Seafoam use...first-time foibles

Well, I just hit 200k on the '92 Cam (5s-fe) and I knew that after replacing the spark plugs I needed to clean up the carbon buildup...I looked down in those holes...it was pretty dark.

I read, printed out, and refered to the instructions as stated, but of course, the first time was met with difficulty and I want to know if this was normal.

I had the engine running and warm, and poured abt 8 ozs into a disposable plastic cup, ready to pour into the crankcase. I unscrew the oil fill cap and the oil is spraying out...not alot...but it does come out. There was also quite a lot of air coming out. My first attempt at poruing the Seafoam in, of course, went not into the engine, but on my hand, the windshield, and the underside of the hood. Okay, so I go get a oil funnel. As I get it, the remaining Seafoam spills over because its a windy day. Good thing I bought 2 cans.

I refilled the cup and poured it in, using a paper towel to shield everything and try to keep as much in the engine as possible. Using the funnel helped somewhat, but theres no way all 8 ozs went in...maybe 4 ozs if I was lucky.

The 8 ozs into the gas went okay and the 4 ozs into the vacuum line from the brake booster went fine...engine stalled. Let it sit for 5 mins.

Cranked it until it started and let it idle for a minute or two. A little smoke but not the "ungodly amount" described. So I then revved it up to 4-5k rpms...out came the smoke..whoa! Felt sorry for the neighbors from the wind. It smoked for about 5 minutes of high revving.

After the smoke died down, took it for a drive...keeping it in 2nd gear around 5k rpms, with bursts to almost 6k...as much as traffic and speed enforcement would allow. After abt a 10 minute drive the smoke had cleared, drove back home, still in 2nd, and then shut her down.

I guess my first question is...is what I've described normal or is there a better way of getting the Seafoam INTO the engine without it getting sprayed out and wasted? This little bit of info was missing and I think should be edited to be clarified.

Second question is...did I get enough in the engine to clean it. If not, should I repeat the application and when shoudl I? When I fill the tank up again? Or should I just do the oil/vacuum port portions?

Thanks for your help!

I usualy do only the vacuum line portion. Since the seafoam is succed into the intake some of it suppose to go into the cylinders as well.

Right? Correct me if I am wrong!

I am not comfortable with diluting my oil. So I just skip that portion, even though the Seafoam manufacturer does recomend it. This is my engine after all and I do not think that they care much what is going to happen to it down the road.


For the fuel system cleanning I preffer chemicals specifically formulated for it.

Just my 2 cents.

Sam

Seafoam and other similar engine oil cleaning treatments will temporarily thin out the oil, but not by very much...we're talking 8 ozs into ~4.5 qts (144 ozs). Seafoam is petroleum based, but are a much lighter fraction...light naphthas and the like, so their vapor point is much lower than ordinary motor oil. The constituents that make up the cleaning agents do eventually evaporate from the mixture, leaving behind the oil in more or less the same viscosity as before...though I'd imagine somewhat dirtier since the cleaner has removed gunk and build-up from the crankshaft, piston rods, piston undersides, etc., and is now suspended in the oil and filter.

My main concern when putting it in was diluting it too much too quickly, resulting in a starved camshaft bearing, but the way I described the treatment going down, I'm sure that wasn't possible. Looking at the repair diagrams, it looks like the oil fill hole is located just above the camshaft main and sub-gears, so offhand I don't think any starvation problems would occur.

Thinking about it now, maybe a turkey baster or other sort would be a good alternative...jam it down into the hole, cover with a shop rag and gently squeezing it? Any thoughts?

I think you'd be fine with shutting the engine down after its been running for a while and then pouring it in immediately after. It has to make its way into the crankcase and travel the same path as the oil. It will get mixed up with the oil in the process. Like you said, 8oz out of 144, not a big deal. I typically put it in about 200-400 miles before an oil change is due so as not to dilute the oil for too long. It will have done its job by then.

Just had a brainstorm...how about adding it through the dipstick tube? A turkey baster with a narrow tube on the end...that would work. Maybe a funnel if you can find one narrow enough, but I doubt it.

Just had a brainstorm...how about adding it through the dipstick tube? A turkey baster with a narrow tube on the end...that would work. Maybe a funnel if you can find one narrow enough, but I doubt it.
They do make small funnels. I have stollen one from my grand children. That was some kind of a coloring sand kit.

Sam

i have used seafoam for years and always put it in the engine when it is off. I also dont leave it in there. I run the engines for 20 min. and do the oil change and filter. I am at a stage that I dont need to leave it in as everything is spotless inside. preventitive maintenance
I do however put it in our bulk fuel tank's so all the equipment is running with seafoam in the fuel, diesel and gas all summer long. I add accordingly for winter storage as a stableizer.
I have never introduced it by the way of the booster hose eather.

Unrelated, but I'll ask it anyway. I've wondered about putting some mystery oil in my heating oil tank when it gets down to 1/2, or so, in the interest of cleaning out the innards of my oil-burner.
Anything to squeeze a few more 'miles per gallon' out of it to get through February!
I think a gallon of Seafoam would cost a Saudi ransom
:2cents:

it is about 7$ a pint

Not to perpetuate this obvious departure from the Seafoam topic, but the short answer to Mystery oil in lieu of heating oil would probably be no.

From wikipedia, heating oil is very similar to diesel fuel, and both are classified as distillates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distillate). It consists of a mixture of petroleum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum)-derived hydrocarbons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocarbon) in the 14- to 20-carbon atom range. Number 2 fuel oil has a flash point (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_point) of 52 °C.

Marvel mystery oil is a light viscosity oil, roughly equivalent to an SAE 3W, containing (among other things) about 20 percent solvent (probably mineral spirits), dye, wintergreen for smell, and 790 PPM of a phosphorous additive.

I think the phosphorous would be a bad thing for your system. You're better off just asking the oil company what they do to keep 'em clean...probably just part of a yearly system checkup?

Thanks, J.D. for the info.
Don't want to damage the furnace!
End of discussion.
:smokin:

The phosphorous is probably in the form of zinc dithiophosphate. Since it is a salt, it probably wouldn't burn, but form a hard deposit in your burners.

I wouldnt use mystrey oil in a heating unit. change your filter and nozzel on a reg. basis and your good togo.
seafoam however in that system will clean out your tank,lines and plug your filter and nozzel. Same with a gas engine. when first using you will, and should, change filters frequently. Once your clean within the system, then go back to a schedualed filter change.
I did this to one of our diesels and within an hour the filter was pluged. cleaned out the tank real good.
Seafoam also kills and controls alge buildup in sitting #1 & 2 fuel.

So, I'll ask this...if the engine buildup was similar to the "Before" pic shown in the sticky, how many treatments are necessary to get to the "After" pic? Should I just buy a case of Seafoam?