Seafoam - I will give it a go for everyone

[m1tch]

Hi all,

My current engine is on 175k miles, its not my daily drive car and is going to be replaced with my project engine probably at the end of the year meaning that I am looking to run the stock engine until something breaks and enjoy however long it lasts for.

I have noticed that Seafoam (mixed reviews but mainly positive) seems to be an interesting additive people are using, either injected into the intake to clean valves, in the fuel for injectors or in the oil to remove varnish etc.

I have noticed that when added to oil it has cleaning properties, however unlike an engine flush it seems that it doesn't need to be removed right away and you are meant to drive with it in the engine. I am guessing this is because Seafoam is simply an oil with Naptha in it rather than 100% chemicals that aren't petroleum based so are probably less aggressive.

I noticed that there was mention of when using seafoam in the oil it would remove varnish, sludge and also free up oil control rings - known to be an issue with the 1zz.

I know that when taking apart my project engine the pistons were quite caked up in terms of the small oil holes behind the control rings with varnish etc - I have therefore ordered a bottle of seafoam and will look to add it to the oil on my car, I think I have a photo of what the rockers looked like a while back when changing over the gasket etc.

Thought I would start this thread to see if it works on our engine - won't need a huge amount for the 1zz as the oil capacity is fairly low and I will be doing an oil and filter change fairly soon anyway so thought it might be worth a go.

Anyone tried it by injecting it into the intake etc? I was interested in running it in the engine oil as I feel that the more the product is in contact with the surfaces etc the better it will clean.

[Carolyn]

I threw the lot at an engine I knew I was going to rebuild, just to see if the rings could be unstuck.

Forte flush (which is very good, the engine was very clean when I did take it apart), Mystery Oil soak for 48 hours in the bores, Jet fuel soak in the bores).

Nope!!

[Essex2Visuvesi]

Make sure you have understanding neighbours
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9oXY0Uoawo

[m1tch]

Not planning to add this to the intake, will be looking to put it in the oil to take out any sludge and varnish etc. Will be pulling the engine apart to see what its like when I do swap the engine over.

[Ardent]

Make sure you have understanding neighbours
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9oXY0Uoawo

Mazda
nuff said.

[m1tch]

Make sure you have understanding neighbours
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9oXY0Uoawo

Mazda
nuff said.

The Renesis engine wasn't very good, previous rotaries were though

Hopefully the seafoam will arrive in the next couple of days, might run some in the fuel as well - I think Seafoam is made up from Napatha and Isopropyl alcohol along with a light oil, might try making some up myself when the engine is ready to come out just to see if it makes any further difference. I think the Napatha is the main thing that does the cleaning.

[m1tch]

Have just put some in the oil, will run with it in there for a while as then do a full oil and filter change soon. Have made a mental note of the current oil colour.

[m1tch]

I have had the sea foam in for around 30-40 miles so far, I can however tell that the oil is indeed slightly darker so its pulling something out of the engine which is great!

I have some fully synthetic oil ready to go in, will run it for a bit longer before swapping out the oil - seen one engine that had been run for around 600 miles with the sea foam in the oil - engine was pristine,

[m1tch]

Just taken the car out for another drive around, keeping it at slightly higher revs and the oil is indeed changing colour quite noticeably, really impressed I am seeing a difference in colour so far - will look to do the oil change tomorrow if the weather holds.

[jvanzyl]

Thanks for doing this experiment!
Does/did the current motor burn oil? I guess that's the real test for us.... If the oil burning stops we're onto a winner!

[m1tch]

Thanks for doing this experiment!
Does/did the current motor burn oil? I guess that's the real test for us.... If the oil burning stops we're onto a winner!

I know that the engine does burn a bit when running at higher RPMs, its onl 175k miles, I am unsure what mileage my project engine was on but those pistons were badly blocked but apparently wasn't burning much oil when running.

