How-To Seafoam

[Chris2000]

Alright so lots of people including myself i'm sure wanted to seafoam their car but were concerned on exactly how to and all that. Here is what I did and what the master tech at seafoam told me to do.

Step 1) Buy Seafoam!
Step 2) Drive car around for about 10 minutes, or if you just got done driving you're all set. Just get the car to normal temperature (about half or a little below)
Step 3) Seperate Seafoam into 3 different cups

Step 4) Start the car and have the hood open
Step 5) Pull the Brake Power Booster off (it is a vacuum line that is located to the left of the power steering fluid) It is held in tightly by a gromet, no tools needed just wiggle it out. Use force but also be gentle.
Step 6) With car running pour 1 of the cups of Seafoam into the vacuum line and then when finished immediately shut the car off (I had another person shut the car off)
Step 7) Plug the Brake Power Booster back in
Step 8) Get the other two cups and simply pour 1 into the oil crankcase and 1 into the gas tank.


Wait 10-15 minutes

Step 9) Start the car (it may be rough start but it's ok!) wait about 15 seconds or so and then go driving.

Start off by driving normal keeping a steady run at 1500-2500 RPM.

Enjoy the big pile of smoke coming out from the back of the car (This means it was dirty and its now getting cleaned out!)

After you notice the smoke to come out less drive more aggressively but try to not get up near red line (could blow a hose).

After driving for about 5 minutes come back home put it in park and hold the RPMs at about 2000 and have someone see if it is still smoking. Continue doing that until it stops if it still is smoking.

Then you are done and your car will run smoother than before!


My car smoked hard for 3 blocks and then lightly for 2 more and then it was finished. Definitely feels a HELL of a lot better. Recommend doing seafoam to your car if you haven't!

[cherrington17]

3.4 doesn't have a brake booster line. Use PCV.

[Ryan from Ohio]

If you read the instructions you will realize this isnt the proper way of doing it.

Also seafoam is the WD40 of cleaners.

Use GM Top End Cleaner

[Chris2000]

Originally Posted by Ryan from Ohio

If you read the instructions you will realize this isnt the proper way of doing it.

Also seafoam is the WD40 of cleaners.

Use GM Top End Cleaner

Ryan, I personally called SeaFoam and spoke to one of their master techs who has been doing it for 30 years. So...yeah..

[alero_bmxer]

gm tec FTMFW!!!

[XanderWiFi]

Originally Posted by Ryan from Ohio

Use GM Top End Cleaner

Never been able to find it. But yeah, this is the incorrect way to use seafoam. You're supposed to let it sit and eat away at the carbon build up. The longer the better. You are also supposed to do an oil change very soon after performing a seafoam clean.

If you search it I think I did a how to or explained it in a thread but I cannot remember.

[jabartram]

i used this last time, works well and is less expensive than seafoam and gm top engine cleaner.
http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/apf.aspx

[Chris2000]

Originally Posted by XanderWiFi

Never been able to find it. But yeah, this is the incorrect way to use seafoam. You're supposed to let it sit and eat away at the carbon build up. The longer the better. You are also supposed to do an oil change very soon after performing a seafoam clean.

If you search it I think I did a how to or explained it in a thread but I cannot remember.

What are you talking about.. that is why I said to let the car sit 10-15 mins after. The only reason you have to have the car on while pouring it in the vacuum line is so it will suck it in.

Also according to the tech at SeaFoam he told me that doing an oil change soon after performing the cleaning is unneccessary. The longer you run the car with it mixed in, the better cleaning it will do. Seafoam makes the oil and i quote "slipperyier so it flows better, without changing the viscosity of it"

[Cliff8928]

Originally Posted by cherrington17

3.4 doesn't have a brake booster line. Use PCV.

Uhhh... they ALL have brake booster lines.... Unless you got the magical Alero with hydroboost (or manual brakes)

[cherrington17]

Originally Posted by Cliff8928

Uhhh... they ALL have brake booster lines.... Unless you got the magical Alero with hydroboost (or manual brakes)

well wtf. how come nobody told me! /farva

where is the brake booster line, then???

