[Basset Box]

Just yesterday, my buddy and I decided we were going to try this "Miracle" cleaner known as SeaFoam. We had both heard of it, but never used it.

He drives a 1998 Audi A4 2.8. He asked the folks on his forum, and they gave him quite the detailed instructions on how to do the vac line method.

Everything went great. Vac line sucked it right up, engine smoked like a chimney, all was going according to plan... Until we drove it.

Chugging, pops, dimming lights, check engine light flashing. The works!

Took it to autozone to have them plug in the OBDII scanner and see what came up. All 6 of his cylinders are misfiring.

We are 98% sure it is now a spark plug problem.

I'm afraid to use SeaFoam now... even though it is a completely different engine type and all.

Has anyone actually used the vac line method on their E?

For my 00 Jeep I used a homemade cleaner that a mechanic school teacher taught my friend to make. I sucked it up through a vacuum hose. I had to add some throttle to keep it going. It did the smoking stuff quite a bit but also tripped some codes and eventually stalled. After it got started and fought through the stuff, it was fine. The engine light was on and I looked up the codes. I think it was misfiring but after a few minutes it was fine. The Jeep requires 20 or so on/off cycles to delete the code if it isn't happening again. I would ride it out and see if the light goes off. Maybe other cars are different and don't turn the light off when the problem is gone.

 

[pbrokaw]

Seafoam works excellent in a engine with some miles on her.I put a 1/2 can in crankcase oil of my Jeep(1995 YJ Wrangler 4.0 L straight 6) it took care of the sticky lifters.put the rest in gas tank and in vacuum line to intake(WARNING do this out in the country at night if you can,it will smoke like you will not believe!!!!!)

The stuff is a skunk oil product the actully works!!!!! Been around for years!!!!


Perry

 

[Daman858]

I use Seafoam in all my internal combustion engines. In my 4 stroke Yamaha outboard motor, I use it instead of the Yamalube Ring Free product which is upwards of $36 a quart! Works great with no problems in any of my vehicles.

 

[primerhb55]

I no longer have an element but I recently started using it on my 08 X-terra and it works like a charm but I take off my brake booster vaccume hose instead while the engine is running it sputters a bit but just slowly pour in a steady stream until you use about 1/3 of the bottle put it back on and your set.

 

[xequar]

SeaFoam and mileage

Hey kids!

I figured I'd mention this to everyone...

Recently the mileage in my E had kinda gone to ****, as in down in the 22 mpg range (the range that I'm quoted on these boards as saying would prompt me to sell the E). It hasn't been below freezing, and the car's only got 60,000 on it. The odd thing was that it was a very rapid drop, as in over the course of two months I dropped from 25 mpg average to barely able to do 22 mpg.

Having done this in previous vehicles with great success, I added two cans of SeaFoam to the E, one into the full gas tank and the other into the crankcase via the engine oil filler. I've driven about 300 miles since then (and on one tank of gas), and the last tank was 25.8 mpg. The thing is running smoother too. Moral of the story-thus far, the SeaFoam has made a huge difference.

Now that I've finished sounding like a damn commercial, I'm still confused as to what killed my mileage so badly in the first place...

 

[packerz4]

I understand dumping this into the gas. BUT putting it into the oil would cause the oil to be over-full wouldn't it?

 

[Tao Jones]

Im curious about this as well. Why in the oil?

Did you buy the seafoam locally? Wonder how much it costs... was thinking of getting some bg 44k for the gas tank.

 

[spdrcr5]

Your noticed drop correlates to the winter blend of fuel that is so wonderful about living in the snow belt. It makes sense that your mileage would drop 3+mpg since October.

 

[xequar]

Your noticed drop correlates to the winter blend of fuel that is so wonderful about living in the snow belt. It makes sense that your mileage would drop 3+mpg since October.

