1041 posts
1992 Lexus LS 400
brooklyn ny
4-14-2004
Seafoam ( Pros and Cons)
4:46 PM 10/12/2004
Hey guys. I know that this has been discussed before and yes I did pull the search out but....
As I have stated in the past I do have blue smoke coming out of the exhaust. Now the car runs fine but the smoke is there especially when simply light pedal stepping around the neighborhood. On the highway no smoke not even after I stop.
I have been thinking about doing the SEAFOAM treatment through the gas tank, crankcase and the brake booster line. I wanted to do a whole can in the gas tank, half in the crankcase and half through the brake booster. I spoke briefly with Wes and PMQ about this and have heard pros and cons. I would like the advice of everyone especially the senior guys and the techs.
Keep in mind that I have thought about doing this process several times to see if it makes any kind of difference/improvement. All suggestions and opinions would be helpful.
Car info: 1990 Q45, 169,000 miles. Standard model Located in NYC
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all I know is that you will feel like James bond getting rid of villains with a smoke cloud in an aston martin at the touch of a button..
In all seriousness, I have had guys on my maxima mailing list do it with no adverse effects. Never hear much complaints with seafoam users, yet, with 169k on the clock like you have, i would be leery of running anything in it.. Yet, you have some issues with smoke and you are looking for solutions. maybe the more advanced have some info to chime in..
I've seen it make some smoke, a lot of smoke, and whole ton of smoke. Usually it has made an immediate drivability improvment in the cars we've 'seafomed'
1989 240sx S14SR 9psi Ported manifold and 3"turboback. SOLD... 1993 Q45 awaiting longblock install 1999.5 TDI Jetta 321,000 and blew up the turbo.
Well my plan is to do it once and then wait 2 weeks and then do it again. I want to try to clean it as much as possible. I realize that at this mileage I cannot expect results immediately. I just want to know if it is worth a shot.
i did a second seafoaming on my Q today, used 1.5 bottles through the booster line. i let it suck a nice steady stream of the stuff and it smoked a ton. Mostly white, some blue and grey smoke as well. After it stopped smoking it really runs nicer now.
Seafoam will not stop the car from smoking. Like Wes said, the damage is done. Now all you can do, is additives to the oil. There are some good ones out there. I used Lucas Oil treatment in an old Honda, and it worked great. It was more of a low oil pressure problem in the Honda, though.
My partner had a 275,000 mile Acura Legend. It burned so much oil, he never had to change it. He just added oil once a week. If we stopped in traffic, the car would literally dissapear. He went to Jiffy Lube, and they put some kind of treatment in tlhe oil, and it stopped, for about 2 months. He drove the car for another year, and I never saw smoke again. He just kept treating it, every so often. I think the treatment was about $30 to $40.
Father of the NICO Front Strut Tower Brace for the first generation Q45
Lola - 94 Q45t, 168K miles, HICAS, NICO ECU, Tint, ASA AR1 18x8 & 18x9 wheels, Adj FUCA & RUCA, Custom FSTB, Cali Custom springs, Tokiko Blue struts, Rear Subframe busings, Custom "INFINITI" Aluminum Z32 Calipers, drilled slotted rotors, Braided SS brake lines, DOT4 Brake Fluid, Full Synthetics, Custom Stainless Steel mesh grille, STILLEN K&N POP Charger, and Custom 2.25" T-316 Stainless Steel NASCAR exhaust with X-Pipe and polished 4" SS tips. Ice T - 00 I30t Sport, 110K, Chrome 2002 wheels, FSTB, 3" SS exhaust tips, dealership serviced only - full records, original owner, perfect paint & interior, only black/black I30t made in 2000 (special order)
Do you remember the name of the treatment. I was using bardaul for a while and that works ok. Now I have lucas but I have mobil synthetic oil in there now. I want to try the seafoam then go to valvoline syntec.
But if you remember the name of the treatment I would give that a shot.
I had an s13 that smoked and I went to walmart and bought some very thick stuff that looked like a jellied form of miller light that was "guaranteed" and I put it in, and it stopped the smoking, and it didn't smoke again until I pissed on the car every day for 30,000 miles and the engine was finally begging for mercy and smoking when I reved it.
It burned so much oil, he never had to change it. He just added oil once a week. If we stopped in traffic, the car would literally dissapear.
hahahahahahaha
Quote, originally posted by dusred »
I went to a coffee shop yesterday and ordered "One small hot Barista" . . . and I was serious too. I had no idea a Barista was the girl running the espresso machine.
Since it sounds like you're burning oil I would advise against the use of Seafoam... it could eat away at what's left of your piston rings.
A few other things you might want to take note of:
-Seafoam removes carbon buildup from valves. On older higher mileage engines this may be a bad thing because the carbon buildup helps engine compression. -Do NOT let your engine suck in the Seafoam. Pour it in slowly yourself. If you let the car suck it in and let it stall itself it may hydrolock. -change your oil and clean your plugs immediately following the treatment. Also keep an eye on your O2 sensor, as all that crap blowing through the exhaust can foul it.
Seafoam treatment is not going to help your smoking problem. On your high mileage engine, your smoke is likely coming from ring wear or valve guide seals. Years ago unscrupulous car dealers would put a castor oil concoction into the crankcase to make it quit smoking. (Until the next oil change of course.) Motor Medic or something like that would probably be better for you.
