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Jul 26 11 2:45 PM

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Hi,

My Kia Avella 1.5 SOHC engine is like over 250.000km (156.000 miles) pretty strong though. I bought it second handed so I dont know if the engine was rebuilt or not.

My question is, is it dangerous to try using the Sea Foam product? I think I heard before that on a high mileage engine could clean it that much to the point that you will lose carbon deposits that helps to compression.

Is it true??? Also what about using Syntetic oil after it.


Thanks!!!
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iceracerdude

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#1 [url]

Jul 26 11 3:15 PM

The point of seafoam is to actually remove those carbon deposits. In and around the combustion chamber, including the valves, tops of the pistons and even within the rings and their grooves.
It additionally cleans the injectors somewhat, causing the car to immediately start and idle better (that is, after you get the car started after the initial treatment). Excessive carbon deposits have a whole host of bad things associated with them some of which are the ability to actually change your compression ratio, create hot spots in the combustion chamber, raising combustion chamber temps in general, and jamming the actions of the valves and piston rings. Although I know it say's you can add it to your crankcase, I would strongly caution against using it this way because it has the ability to rinse the rod and main bearings on older engines to the point of causing them to let loose and create the dreaded "spun bearing" situation. I've personally seen that happen twice!

The precision is the religion for me!

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#2 [url]

Jul 26 11 3:27 PM

Hey iceracerdude, thanks for your answer. So where should be the best part to apply it? I have another car I want to apply that too, do you think a can can work on both or do I need one for each?

Thanks

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#3 [url]

Jul 26 11 4:38 PM

QUOTE (rovafa2002 @ July 26, 2011 03:27 pm)
Hey iceracerdude, thanks for your answer. So where should be the best part to apply it? I have another car I want to apply that too, do you think a can can work on both or do I need one for each?

Thanks

best bet is to read the label and see how much the manufacturer of "seafoam" recommends to use for each application.

and it's scary.. you would think iceracerdude would be wrong ONCE out of 500+ posts, but he hasn't been yet, so whatever he says is like gold.. just do it! ..or don't, in this case.

2003 chrysler town & country - school bus and grocery getter
1999 mazda 626 - DD till the paintjob's done
1994 ford aspire - down for awhile for paint.

"If it moves, grease it, if it don't, paint it, and if it ain't broke don't fix it."
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iceracerdude

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Jul 26 11 11:05 PM

Thanks for the sentiment Zoom, you're too kind but you know I did think I was wrong once, but as it turns out, I was mistaken!
What most of us do here on the site is we make the motor injest it while it's running. This makes for a much faster effect than just adding it to the gas tank,
I use about 1/3 of a can per application, so in essence I get 3 apps. I do this by pouring it into another small container then I just let the engine suck it in through a vacuum line directly into the intake manifold by way of say, the pcv hose for example.
The real trick is to try and keep the engine from stalling that is till right as the very last drop is going in, then let the engine stall (or quickly shut the key off).
If you don't get it to stall right at the end, don't panic, you'll get better at it as you do additional applications. Now you let it sit for 30 to 45 mins. while it soaks in and dissolves that carbon. Now's a good time to point out how much smoke this little process generates. First off, you want to do this knowing it will
be very smokey, so don't do it in a garage, and consider thinking about your neighbors reaction as well. It will only smoke a bit when you first add it to the running engine, but the real smoke comes later after you do the restart.
It will be a little hard to restart, but it will restart, and then when it does, it will generate a ton of smoke for quite a while. I like to take the car down the road pretty much right after I start it and plan on seeing a constantly diminishing smoke trail for as much as 3 miles or more! Again, consider your neighbors and other drivers prior to doing the sea foam thing.
After you get back, you'll find your car is idling noticeably smoother, and it will start much easier for you in the future.
Let us know what you think if you decide to give it a try. good luck

The precision is the religion for me!

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#5 [url]

Jul 27 11 9:59 AM

Ill do it, I have to buy it and send it to Uruguay where I live. Sadly its not sold in here. Maybe I can have luck and find it but I dont think so.

If not Ill be going to SFO next month to work for a couple of months. The thing is that I want to try it right now.

I feel it will improve my idle, I do feel it a little rough. If y put a bottle of water with 1/2 water in it horizontaly on the dashboard I can clearly see how it moves and you can feel it too. Maybe its just normaal on this car.

I do drive from time to time my moms car a 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer and I cannot notice if its on or off. I hope I do fix it using the Seafoam.

The only thing I wont do then is to pour it directly to the oil as you said. This is only something that happens with these Mazda engines or with all engines you do it?

Thanks

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Cani Lupine

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#6 [url]

Jul 27 11 10:54 AM

If you don't know the history, there's a good chance the previous owner might not have kept up with regular oil changes. I know the guy I bought mine from didn't.

He said it would lose power for 15-20 seconds and smoke out the exhaust. My guess was a sticky ring. I added Seafoam to the oil through the crank and let it run for 5 minutes, revving it off and on. Right after that, I changed the oil. I have yet to have any problems like the last owner had, and it runs quite smoothly.

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iceracerdude

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#7 [url]

Jul 27 11 4:16 PM

No, it's not just a mazda thing, I've seen it happen on other cars and I've read other guys complain of it on other sites. There's another thing we do that might interest you as well. It's called a "piston soak", we pull the spark plugs and drop about a half once into each cylinder, replace the plugs and let that soak for 30-45 mins. This really concentrates on sticky rings and carboned up piston tops and crowns. You'd be surprised at how much better a car will run when the rings get freed up.

The precision is the religion for me!

