Seafoam - have you used it, did it do anything

[Spyder7]

I have a 2000 Corolla VE that has some fairly heavy sludge built up (bought it used in May). I have, with the help of fellow bitog`ers, traced the cause (gunked PCV valve, now replaced, combined with driving habits of previous owner and hit & miss maintenance). Now I`m looking at beginning to clean it out slowly over time and Seafoam has been recommended and is on the short list of products available here.

I`m debating whether or not to try it and I`d like some feedback first from those who have, why you used it, and what (if any) difference it made. Most importantly, based on your experience (and not what you`ve read here or elsewhere), would you personally recommend it.

Please, I do not wish to turn this into a debate about the merits of Auto RX vs Seafoam, etc. I just want to keep the thread about Seafoam, and just Seafoam. Although if you used it in conjunction with something else, or tried it before or after other products and feel that info is relevant, then go for it and toss it in there.

Thanks in advance for any who`ll take the time to respond.

-Spyder

 

[Bill in Utah]

One thread with some info

Another thread

Some info in this one

And there is a lot more info. Just scanning this section will get you a lot of in site of using it.

Personally I'd NOT use it but that was not the question.

Bill

 

[dparm]

Spyder, do a bit of research on Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO).

 

[greenaccord02]

I would use it. It is a powerful solvent. Just before an oil change, I'd buy a bottle, suck half of it into the intake through the brake booster, kill the car for an hour, then fire it up again and wait till the smoke stops. Then, with the engine warm, I'd add the other half to the crankcase and let it idle for at least ten or fifteen minutes. Again, kill it and let it sit for an hour. Fire it up one last time and let it idle enough to get up to temp again, then change the still-hot oil. Let it drain for a long time and use a good synthetic to refill. Do the same half-bottle flush at the end of your next two OCIs, which should be kept fairly short. Then resume your normal maintainance. I say synthetic oil because it is unlikely that the PO used synthetic and the change of chemistry will likely cause the junk to dissolve and break down faster.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Spyder, do a bit of research on Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO).


It is not easy to locate it in Canada.

 

[StevieC]

Bill,

Actually Partsource is carrying it now and has a display setup at most stores for it.

I know the 3 stores local to me carry it...

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
Bill,

Actually Partsource is carrying it now and has a display setup at most stores for it.

I know the 3 stores local to me carry it...

No Partsource here. Its a bitter irony that you guys in other parts of Canada can`t get any of the PP or Ultra yet that`s the current rage in the main forum, while I picked up PP on a whim here in nowhere-ville for $19 at the local Wally World last week(and yes, they had Ultra there too but for twice the price).

No MMO to be found here, and no Redline (the two products I had most recently been searching for before settling for Regane). I counted myself blessed the day that one (and only one) of the NAPA stores here carried the POR-15 starter kit I was looking for.

Right now I`m focusing on Seafoam because I know I can get it. Based on what I read here will tip the scale as to whether or not I decide to buy it (I`m on the fence right now).

-Spyder

 

[StevieC]

Spyder I can ship you whatever you want if you want to work through Paypal or Cheque by mail and our sales tax is a lot cheaper than yours and even cheaper if I cross the border and get it for you when I'm over that way. We are at 13% and Buffalo is at 8%. I know you are higher than that and that might cover the shipping to you!

I ship stuff to other Canuck BITOG members all the time!

 

[Panzerman]

I think it is a Great stabilizer, but I think it is to costly to use as fuel injector cleaner and too powerful that I would ever want to add it to my oil. I use it in my small engines and two strokes, a pint goes a long way and its two stroke campatiable.

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
Spyder I can ship you whatever you want if you want to work through Paypal or Cheque by mail and our sales tax is a lot cheaper than yours and even cheaper if I cross the border and get it for you when I'm over that way. We are at 13% and Buffalo is at 8%. I know you are higher than that and that might cover the shipping to you!

I ship stuff to other Canuck BITOG members all the time!

I`m going to take you up on that. I`m not familiar enough with MMO to know the size containers etc it comes in, but I`ve read enough about it to believe its safe to combine with the PP and will be an effective combination for safe and gentle cleaning (the goal).

I skimmed the Seafoam threads Bill posted and they left me feeling pretty wary about it. We can work out the details via PM, but there is no big rush on it. I only have about 1,500 km on my fresh oil and filter. I don`t have Paypal but I do have personalized cheques (and again, where there`s no rush the time factor for the typical 5-7 business days for personal cheques to clear is no big deal either).

Where I only have 3.6L sump, I`m guessing the smaller bottle of it (1L I`m assuming, if they market it in containers equivalent to other oils) will be plenty. I prefer good old Canada Post to couriers (its all sub-contracted out here and stuff I`ve had shipped through them before had taken a beating on a couple occassions before making it to my door; but no problems ever with regular air mail).

