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Old 11-29-2010, 12:03 PM   #1
skimobile
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Question Adding Sea-Foam to Engine Oil - How long to Run Before Draining?

I need to add some Sea-Foam to the engine to see if I can free up a sticking valve/seat and/or oil ring seal.
The directions on the can of Sea-Foam say you can add it to your oil prior to oil change but it doesn't say how long to leave it curculate in a running engine.
Is it run till engine meets normal operating temp then drain?
Run for 50-100mi then drain.
Let it turn over and run for only a few minutes then drain?
The can isn't specific. It only says you can add it to the intake, fuel, or engine oil, to help flush various areas of the engine.
If anyone has added this to their oil on several occasions can you please chime in?
I'd like to leave it in the longest time possible without causing any additional harm to the engine components.
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Old 11-29-2010, 12:08 PM   #2
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In my celica, i added it about 50 miles before an oil change. that included 5 cold starts and warming up the car very lightly until at temp, and then i stayed off the throttle.
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Old 11-29-2010, 12:54 PM   #3
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im pretty sure it's something like ~200-300 miles you can run on it before draining the oil
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Old 11-29-2010, 01:00 PM   #4
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yea i read on the website to change oil at or before 200 miles after puttin it in the oil.. 200 miles the max
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Old 11-29-2010, 02:32 PM   #5
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If you note the flashpoint of seafoam is very very low (55*F IIRC). Oil temps in cars easily exceed that. It's going to dilute in the oil and then evaporate out of the crankcase. It's not like a motor flush.
It's not that strong of a cleaner anyways. I rather just use it in the vacuum line to help keep the intake clean, is about all it's worth
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Old 11-29-2010, 03:45 PM   #6
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forget using it in the oil
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Old 11-29-2010, 07:42 PM   #7
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I'd say 100 miles, but I'd stick with just the vac lines and gas tank. I was a little sketched out by putting it in my oil. I think i may do this over the weekend. Havent had the fire dept in my neighborhood in a few weeks.
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Old 11-30-2010, 09:04 AM   #8
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I've used seafoam in lots of engine crankcases before. That said, I'd NEVER consider putting into a subaru engine, which already very sensitive to oil issues.
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Old 11-30-2010, 02:20 PM   #9
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Why are you trying to use it in your oil? You're supposed to spray it into the intake stream (example, vacuum nipple port on the intake manifold). It doesn't go in your oil or fuel.

Also note, I don't use Seafoam, I use Powerfoam which is made by Amsoil. I've done it about 3 times on my WRX and once on my girlfriends Forester...runs much better and smoother. It DOES work.
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Old 11-30-2010, 08:48 PM   #10
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I found this on the Sea-Foam website.....
"The most frequently asked question about using Sea Foam is as follows: "After using Sea Foam in my oil, fuel, or through the vacuum line (to clean carbon from the combustion chamber) do I need to change my oil?" The short answer is: No you don't have to change your oil after using Sea Foam in any application.

When using Sea Foam in your fuel or through the vacuum line for carbon cleaning your oil does not need to be changed. Using Sea Foam in your oil, at 1 ½ ounces per quart, is a safe way to clean a crankcase, free up rings or free up sticky lifters as you drive. Sea Foam is not a chemical engine flush and therefore, it will not damage internal engine components or plug the oil pick up screen. Sea Foam is a pure petroleum blend with no chemical additives and is safe for long term cleaning or short term pre-service cleaning.

Sea Foam is a blend of highly refined additive oils and is compatible with all motor oils including synthetics. It is safe for all internal engine components and will not affect any seals, gaskets or o-rings. Sea Foam cleans oil deposits and varnish in your crankcase by safely/slowly re liquefying the old oil residue so contaminants may flow and be filtered. The longer Sea Foam is in your oil the cleaner your crankcase will become. When adding Sea Foam to clean oil, for long term maintenance cleaning, you must check your oil periodically for color and clarity, when your oil looks dirty change it. Because you added cleaning oil (Sea Foam) to your oil you may have to change oil before the expected service interval.

When adding Sea Foam to dirty oil before an oil change, for best results use 1 ½ ounces per quart of oil at least 100 miles before oil is changed.

http://www.seafoamsales.com/gasoline-engine-faqs.html
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Old 11-30-2010, 08:55 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NJHK View Post
Why are you trying to use it in your oil? You're supposed to spray it into the intake stream (example, vacuum nipple port on the intake manifold). It doesn't go in your oil or fuel.

