Seafoam Success Story

[mftrnr]

So I started getting the dreaded timing chain slap during pretty much every time I drove my 2008 LC200 w/ 195k miles. It would most often appear in the first 10 minutes of driving but eventually go away. I was tempting to dive right in a fix it "the right way" by replacing the driver side tensioner but it did seem to be a beast of a job. So after seeing some success stories online I decided to try 8 oz of seafoam in the oil. I believe it was right about 125 miles later that I stopped getting any timing chain noise, and ended up replacing the oil with full synthetic 5w30 at 300 miles after putting in the seafoam. So far so good, I'm only a couple hundred past that, but I am optimistic at this point. I might do another 8 oz of seafoam near the end of this oil change for good measure.

This LC is still relatively new to me, purchased about 6 months ago. I did also recently have significant oil sludge under the cap but pretty certainly was able to attribute that to a bad PCV, after replacing that it went away. I wonder if that contributed to the tension problem? I'm not certain. I also think it sat quite a bit with the previous owner.

I love the vehicle but every time I get underneath it, I second guess the purchase a tiny bit. I did knowingly buy a NE vehicle, but it was the first 200-series I found under 20k and jumped on it. None of the rust is concerning structurally but right around the rearmost bolt of the running board is rotted out, and the transmission cover thing is pretty bad.

Hopefully has many more miles left! I'm pretty confident it will.

 

[KLF]

So I started getting the dreaded timing chain slap during pretty much every time I drove my 2008 LC200 w/ 195k miles. It would most often appear in the first 10 minutes of driving but eventually go away. I was tempting to dive right in a fix it "the right way" by replacing the driver side tensioner but it did seem to be a beast of a job. So after seeing some success stories online I decided to try 8 oz of seafoam in the oil. I believe it was right about 125 miles later that I stopped getting any timing chain noise, and ended up replacing the oil with full synthetic 5w30 at 300 miles after putting in the seafoam. So far so good, I'm only a couple hundred past that, but I am optimistic at this point. I might do another 8 oz of seafoam near the end of this oil change for good measure.

This LC is still relatively new to me, purchased about 6 months ago. I did also recently have significant oil sludge under the cap but pretty certainly was able to attribute that to a bad PCV, after replacing that it went away. I wonder if that contributed to the tension problem? I'm not certain. I also think it sat quite a bit with the previous owner.

I love the vehicle but every time I get underneath it, I second guess the purchase a tiny bit. I did knowingly buy a NE vehicle, but it was the first 200-series I found under 20k and jumped on it. None of the rust is concerning structurally but right around the rearmost bolt of the running board is rotted out, and the transmission cover thing is pretty bad.

Hopefully has many more miles left! I'm pretty confident it will.

I did the same thing many years ago with a 22RE that had really bad timing chain rattle at startup, except I used a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil. Ran it for about 200 miles, oil came out very dark. Chain noise rattle went away.

 

[185]

preface this with if it works it works.

MMO simply thins the oil, while seafoam oxidizes the oil. In theory these should do nothing and preferentially avoid adding these to the crankcase. Instead just use a better oil.

 

[NE Snowman]

The Car Care Nut on YouTube has a great breakdown of what happens to the 3URs tensioner on the drivers side iirc. Same video he dissects cam tower leak and valley plate. Timing chain starts 16 minutes in.

 

[04UZJ100]

The Car Care Nut on YouTube has a great breakdown of what happens to the 3URs tensioner on the drivers side iirc. Same video he dissects cam tower leak and valley plate. Timing chain starts 16 minutes in.

Same video also confirms that the noise causes no harm whatsoever and does not need to be repaired.

 

[NE Snowman]

Not 100% on this engine but it’s common to see milk on the oil cap on a vehicle with lots of short trips. Get it up to temp and a highway run and it disappears. Moisture gets trapped. If it was only on the lid not the dipstick no worries.

 

[04UZJ100]

Not 100% on this engine but it’s common to see milk on the oil cap on a vehicle with lots of short trips. Get it up to temp and a highway run and it disappears. Moisture gets trapped. If it was only on the lid not the dipstick no worries.

True for every car that does not get to a temp sufficiently warm enough to vaporize and exhaust condensation in oil.

Hint: middle on the temp gauge does not necessarily mean warm enough.

 

[2021 LC200]

I decided to try 8 oz of seafoam in the oil. I believe it was right about 125 miles later that I stopped getting any timing chain noise, and ended up replacing the oil with full synthetic 5w30 at 300 miles after putting in the seafoam. So far so good, I'm only a couple hundred past that, but I am optimistic at this point. I might do another 8 oz of seafoam near the end of this oil change for good measure.

The tensioner staying clean or being cleaned (sea foam, well done!), changing the oil more frequent (say ever 5k or 7.5k) and using 5W30 instead of 0W20 (more oil pressure) are all moves in the right direction. Keep us posted whether it stays away.

 

[mftrnr]

preface this with if it works it works.

MMO simply thins the oil, while seafoam oxidizes the oil. In theory these should do nothing and preferentially avoid adding these to the crankcase. Instead just use a better oil.

Man I wish the internet could deliver a straight answer to what a "better oil" is. Not trying to open a can of worms, but all sorts of people put forth arguments on that one. I believe I use quality oil, but some may disagree.

 

[mftrnr]

The tensioner staying clean or being cleaned (sea foam, well done!), changing the oil more frequent (say ever 5k or 7.5k) and using 5W30 instead of 0W20 (more oil pressure) are all moves in the right direction. Keep us posted whether it stays away.

Yes! Hoping for the best. I definitely plan on keeping the oil change frequency under 5k. I don't have previous maintenance history, which of course isn't ideal but the price was right at the time. So trying to baseline it and do the right things going forward.

 

[185]

Man I wish the internet could deliver a straight answer to what a "better oil" is. Not trying to open a can of worms, but all sorts of people put forth arguments on that one. I believe I use quality oil, but some may disagree.

to clarify if using mmo helps, which essentially thins out the existing oil, why not just use a thinner oil out of the box or if you need higher cleaning ability oil use, use something like valvoline restore and protect (if you fancy some boutique oil HPL) or couple your existing oil with some engine cleaner.

Just some food for thought, and again if it works it works.