Using Sea Foam - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

XfireZ51 · 08-08-2014

Just bought some Sea Foam to help clean out the valves. How does anyone use it?
Fuel tank, spray into plenum? I've previously used Marvel Mystery oil in fuel and oil.

KILLSHOTS · 08-08-2014

I ran a can through my '87 once. Just added it to the fuel tank. Seemed to smooth out the idle on that car a bit, if I remember correctly.

mike100 · 08-08-2014

I helped somebody use it on a 25 year old clunker once. We fogged the running engine through the brake booster vacuum hose. turned the engine off while still spraying and let it soak for a few minutes. Restarted car and rid my block of mosquitoes.

I've heard some people also mix it in with oil, but I wouldn't ever put a solvent in the crankcase. The method reminded me of fogging my jet-ski two stroke with oil to displace the water after running it. Can't be great for the catalysts and I'm not even sure I'd run the same spark plugs after either. It probably does a decent job on intake valve deposits, but then so does bg-44 type fuel injection treatment.

for the crankcase, the best snake-oil product i have ever run into (that isn't a solvent) is the product by AutoRx.

WVZR-1 · 08-08-2014

When used with older carbed engines I would think you would use it like the old GM Top Engine Cleaner and pour to stall, let soak and run balance through with a fast idle maybe like Mike mentions.

With an "injected engine" I would think you might use it like an injector cleaner and use it from a reservoir connected to the fuel rails and disable the fuel pumps. I don't know how you would duplicate the "soak" that we used to do.

If you know someone that has a BG injector cleaner system or any other remote reservoir system (I've used a GM system but years ago) I would think it might work well.

Does Seafoam maybe have a FAQ section that mentions a "how to" for injected engines? I haven't looked but might.

LGAFF · 08-08-2014

CRC has a dedicated product for it due to the issues with Direct Injection cars. I used it and some Berrymans and picked up 10PSI of compression on a few cylinders.

http://crcindustries.com/auto/intake-valve-cleaner.php

Billy Mild · 08-08-2014

I have used seafoam on a lot other cars. It does seem to make a difference. What I recommend is letting the car sit for longer than a few minutes. Chrylser came out with a procedure for their combustion cleaner. It is like seafoam but a bit more concentrated.

1. Run the car to get it fully warmed up
2. Take off a vacuum hose and run the combustion cleaner through the engine
3. Shut off the car or let it die out from running the cleaner
4. let the car **** for 4 hours
5. Start the car and proceed to drive on the freeway make sure to get a lot of WOT runs until the exhaust is cleared out.

Your idle should be a little smoother. I have thought about running it in the ZR-1 to help clean the secondaires out.

Hog · 08-08-2014

I would use these types of cleaners towards the end of your oil change period.
The only way I personally would add this to the oil, would be to add some and let the engine idle with no revving, and certainly no engine load, followed by an immediate oil change.

Hog · 08-08-2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by LGAFF

CRC has a dedicated product for it due to the issues with Direct Injection cars. I used it and some Berrymans and picked up 10PSI of compression on a few cylinders.

http://crcindustries.com/auto/intake-valve-cleaner.php

That makes sense esp. on DI vehicles due to teh fact that they no longer have port fuel injectors cleaning the valves anymore. Akin to a stock LT5 that never sees seconday injector/throttle activation.
Thats a nice boost in compression pressure for sure. Do you think this would help with carboned up piston rings?

Ive seen some Audi owners add methanol injection in order to gain power and keep their DI engines clean.

Schrade · 08-08-2014

In my opinion, it's Snake Oil.

Only snake oil that I ever saw that worked, is Trans-X. It saved me from a $900 tranny rebuild, by swelling the latex seals in the valve bodies of a Ford automatic. That stuff seems to integrate into molecular structure of rubber, and swell it uniformly.

Saw it do the same thing to new rubber LT1 valve cover gaskets, so much so, that they were almost too big.

Not to say that other snake oils don't work, but I've never seen another. And I did all maintenance / fluid changes on my delivery fleet for 20 years.

pantera1683 · 08-08-2014

I have used it every year in May for the last three years in preparation for emissions testing. Last week I pulled my plenum to replace my starter and discovered all 16 holes inside my lower intake housing look very clean. I think it works pretty well.

08-08-2014	#1
XfireZ51 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chicagoland, IL Posts: 9,696	Using Sea Foam Just bought some Sea Foam to help clean out the valves. How does anyone use it? Fuel tank, spray into plenum? I've previously used Marvel Mystery oil in fuel and oil. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Former Membership Chairman Former ZR-1 Registry - BOD 1972 Corvette 4speed base Coupe SOLD long time ago 1984 Corvette Z-51/4+3 SOLD 1992 Corvette ZR-1 Aqua/Gray #474 SOLD 1992 Corvette ZR-1 Black Rose/Cognac #458 2014 Honda VFR Interceptor DX

08-08-2014	#2
KILLSHOTS Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: AZ Posts: 860	Re: Using Sea Foam I ran a can through my '87 once. Just added it to the fuel tank. Seemed to smooth out the idle on that car a bit, if I remember correctly.

