Seafoam in crankcase

[wvmedic]

I am no expert so take this for what it's worth. I would be cautious about adding Seafoam or any other solvent to the crankcase.

The reason being if it is a high mileage motor and was owned by someone else before you, they might not have changed the oil as it should have been done leading to some serious sludge.

So when you run the solvent thru the crankcase to clean the sludge it will brake loose and go to the oil pan and possibly get sucked into you’re oil pump screen and clog it causing no oil pressure due to no oil flow and seize the motor.

However if you are the original owner, have rebuilt or put a remanufactured motor in you’re Explorer and know the maintenance has been done properly I would not hesitate running some thru the motor on occasion before changing the oil.

I have torn apart some nasty motors and can tell you first hand if you ran Seafoam thru some of those motors they would certainly have clogged the oil pump screen causing the motors to lock up.

I am rebuilding a motor now for my 94 XLT that has 206,000 miles on the clock and when I put it back in the Explorer I will probly run some thru every 3rd or 4th oil change just to keep it good and clean, but if using a good quality oil, sticking to the same brand and changing the oil at the proper interval this should be a non issue.

Jeff.

 

[gmanpaint]

I asked about using Seafoam in my crankcase to loosen a stuck lifter. The response I received was to go ahead and run the motor for a couple of tanks of gas, then change the oil. After I dumped in half a can, and drove it 250 miles, I got more responses to not do it at all, or just around the town for a few miles, then change the oil. Well I was in shock.
Thought to myself, what the heck did I just do to my engine? Did I destroy it, am I taking the mountain bike to work? Well I changed the oil, and have driven it another 250 miles. NOTHING HAS CHANGED. The lifter tick is still present, the engine still runs, (like crap, has since I got it), and I kind of think this seafoam is just a snake oil. I ran the Lucas gas treatment, NOTHING CHANGED. I don't believe there is a solution in a bottle. This is nothing more than hope and promises. Procrastinating the inevitable, it will die.

 

[SuperSnake]

I asked about using Seafoam in my crankcase to loosen a stuck lifter. The response I received was to go ahead and run the motor for a couple of tanks of gas, then change the oil. After I dumped in half a can, and drove it 250 miles, I got more responses to not do it at all, or just around the town for a few miles, then change the oil. Well I was in shock.
Thought to myself, what the heck did I just do to my engine? Did I destroy it, am I taking the mountain bike to work? Well I changed the oil, and have driven it another 250 miles. NOTHING HAS CHANGED. The lifter tick is still present, the engine still runs, (like crap, has since I got it), and I kind of think this seafoam is just a snake oil. I ran the Lucas gas treatment, NOTHING CHANGED. I don't believe there is a solution in a bottle. This is nothing more than hope and promises. Procrastinating the inevitable, it will die.

Try Rotella Diesel Oil 5W40 I am using that to break in my newly rebuilt 302 in my F150 and a Wix oil filter

 

[aldive]

I asked about using Seafoam in my crankcase to loosen a stuck lifter. The response I received was to go ahead and run the motor for a couple of tanks of gas, then change the oil. After I dumped in half a can, and drove it 250 miles, I got more responses to not do it at all, or just around the town for a few miles, then change the oil. Well I was in shock.
Thought to myself, what the heck did I just do to my engine? Did I destroy it, am I taking the mountain bike to work? Well I changed the oil, and have driven it another 250 miles. NOTHING HAS CHANGED. The lifter tick is still present, the engine still runs, (like crap, has since I got it), and I kind of think this seafoam is just a snake oil. I ran the Lucas gas treatment, NOTHING CHANGED. I don't believe there is a solution in a bottle. This is nothing more than hope and promises. Procrastinating the inevitable, it will die.

Sea Foam will not cure a mechanical problem.

The elixir does indeed work to clean out an engine.

 

[gmanpaint]

The Seafoam product boasts on its label it will fix mechanical problems. It states, it will free stuck lifters and more. That my friend, is false advertising. If 250 miles and a tank of gas did nothing, and people are suggesting run for only a few mins and let sit b/4 changing oil, what good is that? Elixir shmixer, more like wool in a can. You pull it over your eyes when the can is empty.

 

[aldive]

There are hundreds ( possibly more ) members of this site who swear by Sea Foam.

I am a believer.

 

[wvmedic]

Gmanpaint,

If you have a mechanical component that is worn out there is nothing in a can, bottle or anything else that is going to fix the problem. The motor will have to be torn down and parts replaced to fix a broken part.

Now the claim to fame of Seafoam fixing mechanical problems, my way of thinking is.
If you have a stuck not worn out lifter or rings due to old oil deposits etc. the solvent of you’re choice might cure this problem but cure a worn out part it won’t.

Jeff.

 

[gmanpaint]

All right then,
If it is said to clean an engine and so many people are all for it, WHY do others say not to use it? WHY am I told that using it can destroy my engine by clogging the oil pump screen with all the deposits it has loosened up? As far as I can see, if it does harm, then do not use it. There is just a lot of hype over this stuff, and to me it is just a sham. I bought into it. I thought, what the heck if it does what it says it supposed to do, why not? I forked over the cash, purchased my can of hope, and waited for something great to happen. Nothing happened, except the chance of destroying my engine. The makers of seafoam got fatter, I got more worries. You believe what you want, and so will I. I know better than a liquid replacing a wrench. But it was the hope and thought of "What if "? That has, and always will be the charm of a snake oil.

This is just my opinion on my experience with this product. It may have worked well for others, just not me.

 

[wood1]

It's a shame that the treatment didn't work in your situation... it's possible that your lifter is more gummed up than mine was or you have a different problem. My tick still hasn't returned and I am quite pleased with my results. Maybe you should consider replacing the lifter in question? I would at least pull the valve cover and make sure that it's not a badly worn rocker... also a possibility in these engines if I remember correctly.

 

[gmanpaint]

It's a shame that the treatment didn't work in your situation... it's possible that your lifter is more gummed up than mine was or you have a different problem. My tick still hasn't returned and I am quite pleased with my results. Maybe you should consider replacing the lifter in question? I would at least pull the valve cover and make sure that it's not a badly worn rocker... also a possibility in these engines if I remember correctly.

Thanks.
I will definitely check the rocker. As for the lifter, I think opening up this engine would kill it.

 

[huntman58]

For years to stop a lifter tick dad and I have used ATF in the motor oil and it always worked unless the lifter was mushroomed out of shape = mechanical problem needing replacement. Seafoam being a solvent will do the same trick with in the same limits but it can not reform metal or add to a metal part. I also know that adding motor honey that thick oil stuff to increase oil pressure works. kept an old truck on the road years after it should have been dead because of that stuff but a cousin of mine added STP on time to a cold none running motor then started it up and with in a few minutes blew the motor up because the stuff blocked the oil pick up screen so no oil no motor simple. seafoam I can see doing the same thing or any motor flush for that matter in a motor that is badly sludge or neglected in care as doing it's job of cleaning and removing that sludge and gunk it could also loosen some that could block that same pick up screen and then again no oil to the motor or blown motor but in that case the motor was most likely short on life any way unless you did as my cousin did because that will blow up a brand new motor it was plain silly and he would not listen to me at all said he had done it to all his cars come to find out he was saying the truth as that was his first car and he only had it two weeks