REALLY need help with Seafoam on my 2000 5.0 V8

spta97 · November 7, 2004

I've searched the forums and came across a procedure to run Seafoam on a V8. It entailed running it through the Air Temperature Sensor. The V8 does not appear to have a vacuum line like the V6 and the brake booster does not reach all of the cylinders.

So to my chagrin on my 5.0 it does not appear to have an air temp sensor either (unlike the picture in the Haynes manual). Where should I run this stuff? I tried running it through the hole where the oil hose connects to on the air intake hose (see pic) but that did nothing. The only other place I can think of is the PVC valve but I can't see where that is (it is supposed to be behind the manifold). Please help me

spta97 · November 8, 2004

No V8 Seafoam users out there?

Az_NavajoRob · November 8, 2004

Okay, I'm at a loss. What is Seafoam?

Rob Slade · November 8, 2004

Man, Seafoam is the greatest thing since sliced bread. A TON of guys on the Tacoma forums live by it. I have used it in my vehicle and all of my parents vehicles.

www.seafoamsales.com

I can't really help much on the V8 problem. I had a V6 explorer. Sorry.

Oversquare · November 8, 2004

I have the same year/model. I haven't tried Seafoam, but would like to. You're right, there doesn't seem to be an ideal location to pour in the Seafoam.

-B

Rob Slade · November 8, 2004

What you might do is just add a full can to your gas tank at fillup and pour some in your crankcase (oil) as well. Those are the other two locations the can says to add the stuff. At least you can get some benefit from those areas.

spta97 · November 8, 2004

Gas mileage is really what I'm after, I'm hoping there is a location to dump this stuff so it can hit the cyclinders at full force. I want to smoke up the hood

spta97 · November 8, 2004

How about taking off the IAC and dumping it down there while I rev the engine?

Rob Slade · November 8, 2004

Well, most of the smoke will be coming out of the tail pipe....if your hoods smoking you REALLY did something wrong!!!

major · November 8, 2004

i think he may have been refering to the neighborhood. Id like to know too because ive been thinking of trying this. Major

boominXplorer · November 8, 2004

go though the brake booster line. you can also pour it in there but you have to keep the RPM's up so it sucks in

Rhett · November 8, 2004

spta97 said:
The only other place I can think of is the PVC valve but I can't see where that is (it is supposed to be behind the manifold). Please help me

If it were me, I would REALLY talk to some other 5.0 guys to find a suitable vac port. Do you know anyone with a 5.0 stang? or Mountaineer? Or go buy a Ford dealership, their head tech ought to tell you for free. I really do think the 5.0 throttle body has a vac fitting on it, and it's probably on the underside where it's hard to find or see. On my OHV, it's hard to see. You have to know it's there... You might have to pull off the intake tube and other things to find it.

performancenut · November 8, 2004

Another school of thought is that the brake vacuum canister line is adequate when you "work" the throttle and increase the RPM's. Although the physical location of this inlet is indeed near the rear cylinders in location, the increased intake air flow will still adequately distribute the mixture (probably why it is described as foam). In my Mercedes, I don't have a reasonable site to introduce the liquid safely and, as an alternative and as was mentioned above, I place one full can in @ 1/8 tank of fuel and run to the reserve; this increases the concentration to the fuel system (especially the injectors), doesn't produce discernable smoke, but increases performance/fuel economy/driveability after the fresh tank of fuel is then placed. Performance is temporarily degraded during active use for obvious reasons.

As a side note, if placing the sea foam into the crank case oil, it is suggested to change the oil shortly later. makes sense to not continue to run "contaminated" oil that has increased solute dissolved in the solvent (i.e. sea foam) which very well may reduce lubricant properties of the oil. So, in simple terms, change the oil in a day or two after adding sea foam to your oil.

spta97 · November 9, 2004

Rhett said:
If it were me, I would REALLY talk to some other 5.0 guys to find a suitable vac port. Do you know anyone with a 5.0 stang? or Mountaineer? Or go buy a Ford dealership, their head tech ought to tell you for free. I really do think the 5.0 throttle body has a vac fitting on it, and it's probably on the underside where it's hard to find or see. On my OHV, it's hard to see. You have to know it's there... You might have to pull off the intake tube and other things to find it.

