Let's talk Seafoam

[NissanFanBoy]

Wtf is it? Why would you use it? Have you used it? And did it really clean the carbon buildup out of your old engines?

[Thaco]

i have used it, did it on all my cars once, not sure it did anything positive, one car had issues idling after i did it, the other 3 didn't seem to be impacted. that was 3 years ago haven't done it again.

[NissanFanBoy]

It's usually old people that swear by it... but I happened upon a YouTube video a lot of comments were saying it does dick all.

[Kloubek]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

It's usually old people that swear by it... but I happened upon a YouTube video a lot of comments were saying it does dick all.

Well, it does smoke, but I imagine that's very possibly just the product burning off.

For the most part, I believe modern engines are designed to not require or benefit from most additives like this. I could see a cleaner like this perhaps working back in the days of leaded gas.

[Thaco]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Well, it does smoke, but I imagine that's very possibly just the product burning off.

For the most part, I believe modern engines are designed to not require or benefit from most additives like this. I could see a cleaner like this perhaps working back in the days of leaded gas.

i dont hink its even smoke, its just steam... if anything i'd say it adds moisture where it shouldn't be and promotes rust.

[dirtsniffer]

I've heard that it's beneficial for DI engines to reduce carbon build up. Alternatively you can heat the valves to 400C by running at 3500 rpm for 20 minutes to burn off any build up.

[NissanFanBoy]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I've heard that it's beneficial for DI engines to reduce carbon build up. Alternatively you can heat the valves to 400C by running at 3500 rpm for 20 minutes to burn off any build up.

Ya I'm more worried about this. I recently read my wife's Juke has problems with carbon build up due to DI engine. I've also read you can just burn it off by doing WOT every once in a while.

[Thaco]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I've heard that it's beneficial for DI engines to reduce carbon build up. Alternatively you can heat the valves to 400C by running at 3500 rpm for 20 minutes to burn off any build up.

so, driving

- - - Updated - - -

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Ya I'm more worried about this. I recently read my wife's Juke has problems with carbon build up due to DI engine. I've also read you can just burn it off by doing WOT every once in a while.

3rd on the highway, solved, saved you $10

[HiTempguy1]

Search Project Farm videos on youtube.

Guy isn't sponsored, does some crazy stuff. Seafoam does do things. What it does... Well, I dunno. He even tested it vs water misting, seafoam appeared to work better.

I think its half snake oil, half actual useful product. I'm sure there are reasons why it helps, but in a sealed mechanical system where things are usually already well worn, it can be tough to pinpoint precisely why.

[J-hop]

Yea I wouldn’t ever bother doing this.

For f150s I swear by following the guidance of Fordtechmakuloco, he is extremely knowledgeable and understands a hell of a lot more theory than the average tech.

He brought up a great point about why seafoam is a terrible idea specifically on turbo engines where the turbo sits very close to the exhaust port. Seafoam causes a spike in the EGT that can super heat your turbo, especially if it’s essentially right off the exhaust port like the eco boost. In his experience he’s seen it cause premature turbo failure.

As for an NA vehicle if you’re truly dislodging a significant amount of carbon it doesn’t seem too intelligent to me to be dumping that straight into the cat.

Further there are more “application methods” then you can count. No one seems to agree on the “correct” way to use it. I’ve seen everything from dumping it in the intake to sucking it through a vacuum line to adding it to your gas tank.


There are almost no legitimate reasons to use it. If you’re getting bad carbon build up seafoam isn’t going to fix the problem. Even if it does as advertised at best it’s a bandaid fix

[rvd]

Can clog up your cats, throw off your o2 sensor, don't use it.

[Maxx Mazda]

Project farm is awesome, as is Fordtexhmakluco. Subscribe to both of those guys.

I used sea foam ages ago and found that while it made a cool smoke show, it didn’t provide any noticeable difference in power or drivability. I would change the plugs after the sea foam had all burned off though, so it’s not a true litmus year.

[HiTempguy1]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

For f150s I swear by following the guidance of Fordtechmakuloco, he is extremely knowledgeable and understands a hell of a lot more theory than the average tech.

He brought up a great point about why seafoam is a terrible idea specifically on turbo engines where the turbo sits very close to the exhaust port. Seafoam causes a spike in the EGT that can super heat your turbo, especially if it’s essentially right off the exhaust port like the eco boost. In his experience he’s seen it cause premature turbo failure.

Sounds like a moron to me. There is no way egt's at idle or with rpm raised while in neutral can get a turbo that hot. Fucking lawl, what an idiot.

As.for carbon buildup, its a pretty natural thing to occur in any motor. I wouldn't probably seafoam a DI engine for obvious reasons (injector design, high pressure system). But the turbo egt thing is the dumbest fucking thing ive read on the internet in a week.

[mzdspd]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I've heard that it's beneficial for DI engines to reduce carbon build up. Alternatively you can heat the valves to 400C by running at 3500 rpm for 20 minutes to burn off any build up.

It is actually not beneficial for DI engines. It is more beneficial for PFI engines.

On DI engines, the valves are not sprayed or washed with fuel because the fuel is injected in the cylinder vs PFI engines and the fuel is injected in the intake tract and the fuel washes the valves. An italian tune up also will not do anything on a DI engine. Engineering Explained has lots of good videos on youtube explaining this and prevention.

The best way to prevent carbon build up on a DI engine is to run a high quality gas and high quality synthetic oil.

[Skrilla]

I tried it once, car smoked like all hell for a couple hours. Didn't notice anything different after.

[Nufy]

I used it on my 944 when I bought it a few years back.

Seemed to fix a rough idle. However I did drive it more regularly than the previous owner as well so that may have helped.

I put half in the tank and sucked the other half into the intake via the brake booster vacuum line. Then did a good high rev/speed run down to Nanton and back.

Ran like a top afterwards until I sold it.

[mr2mike]

If you think it's the same as the BMW walnut shell maintenance on their turbo motors... it isn't.

It smokes and I have heard it can loosen large chunks of carbon buildup and cause them to break into the comb. chamber.

Much like using seat of pants dyno. It is very subjective.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

[Gestalt]

Just run ethanol fuel

Seafoam is great at keeping the internals clean, but you need regular used. if you've gone 400000k with your f150, and you are using it for the first time, it wont do it all. I would also do it just before an oil change.

i would run it through once or twice a year. water also does work well, it's not as strong, and you need tp be patient while you drip it through.

carbon build up is bad for knock as well as wear