# seafoam, am i nuts?



## justinh (Aug 14, 2002)

Since the day i got the car it has had noisy lifters, clicking for about the first 10-15 minutes of driving. I was talking to a buddy of mine, who heard the car and told me to get some "Seafoam". After talking to him about it for a while, he said that it "cured" lifter tick on his brothers eclipse. Now, I was getting ready to buy lifters, and put them in myself, but figured what the hell I'd pick up a bottle of this stuff.
So, we go to napa, and the guys at the counter know exactly what i am talking about, and I leave with a bottle of liquid seafoam, and a bottle of aerosol can seafoam.
I am very skeptical about this, i've never had an oil treatment do any good, but decide to try it anyway.
The directions say to pour half into the gas tank, and half into the crank case when the motor is warm.
The directions on the aerosol can say to spray it into the pcv while the motor is running, until it stalls, then restart the motor. So, i sprayed about 1/3 of the can into the motor, just like the directions say, then it stalled out pretty fast.
We let it sit for about ten minutes then fired it up.
Lets just say that the black smoke pouring out of the car was insane. I have never seen black smoke like this, it poured out of the tailpipe for a good 5 minutes straight, enough smoke around to make my neighbor think my house was on fire








Anyway, when the smoke cleared the car seems to be driving better and smoother. But the ultimate test was this morning, it always ticks for 10 minutes when it is cold. I fire it up, and it didn't tick one bit, and has been running great since.
seafoam, am i nuts?
lol,
Justin


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## Andrew Stauffer (Oct 2, 2000)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (justinh)*

Hahaha, dunno if you're nuts but I've heard good stuff on that as well. You can pull a vacuum source, stick it into the can of (non aerosol) Seafoam, and rev the motor until about half the can is sucked through, then let it stall out. Wait it out, fire it back up, wait for the smoke to clear and hte valves, combustion chamber, plugs, 02 sensor, cat, etc are supposed to be SUPER clean. Like I said, never tried it but it comes highly recommended for dirty motors.


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## Peanut (Nov 8, 2001)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (Andrew Stauffer)*

Sounds to good to be true.


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## gearhead455 (Oct 30, 2001)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (justinh)*

Yes, it works. It was a recomended fix for sticking piston rings on Saturns when I worked at the dealer, but the GM stuff was called "Top Engine Clean". I must have done a hundred of them and they all ran better after.
The fire department came once because someone thought the building was on fire!


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## Caleb (May 19, 1999)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (gearhead455)*

This stuff sounds great and might just be what I need on my car. My only concerns are does this thing screw up any sensors such as O2 sensor or anything? What about the cat? It won't screw it up will it? I just bought a new one and I would be super pissed if it but F'ed up.
Also I have a Digi II and as most all of you know false air will completely screw my car up. So how do I spray this crap in my pcv system? As soon as I unhook that hose my car will die.


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## gearhead455 (Oct 30, 2001)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (Caleb)*

No, it will not hurt O2 sensors
Just be quick with the throttle (with your hand) and keep it running.


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## Caleb (May 19, 1999)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (gearhead455)*

Ok I will have to give it a shot http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## joeblow (Nov 9, 2002)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (Caleb)*

sounds like great stuff the only thing I would say is to change the oil after since all the crap has to go somewhere most likely some will go out the tailpipe and some will go into the oil.


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## Andrew Stauffer (Oct 2, 2000)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (joeblow)*

Good point Joeblow, I meant to say that too. CHANGE YOUR OIL after you use this stuff, everything it dislodged is floating around in it.......


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## Peanut (Nov 8, 2001)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (Andrew Stauffer)*

Is this something that should be used on any high mileage engine (>100,000)?


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## justinh (Aug 14, 2002)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (Peanut)*

yeah, it says you don't have to change the oil, but here's what I did.
After I put that stuff in the motor, I ran the car for about a week with it in it, then I changed it with some chevron 20w50 and wix filter.
The oil was deffinitely blacker than i have ever seen, and had carbon particles in it.
Absolutely no BS here guys, the car runs like a different car.
By far the best four bucks i've ever spent. I'm picking up a bottle to do a 89 tbird sc I have here as part of the tuneup routine.
Justin


[Modified by justinh, 5:18 PM 4-5-2003]


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## Colovion (Feb 19, 2003)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (justinh)*

good deal, I'm totally picking some of this up. I'm glad that this was posted!


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## GoinTopless (Jun 26, 2001)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (justinh)*

OK -- this posted prompted me to go out and find this stuff. Albeit, only the liquid was available so I used it all around.
Put 1/3 in the crankcase, 1/3 in the gas tank and the last 1/3 I poured into the brake booster vac line that goes to the manifold. Car stalled .. let it sit.
Started it up -- BIG white smoke for about 2 - 3 min.
I'll post more when I fire it up tomorrow morning (see if the ticking is gone) and also when I change the oil Sunday
*Part II* 
OK -- Fired her up this morning -- still a bit of smoke from the exhaust. First impression .. she ran quieter .. I listened for the loud valve tick (which is always present as its warming up) and it seems to be reduced considerably -- but not totally gone. She idled smoother as well and seemed to have a bit more oooomph while driving.
I'll post more when I change the oil tomorrow. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 


[Modified by GoinTopless, 2:17 PM 4-12-2003]


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## oldskool industries (Oct 18, 2002)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (justinh)*

http://www.seafoamsales.com/
Interesting product, I think I'll look into it as well.
I have used a quart of Diesel on old Type 1 ACVW motors before with the same desired goal, but if you're pouring the Diesel thru the carb- you can't let the motor stall or you'll foul your plugs.
It also makes a huge cloud of smoke...

