Ping -> Jim Warman

Jim, if I might call upon your experience, what's your opinion of
Seafoam? TIA.

Joe
Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

Sorry, Joe.... I have no personal experience with Seafoam additives. I know
none of our local shops stock it and I don't recall seeing it on my
(infrequent) trips to Edmonton.

I do have very strong opinions on additives..... there are very few that I
use and I only use them when really required. I might add that none of these
are motor oil or transmission fluid additives.


"Joe" > wrote in message
...
> Jim, if I might call upon your experience, what's your opinion of
> Seafoam? TIA.
>
> Joe
> Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
> Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

Jim, thanks for an honest answer. I heard about Seafoam over in the
Dodge truck group and also from a couple guys on the RC boards my son
frequents, so I tried some in the intake manifold of the Shoebox ('96
MPV) as per the instructions. Apparently, it blew out a whole lot of
crud from the engine based on the fumes and white smoke that came out.
After about 10 minutes, the exhaust was clear again. Performance
seems to have increased a bit, and the slight valve tick that almost
always occured until it warmed up has disappeared entirely.

Generally, I'm skeptical about additives and whatnot, but I hadn't
heard a single bad thing about it, so I figured what the heck (it's my
wife's van anyway). Seems to have worked pretty well.

Joe
Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC



"Jim Warman" > wrote in
news:LPFDd.54457$dv1.53877@edtnps89:

> Sorry, Joe.... I have no personal experience with Seafoam additives.
> I know none of our local shops stock it and I don't recall seeing it
> on my (infrequent) trips to Edmonton.
>
> I do have very strong opinions on additives..... there are very few
> that I use and I only use them when really required. I might add
> that none of these are motor oil or transmission fluid additives.
>
>
> "Joe" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Jim, if I might call upon your experience, what's your opinion of
>> Seafoam? TIA.
>>
>> Joe
>> Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
>> Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
>
>
>

For a top end cleaner used the way you did, I've had pretty good results
with (are you ready for this??).... water. GM has a real skookum top end
cleaner as well (or had, anyway). You'd drizzle about 2/3rds of the can into
the intake and then stall it with the rest. Then you'd let the motor rest
for a time (20 minutes or so, IIRC) and then run it at high idle for a
bit.... This stuff would really get rid of the globs on the backside of the
intake valves. These things are not without their downside, though... I've
seen times where large chunks of build-up are knocked loose .... they sure
don't sound pretty but I can't vouch for any other side effects.

There are many products that can be used like this.... oil additives,
however, are persona non gratta around my shop.

For interested bystanders.... anything used like this should be used
carefully....... Hydrolocking a motor is not going to do your purse any
good.


"Joe" > wrote in message
...
> Jim, thanks for an honest answer. I heard about Seafoam over in the
> Dodge truck group and also from a couple guys on the RC boards my son
> frequents, so I tried some in the intake manifold of the Shoebox ('96
> MPV) as per the instructions. Apparently, it blew out a whole lot of
> crud from the engine based on the fumes and white smoke that came out.
> After about 10 minutes, the exhaust was clear again. Performance
> seems to have increased a bit, and the slight valve tick that almost
> always occured until it warmed up has disappeared entirely.
>
> Generally, I'm skeptical about additives and whatnot, but I hadn't
> heard a single bad thing about it, so I figured what the heck (it's my
> wife's van anyway). Seems to have worked pretty well.
>
> Joe
> Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
> Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
>
>
>
> "Jim Warman" > wrote in
> news:LPFDd.54457$dv1.53877@edtnps89:
>
> > Sorry, Joe.... I have no personal experience with Seafoam additives.
> > I know none of our local shops stock it and I don't recall seeing it
> > on my (infrequent) trips to Edmonton.
> >
> > I do have very strong opinions on additives..... there are very few
> > that I use and I only use them when really required. I might add
> > that none of these are motor oil or transmission fluid additives.
> >
> >
> > "Joe" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> Jim, if I might call upon your experience, what's your opinion of
> >> Seafoam? TIA.
> >>
> >> Joe
> >> Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
> >> Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
> >
> >
> >
>

Sounds like something I should try in my 122k mile Eclipse... though I don't
know how well it would do going through the turbo - might have to add it in
downstream. These cars are notorious for the valvetrain tick pretty much
constantly. I do agree with you both on oil additives. In fact, the only
additive I use is Stabil for when I put the Cobra up for winter storage.

