Sea Foam Insertion Point

[Rhett]

Why is this still being debated? Go out and do it. Unless any of you have actually used Seafoam both ways, and got different results, then it's all conjecture. You're gettin' carpal tunnel re-typing the same things over and over.

 

[spindlecone]

Why is this still being debated? Go out and do it. Unless any of you have actually used Seafoam both ways, and got different results, then it's all conjecture. You're gettin' carpal tunnel re-typing the same things over and over.

It's being talked about because there are good points being made about where the best place to put seafoam is, are two diff viewpoints.
Thats why it is being debated, I have used the BB with great results.
I would like to know if another method might be better.
If the thread ends at this point, the Questions will always remain.

 

[Billy177]

i still feel that the iac is the best wayon a sohc, seafoam is getting sucked into all cylinders because that is the only place where the engine is getting any air from. the throttle body line is the best place for the ohv

 

[Rhett]

It's being talked about because there are good points being made about where the best place to put seafoam is, are two diff viewpoints.
Thats why it is being debated, I have used the BB with great results.
I would like to know if another method might be better.

Well of course. But look at the early part of this very thread. Same stuff. 2 viewpoints. But no one has actually done it -both- ways and compared results. An interesting and informative post would be from someone who has done it both ways. All we've got is posting by people who have done it one way and thinks that way is best and their reasons why they think so. That's informative in itself, but it doesn't answer the main question here.

 

[thewishkah]

ok I've done it through the TB but my way took forever . I took the intake and the throttle cable cover off then I would pull the throttle to open the plate a little and with a funnel slooooowly pour it in there but that ends up hurting my hands and taking forever and I think that it burns up before it does anything cause it takes me so long to put in 1/2 of a can.

So my question is what would be the best way to do it through the TB with out having to take so long , and get it in there pretty quick? would the hose that runs off the oil filler cap area work?and which side do I disconnect? Im guessing I dissconnect the side that connects to the oil filler neck? so what would be the best/quickest way to run it through the TB.

thanks in advance
Jon

 

[spindlecone]

Well of course. But look at the early part of this very thread. Same stuff. 2 viewpoints. But no one has actually done it -both- ways and compared results. An interesting and informative post would be from someone who has done it both ways. All we've got is posting by people who have done it one way and thinks that way is best and their reasons why they think so. That's informative in itself, but it doesn't answer the main question here.

Maybe this will answere the Question. I called Seafoam direct, talked to Larry the main tech guy.
He said yes, where the BB line go's into the rear of the Plenum, one may not get all Cylinders equally.
That being said, he told me on the SOHC ford Engine the absolute best location is thru the PCV valve ( rear of drivers side Valve cover) not easy to get to but follow it around and the rubber hose in the front of the plenum is easy to access (see Pic)
to me this seems like the best place as the airflow is front back.
I think trying to do a comparison would be impossible.

 

[huskyfan23]

I said I tried it both ways and only got smoke through the TB.

 

[spindlecone]

Being on the **** side, deciding, after talking with Seafoam that the PCV inlet was the optimum insertion point for equal distribution to all cylinders, I fabbed up a Tee connector for easy access since I run Seafoam every 2K miles.
3 inch Barbed 1/2 inch I.D straight connector, drilled and tapped for a 1/8-27 NPT barbed connector, connected to the plastic PVC inlet tube with rubber tubing.
I got alot of smoke, engine was done thru The BB line two weeks ago.
What do it mean? have not a clue.

 

[msmith65]

Water works pretty well to clean out carbon, too.

 

[thewishkah]

water? but thats not combustable leading me to belive it would hydro lock since it couldnt compress corectly.

 

[Arnie897]

From what I've heard you can hydrolock with SeaFoam too....if you don't read and follow the directions.

 

[shaman]

water? but thats not combustable leading me to belive it would hydro lock since it couldnt compress corectly.

