Anyone here have any thoughts on Sea Foam-ing an engine? Just did it to mine and it seems to have cured the loud lifters, poor compression and excessive oil consumption.

I should inform you that I do have a Chevy 292 inline 6, rather than the historical ford 292 v-8 powerplant. (It came with the rig, didn't have any choice in the matter)

BTW - the oil was very nasty afterwords, looked almost like carmel, and frothy. Changed it within 100 miles of driving just to be sure.

 

Yeah I've used seafoam and it works wonders. Throw a can in your gas tank and its like giving the fuel system an enema.
The oil prolly looked like that because of all the sludge in the motor. Sludge is caused from the PO not changing oil regularly.
BTW get rid of that chebby boat anchor and put some blue oval muscle in your truck!

 

Seafoam is great great stuff. I usually add 1/2 a bottle to a full tank and the other 1/2 to the oil and then run the truck till the tank is empty then change oil. If you really want amazing results add the seafoam directly to the carb and wait until the motor drowns out wait 15-20 min and restart it works wonders good luck.

 

I like to throw a can in the block of my Explorer about 500 miles before an oil change. Oil looks clean before, but is black as coal when I change it. Once the 65 is running again I'll put it in there too.

 

Yes, the seafoam is great stuff and works well. But cleaning out the guts in a 292 six will be the last nail in the coffin. DONT DO IT!!!! Just trust me.

 

So what you're trying to tell me is that I should revel in my new found glory now, before the thing pukes on some muddy mountain road in a month or two?

Or have I done enough to just go out back with the shovel now and get it over with?

Seriously though, what on these motors is prone to failure when given a thorough douching? If it's something I can prevent, it's getting done!

I suppose the biggest issue here is that I have a Ford with a chevy motor...

 

The sludge you will be cleaning has more of a tendency to collect in areas that won't help you to clean out. I worked as an automotive machinist for nearly a decade, I loved the work and I would still be doing it if the money were better. Unfortunately, I had to build allot of old nasty greesy straight six's in that time

Anyway, if your problems are burning too much oil and a noisy valve train, you are better off running thick oil than cleaning things up.

Here are some reasons not to:
1. Flushing a motor more often leads to lower oil pressure, not higher.

2. I have also seen allot of old cast iron blocks become oil sprinklers when flushed because sludge was preventing areas from leaking for a few decades, ie: timing cover and rear main seals.

3. Its possible that your lifters are gummed up but I would think you would have better results changing lifters out. Straight six's tend to wear out allot more than just lifters when they get rattly, usually push rods, valve guides and rockers too. If you clean the sludge out of a knurled guide you just gained more clearance and made it looser.

4. Oil burning is not a result of sludge buildup. Its worn or broken rings, cracked pistons, worn cylinders, and leaky valve guides.

5. This one is more motor specific. These motors like to build up carbon in the oil side of the motor. Especially if they have been getting allot of blow-by for a long time. If you loosen these carbon deposits you can send them through the oil system, this is where flushed motors gain low end bearing damage. The only motor I have seen that builds more carbon in the oil system than a 292 L6 is a 225 slant six.

6. I have even seen many old motors that were run on cheap straight 30 for most of their life come apart when they had oil changes and got a good 10w-30 detergent oil for the same reasons.

7. The best case scenario is that nothing happens.

 

Just ask your self SELF were did all this crud come from?

 

Hey, thanks a lot for all the excellent and detailed advice. Its good to hear about some of the quirks of this oddball motor.

Right now I'm just trying for a band-aid before I finally work out what exactly it is I am going to do (re-build, replace, or sit). I have a pretty good feeling the motor is whipped, its old and has been neglected. Just got the truck last summer and figured it was time to try and clean things out and hope nothing breaks.

Based on the appearace of the motor (more oil outside than in) the PO didn't treat it any better than a lawnmower.

If something does break, it's just going to help the decision making process along. And give me a reason to finally look hard for a 351... and some more tools for the garage.

 

My first experience with cleaning out crud was back in the day with my dad's Montgomery Ward rototiller. It was a regular work horse but you know teen age boys always know best. I thought I would be a hero and change the oil. Dad never did. He always just added to it. I not only drained it out but kept flushing clean oil thru it untill I didn't get any more sludge out of it. I then filled it up and went out to the garden to put it to work. As soon as it got up to temp. it thew a rod right thru the side of the block. When dad got home he just shook his head and said "kids will play". That sludge was serving a purpose in that old engine and I just didn't know it!

 

The bearings will surely get a bruising from flush. But it might be fine depending on how much crap is in there. Simply changing the oil as soon as it get dirty and smelly is better than a flush any day. Based on it's present status it doesn't sound like it could have been made much worse, so I wouldn't sweat it. Run it till it drops, even if it starts making noises and puking oil everywhere. Get every last mile outa the Brand X motor while you save and plan for a Compliment to your Slick.

 

The motor is not long in this world, but I may rebuild.... just to be different and have some Chev in my Ford. Guess it will make a lot of people angry here, but it would be keeping true to my family. Dad's side worked for Ford and only drove Ford, while Mom's side worked for GM and only drove GM.

In this day and age, both companies need my support

Until that day comes.... "If it ain't broke, drive it till it is"