seafoam questions

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markviii96

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So I am still getting a rough idle after replacing my TPS, and IAC. I was thinking a seafoam treatment through the brake booster, but dad doesn't trust putting it in the engine. (had bad luck before with an engine treatment (not seafoam) , causing gaskets to fail.). We use seafoam all the time as a fuel cleaner. I was just wondering how many people on here have done this? Any bad result from doing this.
BTW. Car has 177,000 miles on it and I just got it a like a month ago.
 
Gen1 or Gen2? The reason I ask is because with the Gen1 there's an easier way to do it than using the brake booster line. There's a block of vacuum lines in the center of the intake. At least on of those lines is not used and has a cap on it. Take the cap off and use a vacuum hose attached to it and draw the Seafoam in through that. When you're done, just put the cap back on the vacuum block. Easy peasy. Personally, I've done it a couple of times on my old '96 and on the '97 LSC I currently drive. No bad experiences yet. It produces a TON of smoke. You'll pi$$ off your neighbors, but on the upside, you'll probably kill all the mosquitos in a 10 block radius:D I don't really know for sure if it really works or not. But the last time I did it, the car seemed to run better. I'm sure it does some cleaning, but I would assume you'd have really run several gallons through the engine to thoroughly clean ALL the crud off everything. But it's up to you (or whomever OWNS the car:))
 
Ya, I was hoping for good stories of it being used to make him see its not bad :). I wouldn't do the treatment without him saying go for it.

BTW its a gen 1, 1996
 
Ok, I am sorry that I can not think of what this is for the life of me... Isn't there a valve in the intake that can get stuck? this is why I was thinking trying seafoam
 
IMRC's- Intake manifold runner controls? Umm, theres also the idle air control valve. Pcv on top of the head.
 
Nope, that's replaceable w/o pulling intake. I thought that there was something inside the intake that could get stuck/gummed up with carbon.
 
I replaced that (IAC, and TPS). Maybe I am wrong and if so then I am happy, because i don't want to pull my intake
 
I edited that like 5 times. I should learn to comprehend what's written the first time. lol.
 
lol, I know. It looks like I was talking to myself there because I should have just edited what I said instead of a new reply every time
 
Eh...I don't trust it, as to I think it broke my valve cover gasket. I am just going to to stay away from engine additives and clean it my damn self! :p
 
markviii96 said:
Ya, I was hoping for good stories of it being used to make him see its not bad :). I wouldn't do the treatment without him saying go for it.

BTW its a gen 1, 1996
Click to expand...

Hi,

I have had a similar problem, if you'll see my "fluctuating idle" thread.

I went through changing the tps, the IACV, plugs, boots, coil packs, etc. etc., but was still having the problem and finally took the car in.

Mechanic said I had 50psi of compression loss on cylinder 7, and 20psi on cylinder 8 (20psi isn't that much, but it was misfiring), and it was likely some damaged valves.

I've also read elsewhere that these two cylinders are trouble spots in the 4.6l engine (who knows?)

*I did not tear apart the intake to check the IMRC's because something I read about "symptoms of a bad IMRC" made me think it would not apply.

Anyways,

I brought the car home and used 2 bottles of seafoam, a day apart, through the brake booster, and my problem actually mostly went away (no more crazy idle, but still some roughness). I poured the seafoam into a squeezable bottle (think old school ketchup dispenser) and squeezed it into the brake booster hose a little at a time, carefully.

I got the smoke show both times (as well as when I did it through the pcv several months ago).

*On a side note. If you do the seafoam, it's great to wait until someone starts tailgaiting you-- on your smoke drive-- then blast them. lol.

Hopefully you get your problem figured out, and it's not valves like mine apparently is. But as for the seafoam, I've had no problem with it so far.
 
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