# Experiences with Seafoam engine treatment?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-seafoam-engine-treatment/604991
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [December 3, 2011, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-seafoam-engine-treatment/604991 "2011-12-03T23:51:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2011, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-seafoam-engine-treatment/604991/1 "2011-12-03T23:51:25Z")
I’ve done a lot of reading about this online and 999/1000 comments are positive about at the treatment. Some people report substantially smoother engine performance after using it.
Have any of you ever used this stuff? It’s been around forever and a day.
I have an 04 Ram 1500 5.7L Hemi with 80k on it. I’m thinking about doing a treatment but I’m a little leery of potentially loosening carbon deposits in the engine and actually making things worse in the process.
FWIW the thing runs fine now but I’m at the milage level where I want to start babying it and really doing the right things to get to 200k. [RIGHT][/RIGHT]
ETA: Rick
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### Author:  [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-seafoam-engine-treatment/604991/2 "2011-12-04T06:02:07Z")
How are you going to use the Seafoam?
It can be used as a gas treatment by putting it in a tank of gas. It is a pretty good gas treatment.
It can be put into the oil in the crankcase and then you drive the car for less than 100 miles or just idle it for an hour and change the oil. You will get the blackest oil you have ever seen.
Or you can use it to clean the top end of your engine, which usually involves pouring it into the brake booster line until the engine stalls, waiting a bit, and startiing up the engine with a huge cloud of smoke. I really would not recommend doing this, but some of the guys on another web site I frequent do use it this way. This method has been mostly replaced by a Mopar foaming product called Mopar Combustion Cleaner, I think.
Here is a place to start reading. If you are a car guy you might like this site for other things. LS1tech.
> **[Mopar Combustion Cleaner Picture - LS1TECH - Camaro and Firebird Forum...](https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-maintenance-repairs/1396217-mopar-combustion-cleaner-picture.html)**
>
> General Maintenance & Repairs - Mopar Combustion Cleaner Picture - I know this has been talked about a million times on here, but i would like to share with you what i came across monday at work. Customer had a 2003 Chrysler TC 3.8 with 120k on it....
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-seafoam-engine-treatment/604991/3 "2011-12-04T11:00:12Z")
if you change your oil regularly, use a recognizable brand of oil, and haven’t overheated your engine, then it’s highly unlikely Seafoam is going to do anything for you.
“Miracle” additives are a load of shit.
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### Author:  [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-seafoam-engine-treatment/604991/4 "2011-12-04T13:59:18Z")
I will say it WILL clean the shit out of an engine. I used it to clean out an old and probably abused 4hp boat motor in the back yard. Enough smoke came out of it that I was expecting the fire department to show up. I’ve got more lined up for an old car (that if I frack it up I don’t care). You’re right though. Your biggest concern is the need for cleaning vs the risk that cleaning it up royally screws something up. I’ll be interested in seeing what the experts have to say on this one too.
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-seafoam-engine-treatment/604991/5 "2011-12-04T14:45:10Z")
> [@billfish678](#):
>
> I will say it WILL clean the shit out of an engine. I used it to clean out an old and probably abused 4hp boat motor in the back yard. Enough smoke came out of it that I was expecting the fire department to show up.
Practically any solvent will “clean the shit” out of an engine. Per its MSDS, Seafoam is a mix of light oil, naphtha (paint thinner) and isopropyl alcohol. if you were burning it in the engine, the smoke was likely from the light oil and not from anything in the engine.
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### Author:  [@ExcitedIdiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExcitedIdiot)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-seafoam-engine-treatment/604991/6 "2011-12-06T18:36:38Z")
You probably don’t need to do anything, I’ve heard carbon deposits aren’t really a big problem on modern engines. If you are sure you want to do something, use water. Water will clean out carbon deposits, and doesn’t make a big smoke show like seafoam. Just use a spray bottle and spray it into the intake while the car is running.
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### Author:  [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiences-with-seafoam-engine-treatment/604991/7 "2011-12-06T18:45:21Z")
> [@ExcitedIdiot](#):
>
> You probably don’t need to do anything, I’ve heard carbon deposits aren’t really a big problem on modern engines. If you are sure you want to do something, use water. Water will clean out carbon deposits, and doesn’t make a big smoke show like seafoam. Just use a spray bottle and spray it into the intake while the car is running.
I came in to say this. I’ve never heard of seafoam screwing anything up, but I think it’s heralded as a miracle elixir when a bit of water will steam clean an engine just as well.
But it’s not like it’s expensive, so if it makes people feel better, have at it.