Seafoaming my engine..

[Cancruiser]

I would like to add a can of Seafoam to the engine to flush it out. The oil in it has ~ 3500 KM since last change. My plan is to add the can of seafoam to the exisiting oil, drive for about 200 km then change oil and filter.

Now the question, is one oil/filter change following the process enough to get rid of all traces of the seafoam or do I have to repeat it again after a short period of time?

I would imagine that very little of the seafoam will be left in the engine after draining it and even if some still there, it will be greatly diluted with addiing the new oil, No?

Cheers,

 

[canucksafari]

I have never had a problem with it. I usually Seafoam at least once per year. If I have time, I drain at night (jack up the truck to slope it to empy the whole sump) and fill in the morning. You may also want to Seafoam your fuel injection when you change your fuel filter. The easy way is to fill up the filter with Seafoam and run. The most effective way is to detatch the hoses (feed and return) to run nearly a full can of Seafaom. There is a write-up in this section on how to do it. You can also put a can of it in the tank to help clan the fuel system from the tank forward. IMO, B40 is better cleaner. But be ready to change fuel filters as it loosens the crud in your tank and lines very nicely. I always keep a set of filters in my truck and a filter wrench for such emergencies.

 

[amaurer]

I have never had a problem with it. I usually Seafoam at least once per year. If I have time, I drain at night (jack up the truck to slope it to empy the whole sump) and fill in the morning. You may also want to Seafoam your fuel injection when you change your fuel filter. The easy way is to fill up the filter with Seafoam and run. The most effective way is to detatch the hoses (feed and return) to run nearly a full can of Seafaom. There is a write-up in this section on how to do it. You can also put a can of it in the tank to help clan the fuel system from the tank forward. IMO, B40 is better cleaner. But be ready to change fuel filters as it loosens the crud in your tank and lines very nicely. I always keep a set of filters in my truck and a filter wrench for such emergencies.

It just so happens that your average 3B filter holds almost exactly 1 can of seafoam, no need to remove the hoses unless you're going to do more.

Don't worry about the residual in the oil. Given the way seafoam vaporizes when you leave it sitting out, I bet it boils it way out of the hot oil fairly quickly anyway.

 

[Cancruiser]

Thanks guys..
Was wondering if it makes big clouds of smoke like gassers or not?

 

[boots4]

SeaFoam is mostly Isopropl Alcohol and the guys on the Cummins forum highly suggest not using it as an injector cleaner since it will be hard on your IP due to no lubricity. It can cause unneccessary wear. I'd suggest using something other than SeaFoam to clean the injectors.

 

[Cancruiser]

I was thinking of LubroMoly (If I can find it locally here).. It has been discussed in previous threads.. I will head to the VW dealership today and see if they carry it..

 

[canucksafari]

It just so happens that your average 3B filter holds almost exactly 1 can of seafoam, no need to remove the hoses unless you're going to do more.

I don't know about your IP but my IP has a tank return line because not all the fuel from the intacke goes to the injector. Some of it is sent back to the tank. Of course this means that some of your Seafoam is heading back to the tank. If you want to use a whole can of Seafaom or another product without it being diluted by the fuel in your tank, the only way to do it is to disconnect the hoses and run it directly from a clear container. The clear/translucent container is so you don't run your injection system dry.

 

[amaurer]

I don't know about your IP but my IP has a tank return line because not all the fuel from the intacke goes to the injector. Some of it is sent back to the tank. Of course this means that some of your Seafoam is heading back to the tank. If you want to use a whole can of Seafaom or another product without it being diluted by the fuel in your tank, the only way to do it is to disconnect the hoses and run it directly from a clear container. The clear/translucent container is so you don't run your injection system dry.

Hmm. The only return line I knew of was the one from around the injectors themselves, is there another on the IP?

 

[canucksafari]

Hmm. The only return line I knew of was the one from around the injectors themselves, is there another on the IP?

My bad, yes the line is from the injectors not the IP. :whoops: Not thinking this morning. However, it is the same issue. Not all of the cleaner will make it to the injectors with some of it being returned to the tank. Running the return line back to a bottle with the intake line will ensure most of the cleaner gets through the pump and injectors - whichever cleaner you choose to use. I know G&S likes the Lubromoly. I can get it locally at a small Europarts shop but have only used their fuel tank concentrate. IMO, the Seafoam in the tank seemed to work better than the Lubromoly fuel tank concentrate cleaner. Still, I think the best is a couple tanks of good old B40 and higher - cheaper too.

Edit: Make sure you add a clear inline filter to the pick-up line if you use the jug technique. You don't want any crud coming from the return line heading back into your IP.

 

[Cancruiser]

Alas.. we do not have Bio here..
I ran a jug of Canola oil each fill-up a couple of times before. So, this may have helped..

 

[Cancruiser]

So, I got my hands on a couple of cans of Lubro Moly Diesel Purge.

Now, as I understand from reading similar threads, I will have to disconnect both fuel inlet (before the filter) and fuel return and put them in the Lubro can. Run the engine at different RPMs till all the Lubro stuff is finished. Put a new filter, prime and done!
The question is, the return line will carry some crud and gunk out of the injectors, does it make sense to run the stuff back into the clean Lubro can? Should I use two cans instead? or should I just fill the filter with it and no need to break the lines at all?

Also, since it is all new to me, could someone please post a pic with the fuel inlet and return lines shown (1HDT) with a suggested place to break them for the process. Just to be sure I won't disconnect any wrong lines...

Thanks for your help...

 

[Greg_B]

Hmm. The only return line I knew of was the one from around the injectors themselves, is there another on the IP?

Ya'll are confusing different versions of IP's. The Cdn spec inline pump 3B does not have a return line to the tank. It does have a return fuel rail which goes back to the injection pump. I "think" the 2H is the same. In these cases fill up the fuel filter and have at it.

The 13BT, 12HT, as well as the 1HZ, 1HD-T etc, all have return to the tank lines coming off the injector fuel line rail. On these engines remove the feed and return lines and place into whatever purge you are using. If you simply fill up the filter most of the product will go back to the tank and get diluted.

Cancruiser, Let it return to the same can. The filter will look after things. Change out the filter after. No pics available right now, but I'll look later. Perhaps someone else will be able to post up before then. I typically remove where the hard lines coming up from the fuel tank into the engine bay turn to rubber. Clean off the lines very well, so you are not introducing junk into the cans.

hth's

gb

And yes: We prefer and use LubroMoly Diesel Purge.