Question: Does seafoam actually work?

[doorman]

This. My first car was a 79 Grand Prix with the POS 301 in it and a couple noisy lifters. An old wrench told me to put a quart of ATF in at my next oil change.

Fixed those damn lifters.

Not too completely derail the OPs thread...had an 80 Buick Regal with the same POS 301 in High School.....plenty of gf pawing action as well!!!


Carry on about seafoam....

[fiveightandten]

I have a 70K mile 325es. It ticks. I tried Seafoam. It made absolutely no difference in the valve tick, fuel economy, engine smoothness, or anything else.

However, my cat did break apart and start to rattle shortly after the Seafoam. I had to remove it. Coincidence? Maybe, but when was the last time you heard of a 70K mile cat failing (even an older one)?

[15Michaeljoseph]

I used seafoam because it looks cool. Yay for me.

For injectors, I'm a fan of Lucas and Techron. Have I really ever NOTICED a difference? Nottt really. However, my last fill up I used a bottle of that new CRC One Tank Power Renew stuff, and unless it's all in my head, this one actually seemed to do something. Gas mileage seems the same, but the motor FEELS like it's more responsive, and like it has received a decent kick in the pants. Idk. Maybe all in my head.

As for cleaning carbon... an engine that sees a bit of high RPMs every once in a while is always going to be cleaner than grandma's automatic that will never see above 3k, anyway, so that's that. I don't know if there really can be a product that can clean carbon without pulling the motor apart. I'm hesitant to put water and brake fluid through my intake or vac lines...

--Mike

[Exodus_2pt0]

Methanol injection > seafoam.

[pandaboo911]

Snake oil.

[TobyB]

I sea your foam and raise you some Ventil Sauber...

hee

t

[TurboJake]

I have a 70K mile 325es. It ticks. I tried Seafoam. It made absolutely no difference in the valve tick, fuel economy, engine smoothness, or anything else.

However, my cat did break apart and start to rattle shortly after the Seafoam. I had to remove it. Coincidence? Maybe, but when was the last time you heard of a 70K mile cat failing (even an older one)?

It is. There's nothing in seafoam or the act of seafoaming your car that will damage the cat.

[Exodus_2pt0]

Back when I was a tech I saw cats fail at all sorts of mileage. It's a part that is subject to extreme heat, and if you drive on a misfiring engine for a few days it is enough to cook one from fuel igniting in the catalyst itself.

It's amazing the things last as long as they do. Next time you have your car in the air start it up and let it idle for a while, then hit the cat with an infrared thermometer.

[george graves]

It's amazing the things last as long as they do. Next time you have your car in the air start it up and let it idle for a while, then hit the cat with an infrared thermometer.

Yea, that's kinda the point of the cat. I didn't enjoy my college chemistry classes, but it's the platinum in the cat that loves to do something like give up and take back electrons on a whim. Or some such non-sense. In doing so, it's job is to try to burn off as many hydrocarbons as it can. Or something. It just needs to be at like 700 degrees or more.

As far as seafoam, yes, it works wonders on a m20 that has carbon build up. It's really all about removing carbon off the piston and valves. It works even better on a m10 tii or a m10 e21. It cleans the carbon off, so that then fuel is put into the chamber, it's not adsorbed by the carbon. Also the carbon will act as a "hot spot" for pre-detonation (think of carbon as a hot ember)

I've tried seafoam on more modern cars, and it don't work. M5x and s5x motors it's won't do much for. I wouldn't use it on anything other then a pre 1995 motor with over 100k.

But you really should be running chevron gas. It avoids all these issues. Their additive works well IMHO.

[Exodus_2pt0]

Actually, a catalytic converters job is to convert carbon monoxide and as you stated, leftover unburned hydrocarbons into C02 and H20. They also reduce levels of NOX. It mostly does this by storing oxygen and using said oxygen to convert the above molecules into the less harmful byproducts listed above. I learned all about the specific functions of catalytic converters at Nissan tech training here in Northern Virginia.

You are correct about the platinum, and other precious metals. However these are not used in all cats, specifically the cheap aftermarket ones. There is a reason why OEM cats cost a fortune but cheap replacements can be had aftermarket.

They are not there to burn raw fuel, as that will overheat and destroy the catalyst itself.

[steve68]

I used it to clean my Dart 2.0 LSX heads when I was building my LS motor, worked good for cleaning the combustion chambers and valves,

but I believe in the techron and good gas, All I used to run in my 88IS in the 90's was Amoco 93, never had a problem, +1 for good gas,

[TobyB]

But you really should be running chevron gas. It avoids all these issues. Their additive works well IMHO.

I have found this to be true as well. Especially on late 80's/early 90's cars
with their 'prototype' fuel injections...

I have also found that you don't have to run it regularly, just frequently.

t

[15Michaeljoseph]

According to my family members who bought new e30's, whenever they would go to the dealer for service they would get a bottle of techron. Most likely the formula has been modified or improved since the 80's, but it HAS to be good stuff.

--Mike

[ELVA164]

Techron and Seafoam are completely different products, for the record.