Seafoaming engine
#1
Seafoaming engine
I'm roughly 500 miles away from my next oil change, so I decided to add seafoam to the engine. I added just a little over half a bottle. I let it sit for about 15 mins roughly. Then started it. It stumbled and barely turned over, but it started on the first crank. I ran around to the rear of the vehicle to see what my exhaust looked like. It was thick white, but this only lasted about 20-30 seconds and then it cleared up.
My question:
Based on everything I mentioned above, did I do this correctly? Thanks.
-W
My question:
Based on everything I mentioned above, did I do this correctly? Thanks.
-W
#2
RE: Seafoaming engine
Sounds normal. From what you wrote, I would say add the whole bottle, let it sit for 30 minutes and it should smoke for a lot longer when you do that. Mike just wrote a great description of how to do it last week sometime (somebody else started the thread). Check it out.
#3
#5
RE: Seafoaming engine
Here's Mike's write up...
https://landroverforums.com/m_53969/tm.htm
...I'll be following this shortly too...thanks Mike
https://landroverforums.com/m_53969/tm.htm
It is not an issue as such. Having done induction cleanings for 20 plus years, and be taught by some of the producers of the treatments as well as the companies that make the machines to do this, you learn what works and what doesn't, and this holds true for any engine, even Mustangs.
The whole idea/ benefit of an induction cleaning is to, free up the air flow thru the manifold, and cut any and all carbon on the back side of the intake and exhaust valves. Has nothing to do with cleaning injectors, has some benefit to cleaning the plugs and inner chamber.
Seafoam is an OK additive for cleaning both the manifold and injectors, but nothing, especially at the amounts that they now recommend.
My all time favorite, although the most expensive, are products made by B&G, but for now lets just look at what I believe to be the only proper method.
First of all, I do a couple of things at the same time, I add a good additive to the tank, I do the induction cleaning and while I am waiting for the chemicals to be absorbed into all the old engine build up, I clean the t/body as well as the idle control unit.
My list of stuff needed would be, 2 cans of Seafoam, 1 can of carb spray, 2 feet of a small diameter vaccum line, a tooth brush,m pair of pliers and some paper towel. While doing this cleaning, I do not attempt to clean the crank case at this time, and even when cleaning it, there are far better engine flushes.
So, all that being said, find the smallest port of your manifold, hook the 2 foot piece if tubing to that port, get a pair of pliers, like a needle nose
, start the engine, get it to operating temp, crimp the hose that you have hooked to the manifold, with the pliers, put the other end of the hose into a full can of Seafoam and ever so slightly release just the smallest amount of flow thru the hose. You want to stretch out this part of the cleaning so it takes as long as a couple minutes to totally drain the can without stalling the engine.
Once done, turn the engine off, reattach the proper hose and now you start on the t/body. Remove the air intake hose to the t/body, look inside as you open and close the throttle plate, see all the crap in there on both front and back behind the plate, spray it real good, let it sit for a while, then using the tooth brush, scrub/ loosen up all the old carbon build up and then wipe it all out with your paper towel.
By the way, when you go drive your truck to blow off the smoke, take the can od Seafoam with you so if stopped by the police, you can show them you are not a gross poluter, just treating your engine.
Next, depending on the year and model, clean out you idle contoll unit and you are done.
Now of course comes the fun part, starting up the engine, which will fight you and smoke like hell. Turn the key, don't touch the gas pedal, just let the engine crank till it starts. Now, when no one in your neighbor hood is not looking go out and drive the crap out of it. I have to tell you, that no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to out run the trail of smoke that will last for at least 10 minutes.
Go home when done and just let it sit over night, in the morning may get a very small amount of smoke and then it is gone.
The engine will be much more responsive, smoother idling and perform better then it has in years.
A few side notes, the new directions on the Seafoam, give you different directions, mainly because too many people complained about the massive amount of smoke. Doing it per the directions will not give you anywhere near the same results.
I do it this way cause I don't have the metering valves to do it like we did in the shops, to me the pliers work well and it has to metered into the engine slowly, not dumped into a funnel and into the engine, this does nothing but waist a $6 can of additive.
