I had posted a question a few weeks back about my 95 Legacy wagon that had a Cylinder #1 misfire. It has 330,000 miles, and the quick compression test showed that cylinder only putting out about 25 psi. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I did a Seafoam treatment. My hope was that it was just a stuck exhaust valve and that the Seafoam might help it get unstuck. About 1/3 through the PCV, 1/3 in the crankcase, and 1/3 in the gas tank. Shut it off for a few minutes, then started it back up. It smoked for a while, I revved it a bunch, and then I let it idle for a few hours. I then disconnected the battery and let it sit overnight to reset the computer. Connected it up the next morning and started it back up. No CEL, and it was a smooth as a baby's bottom. Did an oil change. Drove it in to work this morning (40 miles, and over a mountain) and it did great. I plan to do another oil change this weekend in case there's more gunk floating around.

 

Who knows. Maybe I've dodged a bullet. Maybe it will die on the way home. In the meantime, I'm pretty happy.

Glad to hear seafoam may have worked. I'd be curious to see your before & after compression test numbers.

Glad to hear that Seafoam worked well for you. I have heard only good things about the product. However, I have read that Seafoam is hard on engine seals, so good that you are changing oil a couple of times after the product has done it's work.

It seems that everywhere I look for answers on using Seafoam I get different thoughts. I have a 1995 Legacy 2.2 with 280,000 miles. It still runs really strong (I recently had the occasion to drive it around 80mph for around a 100 miles and it ran very smooth) but the “typical” Subaru oil leak my mechanic has pointed out has gotten worse in the past few months. Should I use the Seafoam? Just in the gas? Thank you so much, Kathy:confused:

but the “typical” Subaru oil leak my mechanic has pointed out has gotten worse in the past few months. Should I use the Seafoam?

Seafoam is never recommended for oil leaks (this thread is not about oil leaks for instance).

 

You want to focus on the issue, not the symptoms. In other words, the oil leak isn't really the issue - it's a symptom. The issue is the bad gasket or seal - that is what needs replaced. Seafoam won't do anything about it. Technically speaking it would make it worse by thinning out the oil and making it leak at a higher rate (0.00001% higher).

 

Oil leaks are really simple - replace the seal or gasket that's leaking. There is no work around, additive, or "fix" for an oil leak - you simply fix whatever is leaking.

Just a followup. The car made it another 2 1/2 years & 50,000 miles before it shot out a spark plug at 384,000 miles. (It's in my driveway, waiting for a good mechanic to give it a good home). Towards the end it was burning through about of quart of oil every 2,000 miles or so. From what I've read on this forum, that's pretty common. I usually had whatever seals were easy to get to replaced when having other work done - i.e. rear main seal when the clutch was replaced, and the front seals when timing belts were done. I did the valve cover gaskets myself once.

Thanks for the update. I'm always curious how long it takes a subaru to die a "natural death."

Yeah...for real...cars love drugs, too!

I was gonna say, wow I guess you cant get much luckier that that (remembering the thread about the spark plug), then realized how old this thread is!

 

Too bad the spark plug fix didn't last. Almost seems a shame to put it to rest just shy of 400k. If I had the money/space I'd make a project out of it, but I already have too many cars.

 

 

Seconding Gary's comments, seafoam won't fix an oil leak. The typical Subaru oil leak is the separator plate which just needs to be replaced. No amount of additives will fix that leak.

That never was my question, would Seafoam fix a leak, I've worked on a lot of stuff and nothing fixes a leak but a gasket. I just wondered with the leak would Seafoam make it worse? So, sounds like it would so I won't use it in the oil until I get the leak fixed. Thanks for your replies. Kathy

That never was my question, would Seafoam fix a leak, I've worked on a lot of stuff and nothing fixes a leak but a gasket. I just wondered with the leak would Seafoam make it worse? So, sounds like it would so I won't use it in the oil until I get the leak fixed. Thanks for your replies. Kathy

Welcome to the board Kathy.

Edited November 30, 201213 yr by brus brother