To seafoam or not to seafoam?

[turboranger91]

My 94 eb just rolled over 200k. She runs really well for the mileage and age, but lately has developed a very very slight surge under acceleration. I mean, you really have to be paying attention to even notice it. I'm going to be doing a tune up on it next weekend (plugs, wires, fuel filter, etc...). I'll also be on the hunt for any possible broken or leaking vacuum lines. I've been thinking about doing a seafoam treatment on it as well, but with all the horror stories I've read, I'm not sure if it's worth the risk. It's not down on power, it doesn't smoke, it gets 20mpg consistently with the a/c on. Should I waste my time and take the chance, or just stick with a standard tune up?

 

[Wolfie_85]

I can't speak for others, and I can't say what will happen in your case, but I had a good experience with it. I only used about 1/3 of the 16 oz can, and fed it slowly into the brake booster vacuum line. I used an empty, dry 16 oz water bottle to be sure how much I was using. It seemed to smooth out the idle a bit.

 

[natenkiki2004]

Add to your list:
Clean MAF sensor (buy the special spray).
Clean IAC valve (use above spray).
Clean throttle body & blade (use above spray).
Test or replace ECT and IAT sensors.

That said, I used Seafoam and have had no ill side effects. I believe I did half a can twice. Plenty of blue smoke came out once the white dissipated. That should be carbon being burned in the cylinders/valves. Recently did a compression test and despite having the factory 90TM passenger side head, everything is good compression-wise.

My personal recommendation would be to not use any cleaning agents in the oil. I used doses of MMO and Seafoam and while it's probably not a direct effect, I now have an oil leak that needs taking care of. Either the pan or the rear main. It's just one of those things that goes with age. My point is, if you aren't having any problems with oil leaks and don't have a way to change the pain or crankshaft seals, don't take your chances.

 

[malohnes]

I used a different approach that worked well and it is to use a much smaller line connected to an unused port of the intake vacuum tree. Since I have a manual everything explorer, I have unused ports so I piped the cap and plugged a length of vacuum hose to it and the other end into a jar of mason jar of hot water or measured Seafoam. I try to consume it within about 7 minutes.
In fact, I often run straight water this way to give periodic cleans with zero ill effect. I think the trick in both cases, but specifically with the water, is to feed in small amounts with an elevated rpm. It doesn't take much to clean the engine out, but it can hurt if done too quickly or in a too strong of a dose.

 

[turboranger91]

I've cleaned the maf, the iac is fairly new, but I cleaned that anyway, cleaned the throttle body too. Still need to check the iat and ect.

 

[jd4242]

If you do it do it VERY slow and very small amounts at a time..I personally dont suggest it tho.

I am probably one of the horror stories you have read..just not long ago I hydrolocked my ranger doing it..didnt do anything different than I have before..runs fine now tho..I've also had bad experience with the accord..it clogged my cats and mest my O2s up..but I have used it previously and every time I honestly dont notice a difference

 

[mr cribb]

I have used seafoam before, and have had zero side effects. Granted I had no cats to clog up.

 

[BKennedy]

I did the treatment recently. My 94 has about 165000 miles. It did nothing, no smoke, no smoother running engine, nothing but added a slight tick (leak) to the right side exhaust manifold. I would not do it if your engine is running well. If not and you have nothing to lose, have at it.

 

[natenkiki2004]

BKennedy, how did you do it? In the gas? If so, then you won't see smoke since the concentration is very low. It's more of a maintenance thing to help clean the fuel system of varnish and prevent moisture from forming excessively.

It's more meant to decarbonize which you should do with a up-to-temp engine and pour enough in that the engine starts to stumble and then you turn it off at the key. Wait 10-15 minutes and go for a drive.

After the regular white smoke went away on mine, a lot of blue came out, indicating that it was burning crud. I hadn't had mine for long before I did this so I don't know if it helped a ton or not. I do know the previous owner had issues with pinging and removed the octane shorting bar. When I got it, I sourced a shorting bar and have run only premium in it (ethanol free too). I've never heard any pinging. Maybe that's the higher octane or maybe the Seafoam helped to decarbonize. Either way, I don't regret doing it and I'll probably do it again, in the spring maybe.

I think jd4242 was just unlucky. I personally wouldn't use it in an engine with a complex emissions system or right after I bought a new catalytic converter. In those cases, probably just using it in the fuel would do a maintenance thing rather than flushing the engine and running all that crap downstream in the exhaust.

 

[BKennedy]

1/3 can in the crank case
1/3 can in the vacuum line (brake booster)
1/3 can in the gas tank

Let it sit for 15 minutes, ran it for 20, changed the oil.

 

[jd4242]

I took my upper intake off a couple weeks after I did it to mount my SC and it was ABSOLUTELY no cleaner. .ive had it off before when I did my fuel lines..I do agree my hydrolocked situation was not that common tho..
Clean right...

 

[smegun]

try chevron techron complete fuel system cleaner put 6 gallons of gas on it make short trips to the store over next few days it will free up your injectors and possibly other
parts works great about 35 percent more through those little screens on the injectors
i know its loosening up stuff ive ran it twice for good measure dosnt effect fuel too much but use high test ..... the next feet is somthing to do with exhaust im still experimenting with cat and notice that its probobly an exhaust valve that is caroded on my truck it wont solve everything but it works to return some real power the seafoam dosnt hang around long enough for resins and the b-12 coats your plugs with ca ca but there good for decarbination

 

[Howard4x2]

Have you ever used Z-Max. I've been using this or years, add to a full tank of gas about 3 times per years. I notice a smoother idol. Its not cheap. 24.99

 

[jd4242]

Have you ever used Z-Max. I've been using this or years, add to a full tank of gas about 3 times per years. I notice a smoother idol. Its not cheap. 24.99

I use it every oil change..I do believe in that stuff..had the valve covers off this motor at same time as upper intake and the heads where clean as a whistle.also use it in my ex and pulled that motor apart before and it was spotless. .