JS

"Joe" > wrote in message
...
> Jim, thanks for an honest answer. I heard about Seafoam over in the
> Dodge truck group and also from a couple guys on the RC boards my son
> frequents, so I tried some in the intake manifold of the Shoebox ('96
> MPV) as per the instructions. Apparently, it blew out a whole lot of
> crud from the engine based on the fumes and white smoke that came out.
> After about 10 minutes, the exhaust was clear again. Performance
> seems to have increased a bit, and the slight valve tick that almost
> always occured until it warmed up has disappeared entirely.
>
> Generally, I'm skeptical about additives and whatnot, but I hadn't
> heard a single bad thing about it, so I figured what the heck (it's my
> wife's van anyway). Seems to have worked pretty well.
>
> Joe
> Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
> Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
>
>
>
> "Jim Warman" > wrote in
> news:LPFDd.54457$dv1.53877@edtnps89:
>
>> Sorry, Joe.... I have no personal experience with Seafoam additives.
>> I know none of our local shops stock it and I don't recall seeing it
>> on my (infrequent) trips to Edmonton.
>>
>> I do have very strong opinions on additives..... there are very few
>> that I use and I only use them when really required. I might add
>> that none of these are motor oil or transmission fluid additives.
>>
>>
>> "Joe" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Jim, if I might call upon your experience, what's your opinion of
>>> Seafoam? TIA.
>>>
>>> Joe
>>> Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
>>> Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
>>
>>
>>
>

I've had real good luck with Seafoam carbon cleaner in my 98 GT too!

-Mike

--
A happy kid behind the wheel of a 98 Mustang GT
Cold air intake
FRPP 3.73 gears
Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter
Flowmaster 40 Series mufflers (self-installed woohoo)
Hi-speed fan switch
255/60R-15 rear tires
Subframe connectors
Aluminum adjustable clutch quadrant


"Joe" > wrote in message
...
> Jim, thanks for an honest answer. I heard about Seafoam over in the
> Dodge truck group and also from a couple guys on the RC boards my son
> frequents, so I tried some in the intake manifold of the Shoebox ('96
> MPV) as per the instructions. Apparently, it blew out a whole lot of
> crud from the engine based on the fumes and white smoke that came out.
> After about 10 minutes, the exhaust was clear again. Performance
> seems to have increased a bit, and the slight valve tick that almost
> always occured until it warmed up has disappeared entirely.
>
> Generally, I'm skeptical about additives and whatnot, but I hadn't
> heard a single bad thing about it, so I figured what the heck (it's my
> wife's van anyway). Seems to have worked pretty well.
>
> Joe
> Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
> Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
>
>
>
> "Jim Warman" > wrote in
> news:LPFDd.54457$dv1.53877@edtnps89:
>
> > Sorry, Joe.... I have no personal experience with Seafoam additives.
> > I know none of our local shops stock it and I don't recall seeing it
> > on my (infrequent) trips to Edmonton.
> >
> > I do have very strong opinions on additives..... there are very few
> > that I use and I only use them when really required. I might add
> > that none of these are motor oil or transmission fluid additives.
> >
> >
> > "Joe" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> Jim, if I might call upon your experience, what's your opinion of
> >> Seafoam? TIA.
> >>
> >> Joe
> >> Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies
> >> Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
> >
> >
> >
>

Jim Warman wrote:
> For a top end cleaner used the way you did, I've had pretty good results
> with (are you ready for this??).... water. GM has a real skookum top end
> cleaner as well (or had, anyway). You'd drizzle about 2/3rds of the can into
> the intake and then stall it with the rest. Then you'd let the motor rest
> for a time (20 minutes or so, IIRC) and then run it at high idle for a
> bit.... This stuff would really get rid of the globs on the backside of the
> intake valves. These things are not without their downside, though... I've
> seen times where large chunks of build-up are knocked loose .... they sure
> don't sound pretty but I can't vouch for any other side effects.

This makes me wonder about potential damage the "globs" might
do on the way out. There's a chance, I suppose, that an exhaust
valve might close on a chunk, I wonder if the chunks are hard enough
to bend a valve or ding the seat? I also can't help but wonder if
the globs are large enough to get caught in the catalytic converter.

It sounds like you've had good results, though.

Cheers -
Dana