What's the best way to use seafoam in our hemi's? I used to pour it straight down the throttle body on my 318 but our engines don't have that same setup. I've used it once on my hemi by having a buddy pouring it thru the brake booster hose while I kept the revs up, but it sucked a whole can down in less than a minute with no bogging or smoke or anything. Its like it just sucked it up and didn't burn it or anything. I just hope I don't have an unburnt can of seafoam sloshing around somewhere in my intake. Any advice?

The brake booster or PCV lines are the preferred methods for vacuum line introduction of Seafoam. If the BB enters the manifold at the rear, and the PCV the front, many people will perform 2 procedures to ensure the intake is fully cleaned. If you just do one on a setup like that then the area you use will be cleaned better than the other end.

Proper procedure for vacuum line Seafoam use...

1 - apply to an engine that is already at full operating temperature. Don't do it on a cold engine. Do it after driving or let the engine warm up a good 10 minutes before starting.

2 - do not rev the engine continuously while adding the Seafoam. That is sucking it through and burning it off before it has a chance to do any good. Seafoam should be added to an engine that is idling normally not being rev'ed. If it is starting to bog down back off on your pour rate, or stop pouring period, until it returns to a normal idle. If you must hit the accelerator to keep it running don't rev it just slightly bump RPM's until it is to a point it won't die. Again, serious rev'ing and racing of the engine is just going to burn it off before it can do anything. That may work when dumping directly into the throttle body because more is going in but through the vacuum source it is in a smaller quantity and more easily burned off.

3 - you only add 1/3-1/2 can through the vacuum source. Not a whole can. Adding a whole can is overkill and will also put you at a larger risk for hydrolock. Pour the remaining 1/2-2/3 can you have left into the gas tank.

4 - Use a small funnel in the vacuum line to make pouring the Seafoam in easier. It also helps to ensure that you don't add too much too fast. If you are pouring at a proper rate it is just a trickle from the can and will disappear instantly through the funnel without bogging the engine down too badly. If you pour too much too fast it will fill the funnel and the engine will start to bog and eventually die.

5 - once the 1/3-1/2 can has been added immediately shut the engine off. DO NOT REV IT! If you are near that 1/3 to 1/2 can point and the engine stalls out while pouring just stop there. Do not restart it if it stalls out at that point. Actually, many people prefer to use the Seafoam to kill the engine. They will dump a little extra to kill it. The theory is in doing so it keeps a little extra product in the cylinders for the 5-10 minute cleaning period( see #6 ).

6 - After the engine is off allow it to sit for at least 5 minutes. I personally feel 7-10 is better if it is an older vehicle with more miles on it. 5 minutes is fine on newer vehicles that do not need as much cleaning. This allows the product to do it's job( it sort of steams the inside of the intake/cylinders ). If all you do is rev the engine while pouring it in you have burned it all off before letting it sit.

7 - Restart after 5-10 minutes and NOW you can rev it. You should see some serious smoke if the engine has some miles on it. On a newer vehicle you won't see as much but you still should see some. Now go take a good strong highway run to burn it all off.

***NOTE - you can use Seafoam Deep Creep aerosol spray to clean your throttle body. Works really good. I generally clean the TB with Deep Creep while the engine is sitting after the vacuum line treatment.***

Hope this helps.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: NHHEMI,

I've never used SeaFoam so can someone tell me is it good stuff? I have often wondered about the places that offer "fuel injector cleaning" also? Anyone with some good info please pipe in and let me know what you think.

Thanks.

Thanks so much for the info NHHEMI. I'll try it again the right way and hopefully this time I'll get some smoke. About how often should this be done on one of our hemis? Mines got 75k on it and still runs smooth as silk every time.

quote:

Originally posted by mindy's hemi "Satch":
I've never used SeaFoam so can someone tell me is it good stuff? I have often wondered about the places that offer "fuel injector cleaning" also? Anyone with some good info please pipe in and let me know what you think.

Thanks.

Seafoam used in the manner I have outlined is an EXCELLENT product. I have had some really good results come from this method on vehicles that have a few miles. If done properly it really makes a difference in how your vehicle runs. You won't see such noticeable results from it if done on a new vehicle as you will an older one though. It is on vehicles with a few miles that it really makes a difference.

