My acura is a 2005 TL with only 28000 miles on it. I dont drive it much since i use an old nissan altima to work... would it be wise to do seafom treatment or not. I get around 28 29 mpg on highway when i do take longer trips. But i also have bridgestone RE960 which many people reported that they lost 2-3 mpg due to the tire... but who knows.

so let me know... Im about to go on a 650 mile road trip at the end of the month. so if recommended i would do it this weeekend.

 

Well there's really nothing to lose by doing it... except the $10 for the seafoam. So why not do it? Even a very minor improvement is worth it.

 

with that low mileage on the car ... i doubt its gonna help very much

 

as a tech and foam user-
30k miles is the right time to start on a yearly program
gas is 3.14 in my town today- up 4 cents from this morning~
before a trip- foam or bg or wynns are all good products

Throw a can in 1/2 tank of gas for a cleaning strength of 2oz per gal of fuel
Do the intake manifold and TB plate methods with another can

You would be surprised what grunge is in the oil passages and rings, pour half a can in the oil- drive for 30 minutes and change oil and filter

Seafoam has a point of sale money back guarantee- says- your moneys worth or your money back- the store gives a refund direct on the spot.
According to my local autozone and kragen- they have never had a refund request.
how can you go wrong?
I prefer Deep Creep- seafoam in aerosol can for ease of doing TB and intake manifold

 

some cars like BMW require you start on an induction cleaning program at 15k miles and then once a year-15k miles
(my Honda 2-wheeler requires it too, `frequently` per the book)

We have hi compression (especially type S) engines with zero clearance, meaning if timing belt breaks, an open valve will hit a rising piston and bend valve
Carbon and other combustion byproducts build up on those surfaces every time you drive- worse if you do short trips frequently
Use of non Tier1 brand gas makes more crud appear faster
Enough carbon buildup on the pistons could cause some serious issues beyond pinging and predetonation

No the book may not require it, so what!- do you think they put all the things you should do in the book, most,, but not all

what we do is the same as bg wynns used at shops if you watch the videos,
We save $100 doing it at home
Many shop machines use seafoam in them at 50/50 ratio in a half gallon gas and hook to the fuel line for 20-30 minutes at idle-- then a blaster drive to clean out the crud

bet the shop doesnt even do the blowout drive- you better be standing there ready to do it as soon as finished

We run it longer at cleaning strength for better results thru the gas tank to injectors and directly get the valves and pistons thru manifold vac port and TB inlet

 

check the actual weight of the car corners vs the max cold weight and pressure of the tire.
About 80 percent is normal cold load- example 50 psi max cold tire, car weight 80% of max for tire, reduce 20% from max= 50-10 = 40psi

For the trip, pump them closer to max- extra weight of luggage needs support and tires run cooler during long runs with a few psi more air
yes its in the book~

 

Doesn't Seafoam recommend you immediately change your plugs after using their product? I would hate for all that crud to gunk up your plugs, cats & O2 sensor...

I did loose an O2 sensor not long after using Seafoam in my 190k mile CRX. I can say I didn't have much if any smoke comming out during use either. I don't know if it's related, but I no longer use the product. I simply run Chevron's Gas (detergents) and I have no problems with buildup in any of my cars...

I have also heard of one other person on who got a Check Engine Light for his O2 sensor immediately after Seafoam. He said he simply pulled it out and soaked the head in seafoam. He said the light went away after hooking it back up. I imagine that would be a PITA on this car though

Just some thought...

 

Funny that 01 mentioned BMW requiring additives. I was just tossing out some old receipts from my 2000 E46, and noticed that they used BG44K on some of my oil changes. Hmmm. Since I drove that car 240k miles and the engine, despite my hammering on it, still purred like a kitten, I'm now wondering whether I should be pouring it into my TLS.

 

BTW, the 44k was for the fuel system. MOA was for the oil.

 

Absolutely ZERO point to use this at 28k. Don't bother.

 

IIRC that was the old formulation...

 

I had a conversation with a mechanic I know and he asked me if seafoam is cat converter safe? Any idea if it is or not? I can understand the immediate improvements but if its going to cost me extra money in the future because I have to replace a cat, I might start to think twice about using it often.

 

I didn't start using SeaFoam until about 80k in my current car (2001 Maxima)...I am at 140k now and have not had a single 02/cat problem. Mind you I also use Chevron Techron every 5k and Auto RX, but then again, I am a preventative maintenance Nazi...