Other than the few others on this board I don't know any 5.0 guys. Especially ones that use Seafoam. On the throttle body all I saw was the thottle position control sensor, the IAC, and the actual air intake hose.

I don't have a great understanding of how the intake system works, but I wonder why I got no results putting it in the hole that attaches to the oil hose? Where did it go? I only put a few squirts in there but I assume that the air flow caused it to go into the throttle body.

I'll see if I can take apart the TB housing to see if there is a mystery hose somewhere. I do have a question, how is the vac line reaching the cylenders better than the air intake?

spta97 · November 9, 2004

performancenut said:
Another school of thought is that the brake vacuum canister line is adequate when you "work" the throttle and increase the RPM's. Although the physical location of this inlet is indeed near the rear cylinders in location, the increased intake air flow will still adequately distribute the mixture (probably why it is described as foam). In my Mercedes, I don't have a reasonable site to introduce the liquid safely and, as an alternative and as was mentioned above, I place one full can in @ 1/8 tank of fuel and run to the reserve; this increases the concentration to the fuel system (especially the injectors), doesn't produce discernable smoke, but increases performance/fuel economy/driveability after the fresh tank of fuel is then placed. Performance is temporarily degraded during active use for obvious reasons.

As a side note, if placing the sea foam into the crank case oil, it is suggested to change the oil shortly later. makes sense to not continue to run "contaminated" oil that has increased solute dissolved in the solvent (i.e. sea foam) which very well may reduce lubricant properties of the oil. So, in simple terms, change the oil in a day or two after adding sea foam to your oil.

I may have to give the brake booster a try. Say it does only reach the rear cylinders - is that worse than not having done it at all or just not as effective as a vac line of the TB?

I'll also throw some in the tank once it gets low.

spta97 · November 9, 2004

major said:
i think he may have been refering to the neighborhood. Id like to know too because ive been thinking of trying this. Major

I guess I should have said "Da Hood"

. Let me know what you find, us 5.0s have to stick together!

BuffaloXplorer · November 9, 2004

spta97 said:
I may have to give the brake booster a try. Say it does only reach the rear cylinders - is that worse than not having done it at all or just not as effective as a vac line of the TB?

I'll also throw some in the tank once it gets low.

Not sure why, but if the BB line is believed NOT the best point, WHY does it say to do it there on the can?

I did the BBline this weekend on my 4.0, using a women's hair dye bottle (with the ketchup-like tip) and it sucked it right out without me squeezing... however, i (unfortunately) got very little smoke. I couldn't seem to find the (preferred?) vac line for the TB, and the IAT sensor hole in the intake tube didn't seem to suck any in, so i settled for the BBLine.

How often should you add Seafoam? I'd like to try it again but not if it's gonna hurt the engine!

V8Exploder · November 9, 2004

I have a 5.0 and I put it in through the brake booster. I think the whole "doesnt hit all cylinder" things is malarky. It is the strongest form of vaccum under the hood and from what I believe it gets the vaccum from the manifold which goes to all cylinders. I tried it through the PCV which has no vaccum and the air temp sens. which had next to no vacum and all it did was leak out onto the ground. Stick with the brake booster, its fine and it gets all cylinders.

BuffaloXplorer · November 9, 2004

As far as the vacuum thing, it's DEFINITELY strong...with the thin walled/tipped dispenser i used, it collapsed the bottle a few times. It couldn't possibly have stalled the engine...it sucked it in so fast that it probably burned off as fast as it went in.

I agree that the BB is ok...

Rob Slade · November 9, 2004

This may be a general observation, but I feel I should share it. I use it on my Tacoma (only 20000 miles) and the smoke POURS out. My neighbors think my car's on fire.

Every Ford I have used it on however, has put out very little smoke. I have added the stuff to my Mom's Sport Trac and my Dad's Expedition. Both put out smoke, but it was comparable to the smoke that would come out of the exhaust on a cold morning.

It seems that most of you don't get that much smoke either. Just my observation.

REALLY need help with Seafoam on my 2000 5.0 V8

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