However, if done every year, or even 2X's a year like I do( starting around 10K ), as routine maintenance it will really help to keep the vehicle running at it's best(IMO). I also always do the Seafoam Deep Creep on the throttle body while I am doing the pour in Seafoam. IMO, this really helps to keep the engine running at it's most efficient and best.

Seafoam as discussed here is NOT going to clean the Fuel Injectors however just FYI. Only if you pour what you don't run through a vacuum line into the gas tank will it get to your injectors. In this process it is going to work on cleaning( ie; carbon build up )the combustion chamber( ie; cylinders ), piston domes, and valves. It also indirectly ends up cleaning your 02 sensors and will help eliminate odors from your catalytic converter. Seafoam will NOT hurt your cat btw!

IMO, Seafoam used through the tank like a pour in FI cleaner does only a fair job at best. IMO Techron Plus is the best pour in FI cleaner available. Those fancy, and expensive, fuel injector treatments that are offered by a lot of shops are "ok" but IMO not worth the $$$. Generally it works by a pressurized hose being hooked to the fuel rail and a hi pressure shot of cleaner is then run through the fuel rails and injectors. Some shops actually use the Seafoam as the chemical they run through.

As long as you run quality gas and throw a bottle of a good FI cleaner like Techron Plus in once every month or two you should be good as far as keeping the fuel injectors clean and you can do the Seafoam through the vacuum line to clean the other areas. A pressurized FI treatment only makes sense to me on an old vehicle with clogged injectors or on a mid level( mileage wise )vehicle that has never had any FI cleaner run through and/or that has run sub par quality gas.

Other uses for Seafoam where it excels...

1 - do the vacuum line treatment about a week before you are due for your emmissions inspection. It will really help. I have actually seen cars that failed emmissions get a Seafoam treatment and then pass. I have also seen a vehicle throw a code for bad 02 sensors only to have it stay off after a Seafoam treatment and resetting the code.

2 - Seafoam can also be added directly to your crankcase to free sticking rings and lifters. I have used it in this manner as well with excellent results. I have used it as an engine flush too on used vehicles I have bought.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: NHHEMI,

quote:

Originally posted by MagnumForce:
Thanks so much for the info NHHEMI. I'll try it again the right way and hopefully this time I'll get some smoke. About how often should this be done on one of our hemis? Mines got 75k on it and still runs smooth as silk every time.

Don't think just because you don't see a lot of smoke that it hasn't worked. Even if done properly on an engine without a lot of carbon build up you won't see much smoke. Once the Seafoam is burned off in a clean engine it stops smoking pretty fast. If things were really nasty in there it smokes a lot worse. It may not smoke a lot on your truck even with 75K if you have cared for it well. NO smoke at all and something isn't working right though.

As I said in the answer ^^^ I generally do it 2 times a year starting once my vehicles hit 10K. I don't get a lot of smoke because I do it routinely and take excellent care of my vehicle.

Now, I ran it once on a beater( old Ford with 300 6cyl )for a friend who had failed emmissions( not the vehicle mentioned above )and whose vehicle ran like dog crap. You should have seen that smoke show. OY! Looked like they were spraying for King Kong sized mosquitos in the neighborhood. You couldn't even see 10 feet around you it was so bad. WE had to do a tune up in addition to the Seafoam but it passed emmisions and ran 1000 times better after.

MagnumForce;

This is about what you should expect from a normal condition engine with proper Seafoam application( you may experience a little more or a little less but this is about right )...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n2sv6LdCs8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdxKw1aUp5A

Thanks for the info NHHEMI. That's what I love about this site, people willing to share there knowledge and info. Thanks again sir.

quote:

Originally posted by mindy's hemi "Satch":
Thanks for the info NHHEMI. That's what I love about this site, people willing to share there knowledge and info. Thanks again sir.

Anytime.

Good info

This should be a sticky.

quote:

Originally posted by HoustonHemi:
This should be a sticky.

quote:

Originally posted by HoustonHemi:
This should be a sticky.

Done! Thanks Scott - great info

I did this last night, and WOW, amazing how much crap comes out of your pipes when you restart it, It runs a whole lot better and better low end torque, and my MPG on the highway is back up to 20, so deff a must for anyone with some higher mileage!

I noticed that after a tank of gas that wasnt to good and some octane boost to fix it the truck just hasnt run cas well. Yall, thanks it would help I only have about 47k. I guess it cant hurt huh?