believe, was to introduce the water slowly enough that it could vaporize in the heat. Add too much, and, well, you can probably guess the rest.

Water into the intake via the vacuum method is an old school cleaning method as well.

Do you know what it takes to hydro lock an engine? MUCH more than a few ounces.

RJ

[LauraSVT]

Water into the intake via the vacuum method is an old school cleaning method as well.

Do you know what it takes to hydro lock an engine? MUCH more than a few ounces.

RJ

Hydrolocking aside, there are far better places for water than the inside of an intake plenum. :)

[Big Jim]

Hydrolocking aside, there are far better places for water than the inside of an intake plenum. :)

If you say so.

During my career, I've cleaned 100s of engines with water decarbon. Yes, it needs to be done with skill. Personally, my preference, was to use a 50/50 mix of hot water and ATF, well shaken. That provided some lubrication along with the steam, and seemed to soften the carbon as well.

I have no fear of it if done with care.

[95pgt-t]

interesting big jim. i've heard of water de carbon'ing. but not mixed w/atf. but it makes sense,atf has very good cleaning agents,i run 1.5 quarts in my crankcase every oil change.