Could Seafoam do this???

[FireZingr]

After my problems discussed here: Here
I decided to use some Sea Foam to see of it would help.
I warmed up the Exploder and let the 1/3 can of Sea Foam suck into the brake vacuum line explained on a video I found on this site. I then added 1/3 can to the engine oil and the other 1/3 can into the gas tank.
I let it sit for about 15 minutes then ran it back and forth down the road a few times and enjoyed the smoke show.

After all the smoke had cleared LOL I thought hmmmm maybe I'll do it one more time to clean it out really good so I drove to AutoZone (About 1 mile away) bought another can and sucked 1/3 of it into the engine let it sit for 10-15 Mins and took off down the road again to spread some more smoke.
As I was driving I noticed the CHECK GUAGE light was on when I lopoked at my guages I had NO OIL PRESSURE I pulled off the side of the road and put it into park when it got back to idle RPM's the oil pressure returned and the light went OFF!!!
When I pressed the gas the Oil Pressure gauge once again dropped to as if the engine was OFF.
I let off the gas and the oil pressure gauge was jumping back and forth going all crazy up to normal pressure then up and down up and down like it had a short and mas making contact then losing contact then making contact again.

Could the Seafoam I added to my oil have caused a problem with my oil pressure sending unit or is my Oil Pump NOT WORKING now?
I had just changed the oil last week and it was a little ABOVE the line on my dipstick could the 1/3 can of SeaFoam overfilled it and caused this?
I have added a video to you tube showing what heppens when it is idling and then I press the accelerator and you can see the oil pressure DROP on the gauge.

YouTube: Oil Pressure Problems

 

[KPT]

Change the oil filter. I've heard stories of seafoam dislodging enough **** to clog the oil filter.

Let me guess, you don't run synthetic?

 

[patrick112390]

this is a prime example why i will NEVER add anything to my oil. yea, seafoam is great-in the gas and the intake. THATS ALL. i will tell you what happened. the seafoam loosened some sludge from the inside that, best case scenario: has logged in your oil pressure sending switch. now take that theory and apply to other parts of the engine. some sludge could also be blocking important passageways and starving parts of the engine of oil.
i would start with new oil and filter.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Man- I've always thought that I'd be "that guy" with Seafoam and I've not done it for that reason. I think I'm staying clear.

I concur- change the oil and filter, something is clogging up something, under idle with low flow acceptable, it's ok. When it needs it, it is trying to create more pressure, and it isn't happening. Something is not right in there.

 

[FireZingr]

Well it seems I have the broken chain tensioner and the plastic had clogged the oil pickup
Although after the Sea Foam the thing was running beautifully except for the timing chain rattle.

 

[My03Explorer]

Seafoam... Great product, works like a charm when you add it to your intake/fuel. If you are going to add it to your crankcase, only do so before you change the oil. Add half an ounce per quart of oil (2.5 ounces, or about 1/5 of the can ) let the motor run for 15-20 minutes, and then after letting the vehicle cool, do your oil change. Seafoam has a tendency to not only break up sludge, but can also burn your seals out.

At least this is what I have always been lead to believe. If you want to add anything to your oil, please let it only be lucas oil stabilizer (either conventional, or synthetic depending on what oil you put in the vehicle)

I am new to The Forum, so let me know if im off base guys !

 

[rookieshooter]

Hope you did not score any bearings. It takes no time at all to do this if it ran for awhile with no oil pressure.
Check your oil pressure after fixing problem. That is, if you have an oil guage that really measures the pressure. Not one of those fake ones that will read the same, just as long as there is some kind of pressure on it.
I to do not add any additive to my oil, nothing, nada, period. I've seen too many lifters that were galled on the sidewalls. The airspace between the lifter and the cast iron of the block are some of the tightest of the entire engine. And I'm by far not the first to have seen this.

