I was thinking about using some seafoam in my prius it has 220k. Anyone done this? I have done it on just about every car Iv owned through the induction system and oil. It cleans the engine and catalytic converter and the prius is just an internal combustion engine with some other stuff right?
I use Liqui Moly oil additive. MoS2 or molybdenum disulfide is known to be a superior lubricant, even when there is no oil pressure. The stuff "clings" to the metal, which is good if the car is idle for long periods of time or, in the case of the ICE, there is a "start-stop" cycle. BMW and Mercedes owners really like Liqui Moly.
Won't hurt it if you put it in the gas tank. I would not do the direct induction though aka hot soak method. I would be sparing with the seafoam, remember the us models have the bladder. I am not saying the seafoam would damage it, but then again I did not say it won't damage it either. Add it to the tank according to directions. Won't take much since the volume of fuel is not a lot... A few here have tried it. Those that did found it didn't make much difference. Techron seems to help the most. Give that a try.
I am picking this up at my local napa for $8. Great reviews all over about this stuff, wonder how Iv never heard of it?
Mikeykc, Avi's Advanced Automotive has had some success with SeaFoam in lower mileage oil burning Prii. It cleans the engine fairly well but will lower the viscosity of your oil some. So if you are burning oil it may be a little quicker with the SeaFoam. They used 4 oz at a new oil change which is about 3.5 quarts or so. If you are trying to help a "burner" there are a lot of threads on here about it. I like the one listed below the best. 2008 Prius - burning oil at 135,000 miles | PriusChat Happy Driving, Chris
Agreed. If you foul the plugs, it's a PITA to replace them. Just add to the gas tank. I've heard that Techron is better than Seafoam.
Remember about 15-20 years ago? There used to be several late night, early morning infomercials that hocked engine oil additives that supposedly put protective micro-barrier coatings on your engines metal surface. They would do demonstrations and "tests", trying to freeze a bearing against load, with "normal" oil and one protected with the additive. They would run a protected engine without Oil...and magically it would run. I think one commercial even had them freezing an engine in a block of ice and then starting it. I was young, but I know for a while I bought some of that stuff and put it in my vehicle. To be honest? My vehicle was so well cared for and relatively new, so I really couldn't tell if I was getting benefit or not. Since I never had occasion to run the engine without Oil in it, and/or start it when the engine was frozen in a block of ice. I do know it was pretty expensive. These days, except for an occasional bottle of Techron, and trying to use Top Tier gasoline (usually Chevron) and being very diligent about changing my oil and using synthetic, I don't bother with the "miracle" additives. I think if you are using quality Oil and top tier gasoline, your engine is pretty well protected. But if any additive offers you peace of mind? Or you believe it is helping? Well? Who am I to criticize. In my early years I poured some very expensive but dubious products into my engine. And while I'm relatively confident they never did any harm, I can't really prove they helped either. If somewhere my 1992 Nissan Truck is still running with 300,000 miles on it? Then I guess I helped the subsequent owners.
In 1977, I purchased a Camaro with a 305 CID 5 liter engine. I religiously used the stuff that was popular then in Popular Mechanics called Tufoil. When I sold the Camaro in 1977 with 350 k miles on it, it was NOT smoking and still NOT burning oil. The stuff called Tufoil had both Teflon and MoS2 or molybdenum disulfide in it. I'm not sure that the Teflon help, but I am sure that the MoS2 sure did. So, at about $4.50 each 10k oil change, I'm going to use this Liqui Moly stuff that the BMW, Mercedes and Porsche dealers in Germany have been advocating for years.
Seafoam is isopropyl alcohol with little bit of oil so it smokes if put into the intake. For combustion chamber cleaning water is more cost efficient and hydrogen gas is more effective.
I've heard of and reviewed the water method in my past years. But adding an ignitable gas like hydrogen to the combustion chamber?!?! I have never heard of this one. Images of the Hindenberg disaster come to mind. Please enlighten. Paul.
ALL of the methods for quickly cleaning out carbon deposits can be dangerous or damaging if not done right. And SeaFoam is largely "snake oil". A little carbon is not hurting anything. JUST LEAVE IT ALONE.
