Seafoam experiment

[va3ux]

Originally Posted By: daves66nova
So when you have the engine suck in seafoam, is it also supposed to clean the intake runners?If it is supposed to,how is that gunk going to be removed after the soaking? also, would it help any if you poured b12 down the spark plug hole and let it sit overnight?


No. The idea is to get it distributed to all cylinders as evenly as possible, which is why I recommend NOT using the brake booster line in the case of the Intrepid engine. The intake runners (and upper intake plenum) will see the stuff on it's way to the cylinders but that is incidental.

 

[severach]

A TBI/CFI has enough fuel flow to clean the intake if you use the good additives. With a MPFI you can't put in enough cans to clean so you'll need to pull off whatever needs cleaning up to the injectors. I decided the intake was too hard to remove and clean enough. I popped the throttle body off, removed all the sensors, and cleaned all the carbon painted on by the EGR.

Don't spray things into the intake. There's a MAF sensor in there that won't like it.

 

[va3ux]

Originally Posted By: severach
A TBI/CFI has enough fuel flow to clean the intake if you use the good additives. With a MPFI you can't put in enough cans to clean so you'll need to pull off whatever needs cleaning up to the injectors. I decided the intake was too hard to remove and clean enough. I popped the throttle body off, removed all the sensors, and cleaned all the carbon painted on by the EGR.

Don't spray things into the intake. There's a MAF sensor in there that won't like it.


The Chrysler 2.7 and 3.5 do not have MAF sensors. But they do have MAP sensors which do appear to be harmed at all by these combustion chamber cleaners being induced into the intake tract.

In the 2.7L engines (possibly the 3.5 as well), the intake plenum gets fouled somewhat from the EGR, but mainly by oil and vapors pulled in from the PCV. There's no question that measly 30 seconds or so of solvent flying past this stuff won't clean it at all.

 

[daves66nova]

Originally Posted By: va3ux
Originally Posted By: daves66nova
So when you have the engine suck in seafoam, is it also supposed to clean the intake runners?If it is supposed to,how is that gunk going to be removed after the soaking? also, would it help any if you poured b12 down the spark plug hole and let it sit overnight?


No. The idea is to get it distributed to all cylinders as evenly as possible, which is why I recommend NOT using the brake booster line in the case of the Intrepid engine. The intake runners (and upper intake plenum) will see the stuff on it's way to the cylinders but that is incidental.
Isn't it better to just remove the plugs and pour some in and let it soak overnight,if you have the time?

 

[JohnBrowning]

Seafoam is so mild you could add the entire can to the oil and drive it and nothing bad wuld happen. 6 onces of Seafoam is nothing and probably will not do much. Add an entire can and some Valvoline SAE 30 and turn the kid lose. Chance the filter and oil at 2000 miles. Cut the filter open and see what you caught? The main ingredient in Seafoam is IP and is fairly harmless and should burn off rather quickly even when added tot he oil. IP is good for disolveing highly polar deposits. It will attack some solvent but will not do much against hard carbon or sludge. I am not kidding Seafoam is super mild!

 

[pickled]

The only thing "not mild" about sea foam is the way your vehicle smokes lie an SOB after you use it!! It's good for getting rid of mosquitoes.

 

[Cmarti]

Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
Seafoam is so mild you could add the entire can to the oil and drive it and nothing bad wuld happen. 6 onces of Seafoam is nothing and probably will not do much. Add an entire can and some Valvoline SAE 30 and turn the kid lose. Chance the filter and oil at 2000 miles. Cut the filter open and see what you caught? The main ingredient in Seafoam is IP and is fairly harmless and should burn off rather quickly even when added tot he oil. IP is good for disolveing highly polar deposits. It will attack some solvent but will not do much against hard carbon or sludge. I am not kidding Seafoam is super mild!


I agree with you. The more I looked, the more passive SF appears. I followed the instructions sent to me by SeaFoam, for a pre change cleaning. 1.5 oz a quart for 100 miles. I cut the filter open on this dose, and nothing major. The alternative instructions they sent were similar to yours, to add SF to fresh oil and run it til it is dirty. Check often to determine when dirty. How do I do know what is 'dirty'?

For clarification This "experiment" was based on the addition of Seafoam to the crankcase, the intake cleaning was just a side bar. We continue to have a slow response O2 sensor code come on periodically, but this predated the intake cleaning. I shut it off every 1000 miles. He & I just did coolant flush and brakes, and forgot to pick up a new O2 sensor.

I am playing with oil consumption, and the suspension on this thing will knock your teeth out. I did tie rods for him a year ago, but it may be time to teach him how to use a strut spring compressor! It is the perfect car to experiment with and learn on.

 

[Taylor]

FWIW I filled my cyl's up with seafoam via plug holes and let it soak for 4 hours then sucked it out. Cranked it up smoked at idle for 30 min. LOL. brought my comp. down 20 psi on avg. I had big time build up. Made a big diff. I left what got past rings in the sump to clean up lil bit. 4 out of 6 cyls still out of spec. mayble ill try b-12? amsoil pi in the gas tank now, redline next.

 

[Taylor]

I know saturn guys say that and overnight piston soak with MMO cure consumption. Never tried it though, maybe worth a shot.

 

[Cmarti]

2000K mark. No additional consumption, still at 1/2 quart from 500K check. Either Seafoam helped, or Valvoline HM, or new PCV valve. My bad, too many variables. I will check back at 3000K and then change oil.

 

[Craftsman]

Cool!

Thanks for the update!

 

[Cmarti]

At 3000 miles we had just under 1.5 quarts consumed. This is down from 2.5 to 3 quarts. The lack of scientific model skews the results, look I am liberal arts guy. Was it a seafoam cleaning, the Valvoline HM 10w-40, the new PCV valve, or the combination of the 3. I am 500 into the next change with little or no consumption. There was no seafoam treatment at this change. My bet is on some bennifit from the Valvoline 10w-40 HM. Now I just have to worry about seal deterioration.