Seafoam in crankcase? (redux)

MarcM · Post by **MarcM** » 04 Oct 2015, 05:57

This was covered about 7 years ago (yes, I'm a past thread looker before posting). I have used Seafoam for years in fuel. Helped the old '87 Harley, '88 Civic, '00 KIA Sephia, '98 Dakota, '94 Ram, etc etc when in the fuel system. Has anyone as of late, or updates from years past, used it in the crank case? I'm thinking of dumping 1.5 oz onto the PCV and about 7oz into the crank case. Engine warm up, some driving and changing oil. Quite a bit of varnish in crank. Unknown maintenance history, oil caramel in color. Will be using a Fram Ultraguard filter and Castrol Edge Extended Service 5w-30 (although will be changed in less than 5k miles anyway).

Post by **JRL** » 04 Oct 2015, 07:14

Follow the directions on the can: 1/3 in gas, 1/3 in the oil fill, 1/3 sucked into a vacuum hose (a little difficult, 2 people are needed for this part as the car will try to stall).
Run for 15 minutes, (car WILL smoke for a few minutes) then drive it for 50-100 miles and then change the oil.
I do this all the time and DO NOT USE A FRAM FILTER

MarcM · Post by **MarcM** » 04 Oct 2015, 07:25

I'll bite. Why not Fram? This is their top model. Mobil 1 made by Champion (read as: trash), and others re-painted Purolators (worse trash).

Post by **JRL** » 04 Oct 2015, 15:06

Volvo filters (Mann and Mahle) have a check valve to keep the oil to the top so it won't drain all down. If it does, eventually you will get lifter noise on start up sooner rather than (much) later, (if at all).

Post by **matthew1** » 04 Oct 2015, 15:32

I do 1/3 1/3 1/3 when I can get to the Desolate Industial Area near me. When I can't, I do 1/3 crankcase, 2/3 fuel tank.

You don't need two people to put Seafoam in the intake. You just need to moderate it's uptake into the hose as to not stall the engine. I'd go so far to say two people, one to man the throttle I presume, is actually inviting a bent rod. Seafoam in the intake at high revs can cause hydro lock.

MarcM · Post by **MarcM** » 04 Oct 2015, 16:25

Sooo... I returned the Fram XG8712 to Wallyworld and got the Mann HU819x from Advanced. Trying to figure out how they get a check valve into a folded media replaceable internal cartridge filter, but oh well.
I did a whole bottle in the tank and filled (with 93 octane, of course) on Fri. Still have 3/4 tank to go on that. Did 1/3rd into crank case (had 2 bottles) and have driven a little more than 70 miles in the filter exchange fiasco.

Post by **FLXC90** » 04 Oct 2015, 16:42

What I do to introduce seafoam to the manifold by myself is:
Use a cup or something ( I cut a 20oz Coke bottle off)
get a piece of vacuum tube about a foot long, uncap a port on the vacuum tree, connect the line. Plug the end of the line with a golf tee or something to start the car.
pour the Seafoam into the cup, uncork the line and dip into the seafoam, as it bogs, push the line down to seal against the bottom of the cup, or just pinch the hose, as the revs recover, moderate inatake vs bog until its all sucked up, then let it die or shut it off.
Then disconnect the hose and recap your vac tree, wait 10 mins, then rid your neighborhood of mosquitoes

MarcM · Post by **MarcM** » 04 Oct 2015, 16:45

Fram XG8712:

Mann HU819x:

The Fram has 2 layers of filtration plus a decent metal screen the full length of media along with pretty much the same plastic internal pierced tube.

Post by **JRL** » 04 Oct 2015, 16:52

A heck of a lot easier to have someone modulate the gas pedal!

Matt, you're wrong, you want to do is keep the revs at about 1800-2000 RPM.
If you "moderate" I suppose that may work, but the job will take 3 times longer over using two people.

"Inviting a bent rod"??? It goes without saying that the person using the pedal should have at least some minimal talent to do this.

Post by **matthew1** » 04 Oct 2015, 17:21

My method is safe and takes 4 minutes. If you can do it in 2 minutes, JRL, you've added 2 minutes on to your lifespan. But your buddy loses two minutes of his life doing this task, so in a Cosmic sense, it's a wash.