'ya sure about that? might want to check the 'how to use' instructions on a bottle of seafoam... It can be quite useful in the crankcase of many engines, and I use it in the fuel of all my 2 stroke engines. Helps prevent them from carboning up.
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Old 11-30-2010, 09:01 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Scotty View Post
forget using it in the oil
^im with stupid^ seafoam is strait solvent, solvent is great and cleaning oil off of metal. if you want to wipe out a bearing, go ahead. otherwise dont put crap in your oil. ever.
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Old 11-30-2010, 09:49 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by n2oiroc View Post
^im with stupid^ seafoam is strait solvent, solvent is great and cleaning oil off of metal. if you want to wipe out a bearing, go ahead. otherwise dont put crap in your oil. ever.
yew aint with ME.....NO as in NOT
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Old 11-30-2010, 10:00 PM   #14
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yew aint with ME.....NO as in NOT
are you always such a ray of sunshine?
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Old 12-01-2010, 01:55 AM   #15
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LOL wipe out a bearing with a can of seafoam in a properly filled crankcase. That's a doozie if I've ever heard one.
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Old 12-01-2010, 02:34 AM   #16
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50 miles or so is what I'd do, but I haven't found it necessary.

These cars are a lot more robust than people here will tell you. You don't need to be running exactly 4.7qts of the finest grade synthetic motor oil at all times. You can put this stuff in your motor without it exploding.
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Old 12-01-2010, 09:49 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rkramer View Post
'ya sure about that? might want to check the 'how to use' instructions on a bottle of seafoam... It can be quite useful in the crankcase of many engines, and I use it in the fuel of all my 2 stroke engines. Helps prevent them from carboning up.
Once again, I use Powerfoam, not Seafoam. I don't know what the instructions on Seafoam are but on every power foam bottle I've seen talks about putting into the intake system. I know Amsoil uses products for oil system use like this: http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/flsh.aspx
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Old 12-01-2010, 09:54 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NJHK View Post
Once again, I use Powerfoam, not Seafoam. I don't know what the instructions on Seafoam are but on every power foam bottle I've seen talks about putting into the intake system. I know Amsoil uses products for oil system use like this: http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/flsh.aspx
Then why are you telling people where it should or should not go?
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Old 12-01-2010, 10:40 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scooby24 View Post
Then why are you telling people where it should or should not go?
Hence why I put "Also Note" that I use a different product. I looked up just now for seafoam and the instructions so I understand why they were doing what they were doing. It just sounded strange since I thought it was a similar product. I was leaving room for me making a mistake.

Also I was posting because people were making it seem like they should not use it on a boxer motor, I was posting to state that foaming works. I am in support of it.
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Old 12-01-2010, 01:46 PM   #20
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LOL wipe out a bearing with a can of seafoam in a properly filled crankcase. That's a doozie if I've ever heard one.
Would you pour 16oz of lacquer thinner in your oil?
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Old 12-01-2010, 01:53 PM   #21
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i inject NOS into my oil. it makes me go so fast
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Old 12-02-2010, 01:23 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by n2oiroc View Post
Would you pour 16oz of lacquer thinner in your oil?

HMMM.. Most engine flushes use diesel oil and some sort of napthenic base oil. Some use Kerosene....

Seafoam is basically naptha & isopropyl alcohol in a mineral oil carrier. Adding the recommend amount to the oil, at that ratio is hardly anything remotely the same as pouring 16oz of laquer thinner in the engine. Also given the low 55*F flash point, like condensation, and fuel, it will burn off at higher oil temps.

I am not advocating using seafoam in the crankcase, just stating that when USED properly, it's not going to cause you to wipeout a bearing..
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Old 12-02-2010, 12:08 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by n2oiroc View Post
Would you pour 16oz of lacquer thinner in your oil?
acetone or toluene/xylene thinner?

ask yourself: when used engine oil smells like gasoline, what do you think gives it that gasoline smell?
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Old 12-02-2010, 12:28 PM   #24
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I'm running a Water/Meth setup, ... that gets in the oil as well. At what point it becomes a problem depends on how you drive and how much is allowed to build up.
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Old 12-02-2010, 08:25 PM   #25
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Usually any more than 2% is not good for oil baed on doing UOAs. You can get that kind of fuel dilution on motor oil that sees heavy frequency of short trips
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