I have a 2.0L Golf with 180k on it here that I'm going to try Sea Foam on.


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## justinh (Aug 14, 2002)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (GoinTopless)*

I would say that you should get a bottle of each, the liquid stuff, and the aerosol can stuff. The way I got rid of lifter tick was I introduced the seafoam into the motor with it running. Just dumping it in the crankcase cleans out the bottom end of the motor, not the top end .

JH


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## ABA Jetta II (Aug 19, 2002)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (justinh)*

Into the crankcase? so do you poor it in through the oil filler cap?


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## justinh (Aug 14, 2002)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (ABD Jetta II)*

yeah, dump 1/3 of a can into the motor, dump 1/3 of a can into the fuel tank, and introduce the last 1/3 of the can into the car via a vacume hose, when its running. Slowly.
JH


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## ABA Jetta II (Aug 19, 2002)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (justinh)*

Which vacumn hose would work best? and where is it located?, someone said brake booster hose?


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## Caleb (May 19, 1999)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (ABD Jetta II)*

Yeah you can use the brake booster hose. It is large enough where it will be easy to dump the stuff in. It goes right into the end of the intake manifold.


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## bahnblitz (Jan 18, 2002)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (Caleb)*

This s*hit sounds crazy maybe ill give it a try!


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## ABA Jetta II (Aug 19, 2002)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (bahnblitz)*

I just used some, WORKS GREAT!...I wanna buy another bottle just to see the smoke it makes, its cool!


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## SciroccoboyET (Dec 15, 2002)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (ABD Jetta II)*

yeah i used it on my moms saturn and the huge 440 dodge RV AND in my rocco and it cured everything from sticking throttle to just about anything going wrong.. i dunno man the stuff is pretty damn cool


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## TornadoPinkGLi (Nov 29, 2002)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (justinh)*

SEAFOAM in the GLi...why do I listen to you 8valvers...







Well in my Valver seafoam did nothing. I have a really clean running car already with nothing wrong with it...just under 140,000 miles I put 1/3 in my gas 1/3 in my oil and 1/3 in my brake booster hose. Well I got no smoke, my oil looked just as clean as always...5,000 miles per change doesnt even wear it out in my car and improved nothing...best yet there is a picture of a chain saw on the can...you 8vers can keep running this stuff in your cars and chain saws alike but I have had enough. BTW I was talked into this by an 8ver. 
Oh and I never had any stuck lifters and now one of them clicks slightly.










[Modified by TornadoPinkGLi, 9:02 PM 4-17-2003]


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## SkinneeJ (Nov 12, 2002)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (TornadoPinkGLi)*

im gonna try this in my 91 gti and in mychevy 235. ill let you guys know how it goes http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
-j


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## TBerk (Oct 9, 2000)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (TornadoPinkGLi)*

quote:[HR][/HR]SEAFOAM in the GLi...why do I listen to you 8valvers...







Well in my Valver seafoam did nothing. I have a really clean running car already with nothing wrong with it...just under 140,000 miles I put 1/3 in my gas 1/3 in my oil and 1/3 in my brake booster hose. Well I got no smoke, my oil looked just as clean as always...5,000 miles per change doesnt even wear it out in my car and improved nothing...best yet there is a picture of a chain saw on the can...you 8vers can keep running this stuff in your cars and chain saws alike but I have had enough. BTW I was talked into this by an 8ver. 
Oh and I never had any stuck lifters and now one of them clicks slightly.








[Modified by TornadoPinkGLi, 9:02 PM 4-17-2003][HR][/HR]​Well Why'd you use it then? It's spec'ed to help old crud filled motors, sounds like you were doing alright.
TBerk


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## Colovion (Feb 19, 2003)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (TBerk)*

Man where do you pick it up? me and my friends went down to Napa but the guy was like "Seafoam? You mean foaming engine cleaner?" He ended up giving us some enging flush stuff that you only put in the crankcase - hopefully he was just a flunky and when I call tomorrow they'll know what I'm talking about. Anyone else know where I could pick some up?


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## ABA Jetta II (Aug 19, 2002)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (Colovion)*

i bought mine at advance auto, i dunno if you have those where you live, but anyways, i was driving on the highway goin like 90 and i got a REALLY loud ticking, and then i added seafoam and it dissapeared, once again, good stuff! and plus the smoke is really cool, i smoked up the neighborhood http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## Andrew Stauffer (Oct 2, 2000)

*Re: seafoam, am i nuts? (ABD Jetta II)*

Heheheheh, TornadopinkGLi is a riot. Why *DO* you listen to the 8v crew? Apparently you don't listen too well, why would you do that to a fresh motor? SAND is the ticket for a new motor


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