Did Seafoam cause this?

[jimlam56]

I Seafoamed my 2003 Ranger last weekend.
When it came time to restart, it acted like the motor was seized.
I kept trying, and eventually it started.
But...two teeth of the starter gear were broken off in the process, causing me to have to replace the starter or live with a horrible racket every time I started it up.
By the way, it's a 3.0 V6 with 90k, well maintained with no problems.
I've seafoamed it several times before with no problems.
Coincidence?

[grampaws]

Coincidence..
Replace the starter or the ring gear will be damaged
If the starter is still noisey then the ring gear is
damaged and should be replaced.This is not a cheap repair
.the problem would have
been there before the seafoam..the motor will be fine and was
not seized..The ring gear and starter where jammed together..
Pull the inspection cover at the front of the trans and have the
ring gear inspected..

[jimlam56]

Coincidence..
Replace the starter or the ring gear will be damaged
If the starter is still noisey then the ring gear is
damaged and should be replaced.This is not a cheap repair
.the problem would have
been there before the seafoam..the motor will be fine and was
not seized..The ring gear and starter where jammed together..
Pull the inspection cover at the front of the trans and have the
ring gear inspected..

I had no symptoms of a problem before the seafoam procedure.
I did replace the starter.
The ring gear itself is only 35 bucks, but to get to it...
It is noisier than before, so I'm sure there was some damage to the ring gear.
I'm going to try to stick it out for a while, cuz if I'm in there I may as well replace the clutch etc.
Sigh, one thing leads to another...

[grampaws]

Have a backup plan!
To turn the motor over to to un-jam
the starter and turn the motor to some good teeth
on the ring gear.Leave the inspection cover of
you might have to tap the starter pinion to Knock it
free if it jams again. 1/2 ratchet and a socket for the
front harmonic balancer bolt might get you out of a jam..

[SergntMac]

I've been using SeaFoam for years, not a problem and surely nothing like this. It's a fuel/lubrication additive that cleans out those systems.

[Power Surge]

Seafoam? You driving through the ocean again?

Just kidding. I am guessing that's some sort of engine flush?

[jimlam56]

http://www.seafoamsales.com/

[GreekGod]

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Members

</TD><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" align=left bgColor=#ffffff>Sea Foam and new valve seals.



</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>October 14 2006, 6:50 AM </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px">
"I can't tell you what that stuff has done for my car, Cecile's car and the tapping valve lifters in my best friends '85 Ranger. Pour it down the carb, put a can in the gas tank and add it to the oil. The stuff works miracles..."

http://www.spookytruck.net (http://www.spookytruck.net/)


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[Power Surge]

Ahhh. Sounds like Marvel Mystery Oil.

[superford3]

seafoam is crap and i would never use that stuff

[SergntMac]

Good for you.

Seafoam has a flawless record in my book.

To each his own.

Yeah, Power, just another aftermarket additive like Marvel or Lucas.

[RoyLPita]

In order to get to that ring gear/flexplate, the tranny will have to come out.

[jimlam56]

In order to get to that ring gear/flexplate, the tranny will have to come out.

I figured that Brian.
I guess it was just an unhappy coinsidence.

I too have used Seafoam for many years on many vehicles with no problems and good results.
Oh well...

[mrjones]

What do you mean you Seafoamed it? There is a Seafoam fuel additive, but they also make a marine fogging oil for storing the engine in the off season. If you poured anything down the intake, you could've hydrolocked the engine and caused the teeth to break off the ring gear.

[Mike Poore]

Ahhh. Sounds like Marvel Mystery Oil.

WOW, I was thinking the same thing. (great minds & all that)

I used Mystery oil on my Kohler 12hp mower engine when the exhaust valve would stick open. (it smells nice too)

It's the first time I've seen the SeaFoam, though.

Just a thought ...with the packages in our synthetic oils, and the so-called clean gasolines (drive your engine clean) why is it necessary to add anything to one of these 24V engines?

