Seafoam -- How to use it properly

[MavrickMA]

Ok, so I want to use some seafoam on my '03 expy (4.6L). I've been reading some of the posts on here about how to use it, but I was hoping to get a discussion going about exactly how much I should use and where to put it, etc. I'm not a know-it-all, but I do know my way around an engine for the most part. I just want to make sure I'm doing it right the first time and not going to do something that I'm going to have to fix later. So again, here are my questions:

1.) How much should I use? 1 Bottle or more?
2.) Where should I put it?
3.) What process should I use to put it in?
4.) Is there anything I need to do afterwards?

Thanks.

 

[ELVATO]

There are discussions that have already been had about this with good info, lemme find one

I'm pretty sure you can stick some of the SEAFOAM in here (my '03 4.6L). It's the brake booster line.



http://www.expeditionforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2446

 

[Randy]

Here's a link to a website describing the use of SeaFoam Cleaner for your vehicles: Check out the Sea Foam Website:
http://www.seafoamsales.com/motorTuneUpTechGas.htm

Also try - http://members.nuvox.net/~on.roz/cars/z28/seafoam.html

 

[lakmflx]

Originally posted by ELVATO
There are discussions that have already been had about this with good info, lemme find one

I'm pretty sure you can stick some of the SEAFOAM in here (my '03 4.6L). It's the brake booster line.



http://www.expeditionforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2446

Someone hasn't washed their engine bay LOL

 

[ELVATO]

^ LOL yea, that is a somewhat older picture. Now there is a CAI in place of the stock one, but it's still just as dirty

I usually never get around to it, partially because I'm always afraid water is going to get somewhere that it's not supposed to.

 

[wickman]

I did the Seafoam thing yesterday. I put it in the same place, brake booster line. After blowing all the smoke out, just about closed down the freeway, it seemed to run much smoother. I put half a can in the fuel tank, the other half through the engine.

 

[MavrickMA]

Originally posted by Randy
Here's a link to a website describing the use of SeaFoam Cleaner for your vehicles: Check out the Sea Foam Website:
http://www.seafoamsales.com/motorTuneUpTechGas.htm

Also try - http://members.nuvox.net/~on.roz/cars/z28/seafoam.html

Ok, so I read the second link that you had in your post.

1.) It says to slowly pour 1/3-1/2 of the bottle through the brake booster line, taking care not to stall the truck, then to stick the hose in and let it take as much as it can and let it stall. Wait 15 minutes, then start the truck and bring it throug its paces, letting it rev high and put it under load. Is this the way to do it?

2.) Does the truck HAVE to be put under load, or is just sitting on the accellerator in my driveway ok? I'd like to be as little of a bother to my neighborhood as possible.

3.) It says to put the other 1/3-1/2 in the oil fill. My question is: Do I have to do an oil change right after I run it through, or is there a certain time length that I should wait before doing an oil change? He said to wait 500 miles.

4.) It then says to put another full can into the gas tank. Agree/Disagree?

5.) Is it possible to use too much of this stuff?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Randy]

Mavrick,
I just let the truck idle, and i placed the brake booster line into the can of seafoam. It sucked the can dry in very short order and I could not stall the truck! I just shut the truck off after it emptied the 1st can. I let the truck sit for about 45 minutes while I took apart the air cleaner and cleaned the throttle body and MAF. After I put it all back together, I poured 1/2 a can of seafoam into my oil, and the other 1/2 into the fuel tank. Starting the truck up after letting the seafoam sit in the top end of the engine - it runs really rough! That's why you need to 'fire it up' and head down the street - to blow all the stuff out of the engine. This stuff will really smoke up the 'hood! Mine looked like I was fogging for mosquitos! REALLY heavy white smoke. After running the truck (read: heavy foot, 1st & 2nd gear) the exhaust smoke cleaned up after 4-5 minutes and the truck runs smoothly. I changed the oil in my truck two weeks after adding the seafoam. I haven't seen any adverse effects with adding it to my oil or running it through the top end. Seems to run better from the stop sign....
I've used other fuel additives in the past, so I don't think that using seafoam in the fuel tank would be a problem.
As always, too much of anything for an extended period of time will cause damage.
Overall - i'm pleased with the results.

 

[MavrickMA]

Ok, so I used the seafoam tonight. I started by putting about half the bottle through the brake booster vacuum line. Once this was done, I started dumping a lot down to try to stall the truck like that link says. It wouldn't stall. So I turned off the truck, re-attached the vacuum line, dumped the rest of that bottle into the crank case. Took another bottle and dumped the whole thing into the gas tank (it's at about half tank). Then I took another bottle and poured about another half-2/3 down the crank case. Then let it sit for about 15 minutes. Started it up after that, and it kinda bogged down at first. I gave it a little gas, then drove around the neighborhood in 1st gear, letting it rev all the way up. Then I jumped on the turnpike and went an exit, doing between 70 and 90. Turned around, then went back to the original exit doing 90 with o/d off. Then I came back home. It seems to be running better.

Two Questions:

1.) One thing I noticed is that there was not as much smoke I thought there would be. I imagined more after reading the posts on here and such. There was really only 2 small to medium clouds. After that, it was gone. Is this normal?

2.) Should I get the oil changed this weekend, or should I wait a little bit, like until next weekend?

Thanks.

 

[wickman]

I wouldn't run around too long with that in your crankcase. Remember, this stuff is causing all the built up junk inside your engine to break loose and it will be in your oil. Not good to run for a long time. I would change the oil as soon as possible.