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SeaFoaming A Honda Ridgeline

16K views 53 replies 28 participants last post by  IanRTL 
#1 ·
Okay. So I just have to know the what you think of this. The guy is doing a Seafoam treatment on his parents Ridgeline.

I have heard all kinds of claims about this stuff both good and bad but would like to read what you think about Seafoam use on modern vehicles?



Regards,

Manny
 
#2 ·
I have heard both ways on this. A friend of mine swears by it, and I used to occasionally use it in my previous vehicle with no apparent negative issues. However, the service manager and one of the mechanics at the dealership (Chevy) both told me not to use it when I asked about putting it my tank for treating dirty injectors. They said it could damage seals. Since then I have not used it.
 
#3 ·
Not sure about seafoam I would use a can or bottle BG44K I know many Car Dealerships use this. Unless you order it they are about the only place you can buy it over the counter.
 
#4 ·
I always forget how good this engine sounds. I never hear a peep out of mine usually.
 
#5 ·
I use it on all my vehicles. What have you heard about it that's bad??
 
#8 ·
Hi Ron,

I have read that If you do use it, you have to make sure you replace your:

1. Fuel filter (if used in fuel tank) - All that junk unclogging in your fuel tank will clog up your filter
2. Spark plugs - It can/will foul your spark plugs
3. Oil/oil filter (if used in crank case) - Common sense.. You don't want that stuff staying in there forever
4. o2 sensors need to be changes because all the build up coming out could foul them as well.

I also read that if you use it in the intake, because Seafoam is a liquid, it never actually foams up. And if you pour it through the brake booster line, it's only going to get in the back two cylinders, and never really make it to all of them.

I was just curious if something like this product was necessary on modern combustion engines?
 
#9 ·
I haven't seen a need to try it, but I have thrown in the odd injector cleaner once a year, but I have no idea if it really did anything beneficial or bad! :act010:
 
#11 ·
No worries Bethard. I really don't know much about the product at all. Then I came across that video and was curious as to other members impressions.

I could see how there might be benefits of it's use in smaller engines or older ones where perhaps there could be issues with less than complete combustion and resulting build up of deposits but what do I know? :act024:

I haven't been able to track down any kind of independent before and after comparisons where someone actually showed the internals after a treatment.

Most of the reviews or comments on the web seem to be the "seat of the pants" type where the car seems to work better after a treatment of this stuff.

Given that we have members here with over 150,000 trouble free miles on their clocks without much more that regular maintenance I wasn't sure if this was something I should work into a regular maintenance routine?

Just curious ... That's all!
 
#12 ·
Personally, I see no reason to introduce Sea Foam into the equation unless you are having a specific problem you are trying to eliminate. Sea Foam is mostly pale oil, naptha and isopropyl alchohol.

 
#13 ·
It's no substitute for regular maintenance. Personally driven over 2 million miles and haven't touched a drop and don't intend to. I guess if I had engines failing me before 300,000 miles, I probably would try something. Everything I've driven in the last 30 years has gone at least 200,000 miles and some over 300,000 miles with nothing but regular maintenance. NO ADDITIVES OF ANY SORT.
 
#14 ·
My last car was an 01 Infiniti i30t. At around 80k the cel came on. I had it diagnosed to o2 sensor failing (common with these cars). The mechanic suggested putting a bottle of seafoam in the gas and see what happens. After I ran through the tank with seafoam I filled up and about halfway through the next tank no more cel. I sold the car at 103k with no cel since using seafoam. It's the only time I've used it but it work for me.
 
#18 ·
This is just my opinion for "high" mileage. In the last 31 years of company driving I don't think I've turned in the keys on a vehicle of less than 200,000 miles. Several have gone into the 3 hundreds. 'Still haven't had to have ANY engine work done on any of those vehicles. Hoping my Ridge will take me into the three hundreds.
 
#19 ·
I don't mean to disparage SeaFoam in any way because they don't make any claims the stuff is magic. It is amazing to me the number of people that believe the stuff IS magic.

If you've ever cleaned out an intake that's clogged with carbon you know that you could soak it in SeaFoam for a month and still have to scrape and chisel it out. Today we have port and direct injection and intakes don't get clogged.

The method used does nothing to clean injectors, and if you have a clogged injector not much you can pour in the fuel supply line will fix them for very long.

As for an O2 sensor... if there was anything left of SeaFoam by the time it reached the sensor it would be more bad than good.

As pointed out earlier it's mostly light oil, naphtha and alcohol. Any engine will smoke if you pour oil into the intake... it's not magic or an indication that any super cleaning took place. I'd much rather the dirt stay in the intake than be ingested by the engine.
 
#21 ·
This debate will continue to go on and on. If you want to use it, I suggest you use it. If you are against it, I suggest not using it.

Whew, that was easy..

I must commend you all though for putting that many miles on your RL's. I've never kept a vehicle for that long, but plan on it with this one..
 
#22 ·
You bring up an interesting point Ron. Some of us keep vehicles for the long haul, others tire easily of the same vehicle day in and day out and trade out every couple of years or so, and then some fall in between those two.

I fall in multiple categories to some extent, but not because I necessarily tire of a vehicle. We traded our 2004 Pilot for a 2006 for several reasons. One, my wife wanted a different color (not exactly justification in and of itself). Two, we wanted a RES vehicle rather than the hodge-podge of cords and gear we had to support a portable DVD player (with inverter, etc.) 3rd, I liked the additional safety features of the 2006 (side curtain air bags), and 4th, I liked the upgraded tranny. And, I could afford the trade.