[GreekGod]

This is an excellent tech paper:

http://www.chevron.com/products/prodserv/fuels/bulletin/motorgas/6_deposit-control/default.asp

<!-- popup 2 END -->"Engine deposits are affected by engine design, driving conditions, gasoline base fuel quality, and gasoline additives. Although all gasoline must contain a deposit control additive, some additives are less effective than others or are used at minimum concentration levels that are not very effective. In addition, some engine designs form heavier deposits than others, and some engine designs are extremely sensitive to deposits that do form. Aftermarket deposit control additives are available that can clean up deposits that have formed due to these circumstances. Treating one tankful of gasoline with the aftermarket additive is often sufficient. However, additive chemistry and dosage play large roles in determining the effectiveness of the product. Polyether amine-based aftermarket additives have been shown to be particularly effective at providing both excellent intake system and combustion chamber deposit cleanup. "

[SergntMac]

Just a thought ...with the packages in our synthetic oils, and the so-called clean gasolines (drive your engine clean) why is it necessary to add anything to one of these 24V engines? Well Mike, it may not be "necessary" at all, but it worked for me.

When I bough the #3 MM used almost a year ago now, it had 72K miles on it, with no evidence of owner maintenence anywhere to be found. Even the OASIS was spotless, and the car had issues the owner should have attended to in normal use when covered by the factory warranty. Oviously, it's use was abnormal, it was truely a "used" car. One thing I noted immediately was it's 15-16 MPG from a very bone stock car and while I can't call my local Citgo great, it is 93 octane with 10 percent corn juice mix all year around. IMHO, MPG needed to improve.

As I began my restoration to healthy, I changed all the fluids, and added a pint of SeaFoam to the crankcase, and another to the fuel tank. I repeated this for the next three oil changes. BTW, I don't use any synthetics anywhere, I buy the cheapest 5W20 I can find on sale (this averages 1.99 to 2.49 per quart) and I change oil every 2500-3K miles. I added an SCT off-the-shelf tune for CRD1 EECs, a 180 stat, Denso IT 20 plugs, and had Zack adjust the tranny shift schedule for moderate city driving, as this was to be the role of this car in my life. Fresh Pirelli rubber all around, correct alignment, RF balance and replaced the rear shocks (bought low mileage take-offs from a member here). Last but not least, a complete DR Cobra exhaust system salvaged from a #1x upgrade to Kook's.

My MPG shot up almost instantly, to an average of 20 MPG in daily city driving. Likewise, fuel prices shot up to a high of 3.50 per gallon this last spring. I needed that MPG bad, and I got it.

My last road trip to the Seymour Regional meet is most impressive. 22 MPG overall for the full round trip, which included dozens of high speed cruises on the highway. Even hit a speedo high of 140 MPG briefly on the way home. I was expecting much worse MPG, as this style of "flying low" tends to burn fuel fast. That didn't happen, and I'm quite pleased with everything as it has worked out.

Is Seafoam responsible for this? Ummm...No, I can't say that. But it did it's job in restoring health to a great road car, and I'm sure it helped. In any event, it didn't hurt. Maybe other additives would have worked as well, maybe better, but I have a long history with SeaFoam in the family, and I trust the product. I use it as a maintenence tool now, one pint in the crank case, one in the fuel tank 500 miles before an oil change is due.

Just my experience, your results may vary.

[merc6]

If it helps any this is how I used seafoam...But with spray bottle metheod.


Mopar Combustion Chamber Cleaner/Conditioner is really good for removing carbon deposits, but the directions on the can are not so useful. The following directions outline the way that professional mechanics have been using the cleaner for years -- they were finally published in TSB 18-31-97 for 1996-98 Jeep 4.0 Liter misfire conditions:
decarbonizing Procedure
1. Operate the vehicle until the vehicle reaches operating temperature.
2. Remove the air tube from the throttle body.
3. With the engine at an idle, spray the entire contents of Mopar Combustion Cleaner, p/n 04318001, directly into the throttle body. Allow the vehicle to load up with the cleaner to the point of almost stalling out.
4. Shut the engine OFF after the entire can is ingested.
5. With the hood closed and the vehicle parked inside the garage, allow the vehicle to soak for two to three hours. This will ensure that the engine will maintain its temperature and will allow proper solvent penetration.
6. Drive the vehicle on a highway/freeway that will allow the vehicle to be driven safely at the posted speed limit. Upon entering the highway/freeway, accelerate hard to the posted speed limit and maintain speed. Slow down and then perform 5 to 10 Wide Open Throttle (WOT) upshifts. Continue driving at the maximum speed limit for 1-2 miles (if conditions allow).