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Thread: just used upper engine cleaner (seafoam).. but no smoke? something wrong?

  1. #1

    Default just used upper engine cleaner (seafoam).. but no smoke? something wrong?

    Hey guy,

    I just used a can of subaru upper engine cleaner ( i think it's the same as seafoam) on my mps 6 but didn't see smoke come out?
    does it sounds weird?

    i followed the instruction to warm up the engine first,
    and then turned off the engine and spray half can into the brake booster vacuum hose,
    after 5 minutes, start the engine and spary the remaining in the the hose with constant 2000rpm.
    no smoke some out.
    and then turned off the engine for 15 minutes and restart and rev it to purge any remaining foam.
    still no smoke even i boosted it to redline.
    lastly reinstall the brake booster vacuum hose and take it to a road test. still the same....

    anyone can help me out?

    cheers,
    ryan

  2. Default

    The same happened to me. I guess that I have a clean engine :-)
    I did it on my Gen2 with 45k.

  3. #3

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    haha... a clean engine is a good explaination to comfort myself.
    my one is a 2005 mps 6 with 63k.
    consider its ago.. it was expecting a hell lot of dense smoke but it turned out with nothing..
    did you use the brake boost line as well?

  4. Default

    Yes I used the brake boost line also. I did it late at night expecting a mess of white smoke !!

  5. #5

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    Make sure remove you cat or cats as the engine cleaner will melt it internally, often resulting in a blockage.

  6. Default

    I used it on my car for the first time a while ago I had so much smoke come out just like the YouTube clips. After that everytime I did it near to nothing comes out. So it must mean it has cleared it all out well most of the crap.

  7. #7

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    I was a bit disappointed when I didn't get a smoke party only just an average amount.

  8. #8

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    Unless there was good reason to suspect a chronically dirty engine which, in the average range of kms these cars have done and given modern clean fuels, the best oils in history and good filtration, I would very much doubt, I would avoid dumping any product in a semi-uncontrolled fashion into the engine. Engines are designed to have only three things in them: oil, fuel and coolant.

    Most of these after-market additives and so-called cleaners are designed to do only one thing: part the gullible from their money. The more propellant and the less actual "product" whatever that may be, the better their margins.

    If I was an engine "cleaner" manufacturer and I wanted people to be really satisfied with my product, I would ensure that it generated as much smoke as possible upon combustion, so the user had some measure of "satisfaction" that "all the gunk has been cleaned out".

    The manufacturer of your particular product obviously overlooked this little marketing tip and/or you do, in fact, have a perfectly clean engine as I would expect, and it was probably clean before you started the process, when you were around $15 richer.

    The negative, however, is that redlining an unloaded engine has probably wiped some life off it.
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  9. Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Doug_MPS6 View Post
    Unless there was good reason to suspect a chronically dirty engine which, in the average range of kms these cars have done and given modern clean fuels, the best oils in history and good filtration, I would very much doubt, I would avoid dumping any product in a semi-uncontrolled fashion into the engine. Engines are designed to have only three things in them: oil, fuel and coolant.

    Most of these after-market additives and so-called cleaners are designed to do only one thing: part the gullible from their money. The more propellant and the less actual "product" whatever that may be, the better their margins.

    If I was an engine "cleaner" manufacturer and I wanted people to be really satisfied with my product, I would ensure that it generated as much smoke as possible upon combustion, so the user had some measure of "satisfaction" that "all the gunk has been cleaned out".

    The manufacturer of your particular product obviously overlooked this little marketing tip and/or you do, in fact, have a perfectly clean engine as I would expect, and it was probably clean before you started the process, when you were around $15 richer.

    The negative, however, is that redlining an unloaded engine has probably wiped some life off it.
    Respectfully disagree,

    Seafoam does do something, especially for us rotary owners where we generally do experience a fairly chronic build up -especially for those in Sydney and other traffic-heavy cities, that aren't exactly places you can get a nice rev out regularly. It's less useful in Cylinder-based cars, as the motion of a 4-stroke will typically push most of it out, but a de-carbon certainly does help if you're in a car that is nannied around a fair bit and doesn't see a lot of heavy driving. Sure, smashing someone at the lights helps, but I'm talking extended periods of spirited driving. (20 minute run through the hills, for example)

    I think certainly cleaners and other additives, when used correctly (key point here), can help diagnose or cross out certain problems - clogged injectors, carbon buildup for us rotary owners, so on. I certainly wouldn't do it as a regular thing, but if I felt things were a little sluggish perhaps it might be a pointer to a bigger issue, or no issue at all.

    Often a problem with Supercars, which is usually remedied by an 'Italian tuneup'. Hilarious term in itself, but that might also be the term the others are looking for.

    An Italian tuneup usually refers to a process whereby the operator of a motor vehicle runs the engine at full load for extended periods in order to burn carbon buildup from the combustion chambers and exhaust system. It is performed after a traditional tuneup and often accompanied by an addition of fuel system cleaner to the fuel tank. It is particularly useful for vehicles that are only operated at low speeds on short journeys, and for diesel vehicles prior to emissions testing.

    History
    The origin of the Italian tuneup comes from Ferrari. Owners would drive their cars infrequently and never run them hard, which causes the engine to build up enough carbon inside to affect performance. Mechanics would perform a "tuneup" by driving several laps around a race track to get the engine hot enough to burn out the built up carbon. Cars before the advent of modern engine lubricants and fuels, often had a 'de-coke' by hand, after removing the cylinder head, as a scheduled service operation.
    Last edited by Lardman; 07-05-2012 at 12:51 AM.

  10. #10

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    i was totally disappointed with no smoke as it wasn't what i expecting to happen.
    after a while of thought, i think it's worthy to be $7 poorer to know my car actually has a clean engine ,haha...
    ps: it cost me just $7 becoz i got it from my subaru onwer friend who just bought a dozen of these things from the US...

    i think part of the reason that it wasn't smoking is becoz i used a bottle of Nulon Total Fuel System Cleaner last week?
    in addition, it's experiencing black smoke at full boost. but after used the fuel system cleaner the problem solved!
    so now no black smoke or white smoke.. pretty happy! hahh..

  11. #11

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    I've used Nulon Foaming Air Intake Cleaner about 3 or 4 times and I have never experienced the massive plumes of smoke as seen on YouTube. The last time we approached it a little differently and sprayed it in about three times, stopping the engine to allow it to soak in twice and then spraying until the can was empty on the last time. There was definitely some build up and it was blowing a bit of smoke but only as it was being revved.

    I have no concern using this kind of product, it is purely an air intake cleaner and having seen the build up in gasoline direct injection engines, I am happy to keep using this as directed. The Nulon product is for all intents and purposes the same as the Subaru product, and if it's good enough for a manufacturer to recommend for every service, it's good enough for me.

    With regards to Nulon Total Fuel System Cleaner, it shouldn't have any effect on the amount of smoke produced by an upper engine cleaner. It goes in the tank and runs through the fuel system only, and is sprayed directly into the combustion chamber and not onto the back of the intake valve (which is why the carbon buildup in DI engines is particularly difficult to prevent).

  12. Default Subaru Upper Engine Cleaners

    Hi guys selling UEC. Selling in sets of 10 for $80. Any 10 for $80. Postage anywhere in australia is an xtra $10



    Thanks,


    Leo(Sydney, Burwood)


    Contact No. 0424 726 299

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