Okay, dumb question time.

In response to some advice I received here a few days ago, I have purchased some Seafoam additive to help clean out carbon deposits in my cylinders. I have a couple of questions about the best way to use Seafoam, though.

Here are the instructions for use from the Seafoam website. The same instructions are on the bottle.

1. With engine warm, slowly pour 1/3 to 1/2 pint through carburetor or throttle body throat. (If vehicle is port injected slowly pour SEA FOAM through direct manifold vacuum line that will feed all cylinders, possible sources are P.C.V. valve or brake booster line.) This will pull SEA FOAM down on top of the pistons and to the back of the intake valves to dissolve carbon. Turn ignition off. Restart engine after 5 minutes. If severe carbon build up is apparent, use more Sea Foam as previously directed. Make sure exhaust is well ventilated when using Sea Foam in these various ways as fumes will be extreme for a short time.
2. Pour 1/3 to 1/2 pint into oil crank case to clean rings, lifters, dirty parts and remove moisture.
3. Pour 1/3 to 1 full pint into fuel tank to clean injectors, carburetor jets, fuel lines and remove moisture.
4. Immediate Results: Smoother idle, increased R.P.M.'s better throttle response and improved performance. See label on can for detailed results for use in each area.

I am assuming that, since my engine is port injected, that I should follow the instructions for step #1 in the parentheses. The problem is, what is the direct manifold vacuum line? It sounds like you could use the hose that goes from the PCV valve to the throttle body. If that is so, should I just disconnect the hose and pour some in while the engine is running? This seams a little odd. Would it work just as well to disconnect the air intake from the throttle body and pour some directly in there while holding the butterfly open?

As for step #2, is it saying that I should just add some of the Seafoam where I would normally add oil?

I realize that some or all of these questions show some pretty serious ignorance on my part when it comes to basic engine knowledge. I have just started learning about engines at all recently, so please bear with me.

 

It is important that the vehicle is warmed up.

When I use seafoam on my truck, I always use the brake booster line. I pull out the elbow out of the brake booster and then pull the elbow out of the line. I then put the elbow back in the brake booster (large round black thing behind the brake fluid resivoir) and the put the hose back on the elbow just barely so that I can pull it off with the engine running. Once I restart the engine, I suck about 1/2 a can out of the seafoam can using the booster line (you need to be real carefull not to suck up so much that you hydrolock the engine!) and when the can is half gone, I shut the motor off and rehook up the brake booster lines and clamps. After 5-10 mins has past I start it up and take the truck for a good 5+ mile drive down the interstate that's near me.

There will be a lot of white/brown (brown meaning there was a lot of carbon...white means it is some what clean) smoke for the first couple of miles, and it will feel like the motor is about to stall, just give'r more gas and it should take right off. You want to drive the vehicle a couple of miles in order to get the cats good and hot.

Hope that I made some sense.

It's really cool seeing 2 lines of smoke comming out of my dual exhaust for the first mile or two!

 

Thanks for the procedure, superrangerman2002.

A couple of questions:

1. When you pull the hose off of the elbow to begin sucking the Seafoam in, do you need to be quick to prevent air from pulling in, or is this not an issue?

2. What happens if you do get too much Seafoam in at one time? What exactly do you mean by "hydrolock"? Sounds ugly.

3. Do you add the rest of the can into your oil or fuel or both?

4. How often do you add Seafoam?

Thanks for the help.

 

I can answer the hydrolock question of yours, I think

Hydrolocking is when you get liquid into your cylinders. Liquids dont compress like gases do, so if there is too much liquid in your cylinder, it doesn't allow the piston to rotate since it can't move to the top of the cylinder because the liquid wont compress like the air usually does. This will cause your truck to stall at the very least, sometimes it results in bent pushrods and all kinds of other bad stuff. You really dont want to do that

My friend had this problem, we ended up taking out all his spark plugs and cranking the engine over a couple times, which boosted all the water out of his cylinders, then let them air dry for a while. Fortunately for him, he didn't bend a pushrod so he didn't have to replace parts.

 

I sounds like it would prudent to pour out the proper amount into another container to make sure that too much does not get sucked in. By the way, how quickly should I expect it to pull in the liquid?

Does it matter if it pulls some air in with it?

 

Actually, it is good if it pulls some air in with it. This would prevent hydrolock. Yes, you could measure out half the container of seafoam to ensure that you didn't suck too much in, and yes, you can pour the rest into your oil - BUT - only if your oil level is down a bit. You must never overfill your oil or your transmission fluid. These things cause overpressure resulting in seal failure. It might just be a better idea to pour the remainder of the seafoam into your gas tank, on your next fill. Pour the seafoam in first, with the truck not running, and then fill the tank to mix it. Another thing you could do with the seafoam that you have left over, is put it on a shelf for the next time you wish to do this, and just get some injector cleaner for the fuel tank.

Thom

 

1. It is not really an issue, the reason that I hook the hose up just barely is because the engine stalls with out the resistance to vaccum that the brake booster provides. I would not pour the seafoam in to another jar, the brake booster hose just happens to fit nicely into the neck of the seafoam can, but it wont slide down into the can. With the engine running put the hose in your right hand, the can in the left, and mate the two ends together...dont pour the seafoam down the hose, but tilt the can a small amount so that the booster hose can pull about 50% air and 50% seafoam.

I only use the seafoam before I change my oil, and I only do the seafoam trick every 3-4 oil changes. I use the left over seafoam to do my wifes car, or I just dump it into the crank case before I fire the truck up, run the 5 or so miles and then dump the oil.

I've used seafoam in the gas before, but I rather use it for cleaning the upper intake, or dumping in my oil...for the simple fact that I try to buy decent gas, and I'm a religious fuel filter changer.

 

I used it in my 1988 Thunderbird I pulled off a big Vacuum line off the back of the intake stuck in the bottle don't be alamed it really smoked for a few minutes

 

Here's a Ford service procedure for a 4.0 V-6, seems it should work with Seafoam too.

SERVICE PROCEDURE
Use Motorcraft Carburetor Tune-up Cleaner PM-3.
Carbon removal:
a. Disconnect canister purge line from throttle body.
b. Attach a vacuum line to the canister purge port.
c. At hot engine idle, allow the engine to ingest 1/2 to 2/3 of a can of Motorcraft Carburetor Tune-up Cleaner. Use caution not to ingest too quickly due to potential hydro-lock issues.
d. Shut engine off and allow it to soak for one hour.
e. Start engine, allow engine to ingest the remainder of the Motorcraft Carburetor Tune-up Cleaner.
f. Remove vacuum line and re-install canister purge line.
g. Road test vehicle at 3500 RPM for 2-3 miles.
h. Repeat above procedure two times for a total of three times.
i. Change oil and filter. And Plugs (?)

Review the customers' driving habits. The recommended drive cycle should include daily periods of engine operation above 3,000 RPM, such as a brisk acceleration from a stop position. This will break/burn the carbon off the piston head.