Hello all, I am wandering if anybody else has heard of (or even better) used seafoam as an oil additive... What does it do?
I know its great stuff, and I added a quart of it to my moms car before it was put up in storge for 2 years...

But can anybody justify putting it in the oil, or tell me why not to?

~Nate

 

I did it once and I wont do it again, no damage done to my 5.4 but the seafoam acted very quicky and within 200kms after putting 1/3 a can in my oil was black. This considering I use a full synthetic oil and between oil changes the oil turns a dark amber at the worst. The stuff scares me too much that it produces such dramatic results so quickly, I have no problem sucking it through the pcv valve or adding it to a tank of gas but anything else other than oil in my crankcase, no way no how. Thats my little spat about it, take it for whats its worth cause its your vehicle, only do what you feel is comfortable to you.

 

Not in my engine

 

If you would put a light 20w non-detergent oil and alcohol in your crankcase, then by all means put it in. Thats what it is in the bottle. Personally, I wouldn't put it anything I own including the lawnmower wether in the oil or the carb. It's your engine, screw it up at any rate you can afford.

 

i guess weved made some advances .. but i still belive gas in the gas tank and oil in the motor with regular maint .. its just scary cuz thay only tell you what thay want you to here .. its usually one sided .. thank god for consumer reports

 

just an added point .. i think the car makers tells us oil changes at 5 thousand .. oil makers tell us 3 and now in some cases 5 thousand .. who's in whos back pocket ???

 

I dont see how it could hurt by running it through the tank. My friends 95 C**** camaro used to be cold blooded untill he ran a can of that stuff through it...

So I guess thats a fluke then, right?

So the general consensis is that dont put it in the oil... but what about running it through the engine?

thanks alot
~Nate

 

Ive sucked a bottle straight through my brake booster into the engine and let it sit for a couple of hours. Started it up, smoked like a wildfire. Compression went up in a couple of cylenders, and ran noticeably better. Love Seafoam.

As far as putting it in the crankcase, I would treat that as any other detergent, or flush. Put the bottle in, and let it idle for fifteen minutes, then change the oil. I definately wouldnt drive, or put load on the engine with that stuff in there.

-Matt

 

So you sucked it through the vaccume line for the brake booster, and compression went up afterwords? I have no idea how vaccume works, so did the seafoam stay in the lines and you had to dump it out, or what? (again, i have no idea how vaccume works)

And then before changing the oil, i should put some in, go around the block a few, and then change it?

thanks alot
~Nate

 

Take the brake booster line, where and put it into the bottle with the engine running. The seafoam will run through the line and into the engine where it sits and eats away at the carbon deposits. When you start it back up all the carbon and remaining seafoam is burned off. Good idea to change the oil to get rid of any seafoam that seeped past the rings and into the pan.

Like I said. When using ANY type of engine flush that is added through the oil you should NOT drive the vehicle/put load on the engine. Just let it idle for 15 to 20 minutes. Oil should be black and run out like water.

-Matt

 

Seafoam in the oil is ok if your using as a pre cleaning additive before and oil change.... the direction are 1.5 oz per quart of oil let it run in the the motor for about 20 min or so and change... you can drive it also for up to a 100 miles but change the oil....seafoam says you can use every oil change but i dont do it....just as once in awhile cleaning, you will notice after one cleaning the vehcile runs quieter and perfroms a little better that is if you have a high mileage (124,000) i say it is good but not as an oil additive go with lucas, but dont go over board that can cause gum up quicker if you use to much...

 

I too run Seafoam thru the carb, not in the tank. It cleans too good in the tank, breaking up all the crap accumulated in older vehicles and clogging the pickup screen. On a newer vehicle it may be OK. Only thing I'll use in the oil to clean valve train etc. is Marvel Mystery oil. And only then for a short time before changing oil and filter.

 

I'd only put Seafoam in the oil if it were a diesel! And a newer one at that. As the newer fuel injectors are fired via hi-pressure oil, if they start sticking, the Seafoam WILL help....I've used it for this exact reason. Bought 3 cans and divided it equally between the fuel tank and the oil.... It stopped the slight miss I had from a sticky injector!

 

I would not use Seafoam in the oil. For one, you are risking having carbon, deposits clog your oil pump. That is not good. Plus, it washes off lubricating properties inside an engine that is needed. What you should do, instead, if you are concerned about cleaning up your engine is simply up your oil change intervals, changing the oil filter each time. That will safely remove and clean your engine.

Seafoam in the gas tank is fine, it helps clean your fuel system, lines, filter and injectors as you drive. Just don't use it in the oil.

Once your engine is treated to normal OCI's it will remain clean using a quality deteregent dino, semi-synthetic or synthetic lubricant.

 

FYI, the Seafoam manufacture says you CAN use it in your oil..... BUT, I personally would NOT use it in a gas fueled engine.