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Engine dies after using SeaFoam


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During my last fill-up at the gas station I used a can of SeaFoam (first time using the stuff). I put a little more than 3/4 of the can in the tank and the rest in the oil. So far I've burned through 1/2 a tank of gas but now the engine dies when I come to a stop.

It starts fine in the morning and in fact since I've added the SeaFoam it doesn't backfire anymore! But why would it affect my idle (or timing if that's the case)?

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During my last fill-up at the gas station I used a can of SeaFoam (first time using the stuff). I put a little more than 3/4 of the can in the tank and the rest in the oil. So far I've burned through 1/2 a tank of gas but now the engine dies when I come to a stop.

It starts fine in the morning and in fact since I've added the SeaFoam it doesn't backfire anymore! But why would it affect my idle (or timing if that's the case)?

 

A Vacume leak. Cake a can of carb cleaner or a spray bottle of water and spray under the engine. Listen for a stumble, that would be where the leak is.

Its possible that some dirt or junk that was clogging said leak got knocked loose by the seafoam.

 

nipper

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Would a vacuum leak cause the engine to ping under heavy accelleration? This is something new that has developed since adding the SeaFoam also. I'll try the leak test this weekend when I have some daylight to work with. Otherwise I have to "heel-toe" it when I come to stop lights- that's super annoying!

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Well thats not good. Sounds like your rings are washed out. NEVER PUT SEAFOAM IN YOUR OIL. It is not an oil. Change your oil asap and hope your rings are still good. Ive seen like 3 engines die from this stuff its fine for 1/3 in brake boosters only thats it then still change the oil right away.

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Well thats not good. Sounds like your rings are washed out. NEVER PUT SEAFOAM IN YOUR OIL. It is not an oil. Change your oil asap and hope your rings are still good. Ive seen like 3 engines die from this stuff its fine for 1/3 in brake boosters only thats it then still change the oil right away.

Yeah, it says right on the can to add it to your oil...

 

So now what? Compression test?

 

It acts like the timing slipped but I find that highly unlikely since the only thing I did was add the can of seafoam and instantly my idle drops :mad:

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Yeah, it says right on the can to add it to your oil...

 

So now what? Compression test?

 

It acts like the timing slipped but I find that highly unlikely since the only thing I did was add the can of seafoam and instantly my idle drops :mad:

 

DO a compression test, but i dont think that will have anything to do with it. It would be nice to know the condition of the engine.

I suspect the seafoam cleaned out all the dirt that was holding your fuel system together. The reason you would have no idle is most likely a fuel delivery problem. Check your ignition timing and spark just to do the i's.

When you do restart the car do you have a puf of black cmoke come out of it (flooding) or no smoke (fuel starvation). Does it sputter and die or just stall.

 

Als whats the year engine tranny and mileage on the car.

 

nipper

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When you do restart the car do you have a puf of black cmoke come out of it (flooding) or no smoke (fuel starvation). Does it sputter and die or just stall.

 

Als whats the year engine tranny and mileage on the car.

 

nipper

No black smoke when the car restarts. It doesn't spudder when it dies- when I come to a stop the idle will drop to about 7-900 RPM then over a fiew seconds the idle gets lower and lower till I notice the instrument and red idiot lights start to fade on, at this point the engines not completely dead yet, just damn close (a really really low idle), then I stab the throttle to get the RPMs up and power brake the transmission till the light turns green- freekin annoying.

 

85 EA82 auto wagon 166k miles.

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Just a suggestion: Get that baby out on the freeway if you have access to one and run it up to 75-80 mph and 4500-5000 rpm and keep it there for twenty miles or so, then do the same on the return trip. You might be pleasantly surprised. If you're not pleasantly surprised, feed the Seafoam into the intake header, via the PCV valve. My guess is lots of carbon fouling (when did you last clean up and regap your plugs?). For vacuum leaks, make sure any black hoses connected to the airbox are indeed connected and on fully. Check for leaks as Nipper and others have suggested.

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Just a suggestion: Get that baby out on the freeway if you have access to one and run it up to 75-80 mph and 4500-5000 rpm and keep it there for twenty miles or so, then do the same on the return trip. You might be pleasantly surprised. If you're not pleasantly surprised, feed the Seafoam into the intake header, via the PCV valve. My guess is lots of carbon fouling (when did you last clean up and regap your plugs?). For vacuum leaks, make sure any black hoses connected to the airbox are indeed connected and on fully. Check for leaks as Nipper and others have suggested.

I drive 35mi (roughly 60-70 round trip) to work every morning via freeway so that suggestion is part of my normal routine :rolleyes: .

 

This weekend I'll do a full tuneup (oil/filter and plugs at least). While I'm at it I'll do a compression test and check for leaks.

Provided the timing and everything else is good what would be left, idle screw on the carb?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sounds like it's time for a carb rebuild/cleaning, and change the fuel filters.

 

You can cheat by removing the aircleaner, revving the engine and placing your hand over the carb to choke it, then release before it stalls, repeat. This will draw fuel through the jets more than in normal use and may pull out the crap that's clogging it. It also may make it worse. It's worked for me before, but not every time.

 

Seafoam is fine in the oil. I have used used an entire can of it in the oil with no issues. In fact, the last 10 cars or so I've had, it was the first thing I did to it. Put a can in the oil, can in the gas, run it for a week or two and change the oil. It has freed up sticking lifters and sticking rings. After enough time it will evaporate.

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My understanding is, seafoam in the oil should be drained and replaced shortly. along with a new filter. Adding it is to clean your crankcase, but you arent cleaning anything until you drain all that crud out. there are people who are rabidly opposed to adding any detergents to their motor oil, but what are you gonna do, cant make EVERYone happy.

 

I would suggest doing your top end with a sea-foam treatment as well. That is how the stuff has always worked best, for me. Remove a vacuum line (typically the one going from intake manifold to brake booster, but any vacuum line connected to the intake manifold will do) and have an assistant start the car while you hold your finger over the line. Have your assistant keep the RPMs up while you put the open end of the vacuum line into a cup with seafoam in it, and once it sucks up the prescribed amount, plug the line off. Shut the engine off, and let it sit for about ten minutes, then crank her back up. be ready for lots O smoke, as this is all the carbon deposits that had built up on your cylinder head burning off.. this method soaks the entire cylinder head with the solution, rather than simply adding it to the fuel system and only cleaning that part.

 

as for fixing the problems that have arisen, fuel filter would be highly recommended. If you have no idea how old IT is, you may well have fuggered it up by pouring the solvent thru there.. old paper filter material can sometimes just give up, yanno? Chances are it is something like that, that got "shaken loose" by your fuel treatment.

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