Just let me know what to make it out for (taking into account all your costs, including shipping) and where to send the cheque. Any other details we can sort out in PM.

BTW the 13% harmonized sales tax is what we have here now too, and its a big improvement over not so long ago when it was 12% provincial sales tax + 8% GST (and you got raped at both ends of the government on what you made and how you spent it - and by both levels). Those were pretty dark days.

-Spyder

 

[StevieC]

Spyder, PM ME and I will work out whatever details you need. Cheque is fine by me.

 

[bkbenjy]

I have used it in my 2002 Altima.

I had a check engine light that came on 2 oil changes ago. Had it scanned and it was Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (I think)...... I cleared the code, it came on again a few days later. Then I left it alone and the light turned on and off every few days by itself. So I spoke to a mechanic. He said that the catalytic converter is going to go bad soon.

The next oil change I put in a 4 fresh quarts of PYB and 6 ounces of Seafoam. I drove it for 100 miles, if I remember correctly. When I drained the oil, the color was of an oil that had been in an engine for 3-4 thousand miles.

After I drained it i put in PP. The light went off and stayed off since then. The PP currently has 4700 miles on it and is a dark amber color.

This is a 1 owner altima. It had all its oil changes done at under 4000 miles using conventional oil. At 90,000 miles it was switched to synthetic. It currently has 115,000 miles.

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
Spyder, PM ME and I will work out whatever details you need. Cheque is fine by me.

PM sent.

-Spyder

 

[panthermike]

StevieC, you're a good guy

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: panthermike
StevieC, you're a good guy

+1

Spyder you will be pleased with the MMO, good choice. Report your results.

 

[StevieC]

Glad to help!

 

[Vikas]

Originally Posted By: bkbenjy
I have used it in my 2002 Altima.

I had a check engine light that came on 2 oil changes ago. Had it scanned and it was Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (I think)...... I cleared the code, it came on again a few days later. Then I left it alone and the light turned on and off every few days by itself. So I spoke to a mechanic. He said that the catalytic converter is going to go bad soon.

The next oil change I put in a 4 fresh quarts of PYB and 6 ounces of Seafoam. I drove it for 100 miles, if I remember correctly. When I drained the oil, the color was of an oil that had been in an engine for 3-4 thousand miles.

After I drained it i put in PP. The light went off and stayed off since then. The PP currently has 4700 miles on it and is a dark amber color.

This is a 1 owner altima. It had all its oil changes done at under 4000 miles using conventional oil. At 90,000 miles it was switched to synthetic. It currently has 115,000 miles.



This is the first time that I had heard Seafoam in oil fixing P0420 code! I am not sure I understand physics behind it. Anybody wants to take a swag?

- Vikas

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: panthermike
StevieC, you're a good guy

+1

Spyder you will be pleased with the MMO, good choice. Report your results.


I really lucked out, as this stuff just can`t be had here by any other means and its something I`ve read enough about here to want to try and to use without reservations of any kind.

The same day I joined the forum bitog`ers figured out the source of the sludging to a $10 part I hadn`t even thought to look at. 2 days later (the interval was due to having to order it) I had it, installed it and problem solved. It also fixed another issue I hadn`t even mentioned (a cold start and hesitation and stall problem when the engine was cold).

So in the less than a week since joining the forum I`ve had nothing but really good luck and lots of good help from the members here. I love this place

Once the MMO & PP combo are in I`ll start a thread (with pics) showing the pre-PP & MMO sludged cap and crankcase and keep it updated throughout the OCIs.

With the PP & MMO I may shoot straight out for 10,000 km OCIs using Toyota long filters (to hold more gunk without any risk of going into bypass). I think that`s a pretty good balance between getting a decently long OCI on the oil and some more conservative measures to avoid re-circulating dirty oil because of a clogged filter.

And if I can find Ultra at a good price during that 10,000 km interval than I`ll put that in the subsequent change (I got the PP on rollback at Walmart, so I only paid $19 Cdn for it).

-Spyder

 

[StevieC]

It's great to have stories like this!

 

[Bill in Utah]

Until you KNOW for SURE that everything is okay the LAST thing I'd do is extended OCIs with ANY oil or filter no matter how much you pay for it.

You still don't know WHY the PVC (I think I was the first one to comment about that..

I must know something) had an issue. With as low miles overall you have a normal one would still be fine.

So until you everything is back to normal, PLEASE change the oil every 4-5k miles or 5-6 months. Keep an eye on the PVC and cut open your filters.

A UOA would give you more data on how the engine is doing and if you have any other "issues" going on.

Just my 3 cents.

bill