Eh, I dunno. Normally through the winter I see somewhat of a hit, but the last time I hit 22 mpg, it was below 0 F/-17 C outside. This was quite a bit out of character for my car (unless they've dorked around with the "winter" blend a bit since the last few winters).

As far as using it in the oil, it's one of the suggested uses, actually. The idea is that it will help clear out any sludge or other gummy buildups in the engine, much like putting it in the gas tank will run it through the fuel system. I actually dumped it into the transmission of my last car, a '98 Mercury Mystique V6 MT, to help free up some of the gunk in the transmission. You'd be amazed how much it helped the shifting in that car.

 

[breese524]

BUT putting it into the oil would cause the oil to be over-full wouldn't it?

Most cars burn some oil.

When you put this stuff in your oil, it's typically during the last 300 miles before you're going to change the oil. So, you'd check the dip stick to verify that you burned off some oil. Add some seafoam, don't overfill the crank case b/c you will still bend things, liquid doesn't compress; and hope you don't have any leaking seals

 

[spdrcr5]

Eh, I dunno. Normally through the winter I see somewhat of a hit, but the last time I hit 22 mpg, it was below 0 F/-17 C outside. This was quite a bit out of character for my car (unless they've dorked around with the "winter" blend a bit since the last few winters).

As far as using it in the oil, it's one of the suggested uses, actually. The idea is that it will help clear out any sludge or other gummy buildups in the engine, much like putting it in the gas tank will run it through the fuel system. I actually dumped it into the transmission of my last car, a '98 Mercury Mystique V6 MT, to help free up some of the gunk in the transmission. You'd be amazed how much it helped the shifting in that car.

I have not done the math with my Element in a long time, but I know from Oct to Apr my mileage drops quite a bit and the temp makes no difference. I have seen drops of as much as 40-60 miles from a tank.

You said that you poured an entire can into the crankcase? According to their website it should only be 2.5 ounces for an Element. 1/2 oz/quart of oil.

 

[Eww-an E]

Did you buy the seafoam locally? Wonder how much it costs...

SeaFoam can be found at most auto parts stores. I've also noticed it being sold at Walmart too.8)

 

[scorsone]

I put in the 2.5 ounces to quart rule that Seafoam suggests about 100 miles before my last oil change. I also ran about a half a can in an almost empty 1/4 tank. I worry about long time use of it in the crankcase because it does thin the oil. I don't see any significant changes but I do the gas method every season or a couple times a year.

I have been thinking about using it in my vacuum line of my E. I have done it in my last car and it did make a difference in throttle response.

 

[xequar]

I have not done the math with my Element in a long time, but I know from Oct to Apr my mileage drops quite a bit and the temp makes no difference. I have seen drops of as much as 40-60 miles from a tank.

You said that you poured an entire can into the crankcase? According to their website it should only be 2.5 ounces for an Element. 1/2 oz/quart of oil.

2.5 ounces, eh? Oh well, I poured in the entire can. Car seems to be running just fine. Like I said, I've driven about 300 miles since then, with about 200 of that on road trips. I'm only 6,000 into this oil change, so I'll probably wind up running it 2-3000 before I get around to another oil change. When I did it to my van, I poured in the entire can, into oil of which I had no idea of the age or mileage, and then proceeded to drive it another 2,000 miles before I got around to an oil change. I had no issues, and that engine ran like a dream after I did it.

So, for all you other Element owners, apparently there are directions on the website bla bla blah. Truth be told, I'm not sweating it too hard, though. Doing this can't be any worse than letting it go 11,000 that one time before getting the oil changed...

For the record, I do not advocate these actions to others. I just happen to know enough automotive engineers to know that some of the durability testing that they do is done by getting a year's lease on a car then proceeding to beat the **** out of it and not changing the oil at all. Speaking of which, if you ever look at a used car, and you find out it's been owned by an automotive engineer, RUN as fast as you can.

 

[Dom.five]

Quoted from my earlier post :

With any of these products, you can over do it. "Follow the instructions" !!!



Dom