Using SeaFoam

[s13_whoa]

So I know that when using SeaFoam you should use 1/3 in the crankcase 1/3 in the vacuum line & 1/3 in the gas tank. But stupid me just did an oil change yesterday & i heard your suppose to add seafoam to the crankcase BEFORE an oil change then change it after 100miles. So anyways since I failed on that part is it okay for me to use 1/2 in the vacuum line and 1/2 in the gas tank???? Please help me out never used this before so im tryna get the best out of it. Thanks

[zerodameaon]

It will still make it into your oil but it might be negligible. Honestly wait until you are ready to change your oil again if you possibly can.

[Mikester]

I use seafoam on my Bimmer & Toyota crankcases once in a while at/about the last 500-600mi before the oil changes.

As far as using it in the vacuum and fuel systems, I personally would never do it. For fuel, there is the sock in the tank, then a 10micron or less filter to handle fuel contaminants... and let's face it- Most components that have anything to do with fuel whatsoever are generally very clean on the inside... In the vacuum system, I see no reason to use it as there should never be any blockage. In the event there WAS blockage in the vac or fuel systems; say from goop that made its way into the IM via the PCV valve- It would make much better sense to disassemble & clean properly vs. risk jarring something loose to end up passing an injector nozzle.

[spools420a]

Originally Posted by Mikester

I see no reason to use it as there should never be any blockage. In the event there WAS blockage in the vac or fuel systems; say from goop that made its way into the IM via the PCV valve- It would make much better sense to disassemble & clean properly vs. risk jarring something loose to end up passing an injector nozzle.

sea foam in the vacuum system is just an easy way to injest seafoam into the intake system,has nothing to do with cleaning vacuum related parts but will clean intake related parts I recomend this method of injestion more then adding to fuel and oil as intake filters will let small particles past dirting up sensors and related components.

[Mikester]

Originally Posted by spools420a

sea foam in the vacuum system is just an easy way to injest seafoam into the intake system. It has nothing to do with cleaning vacuum related parts; but will clean intake related parts. I recomend this method of injestion more than adding to fuel and oil as intake filters will let small particles past... dirtying up sensors and related components.

Don't disagree... but think it should be sparingly used as a preventative measure in addition to good mantenance practice; and not as a standalone cleanup method.

HOWEVER lol... I got my BMW used... Judging by what little I can see looking into the oil filler hole; the PO probably did the $20 Jiffy Lube oil changes, vs. use the proper, dealer-recommended oil at regular intervals... Sludge city

So now, I have to use seafoam and do rapid oil changes trying to clean everything out... which could STILL be a bad thing if a big enough 'chunk' were to come loose and get into the internals somewhere. But in this situation, it's all I can do to avoid paying a small fortune at the dealer or completely tearing the motor apart; which I don't have time to do. My Toyota on the other hand has had nothing but proper maintenance done on it... and I only use seafoam in the oil system every 3rd or 4th oil change.

SOrry for the tangent.

[go7roo7]

I have read that seafoam is a rather aggressive cleaner. That being said, I would think using such an aggressive cleaner on a vehicle with gunk in the internals could create some issues since in many cars said gunk ( I have been told) can help "seal" worn internals. Thus if these are removed by the cleaner it can create leaks. Again this is all speculation and things I have read about from other users online. All I know is when I used it on my 120K altima, it did clean, but later I found alot of oil/gun in the intake manifold and a clogged PCV valve. : /

[drftngs14]

I never really liked the stuff or the idea of it despite numerous claims of how good it is. That being said I did use it on the current 240 and everything appears to be good. I did the job before changing the valve cover gasket which I probably should have done the other way around but it looked decent for 166k. As Mike said, use sparingly, I wouldnt do it more than 1/yr anything else seems overkill and if you're that worried about shit inside your engine, take a peek, open the valve cover it will tell you a lot.

[racepar1]

Why not just change the oil again when you're done??? It's only 4qts of oil and a $5 filter. Then, judging by how filthy your new oil is, you can judge if the seafoam actually did anything.

I have personally heard horror stories about seafoam. I would guess that those issues usually came from operator error, but I would personally never use it. Running diesel oil will clean your crankcase as well, as will running a quart of tranny oil for a few days. You can also use water or tranny fluid (EXTREMELY CAREFULLY) to clean off the tops of the valves and pistons. Being a mechanic as a profession, I have my own favorite chemicals to be used for these purposes. Here at the shop we use Justice Brothers and I have used BG in the past. Of course Justice Brothers and BG are PROFESSIONAL grade products and NOT available at Autozone/Pep-Boys/O=Riley/etc..., so that's not really an option for most of you...

[drftngs14]

Originally Posted by racepar1

Why not just change the oil again when you're done??? It's only 4qts of oil and a $5 filter. Then, judging by how filthy your new oil is, you can judge if the seafoam actually did anything.

I have personally heard horror stories about seafoam. I would guess that those issues usually came from operator error, but I would personally never use it. Running diesel oil will clean your crankcase as well, as will running a quart of tranny oil for a few days. You can also use water or tranny fluid (EXTREMELY CAREFULLY) to clean off the tops of the valves and pistons. Being a mechanic as a profession, I have my own favorite chemicals to be used for these purposes. Here at the shop we use Justice Brothers and I have used BG in the past. Of course Justice Brothers and BG are PROFESSIONAL grade products and NOT available at Autozone/Pep-Boys/O=Riley/etc..., so that's not really an option for most of you...

Agreed^^^ I always got the good good from my Dad who ran service departments for years. BG fuel additive and the intake cleaner, green colored came with a diaphragm and valve to control how much went in to prevent stalling. Great stuff! The perks of having connections