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#9 [url]

Jul 28 11 9:59 AM

QUOTE (iceracerdude @ July 27, 2011 04:16 pm)
No, it's not just a mazda thing, I've seen it happen on other cars and I've read other guys complain of it on other sites. There's another thing we do that might interest you as well. It's called a "piston soak", we pull the spark plugs and drop about a half once into each cylinder, replace the plugs and let that soak for 30-45 mins. This really concentrates on sticky rings and carboned up piston tops and crowns. You'd be surprised at how much better a car will run when the rings get freed up.

So after the 45min soak with the plugs in do you need to remove them and dry it out or can you just start the car?

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#10 [url]

Jul 28 11 11:03 AM

theres 2 different kinds of seafoam at my parts store here, i need the one for the engine right? the other one says it's for vacuum hoses or something..

2003 chrysler town & country - school bus and grocery getter
1999 mazda 626 - DD till the paintjob's done
1994 ford aspire - down for awhile for paint.

"If it moves, grease it, if it don't, paint it, and if it ain't broke don't fix it."
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iceracerdude

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#11 [url]

Jul 28 11 4:00 PM

QUOTE (LangBardr @ July 28, 2011 10:59 am)
So after the 45min soak with the plugs in do you need to remove them and dry it out or can you just start the car?

Yes, that's right! The only reason we pull the plugs is because in essence, it affords us a kind of direct access and ability to concentrate the fluid. Nothing gets sucked out or wasted in that particular process like it does on the running engine process. Then of course you put the plugs and wires back, and it should be ready to go 30 min. later. I think you're really going to be pleased with the results you get. I know a lot of guys get sticker shock when they buy their first can, but you've gotta know you're getting it all back in mileage at the financial level, and then the renewed drivability is just the icing on that cake! Let us know what you think!

The precision is the religion for me!

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Cani Lupine

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#13 [url]

Aug 4 11 1:32 PM

I did the piston soak thing, let it sit for about an hour, and went back to crank it up. I thought I hydrolocked it, but I kept cycling the starter and it eventually fired up. There's a noticeable improvement in smoothness.

I actually ended up adding far more than I thought (about an ounce per cylinder), and it was dumping out the white smoke for a good 15 minutes. I'm pretty sure the upper cylinder is sparkling now! lol

Also changed the oil right after that.

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#14 [url]

Aug 4 11 3:56 PM

QUOTE (BrianFestiva @ July 29, 2011 12:49 am)
I need to do this! We don't have it here is Aus tho, hard to get hold of the stuff...

The subaru upper engine clean is the easiest available alternative here in australia

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#15 [url]

Aug 9 11 5:59 PM

I got the seafoam, is it necessary to do an oil change immediately after, or can I wait a week (300 miles) before doing it.. or is it even necessary at all?

2003 chrysler town & country - school bus and grocery getter
1999 mazda 626 - DD till the paintjob's done
1994 ford aspire - down for awhile for paint.

"If it moves, grease it, if it don't, paint it, and if it ain't broke don't fix it."
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iceracerdude

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#16 [url]

Aug 9 11 6:32 PM

If you just do the running engine suck, you shouldn't have to do the oil change right away. If you do the piston soak, or the add it to the crank case oil option, I would change it right after. But I won't add it to my crankcase oil on unknown bearing sets.

The precision is the religion for me!

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#17 [url]

Aug 9 11 7:26 PM

yea i was gonna use 1/3 of the can in the pcv tube, then dump the rest in the tank.. ?

i'll get more and do the piston soak later when i plan on changing the oil.. ? or would that be too hard on the 160k mile bearings?

2003 chrysler town & country - school bus and grocery getter
1999 mazda 626 - DD till the paintjob's done
1994 ford aspire - down for awhile for paint.

"If it moves, grease it, if it don't, paint it, and if it ain't broke don't fix it."
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#18 [url]

Sep 27 11 11:30 AM

Hey, I got my Seafoam can from US yesterday, cant wait to use this stuff.

Just wanted to make sure, is it really necesary to change oil after doing only the "piston soak" treatment.

I've changed my synthetic oil like 2000km ago so I was not planning on changin it, would it hurt something by just appling it by sucking and the piston soak treatments?

Correct me if im wrong this is my possible procedure of appliance.
1- Add 1/3 directly to the gas tank, with the gas tank full???
2- Do the sucking engine procudure using 1/3 as iceracerdude said
3- While waiting 45 minutes I do the piston soak

After finishing I can reapeat step 2 with the remaining seafoam. Do you think this is right?

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#19 [url]

Sep 27 11 1:49 PM

Yea, iceracer said if you soak the pistons to change it immediately, just do the sucking application, and wait until your next oil change and doa soak before you change it..

You'll like the results even just after doing the pcv valve application, i did, almost like night and day.

2003 chrysler town & country - school bus and grocery getter
1999 mazda 626 - DD till the paintjob's done
1994 ford aspire - down for awhile for paint.

"If it moves, grease it, if it don't, paint it, and if it ain't broke don't fix it."
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#20 [url]

Sep 27 11 2:49 PM

As mentioned in another thread, I did the SeaFoam through the PVC hose trick, but I didn't have the benefit of assistance. I tried juggling the hose, container of sea Foam and the throttle all at the same time, but always got hung up when trying to transfer the hose to the container while keeping my finger on the hose to maintain vacuum.

I finally just poured the stuff in the hose and cranked the engine...isn't that essentially the same end result ?

The whole experience made me think through the fabrication of a brass aquarium valve attachment that would allow you to maintain vacuum while the end of an extension hose was placed in the container of SeaFoam...while working the throttle with one hand, the valve could be opened with the other...the valve would allow metering of the flow to help reduce the likelihood of stalling.

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