 

I've heard some great things abuot Auto RX.

 

I've used it on my car, and breathed life back in to BOTH of my parents car...after all of the hub-ub about it on BobistheOilGuy, I decided to give it a shot, and MAN am I happy I did.

Auto-Rx+AMSOIL = WIN.

 

I have to agree with this.

 

I have one question...

Would you wait until your car is absolutely filthy before you wash it? Probably not, because it will be harder to remove the dirt and buildup if left for too long.

Read between the lines and you'll see where I'm going with this...

 

Trew, I'm with you on this. If Seafoam is suppose to help keep your engine clean and running well, wouldn't you use it periodically? What is the interval that people are using Seafoam? Every 15k miles, 20k, 25K, 30K, ???

 

seafoam in BIG letters on the can says: O2 SAFE!!! CAT SAFE!!!!

seafoam never said to replace the plugs just because you foamed
IF you have 100k on the plugs, you are ready for plugs - yes- after you foam then replace the plugs based on time/miles

IF you had 100k plugs and failed to do the warm up and after drives properly
THEN you can load up the O2 sensor,,, it has happened here
Sensor has a way to self clean itself over the next few days driving as heat moves the crud off and downstream,, the CEL goes away
Reading the DIY woud have explained this to you~

Anyone who says its not needed at 28-
have you been inside the intake with a boroscope? no?!!? then shut up!!

Cleaning is needed every 15 based on newest studies and internal camera looks-

ethanol added in gas is full of/leaves behind extra crud- must use something to get rid of it.
Chevron techroline in a bottle is good stuff for gas tank. so is redline or bg or wynns or seafoam- use at max doseage not minimum
Note chevron says a bottle to tank every 5000 miles-plus use their gas
Chevron gas stations have techroline added at maitenance dose- if used every tank for 5000 miles it will clean most of the stuff and keep it fairly clean for you

Or you can do a blaster treatment once a year and some in the tank to keep things in order

Used in the oil, you drive 30 minutes and drain everything

but hey- if you think $3++ a gallon gas is cheap and you dont need max mileage from your car, then dont touch it till 105..thats your biz

 

naysayers
Go buy a can and put in 1/2 tank of gas
If by the time you fill the tank again its not running better- take empty can back to parts store and ask for a refund
They will hand you 10 dollars back

You would be the first person I ever heard of that asked for a refund....

 

If your mechanic has never heard of seafoam and how it works- get a new mechanic

They came out with machines in the early 80s that hooked into the fuel rails and provided a seperate can of dosed 50/50 gasoline- to the engine for 30 minutes at idle
(I used to run one)
Guess what product was added to the gas??? SEAFOAM!!!!
look at the can- has directions for that use printed right on it!
BMW knows how to keep a car running..they were first to suggest then require this service

 

It's pointless at 28k because there is only a marginal amount of Carbon deposit that would not serve to retard engine function.

Seafoam is best used prior to every oil change.

(1) 1/3 Bottle SLOWLY sucked though vac line
(2) Sit for 3 to 5 mins
(3) Spirited run for about a mile
(4) Change out

 

If your sucking through the vac line #1, then what are you changing out in #4?

 

Oil. My bad.

 

LOL, but again if you suck the Seafoam through the Vac line, why change the oil? I thought you only change the oil if you put the Seafoam in the crankcase.

 

please see the DIY AND read up at www.seafoamsales.com - they have some very interesting info and several methods to try on their own website from 1/3 can to full cans and fogging. I will be trying some of them on my cars and bike

ALL require more time for it to soak in and `liquify` the old crud

If its supposed to be done every 15- and a car is near 30 now, there will be plenty to clean off the pistons, valves and the injectors to notice an improvement
combustion byproduct/crud starts getting the engine dirty right away- doesnt car if its a new car

No one here has PM'd me that seafoam sucked after they followed my directions.
Many have told me how well it worked on just one try, and even more when repeated in a month on higher mileage cars- then good for a year/15
reports of 2-3 mpg on many cars,,at least 1 for most anyone
That pays you back fast- 20 bucks now ( 1 can and 1 spray version) to save 5 bucks a tank, or go 50 miles further, however you like to think of it

In the oil is when you have to change the oil- seafoam says drive 30 miles and change when warm
Used only in the intake vac port at the TB- and some thru the TB plate,
no need to change oil

AGAIN I say- its 100% money back on the spot at the store you bought it from if you dont think it worked- no questions asked -no hassle given
What other brand has that written on the can/bottle

at just under a 1/2 tank gas- approx 8 gallons, add 16 oz, 1 can of seafoam liquid-
thats cleaning strength-
maitenance dose every 5000 is 1 can to full tank, ok to do if you want peak performance at all times instead of waiting for it to be bad and clean it again

drive as normal or go have fun and pump a lot of gas thru making hot temps in the engine- that will make it work even better- heat helps!!