Is there any unbiased reports on Seafoam really doing any good or better then anyother product for carbon removal.
Once I bought a can just to see how it would work on cleaning carbon off off a few parts I had laying around the shop, like spark plugs and such. It did nothing really, I still had to brush off the carbon.
I do know this. It did not remove more carbon off the pistons then pouring alcohol that's been in the freezer down the carburetor. This was confirmed by looking into cylinder with scope. In fact so much carbon came off the top of the pistons with the cold alcohol, it fouled the plugs.

 

[FireZingr]

well I do know that just shy of 200,000 miles I pulled the oil pan off and wiped with a paper towel and she looked almost brand new I figured with that many miles it would be all gunked up. And that was with 20,000 miles between an oil change last year LOL. How I forgot to change my oil I'll never know maybe early onset of Alzheimers I dunno.

 

[joefnh]

The Seafoam works great BUT don't drive more than a couple of local miles at low speeds with it in the crankcase. Seafoam is a very light distillate oil product and WILL thin out your oil in the engine resulting in low oil pressure.

Your oil pump and related oil channels in the engine are sized to provide a high enough oil pressure with the appropriate weight / viscosity of oil. When thinned out it cannot achieve this pressure hence the oil pressure light.

Use it in the oil but only for a couple of local neighborhood - low speed miles. It will do an excellent job of removing varnish and sludge. I have been using it in several vehicles this way for 10 years without any problems.

In the odd occasion that I have had to look inside any of these engines, they are immaculately clean. I attribute this to proper oil changes with a good quality synthetic oil (Amsoil) and the Seafoam.

I would recommend that you continue to do what you did just keep it to no more than half a can per 5 quarts of oil and limit the driving and speed to local driving for a few miles; then change the oil and filter immediately after that type of use. DO NOT drive around with it for any length of time.

Good luck

--Joe

 

[aldive]

Never add Seafoam to your oil.

 

[rookieshooter]

Never add Seafoam to your oil.

Well that was about succintly put as one could put it.

Why would anyone put an additive that reduces the viscosity of the oil to protect what it was designed for. Amsoil and other fine oils have the best engineers on the planet.
When the oil is thinned it loses it's ability to protect the recipicating parts like rod bearings, cam lobes and bottom of lifters
All my engines have gone well over 200,000 and even closer to 300,000 with not one ounce of additive.
Filtration and changing of oil will go a long ways.

Case in point. Lifter looks squeaky clean.

Need I say more.

 

[My03Explorer]

Never add Seafoam to your oil.

Why? If you are only adding it to your oil pre oil change, and will only be leaving it in for a matter of a half an hour, what can it hurt to help clear the motor out?

 

[patrick112390]

Why? If you are only adding it to your oil pre oil change, and will only be leaving it in for a matter of a half an hour, what can it hurt to help clear the motor out?

because once it loosens up a nice sized chunk of sludge and clogs an oil gallery, a hell of a lot of things "can happen in under 30 minutes"

 

[My03Explorer]

because once it loosens up a nice sized chunk of sludge and clogs an oil gallery, a hell of a lot of things "can happen in under 30 minutes"

Well, I guess in this case, everyone has preferences on what products they use in their vehicles. Speaking from my experience and having used it on every oil change I have done in my Ex over 150k miles, I have had no internal issues.

To each their own.

 

[patrick112390]

Well, I guess in this case, everyone has preferences on what products they use in their vehicles. Speaking from my experience and having used it on every oil change I have done in my Ex over 150k miles, I have had no internal issues.

To each their own.

if you have used it every oil change then carry on as you wish, but you are wasting your money. newer synthetic oil have enough detergent/cleaning agents in them without having to spend another $7. a consistent use isnt as big a problem as someone dropping this magic snake oil in at 160k after slacking on oil changes...

 

[My03Explorer]

I guess we got a little off topic from the original posters questions on troubleshooting his issue. I would never have put 2/3 of a can into the crankcase and then driven on it. I use Full synthetic Valvoline in mine and only like to run 2.5-3 ounces of seafoam before the oil change to clear any deposits out. I then put the rest into the fuel system to treat it. I don't know what to tell the orig poster about trying to fix his problem other than I hope that you changed the oil right after, and did you see any difference in the response of the vehicle?