HOW TO: SEAFOAM (Motor Treatment) A 370z

wstar

I used it once on a previous car, an LS1 engine with... I want to say it had around 60-75K miles on it at that point. Sucked it in through the brake booster hose. It didn't hurt the car, and it probably does help clean the intake/heads/valves.

That being said, on a newer/specialized engine like ours, I'd want to be extra sure of compatibility - mostly that their formula doesn't damage some plastic/rubber/whatever that it would come in contact with, or that it doesn't cause our ECU to go bonkers when the front O2s read that smoke and cause the engine to try to hurt itself with over-lean fueling or whatever. But I'm paranoid about these kinds of things, it's probably fine.

As for the smoke: far too often I see people talking about how this product works and using the smoke to prove it did something. "Look at all that filth it cleaned out of the engine!". Most of the smoke is undoubtedly from the product itself, not the crud it might clean out.

An oil catch can on the PCV lines, using good air filters, top-tier premium fuel, and the occasional bottle of Chevron's Techron additive (bitog really likes that one over the competition, last I checked, and those guys know their ****) should be enough to keep our engine pretty damn clean anywhere the Seafoam would touch anyways.

__________________
7AT Track Car!
Journal thread / Car setup details

SouthArk370Z

In my experience, these types of products seldom do any good and often end up causing more problems. If the equipment is dirty enough that cleaning the engine would be beneficial, there is a high probability of dislodging pieces big enough to plug oil galleys and damage bearing surfaces. If it's not that dirty, then why use a cleaner? Keeping it clean is a whole lot cheaper and easier than trying to clean a dirty engine.

Then there's possible compatibility problems with sensors, plastic/rubber components, and even the metals used in modern engines.

Not sure it's true, but wstar's theory about messing with the O2 readings and hurting the engine sounds very plausible.

There may be a situation where an engine cleaner would do some good, but, for most people, they are a waste of time, effort, and money. If the engine is dirty enough to need cleaning, then it needs to be torn down. If you do the normal maintenance on you car, you don't need to clean the engine.

__________________
Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub
Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

Boost_lee

I've used seafoam for years without problems. I wouldn't use it in the z yet since i still have low mileage. Most cars i use it on have over 130k on the ticker. I run a third of the can in the oil for a few miles then change the oil immediately since it thins it out. Another third in the intake manifold and the last third in the gas tank. It's helped a little on higher mileage cars restore some pep. Just my experience

__________________
My TT Z

DLSTR

This^ The only thing burning off is the SeaFoam. Its a waste on most cars and big time on direct injection engines. The Z does not need this if you are using a good premium fuel with a proper detergent package(Shell,Chevron) etc. You can also hydro lock an engine and foul plugs and burn out ignition and coild packs. Stay away from this product. It does not take off any baked on carbon deposits. It physically cannot do it. Physical valve cleaning is the solution for gunked up valves. Check any direct injection type forum for reality.

XwChriswX

I used to use the STP cleaner with every tank, but heard it wasn't the best. So the Chevron bottle is the one to go with? I think I've seen different colored bottles... is there one in particular thats best?

__________________

Bonnie - Stage 2, Audio build coming this fall!
R.I.P. Abby 3/29/10 - 3/30/14

wstar

Bob is the Oil Guy . Be warned: if you're at all sciency/nerdy and into cars, clicking that link could cost you weeks of time while you get sucked into it

I think the bottom line on the simple fuel system cleaner additives that are widely available, though, is to get Chevron's Concentrated Fuel System Cleaner. You can also use their Injector Cleaner if that's all that's available. Both have the same active ingredient (PEA), but the FSC is about twice as concentrated as the IC. The bottle of the concentrate stuff looks like: Chevron 65740 Techron Concentrate Plus Fuel System Cleaner - 20 oz. : Amazon.com : Automotive

There are other products that have good amounts of PEA. I think Redline's fuel treatment does as well, for instance. But the Techron's the one to remember because you can buy that just about anywhere, even a lot of gas stations.

__________________
7AT Track Car!
Journal thread / Car setup details

XwChriswX

Thank you sir, I will be on the lookout for this.

Is it a once/twice a year sort of thing, or every fill up?

__________________

Bonnie - Stage 2, Audio build coming this fall!
R.I.P. Abby 3/29/10 - 3/30/14

wstar

Beats me. I could say "depends on your conditions and habits", but honestly even if I knew those things, I don't have a fact-based answer for you. I definitely don't use anything in the fuel more often than once every few months, sometimes it's closer to a year.

I haven't done it to the Z in quite a long time now... but in place of that, roughly every 2nd or 3rd track weekend or so, I put a half tank of unleaded race fuel in the car, 98-octane Sunoco 260 GTX is usually what's available at a track pump. I figure that and the hard driving on a hot engine keeps things pretty pristine in there. It's normal street-driving conditions that gunk things up more.

__________________
7AT Track Car!
Journal thread / Car setup details

fuct

every tank of gas you used STP cleaner? in what car, and why?

XwChriswX

Previous car and this one, till about 2 months ago.

Because I thought it kept the lines clear, and it recommended to do so on the bottle...

Mind you, the STP Gas Treatment in every tank, not the Fuel System Cleaner. I only did that 2x a year. Forgive me for not differentiating the two earlier.

__________________

Bonnie - Stage 2, Audio build coming this fall!
R.I.P. Abby 3/29/10 - 3/30/14

Jordo!

Yeah... agreed. The "I see smoke coming out" is essentially a "I know it's working because it's tingling" rationale.

Where is the evidence it actually does anything to clean the valve train? Where is the independent data on improved gas mileage or whatever other claims it purports?

I wouldn't pour this gunk into the engine. I'd say its as likely to weaken seals or gunk EVAP valves as it is to remove any presumed carbon deposits.

That users report no apparent harm (other than a CEL!?!) is hardly a ringing endorsement. That the car "runs smoother" afterwards is shaky anecdotal evidence at best.

Anyone adhering to a regular maintenance schedule, using top tier fuel, and perhaps after 60 - 200K miles a proper fuel injector cleaning service (rather than just dumping extra detergents into the tank) is doing plenty to keep the engine in excellent running condition for several hundred thousand miles easily without adding this alchemist's brew.

__________________
Enjoy it. Destroy it.

jckilla

I've used Zmax on my EVO before I sold it and bought my Z and immediately went and got the Zmax 3 bottle kit for my Z. Haven't put the transmission formula in ( results pending on CVT trannys ). Definitely works better than sea foam. And if Carroll Shelby used it in EVERY car he built/owned, it's good enough for me. ( and I don't think paying him as a sponsor is why he used it, like he needed the money ). He stood behind the product and the tests do as well.
Tests Prove zMAX Works, SAE testing | zMax Micro-lubricant

carmelvalleyZ

My wife and I use this technique all the time - I look for smoke and she says "I know its working because its tingling"

so i keep going!

__________________
Stillen CBE||Stillen Gen3 CAI||Stillen oil cooler||18% Tint Back||28% Tint Sides

Opinions are like a$$holes, everybody's got one!