The whole idea/ benefit of an induction cleaning is to, free up the air flow thru the manifold, and cut any and all carbon on the back side of the intake and exhaust valves. Has nothing to do with cleaning injectors, has some benefit to cleaning the plugs and inner chamber.
Seafoam is an OK additive for cleaning both the manifold and injectors, but nothing, especially at the amounts that they now recommend.
My all time favorite, although the most expensive, are products made by B&G, but for now lets just look at what I believe to be the only proper method.
First of all, I do a couple of things at the same time, I add a good additive to the tank, I do the induction cleaning and while I am waiting for the chemicals to be absorbed into all the old engine build up, I clean the t/body as well as the idle control unit.
My list of stuff needed would be, 2 cans of Seafoam, 1 can of carb spray, 2 feet of a small diameter vaccum line, a tooth brush,m pair of pliers and some paper towel. While doing this cleaning, I do not attempt to clean the crank case at this time, and even when cleaning it, there are far better engine flushes.
So, all that being said, find the smallest port of your manifold, hook the 2 foot piece if tubing to that port, get a pair of pliers, like a needle nose
, start the engine, get it to operating temp, crimp the hose that you have hooked to the manifold, with the pliers, put the other end of the hose into a full can of Seafoam and ever so slightly release just the smallest amount of flow thru the hose. You want to stretch out this part of the cleaning so it takes as long as a couple minutes to totally drain the can without stalling the engine.
Once done, turn the engine off, reattach the proper hose and now you start on the t/body. Remove the air intake hose to the t/body, look inside as you open and close the throttle plate, see all the crap in there on both front and back behind the plate, spray it real good, let it sit for a while, then using the tooth brush, scrub/ loosen up all the old carbon build up and then wipe it all out with your paper towel.
By the way, when you go drive your truck to blow off the smoke, take the can od Seafoam with you so if stopped by the police, you can show them you are not a gross poluter, just treating your engine.
Next, depending on the year and model, clean out you idle contoll unit and you are done.
Now of course comes the fun part, starting up the engine, which will fight you and smoke like hell. Turn the key, don't touch the gas pedal, just let the engine crank till it starts. Now, when no one in your neighbor hood is not looking go out and drive the crap out of it. I have to tell you, that no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to out run the trail of smoke that will last for at least 10 minutes.
Go home when done and just let it sit over night, in the morning may get a very small amount of smoke and then it is gone.
The engine will be much more responsive, smoother idling and perform better then it has in years.
A few side notes, the new directions on the Seafoam, give you different directions, mainly because too many people complained about the massive amount of smoke. Doing it per the directions will not give you anywhere near the same results.
I do it this way cause I don't have the metering valves to do it like we did in the shops, to me the pliers work well and it has to metered into the engine slowly, not dumped into a funnel and into the engine, this does nothing but waist a $6 can of additive.
#6
RE: Seafoaming engine
ORIGINAL: wesk
I'm roughly 500 miles away from my next oil change, so I decided to add seafoam to the engine. I added just a little over half a bottle. I let it sit for about 15 mins roughly. Then started it. It stumbled and barely turned over, but it started on the first crank. I ran around to the rear of the vehicle to see what my exhaust looked like. It was thick white, but this only lasted about 20-30 seconds and then it cleared up.
My question:
Based on everything I mentioned above, did I do this correctly? Thanks.
-W
I'm roughly 500 miles away from my next oil change, so I decided to add seafoam to the engine. I added just a little over half a bottle. I let it sit for about 15 mins roughly. Then started it. It stumbled and barely turned over, but it started on the first crank. I ran around to the rear of the vehicle to see what my exhaust looked like. It was thick white, but this only lasted about 20-30 seconds and then it cleared up.
My question:
Based on everything I mentioned above, did I do this correctly? Thanks.
-W
#8
RE: Seafoaming engine
Mike,
Yeah I realized after I found your tips on how to do it correctly, that I basically wasted a half can of seafoam. Not the end of the world, but still makes me feel stupid. I will give it another shot next week. Do they sell B&G products at Napa, Advance etc?
-W
Yeah I realized after I found your tips on how to do it correctly, that I basically wasted a half can of seafoam. Not the end of the world, but still makes me feel stupid. I will give it another shot next week. Do they sell B&G products at Napa, Advance etc?
-W
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