Seafoam instructions (from 3zc)

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Jakw
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Car: 1993 J30

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First off, if you don't know what Seafoam is, look into it. On 3zc, it's been known to clear up rough idles, improve gas mileage, and just generally improve engine performance. It can go in the gas tank to clean injectors, through the throttle bodies to clean the intake manifold, and in the crankcase to clean pretty much everything else.

The following writeup is for getting the seafoam into both sides of the manifold evenly. It can be sucked through the brake booster line, but that will only clean one side.
3zc wrote:Well after reading through the hundreds of pages on seafoam, I figured i'd show people the best way i found (that others have said) on how to use seafoam the best way with out plenum, not using the break booster line, since that feeds primarily half the cylinders.(this was not my idea, I'm just making a write up with photo's on how to do it)

first I bought some (about 4 feet) washer fluid line, I think 3/8ths, but its pretty standard. I also bought some assorted "T" vacuum fittings.

I bought the seafoam too

total of about $8 or so.

now heres the best way i found worked well.

Make sure your engine is warm, run it for a while if not

run the lines your bought to each vacuum nipple under each throttle body, I'd say cut it at about the length it takes to reach about 3 inches past mid plenum (see pics) do this for both throttle bodies. Then run them into the T line and run the open T line nozzle with whatever line you have left over, that will feed from the seafoam (pics)I'f possible get a perpendicular T fitting, I made thre mistake of getting an angled one, and then made the mistake of orienting it poorly, but with a perpendicular T, both throttle bodies should get even fluid.

Once you have this set up like so, run the open ended hose into the seafoam, and run the engine, it will take a few minutes, (REV YOU ENGINE A LITTLE, I DID AT 3000 RPM) to suck up the fluid, but i used about half the can.

Then kill the engine , REATTACH your throttle body vacuum lines, and let the engine sit for 5-7 minutes.

Now, run your engine and let it run for at least 10 minutes, I did this then drove around (lightly) for about 10 more minutes. The smoke can get pretty bad.

Moderator Edit: Most sites/people recommend you drive your car hard, let the engine see all the RPM range for a short while after using seafoam, instead of driving around lightly.


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yodawill2000
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Hopefully I can find a nipple on both sides.Those pic's don't show the OEM intake.

misfit6794
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Did you like that huge cloud of smoke? My neighbors called the fire department on me.

Jakw
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Car: 1993 J30

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Hahaha, yeah, I recommend letting loose out in the country if you can. I've done it in town, though. 1) Repeatedly finding redline in town is a bad idea.2) It will look like your car is about to burn up, haha.

Don't worry though, it doesn't smoke for a terribly long time. I want to say that Seafoam or something similar comes in spray-can style too. Maybe like B12 Chemtool or something like that. Though, it might just burn up right away, I don't really know.

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yodawill2000
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Misfit

did you find a vac nipple on both sides of the OEM J30 intake ??

misfit6794
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I think each throttle body has one at the bottom of it. I didn't use the seafoam on my j, I did it on my bronco.

Jakw
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misfit6794 wrote:I think each throttle body has one at the bottom of it. I didn't use the seafoam on my j, I did it on my bronco.
That sounds about right. I'll check it out after work tomorrow and get back to you guys if no one else comes up with anything though.

naladude911
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if someone does do it on the J, plz take pics or a video. Its hard for me to tell how to do this in a 300zx engine bay

Leuthesius
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ok.... so I just disconnect the vacuum fittings, plug in these lines into the vacuum fittings, insert the other end into the seafoam can, and then run the engine?

And this is safe? Just want to make sure your engine didn't explode.

misfit6794
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I looked at my tb and there are two lines the go into the bottom of each, I am pretty sure they are vacuum lines. Its safe and your engine won't explode, it will produce a ton of smoke though.

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yodawill2000
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just go to youtube and search for seafoam.It will give you an idea of what to expect.

Jakw
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It's not a terrible idea to pour the Seafoam into a clear container so you can make sure it's being sucked up. I couldn't feel vaccuum on those fittings near the TBs, but it might be really faint. I dunno, I should stop being lazy and just go do it, heh.

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Defiant
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There's a huge thread about SeaFoam on dsmtuners.com

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s13_chris
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If you pour directly into the gas tank do you still have to do oil change? I just recently did mine. 1000 miles ago. How much seafoam should I put in to proportion it? If I had a 1/4 tank how much. 1/8 Tank. That type of thing. I plan on doing the whole thing with the intake and what not when I do my next oil change. Thanks.

Jakw
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I'm pretty sure the back of the can says what ratios to use, and you don't need to get out a measuring cup to do it. Like 1.5 oz. per gllon of gas, __oz per __quarts of oil, etc.Changing your oil after you put it in the gas tank? Nope. I've heard some people say it fouls the spark plugs, but I dunno about that.

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s13_chris
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Ok and one more thing, should I wait tell the end of my tank to do it? Or will the seafoam seperate from gas and go through and burn up. Don't wanna be smoking for a 1/4 tank of gas the whole time. Never done this before sorry. I'm gonna do a full sea foam job. probably in another 1000 miles. 1/3 in brake boosters, 1/3 in oil, 1/3 in gas. But for now I'm gonna just put some in gas when I get closer to a emptier tank.

Jakw
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It won't smoke when it's in the crankcase or the gas tank. I guess I would just follow the recommended ratio in the gas and oil, it doesn't really matter how full your tank is. It's like any other fuel additive. It probably won't hurt to have it more concentrated, like a full can on a quarter tank or less, but I guess don't hold me to that. It's never given me any problems though, so... yep.

rdorman
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I did it over the weekend. Added to the tank and oil in the ratios indicated on the can. Instead of going the vacuum line route, I just lifted the top of the air cleaner box and sprayed a boat load of deep creep into the motor while it was running and hot until the motor loaded up as directed. Shut it down and let it sit. Worked the same. After I cleaned the MAF with CRC just to get any residual deep creep off of the sensor. Worked like a charm.

What was left over went into the fuel cans for mowers, blowers, etc.


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