Seafoam on a 48K-mile car

[Benzadmiral]

I've been reading (here, and on other forums our posters have linked to) about Seafoam, and yesterday I saw it for sale at O'Reilly's. Questions:

1) My '03 Buick, 48K, appears to be well-maintained. The previous owner drove it about 11K a year, so he probably got some highway time in, not just grocery runs and the like. The car gets fine mileage for a beast its size. Would there be any reason, preventative maintenance or otherwise, for me to run it?

2) If I were going to do the intake method, I've read, the PCV valve intake would be a good place. I recall changing the PCV valve on this car back in September, and there didn't seem to be a hose connected to it. Is there one on the 3.8 GM engine? If not, what else could I use?

3) Anybody have Check Engine Lights come on, or a destroyed O2 sensor, or anything like that?

4) Did the stuff really have a lasting effect on mpg and/or power?

 

[PW01]

From what I read/hear the most common way to "ingest" Seafoam is through the brake booster line. I have read of many instances of it fouling spark plugs, and a few instances of O2 sensors being screwed up.

Pouring into the gas tank is a different story, I've done it several times to clean my fuel system (every 5000 miles). I stopped using it because I could never "feel" a difference. I have since switched to Red Line SI-1, and can tell after I've used it.

 

[artificialist]

Do an oil change after doing the Seafoam treatment. The Seafoam that leaks past the rings dilutes the oil and makes it less effective.

 

[Blue_Goose]

Originally Posted By: PW01
From what I read/hear the most common way to "ingest" Seafoam is through the brake booster line. I have read of many instances of it fouling spark plugs, and a few instances of O2 sensors being screwed up.

Pouring into the gas tank is a different story, I've done it several times to clean my fuel system (every 5000 miles). I stopped using it because I could never "feel" a difference. I have since switched to Red Line SI-1, and can tell after I've used it.



Where did you purchase the Redline?



Goose

 

[GMBoy]

When you get to the "stall the engine" part you can sometimes set a code for lean misfire or knock. I got that once. Just cleared the code with my scan tool and went on with life. I used to use the GM top engine cleaner until that went away. I just started using the Seafoam and it seems to do the same thing. But I agree that Redline is a better in the tank cleaner than Seafoam.

 

[PW01]

"Where did you purchase the Redline?"

I got it at Pep Boys, its the ONE thing they never seem to be out of!