Liquids can't compress period

Water is a natural byproduct of combustion, but like you mentioned above does not add to the combustion. With that being said it has been used for a century to combat detonation in boosted engines, and will in fact steam clean the engine, if used correctly. The best method i have heard so far is to find a vacuum line, and let it suck water out of a bottle. Do not submerge the hose, but let it actually suck water out of the bottle. For more information on this and all of your lubrication and cleaning needs, check out

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi

This topic is being discussed right now here

http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=002824

I am in no way associated with that forum aside from spending too much time there, but there is alot of information there.

One last thing, it is highly recommended that Seafoam and other harsh chemicals be used right before an oil change, because it is known to kill the TBN, or the amount of basic additives in a lubricant.

 

[sonik]

I personally take mouthfuls of Sea Foam and spit it into the TB line mama bird to baby bird style. Everything did get blurry. I'm pretty sure it was from the cloud of smoke.

 

[msmith65]

You just trickle the water in, as you do with Seafoam. The best technique I've heard of is to use one of those plastic bottles with the L-shaped straw-like thing sticking out of the top. It comes to a point after the L and shoots a thin stream.

I dunno whether hand-administering anything to an intake like this does any good. All I've seen on the forum are anecdotes ("It runs better now" and "I don't notice any difference").

The suggestion about running water injection full-time has merit. Water is used to prevent detonation in turbo-boosted engines. (Oldsmobile tried this in the mid-60s but found that owners wouldn't watch the water level.) You can set one up yourself (I once did) by piping an intake vacuum source to a glass or steel container with the suction rigged up like a water pipe (bong), so the intake only draws in vapor.

I would not try to use plastic jugs because engine vacuum will collapse them immediately. DAMHIK.

 

[gss]

I broke out my 1996 Aerostar,Ranger, Explorer Supplement service manual and spent about an hour reading all about the vacuum system and emission controls and now have a better understanding of the systems. Pictures with numbers are worth a 1,000 words. NOw I feel like I can do things w/o messing something up. Thanks for all the help. I can understand why someone who does this all the time gets flustrated with us amateurs. :-}
We use SF to decarb outboards all the time, but normally it is done by mixing a can of SF with a small amount of gas and running the engine for about 15 minutes and let it sit for an hour or so, then repeat a couple of times until the black gunk quits coming out of the exhaust or else let sit overnight. You don't want to do this on a nice concrete driveway, it will leave a horrible black spot. Looks like a bad crancase leak.

 

[gss]

I checked my 96 XLT and the PCV is in the left rear(drivers side) corner of the engine near the brake booster hose, so I used the PCV hose and did the insertation. Created a real smoke bomb going down the road, glad there wasn't anyone behind as the could not have seen the road. Some last for about mile or so and cleared up. The CEL came back on so I still need to change the PDFE sensor, keep putting it off.

 

[gss]

I cleaned the MAF today. Found a can of CRC/NAPA QD Electronic Cleaner at NPAPA. I could not get the MAF out of the tube, but had a good visual from the screen side when removed from the air intake tube. Sprayed it good with the CRC, it went straight through and ran out the back, put back in and reconnected the battery, no CEL. Wait and see if it returns. I think the QD is mostly Methanol, smells like alcohol to me. It does dry very quick.

 

[Jester1994]

Any of you guys with a 5.0 used Seafoam? Where did you insert it? I'm thinking about doing it since my 5.0 has a solid 98k on it now. I think she could use a good internal cleaning since I think I am starting to lose a bit of power and fuel economy, but that could also be in part to the winter in Mass.(cold weather and different gas formulas).

 

[gss]

Jester, I think you should be able to put it in through the PCV line. Pull the line off and you will feel the suction. Use a small funnel or a cap with the pointed end, turn it upside down and that will give you a larger area to pour into.

 

[ions]

Wanna do this today cause i've never done it (i've put seafoam through the gas) and was wondering to i tap the bigger tube or the smaller tube in the SOHC

and spindle where did you get the connector barbed thing? seems handy.

Thanks.