Did a quick search but not a for sure answer. If anyone has done the seafoam treatment to a 3rd gen will you post on what vac line you used or if it went down the tb? My 03 fire has a pretty nasty tick to it and seafoam seams to be the thing to use here.
My 1997 Cavalier 2.2 OHV has about 152,000 KMs now, and I'd been planning to try out Seafoam for a long time, but could never find for sale locally. A couple of months ago, I spotted some at a NAPA dealer, and picked up two cans. I wanted to get a chance to use it where the smoke wouldn't be a problem, and it sat around until today. I actually forgot I had it. What reminded me was that my father was having a hell of a time with a 2-stroke weed eater. It would bog terribly and refuse to run without the choke on. I suggested running some of the Seafoam through it. Not thinking the odds were very good of it helping, I used about 1/8th of the fuel-tank worth and mixed it up. Five minutes later, the weed eater ran like new.
Impressed, my Dad went with me to a well ventilated area (an small airport, actually), and helped me feed some Seafoam to my car. A little more than half a can went in the vacuum line, while engine bogged and missed slightly without stalling. When finished, I was just beginning to get some smoke from the tailpipe, and turned the engine off by the key. The rest of the Seafoam went in the fuel tank. My next oil change was a ways off, and I'm not a fan of random solvents in the crankcase, so none went in the oil. A few minutes later, I restarted the car (which didn't sound too happy at first), and immediately went for a 20 minute highway run (with some full-throttle launches when convenient ) There was disappointingly little smoke, but I figured perhaps there wasn't much cleaning to do.
For the past several months, I've been experiencing a worsening "tick" or "clatter" in the engine. (See my thread on this issue). I assumed it was a sticky lifter, or perhaps even a problem with the timing chain. It was downright annoying, not to mention embarrassing when I drove along side a building or in a drive-through that actually let me hear it clearly. This noise is now COMPLETELY GONE. I'll repeat that: Seafoam completely cured my noisy valvetrain.
In addition, the engine starts faster, runs smoother and vibrates less. My plug wires used to jitter around like the antennae of a crazed insect. Now they barely move. My only explanation for this is that perhaps the noise from before was caused by a sticky valve (rather than lifters or chain). This could potentially upset the balance of the engine.
Anyways, of course this result is not typical. Of course I'm not responsible if the stuff eats your gaskets and destroys your engine. I've been running it for about a week now, and the there have been no side affects, and only the slightest hint that the tick might return with time. Despite these disclaimers, I'm pleased as hell. I'm another believer.
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I USE THE BRAKE BOOSTER LINE BUT I USED THE TANK
Right, I forgot to answer the question: I used the brake booster, poured into the end of the line where it came off the tank on the firewall. Not sure why you would use the tank.
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If I do it through the brake booster line it's not going to throw the CEL is it for a vacuum issue is it?
Well I did the seafoam treatment today on my 2.2 DOHC, no check engine light so that's a good thing. Did it through the brake booster line as was mentioned by a few others. I got a little bit of white smoke but nothing like some people have so that either means one of two things, I didn't use enough in there (1/3 of a can), or the combustion chambers weren't all that dirty (they really shouldn't be at only 42k miles). I did the 1/3 in the crankcase this morning before running errands, 1/3 in the brake booster vacuum line, and the rest in the gas tank. After running it through the booster line I went and changed the oil right away. The ticking noise is still there but not quite as bad so we'll see if something was just sticky.
Lol sorry for being such a newb but which line is the brake booster line? I usually just pore some in my oil the morning of when I'm gonna do my oil change and pour some in my gas also
It's located just to the left of your brake fluid resivour attached to the large circular brake booster unit. There's a round plastic fitting about the size of a quarter that the hose attaches to. I had to use a small funnel in the end of the hose.
I didn't even need a funnel. The vacuum while the engine is running is enough to pull the liquid back toward the hose before it has a chance to miss the opening.
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Seafoam is ok but GM makes a product called Top End Cleaner or combustion chamber cleaner. You use it just like Seafoam through a vacuum line but in my professional opinion it works much better. We have used it in many cars at my shop with great results. If GM uses it at the dealerships you can bet its good stuff that works. I also highly recommend Valvoline Synpower in-tank fuel injection cleaner every 3,000 miles. I have had cars come in with heavy misfires due to clogged injectors (very common in 3.1 & 3.4 GM V6's) and within 1 tank of gas the misfires are gone. 3M also makes a professional series in tank cleaner (might not be available to the general public) that works very well. There is one you can get on the shelf at most parts stores that says 3M Professional but its not the same stuff that I'm talking about. Its in a white bottle and comes in a package with the fuel rail cleaner and a can of throttle plate cleaner.
97 Cavalier 2.2 5-speed, 88 Camaro IROC-Z 5.7 auto, 91 Firebird Formula 5.7 auto, 88 Conquest TSi 2.6T 5 speed, 93 Silverado ECSB 5.7 auto.
do you have a leak or crack in the header ??? mine did that for a while until i got some tubing and pinpointed the tick.....came from loose header bolt(s) tool around see what u get
my question is, if you use the brake booster line, wouldnt it only feed from the 4th cylinder, and possible the 3rd cylinder due to a venturi?
i use the line for the PCV valve. Works like a charm every time
2006 Honda Civic EX Sedan AT-Galaxy Grey Metallic Pearl, 37,000 miles,Loaded with everything except Leather and Nav, Tint-5% rear, 20% front, Calipers painted Subaru WR Blue, Ipod Integration, XenonDepot 4300K HID Conversion kit, Debadged, Optima Red-Top, No performance mods because its an auto, and its under warranty.
First time I used it through the brake line the car smoked like a tar kettle for ten miles or so. I mean to the point of being embarrassed, but subsequent treatments weren't that bad.
noquarter is right, the GM stuff is FAR better.
When I do fuel treatments on cars I always put a pedal depressor on the throttle so the stuff doesnt puddle in the intake manifold and cause a huge smoke screen when I pull the car out of my bay.. its seen as very unprofessional.
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hmmm...how much is it to have a shop use the gm stuff in a car?
you will have to go to a gm dealership and the price will depend on where you go.
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ah, ok...hmmm...i'll have to look into that...got my car about a yr ago at 132000 miles, and it was NOT taken car of...not too too bad, compared to what some others on the org got, but it def needed some work...got most of the kinks out, but i wanna know what else i can do to make her run better.(now at 146600...still runs very smooth though)
i used sea foam in my 07 hhr that has the 2.4 eco and 43k on it and noticed a difference, smother, and a little better mpg.
i also used the gm kit in my old car 02 cavfire 2200ohv and liked the gm kit better.
My car was made with wrenches, Not chopsticks.
i use it every other oil change. i just pull the vacuum line off the fuel pressure regulator and let it pull in about 1/3 to 1/2 of the can and put the rest in the gas tank during the 10 minutes i let it sit before starting it back up... ive used it since 55k miles and now she has 219 almost 220k miles so i guess it works pretty good LOL..
