RidinDurty

Ok so i was thinking about doing the whole engine treatment with sea foam but then i did some research on zMax and realized that zMax is the better buy. What do you guys think?

One thing i have doubts on Sea Foam is having to change my spark plugs and oil every time you use Sea Foam. Which btw it is recommended to use Sea Foam every 5k miles. Thats ridiculous that i have to get new spark plugs so often. With zMax you pour it in after your oil change and they say to use it every 6 months or 6k miles, which ever comes first. And thats without having to change your spark plugs every single time.

My point is that you guys should really consider using zMax over Sea Foam. I'll post the links to the web sites so you could compare the two products.

Sea Foam

zMax

Dook

you do not need to change your spark plugs after using seafoam.

i know nothing of zmax, but i will tell you that seafoam works well.

RidinDurty

Well a couple people on this forum have said you do have to change the spark plugs. Either way, zMax works just as good. Its a very popular engine treatment product and it actually seems to be better in some ways.

Dook

i've used it countless times without EVER changing my plugs. on a few of my vehicles. this is practial experience, not something i read.

fsttyms1

with Dook You dont have to change plugs after using it. I have used it many times and never changed plugs. and i think every 5 k is a little often. Maybe as a fuel treatment but the other usee for cleaning isnt necessary that often

01tl4tl

If you have say- over 70 thousand miles- you may be due for new plugs anyway.

If you have a really bad case of carbon loading- you might need to do the plugs after

The 2 products work on different things

Adding Seafoam -a solvent- via the easy to reach intake manifold vaccum line- slowly allowing it to be sucked into the engine- then wait 15 minutes while it dissolves years of junk, start it up, assure the neighbor its not on fire, then go for a good freeway blast to clean out the now softened carbon deposits.

There are some cleaners that works thru the fuel tank- others this way

Thousands of peole on this board all say its a safe and known product.

Dook

you know, that's actually a good point. if you have a lot of miles, and if this is your first time using it, replacing the plugs would probably not be a bad idea afterwards anyway. i could see how you could loosen and burn a lot of crap, and potentially foul the plugs. at least to some extent.

RidinDurty

So what does the Sea Foam clean that the zMax doesnt? I just want to know the difference before i go get it in about 30 minutes. I do need new spark plugs anyway, im at 93k miles...

Dook

who knows?? did you read through the websites you posted links to? i'd say just pick one and use it.

ou sig

use Sea Foam through the gas and the intake manafold - then replace your plugs with NGK Iridium ones and you will be good. replace your plugs because of your mileage, not because of using SeaFoam

01tl4tl

You put Seafoam into directly into the intake manifold system- which means it cleans the top of the valves and pistons and scrubs down the piston walls a little too.

You also add it to the gas tank which cleans the fuel injection sprayers- very important to overall engine running

You add it to the oil and it cleans the bottem end of the engine and the oil passage ways

I have never tried zmax and used seafoam based on this boards say so-- wow was I impressed and I have used the real shop fuel system cleaning machine that does the 150 buck cleanout- using what- seafoam and gasoline

Billy Sacco

Yes and also just to let you know. The oil does not need to be changed unless you add the seafoam to your crankcase. And you definately don't have to. You can split the bottle up between your fuel tank and suck the rest up into the intake. If you are not changing oil right now then just wait until your about to and then run the seafoam through the crankcase before an oil change. Also you say this zMax stuff is added after an oil change? I would be a bit paranoid about having something other then oil running through the car for an extended period of time. With the seafoam you do it before the oil change so you flush out the seafoam. Either seafoam works great, I ran a can a piece through intake, crankcase, and fuel tank and I did notice a difference. Oh and I did not change my spark plugs after doing the seafoam and I was fine as other's have said if you have the miles to justify it just swap the plugs anyway.

RidinDurty

Ok guys i got the Sea Foam but I want to wait until my next oil change to do it. Like you said Billy Sacco, i want to put a can in the crankcase, intake, and fuel tank but i just changed my oil about 150 miles ago lol. Well thank you to everyone that cleared up everything i needed to know about Sea Foam.

L3wD

read that... apparently you shouldnt use Zmax

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65078

fla-tls

I wouldn't put much trust in that thread...

RidinDurty

x2

01tl4tl

Ridin

Clean the dirt-carbon-junk, out of the intake system by putting the one can you have, split between the gas tank and the vacuum line

One can for each is overkill

You can always do it again when its time for the oil change- then you should be great for 15 thou miles before retreatment needed

RidinDurty

Alright, i'll do that then. I though you had to pour the Sea Foam in the crankcase, fuel tank and intake system? Also, i want to use it before my next oil change. When should i use the sea foam? A couple miles before the oil change? or a couple days? Thanx.

01tl4tl

Seafoam doesnt care where you pour it. You can use 1/3 of a can in the intake and gas tank, the say less than 50 miles before your next oil change- toss the rest in the engine oil.

You can also use Redline fuel cleaner or Lucas in the gas tank- both work great at cleaning the fuel injectors- very important!

Seafoam marketing on the can just wants you to know its safe everywhere in the engine, and they want you to do it way to often- buying more product than needed
Welcome to America!

RidinDurty

Amen

DesertFox

at the napa, oriellys and autozone and pepboys near my house i couldnt find either all i could find was gumout

will this work?
i havent purchased any yet
but im planning on it soon if it will work

superfob

Did you ask the clerks? Napa, Autozone and Pepboys should carry Seafoam.

DesertFox

they didnt know what it was
>.<

01tl4tl

Go back to autozone and look on the shelf in the fuel cleaner, engine cleaner area
Its round like soda can and about 6 inches tall
Ask a manager to help you

They sell the product but it does blend into the background on the shelf

Rarely do the clerks know anything about the product or any of the stuff they sell

orgnlprankster7

i sefoamed my car resently, but i did not put it in the intake. how would you go about doing that? take off the intake and pour it in the trottle body?

01tl4tl

o prank

Just scroll thru the main page of the TL forum 2nd gen and down a page or 2 is a 6 page thread title seafoamed the ol TL
Ther are pics and easy instructions. There is a vacuum line comes right out the back center of the engine- follow it to its junction box on drier side fenderwell and remove. Slide can down into space and stick hose in can litlle bit at a time so as not to kill the engine, wait 15 minutes, restart car and enjoy the smoke show and follow up with a freeway blast

Done

DesertFox

ok ill look to see if i can find seafoam
however if i dont do you think gum out would work?

01tl4tl

DF
You live in America, parts stores sell Seafoam
I had not heard of it in its public use form (same stuff different name in shop fuel clening machine) until I joined this forum

And all that time it had been on the parts store shelf.

Have no idea how any other product would work in the vac line
Do like Redline and Lucas fuel system cleaners- will do similar job as Seafoam on the carbon and injector cleaning- but not for use in the oil - and not instantly

orgnlprankster7

ohh i c, i did that. didnt realize the vacume hose goes to the intake manifold brain fart