[pimpalero2003]

Read first post lol. I've always just done it through pcv brake booster make any differance

[Ryan from Ohio]

If you take the time to read the can you are supposed to pour approximately 1/3 of the can in while keeping it running. When you hit that mark pour it real fast until it stalls. Let sit 15 minutes. Start it up.

The remaining cleaner I pour right down it just like the first batch.

I put it in the gas once and didnt notice any diff.

Never did the oil. If I did I would oil change asap.

Last time I bought GM top end cleaner it was $9 for a bottle. You can ONLY get it at dealers and sometimes they gotta order it. Seam Foarm went up to like $8 at Advance Auto. Used to be $6... You can smell the difference. You can tell the difference when doing the cleaning to. The GM stuff is like twice as potent!

[cherrington17]

Originally Posted by Chris2000

Also according to the tech at SeaFoam

Do they really have technicians just waiting to answer the phone, over there???

[Chris2000]

Well yeah...what could they possibly be busy with. Its a product in a can its not like they are doing projects.

[XanderWiFi]

Originally Posted by Chris2000

What are you talking about.. that is why I said to let the car sit 10-15 mins after. The only reason you have to have the car on while pouring it in the vacuum line is so it will suck it in.

Also according to the tech at SeaFoam he told me that doing an oil change soon after performing the cleaning is unneccessary. The longer you run the car with it mixed in, the better cleaning it will do. Seafoam makes the oil and i quote "slipperyier so it flows better, without changing the viscosity of it"

Must've missed that. I had the gf wondering why I was on the PC and not hanging with her so I was skimming. But it is true that the longer it sits in the engine the better it cleans.

And I respectfully disagree on the oil change. Metaphorically speaking, drinking out of a glass with dirt caked on is cleaner than drinking out of a glass that you've scrubbed the dirt off of the sides into the drink. Apply it to an engine and question whether you want all the carbon and junk circulating. That and most online info sites recommend changing the oil within 500 miles.

However, as with most things there are more ways than one to skin a cat.

[Chris2000]

Originally Posted by XanderWiFi

Must've missed that. I had the gf wondering why I was on the PC and not hanging with her so I was skimming. But it is true that the longer it sits in the engine the better it cleans.

And I respectfully disagree on the oil change. Metaphorically speaking, drinking out of a glass with dirt caked on is cleaner than drinking out of a glass that you've scrubbed the dirt off of the sides into the drink. Apply it to an engine and question whether you want all the carbon and junk circulating. That and most online info sites recommend changing the oil within 500 miles.

However, as with most things there are more ways than one to skin a cat.

Gotcha, and I can see where you are coming from about the oil change thing. I didn't plan on driving the car for long without an oil change, i'm actually off to go change my spark plugs and then do an oil change (put about 50 miles since seafoam).

Also I notice that my SES light came on. I looked it up and apparently after seafoam its normal.


Reasons it can come on and ways to get rid of it.

1) If it comes on just get on the highway and open the car up and it should go off after a full run through.

2) Misfire usually occurs after due to a spark plug that was on its end that needed changing anyways. Just change them out.

3) Just disconnect your battery for like 20 mins, plug it back in and it should be killed.

[cherrington17]

Originally Posted by Chris2000

Gotcha, and I can see where you are coming from about the oil change thing. I didn't plan on driving the car for long without an oil change, i'm actually off to go change my spark plugs and then do an oil change (put about 50 miles since seafoam).

Also I notice that my SES light came on. I looked it up and apparently after seafoam its normal.


Reasons it can come on and ways to get rid of it.

1) If it comes on just get on the highway and open the car up and it should go off after a full run through.

2) Misfire usually occurs after due to a spark plug that was on its end that needed changing anyways. Just change them out.

3) Just disconnect your battery for like 20 mins, plug it back in and it should be killed.

I've also heard lights can go, for the funk clogging your cat... so.. be wary of that.

[Chris2000]

Originally Posted by cherrington17

I've also heard lights can go, for the funk clogging your cat... so.. be wary of that.

Yeah i'll just run the code and figure it out.

[Afugy]

Originally Posted by Ryan from Ohio

Never did the oil. If I did I would oil change asap.

You may as well put gas threw the block then too. See how much crap you get out that way.

[XanderWiFi]

Originally Posted by Afugy

You may as well put gas threw the block then too. See how much crap you get out that way.

I hear kerosene works better.