I will be pulling apart this engine when I do the engine swap to the fully forged one so will check what the pistons and bores are like. I have a feeling that this oil treatment might sort out oil burning if its simply a case of stuck/varnished pistons rather than damage to the bores due to the lack of oil etc.

Looking at the colour of the oil so far however it would seem that the engine is being cleaned internally at a much higher rate than just fully synth oil etc.

I too have no idea of how good this product is, might look to run some in the fuel tank as well to clean out the injectors - not planning to run it neat into the intake though.

[jonbill]

I just ran about 250 ml into the inlet.
I can confirm it makes a lot of smoke. It didn't fix my valve noise so either it doesn't work well at cleaning valves or my valve noise isn't from claggy valves!

[Carolyn]

Did you do it fast or slow?  Mind you, I've never seen any 'magic sauce' change anything much.

[jonbill]

Quick - got it all in within a minute. If I have another £20 to waste I may try it as slow as possible.

[Carolyn]

Next time you're my way, I'll give you some JP1 kero for doing it slow.  Very good on clagg!

[m1tch]

I just ran about 250 ml into the inlet.
I can confirm it makes a lot of smoke. It didn't fix my valve noise so either it doesn't work well at cleaning valves or my valve noise isn't from claggy valves!

Wouldn't it only fix valve noise if it was actually in contact with the part of the valve that actually makes the noise?

This is why I didn't bother running it in the intake, the back of the valves are probably fairly clean from fuel being constantly sprayed on them, might decarbon the top of the pistons a bit but the sea foam if just sprayed in would only be in contact with any surface for a fraction of a section - guessing you let the engine soak with it in as per the instruction as well?

Wanted to add it to the oil as then at least the product is in contact with surfaces longer than a few split sections.

Btw the valve noise is probably the timing chain tensioner or the shims are out of spec.

[Carolyn]

In this case several of the intake valves are sitting so low, no amount of shimming will help.  I lifted the cams and did quite an investigation.  Cam lobes have been measured and they're good, bearing caps replaced, (happened to have good spares) so it's not the cam. Buckets were measured and very close to spec.  Gaps still huge - as much as .57 mm!  If the big gap isn't the buckets , the cam or the cam bearings, the valves must be sitting low.

The only thing that will cause valves to 'drop' is clagg on the valve seats. Cleaning the valve seats would bring the valves back up and, hence diminish the gap and the  noise.

I've rebuilt a couple of cylinder heads with very dirty valve seats - the 'they will stay clean theory doesn't hold true, I'm afraid.

Again... grandma - eggs...

[K T M Rider]

I just ran about 250 ml into the inlet.
I can confirm it makes a lot of smoke. It didn't fix my valve noise so either it doesn't work well at cleaning valves or my valve noise isn't from claggy valves!

Have you tried putting some in the fuel tank ?

Presumably might help clean the intake valves.

Alternatively there's the dingday engine carbon clean:

https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=64545.0

[jonbill]

Yeah I put nearly 1/2 in the tank and a bit more than 1/2 through the inlet.
I'm going to put some EGR cleaner through it at the weekend and I think I'll draw the line there wether it works or not. If I can't live with it I'll take the head off and clean it all up manually.

[Carolyn]

I'm 2/3 through taking the head off in the car.  Fiddly but doable. Couple of 'tricks' worth knowing.

[jonbill]

I was going to ask if you'd made a start. Are you taking notes & pics?

[Carolyn]

Keep meaning to take pics - but then I get on the spanners....  I can share what I've learned though... I've got to stay home for a delivery on Saturday, so you could come by and take a peek.  Then the 'tricks' will make sense.  Head is still on but only a little work left before it comes off.  While you're here, you could help me set up Torque properly on my phone??

[jonbill]

Sounds like a plan [emoji3]

[Newbie57]

I poured some in the cylinders at the last service and left it for 24 hours. I was having the engine warning light P340 cat efficiency warning. That appears to have gone now.
Spoke too soon just reappeared

[BahnStormer]

To be fair - we didn't get to see how much oil that RX8 was burning before the Seafoam