My RL only came about because my perfectly serviceable '98 T100 was totaled when I was rear-ended. I'm glad it did because I had a long time interest in the RL but simply couldn't justify the expense when my T100 was in such perfect condition. The one exception was the rear seat occupant safety issue on the T100. I struggled with that and am so glad no one was with me when I got tagged in the rear.

I consider myself to be in category 1 (long termer). So preventative maintenance is of even more import to me. But I also pride myself on selling/trading a vehicle that is in tip-top shape too. To the point of SF, I have yet to find any reason to use it. I don't know that it's bad or good for a vehicle. I just choose not to experiment without just cause. ;)
 
#23 ·
I used SeaFoam for years in my younger days when I didn't know any better. For a multi-port or direct injected engine, it doesn't make much sense. Also, with the quality of oils today, it doesn't do much in the crankcase, either. Simply changing your oil regularly has the same effect. Now, for carburated engines, outboard motors or small engines like in weed eaters, leaf blowers or chainsaws, it is certainly useful to keep them clean. I don't intend on ever using it in my truck or any other motor vehicle I own from now on.
 
#24 ·
Best invention ever.. :)
The wifes 2003 Chrysler Town & Country started missing and losing power. We bought this thing new and it burned a quart or two between services since day 1, 139k on it now. I changed the plugs, coil wires and then the coil pack and it did run a little better, So I got a buddy mechanic friend of mine to take a look and run it through diagnostics with his work computer thing.
Then he removed the front spark plugs and looked in with his engine camera and holy ****, it was totally clogged up with carbon, Sooooo, I bought 2 tins of seafoam, Poured one in the tank, 1/2 can in the oil and 1/2 can in through the brake vacuum line.
I let it sit for an hour and started it up, Nothing for a minute or two and then It started, Holy ****, The whole neighborhood was covered in white smoke, I mean it was billowing out, I was panicking, though I "Broke" the van.. :)
Let it run till eventually ran clear, Hopped in the van and drove the ring out of it up the freeway,
Friggin van runs like a champ, It chirps the tires on takeoff at the moment, So Im a firm believer in the stuff, Definitely made the Old T&C run like a beast.. :)
 
#25 ·
I think I'd fall over if anything I owned started spewing white smoke like crazy.

My truck only gets a taste of Startron Starbrite. I have 20 gallons of gas in (4) 5 gallon containers in my garage at all times. I keep that much on hand for power outages and in the summer for my JD. In the winter when I'm not rotating the containers into my JD, I'll rotate them into my vehicles so that every time I fill up, I'm also filling up the most recently emptied container.

So, by default my truck gets a little bit of Starton in it. I'm sure its doing next to nothing for or against the truck. If my truck started spewing white smoke I'd probably drop right there !
 
#27 ·
I think I'd fall over if anything I owned started spewing white smoke like crazy.
As pointed out earlier it's mostly light oil, naphtha and alcohol. Any engine will smoke if you pour oil into the intake... it's not magic or an indication that any super cleaning took place. I'd much rather the dirt stay in the intake than be ingested by the engine.
Exactly, all the videos and comments I see on it the people just fall all over themselves about the light colored smoke coming out the back as a sign that it is cleaning. I poured some into an aluminum foil bowl and lit it on fire and it put off a lot of white smoke all by itself. Any blasts of dark smoke are the only times that it is something else coming out of the engine.

I used it years ago on an old beat up 280Z that I bought for a couple hundred dollars. It had been running really rich due to problems and it would hardly idle. It pumped a lot of dark smoke out when I'd rev the engine with the seafoam and the car idled smoothly after. But that car had a definite problem due to being driven overly rich for too long.
 
#28 ·
Notice most people who swear by SF (etc.) had an issue that the addition of the solution cured.
Does that mean a regular dosage will prevent the same problems from occurring? Hard to say. I guess it would depend on what caused the problem to begin with.
The good news is those with 100s of thousands miles on their RL seem to get there without it, and their trucks are still running great!
 
#29 · (Edited)
This is the first time i've used seafoam, been pondering the idea for some time though.

I put a 1/3 of a can in my crankcase and drove it about 30 miles with one stop and start. Changed the oil and could notice that the old oil (mobile 1 5w-20) was very dirty, more so then a usual change. It also silenced a little valve ticking i had going on and seems to be running just as smooth, if not better.

Gonna put the other 1/3 in the tank and a 1/3 into the intake through the brake booster when it gets a little warmer out. If it has any benefits, great. At least it won't hurt anything.

Just my 2 cents
 
#30 ·
My buddy just told me about it. He did a treatment on his older Lexus LS and called me to try it out. HE loved the result.
I bought a can, but figured Ill jump on the old ROC to see what I can find. I don't think my RL needs it, but I am due for an oil change and always interested in getting that extra MPG out this fat girl. I am on the fence... I might try it if it doesn't hurt anything.
Seems there are more people here that have done it on their old vehicles. but not the RL.
I have tried to the lucas gas treatment and It helps me get better mpgs when doing a long cruise. I cruise about 70-75 and get 19/20. before it was 17.
what to do?
 
#32 ·
I have done Seafoam on every vehicle we had and have since 2002.
I used it both via gas tank and via crankcase. Al;ways with only positive results.
I drove my Ranger with it in oil for 2500 miles just to see if something happens. Negative.
Go ahead and use it. Drive for about 500 miles with it in crankcase, then drain, refill with cheapest oil you can find in 5W20, run engine for 15 minutes or drive around, drain, replace filter and refill with clean oil.
You need to Seafom your cars twice a year via gas tank and I Seafom oil about every oil change.
 
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