08-08-2014	#3
mike100 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: San Marcos CA Posts: 1,802	Re: Using Sea Foam I helped somebody use it on a 25 year old clunker once. We fogged the running engine through the brake booster vacuum hose. turned the engine off while still spraying and let it soak for a few minutes. Restarted car and rid my block of mosquitoes. I've heard some people also mix it in with oil, but I wouldn't ever put a solvent in the crankcase. The method reminded me of fogging my jet-ski two stroke with oil to displace the water after running it. Can't be great for the catalysts and I'm not even sure I'd run the same spark plugs after either. It probably does a decent job on intake valve deposits, but then so does bg-44 type fuel injection treatment. for the crankcase, the best snake-oil product i have ever run into (that isn't a solvent) is the product by AutoRx.

08-08-2014	#4
WVZR-1 Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,889	Re: Using Sea Foam When used with older carbed engines I would think you would use it like the old GM Top Engine Cleaner and pour to stall, let soak and run balance through with a fast idle maybe like Mike mentions. With an "injected engine" I would think you might use it like an injector cleaner and use it from a reservoir connected to the fuel rails and disable the fuel pumps. I don't know how you would duplicate the "soak" that we used to do. If you know someone that has a BG injector cleaner system or any other remote reservoir system (I've used a GM system but years ago) I would think it might work well. Does Seafoam maybe have a FAQ section that mentions a "how to" for injected engines? I haven't looked but might.

08-08-2014	#5
LGAFF Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Crystal Lake, IL Posts: 7,194	Re: Using Sea Foam CRC has a dedicated product for it due to the issues with Direct Injection cars. I used it and some Berrymans and picked up 10PSI of compression on a few cylinders. http://crcindustries.com/auto/intake-valve-cleaner.php __________________ LGAFF 90 #966-150K miles-sold 92 #234-sold 1987 Callaway TT #17 1991 ZR-1 #1359 Last edited by LGAFF; 08-08-2014 at 10:28 AM.

08-08-2014	#6
Billy Mild Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 838	Re: Using Sea Foam I have used seafoam on a lot other cars. It does seem to make a difference. What I recommend is letting the car sit for longer than a few minutes. Chrylser came out with a procedure for their combustion cleaner. It is like seafoam but a bit more concentrated. 1. Run the car to get it fully warmed up 2. Take off a vacuum hose and run the combustion cleaner through the engine 3. Shut off the car or let it die out from running the cleaner 4. let the car **** for 4 hours 5. Start the car and proceed to drive on the freeway make sure to get a lot of WOT runs until the exhaust is cleared out. Your idle should be a little smoother. I have thought about running it in the ZR-1 to help clean the secondaires out.

08-08-2014	#7
Hog Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Woodstock, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,275	Re: Using Sea Foam I would use these types of cleaners towards the end of your oil change period. The only way I personally would add this to the oil, would be to add some and let the engine idle with no revving, and certainly no engine load, followed by an immediate oil change. __________________ peace Paul ZR-1 Net Registry Member #1494

08-08-2014	#9
Schrade Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: NC Posts: 1,786	Re: Using Sea Foam In my opinion, it's Snake Oil. Only snake oil that I ever saw that worked, is Trans-X. It saved me from a $900 tranny rebuild, by swelling the latex seals in the valve bodies of a Ford automatic. That stuff seems to integrate into molecular structure of rubber, and swell it uniformly. Saw it do the same thing to new rubber LT1 valve cover gaskets, so much so, that they were almost too big. Not to say that other snake oils don't work, but I've never seen another. And I did all maintenance / fluid changes on my delivery fleet for 20 years. __________________ I'm getting my snappics / threads removed blindly as fast as I can, to get in compliance with copyright / license TOS on the boards here (lots of FSM pages and other copyright / license violations on my part; sorry guys). And thanks to all the guys who didn't whine when I posted those FSM copyrighted / licensed stuff in my threads... ( :thumbsup: [b]and to think I complied with a mod's request to delete a pic of him in a Challenge Car in NCM Museum, so he wouldn't get in hot water)[/b] Thanks to several guys here for sending parts FREE; BearlyFlying, WeGone, Geezer, GoldCylon, and more there, TonyD, mike100, fletchusmc... 1990 #2794; 4L60e Stage V by RPM Transmission, TCI Dedicated TCM, OBX Stainless, Power Effects 3" [IMG]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GHpfzty7DVU/UQn-0Ru2xAI/AAAAAAAAA14/08mz1p4QLD4/s445/Screenshot-5.png[/IMG]

08-08-2014	#10
pantera1683 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 396	Re: Using Sea Foam I have used it every year in May for the last three years in preparation for emissions testing. Last week I pulled my plenum to replace my starter and discovered all 16 holes inside my lower intake housing look very clean. I think it works pretty well.