seaffoam interesting link

[saddlebum]

https://seafoamsales.com/knowledge-base/how-to-add-sea-foam-motor-treatment-to-crankcase-oil/

 

https://seafoamsales.com/knowledge-base/how-to-use-sea-foam-in-fuel/

Edited August 6, 2019 by saddlebum

[RandyR]

I notice that they recommend adding the Seafoam to the oil just slightly before changing the oil.

[Sylvester]

I had a used Dodge Ram pickup that had a badly sludged engine. I put the Seafoam in it by directed dosage after an oil change and ran it 3000 miles. Cleaned that engine up. Used it for many more miles.

 

[slowrollwv]

I have used Seafoam in my engines for a while. Just wondering if it would work in an automatic tranny. I have an old Dodge PU that it does not matter where I put the shifter it is in drive.

[BlueSky]

I would be afraid to put it in an engine that was sludged up. Way back in 1972 I was back in college after the Army and my wife and I had a new Mustang. I wanted something to work on so I bought a 1959 Chevy Impala 4 drhdtp for $100. It smoked like crazy but it had a 283 V8 that I was eager to work on. Turned out the PO ran non-detergent oil in it for about 50k miles. Then he switched back to detergent oil and the sludge broke up and plugged the oil drain holes in the heads so the oil was building up under the valve covers above the valve guides with the oil running down the valve stems into the cylinders. I removed the valve covers and intake manifold and scooped a bucket full of sludge out of that engine. It didn't smoke any more!

[saddlebum]

I notice that they recommend adding the Seafoam to the oil just slightly before changing the oil.

 

I had a used Dodge Ram pickup that had a badly sludged engine. I put the Seafoam in it by directed dosage after an oil change and ran it 3000 miles. Cleaned that engine up. Used it for many more miles.

 

Near the end they have a question answer session. In it they state you can run it as long in the oil as you like but recommend the just before oil change so that the dissolved sludge is drained out rather than continually circulating through the oil system

 

I have used Seafoam in my engines for a while. Just wondering if it would work in an automatic tranny. I have an old Dodge PU that it does not matter where I put the shifter it is in drive.

I believe they make a product strictly for automatic transmissions. Check ther web site but I know I have seen it on the shelf here at Canadian tire.

 

I would be afraid to put it in an engine that was sludged up. Way back in 1972 I was back in college after the Army and my wife and I had a new Mustang. I wanted something to work on so I bought a 1959 Chevy Impala 4 drhdtp for $100. It smoked like crazy but it had a 283 V8 that I was eager to work on. Turned out the PO ran non-detergent oil in it for about 50k miles. Then he switched back to detergent oil and the sludge broke up and plugged the oil drain holes in the heads so the oil was building up under the valve covers above the valve guides with the oil running down the valve stems into the cylinders. I removed the valve covers and intake manifold and scooped a bucket full of sludge out of that engine. It didn't smoke any more!

Type of cleaner is the issue rather than whether or not to do it. You want to dissolve the sludge not break it up. A prime example is pouring water in the intake to clean up carbon, it works but if your too aggressive the water will actually break the carbon off in chunks which can do engine damage. In the case you speak of the damage is already done by running non-detergent oil and the sludge is actually helping to seal the damaged rings and cylinder walls but gets so thick once you you attempt to clean it out it breaks up in pieces that float around in the oil. Again the reason why sea foam recommends only running it prior to doing an oil change so that the crap gets drained out. I am pretty sure in your case this has to be an isolated incident since most in their right minds would not be fool enough to run non detergent oil in a vehicle.

[BlueSky]

Near the end they have a question answer session. In it they state you can run it as long in the oil as you like but recommend the just before oil change so that the dissolved sludge is drained out rather than continually circulating through the oil system

 

I believe they make a product strictly for automatic transmissions. Check ther web site but I know I have seen it on the shelf here at Canadian tire.

 

Type of cleaner is the issue rather than whether or not to do it. You want to dissolve the sludge not break it up. A prime example is pouring water in the intake to clean up carbon, it works but if your too aggressive the water will actually break the carbon off in chunks which can do engine damage. In the case you speak of the damage is already done by running non-detergent oil and the sludge is actually helping to seal the damaged rings and cylinder walls but gets so thick once you you attempt to clean it out it breaks up in pieces that float around in the oil. Again the reason why sea foam recommends only running it prior to doing an oil change so that the crap gets drained out. I am pretty sure in your case this has to be an isolated incident since most in their right minds would not be fool enough to run non detergent oil in a vehicle.

 

Well, if detergent oil can break up heavy sludge, there is a risk of any detergent/cleaner doing the same thing, I would guess. I would be afraid to use it. I've known owners who filled the crankcase with kerosene and ran the engine for a while to clean it but I wouldn't. The used cars I've bought in the last few decades, I have looked inside the oil fill tube to see if I can see sludge. If I see it, I don't buy. But, in my latter years, I mostly buy new autos on the rare instances when I buy.

[saddlebum]

In the past I have used STP engine flush on vehicles that had lifters so noisy that the engines sounded like diesel engines. This stuff you poured into a hot engine and just let it sit and idle for 15-20 minutes (DO NOT DRIVE) and you could just hear the noise slowly disappear. After you idle it for the rcomended time you drain the oil immediately while hot and change the filter. in all four cases that I used it the engines ran like new and they remained running quiet from that point on.

 

One risk there is to flushing the engine is that if it has a lot of miles its the sludge that could be keeping the seals from leaking preventing piston ring blowby or oil consumption and once cleaned out the seals could start to leak and the engine could start using oil. In my case none of the vehicles I used it on had any negative side affects and all ran like a dream.