 

You wouldn't wash your car over a few specs of dirt, either.

I've torn down enough engines at enough intervals to know that it's not needed that early. Proper maintenance (not Seafoam) will do more for you than additives.

Hell, you'd probably get just as good of results subbing in a quart of transmission fluid about 100 miles before your oil change.

I just don't get the Seafoam fanboys that treat it like it's some kind of miracle product that they need to use it every twenty feet. It's got a money back guarantee. That's nice. It's also irrelevant to the discussion.

 

i love the way third generation tl look like, but could not afford it. but im in love wit my 2nd generation tl

 

Seafoam is the bomb...if done correctly you WILL see smoke, you WILL see an improvement in MPG and engine feel/response and you WILL NOT see your CEL come on or have your catalytic go bad.

 

then there are people who effed up the install and still get results!

The money back is very relevant- if wont hurt anything, and you can try it for free if you really want to

its modern gas thats the real problem- sure back in the day was different
Now the 10% ethanol is really bad for combustion and leaves behind huge amounts of stuff to cause poor detonation of gas/air mix

Clean pistons allow better ignition of fuel- fact
clean injector flow better-mist better- fact
clean valve edges seat better and dont alter airflow patterns

redline seafoam bg wynns, all great products to use for these cleanings

first timers do it again in a month, then good for a year 15k miles
Since the TL has almost no maitenance required for a long time- to me- once a year cleanout of intake is smart investment of time and money

If you have not used seafoam you have no right to say it doesnt work!
its been working since 1950, and the formula didnt change- new EPA rules on colors added to different oils would have increased production cost without any change to the product-
so they removed a dye and the color changed- thats all- same stuff
read the site- its 3 types of oils combined to clean lube and protect

redlines been around since the late 70s- great stuff there too

 

cochese- you try runing tranny fluid in a TL thru the TB vac port--go ahead I want to watch
Thats old school for reviving a dead engine allright- but NOT the same as seafoam
Yes you can shoot water in and it will steam clean the pistons too
Assuming you dont get too much water at once and it wont compress- bends parts- explodes motor

I'll stick with my redline and seafoam thanks

 

I never said to put it in the port. I said put it in the oil. It's not even about reviving a dead engine, it's about using the detergents in the ATF to help clean the motor. Much cheaper.

You can do what you want. Personally, having used it and the professional alternatives, I'll go with the later. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - if this stuff (pale oil, petroleum ether, water and some IPA) fixes your motor or makes it run better, you weren't doing a very good job of maintaining it. 5 MPG difference? How clogged up is the motor? Pretty much anything could get those results.

I've used Seafoam. Decent product. Not worth the hype and recommendation that it seems to get, though. And definetly not worth the money to spend at that mileage.

And I'll always stick to my time-tested recommendation for internals: If you're going on a trip, if it isn't broken, don't try to fix it.

OP: do your regular maintenence, and do a FI service (use Seafoam if you like) around 60K.

 

OP, please disregard this comment.

 

You need to back that up. Or back out of it. You shouldn't be trying to do things different from normal maintenance before long trips. I speak from years of experience.

 

Back that up? Are you serious? There are entire companies, tomes and tomes of literature, and THOUSANDS of case studies citing the benefits of preventative maintenance.

As far as your position on seafoam stands, hey, I cannot find fault with that. I personally am happy with whatever results it yields, even if all it is stands as a placebo effect, it gives me peace of mind.

My fault is with the declaration of, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"...which is possibly the WORST slogan to be offered upon these shores.

 

Preventative maintenence is quite different than preventative fixes - of which I consider the preemptive use of Seafoam at low miles.

I've seen too many people try to get ambitous before long trips, and it's bit them in the ass most of the time. Seen, as in, in person. That's why I have always, and will continue to, recommend that even if you've abused the vehicle, it's better to do it afterwards.