So which of those engine cleaning products actually works?

[turbos66coupe]

I had an oil feild truck come in misfiring all over the place. We checked every thing and all parts checked out good. An old tech told me to pull a plug and check for carbon and sure enough it was nasty down in the cylinders. We sprayed ice cold water in a vacume line just a little at a time and the misfires went away. Well we sold they guy cylinder heads due to oil consumption and when we removed the cylinder heads and every cyclinder was spotless clean . It acts like steam cleaner. Hits the hot carbon deposits they break up and blow out simply put.

[carbd89sleeper]

Learn somethin new everyday..

[BP]

Look at them as a tool that can be used to correct a problem. If your engine has carbon and it's the only problem then yes Seafoam, cold water, ATF or even just beating the piss out of the car will likely improve it's performance. If it's really low compression from worn out rings or cylinders, has a burnt valve or worn out guides then nothing is going to magically repair it.

Certain engines have very common problems, many can be related to poor quality or otherwise contaminated oil. Say for instance you have a Mitsubishi 2.0 or 3.5 and the lifters are noisy, usually they aren't worn out though, they are just full of varnish. In these instances products like Lucas or STP will work wonders, for as long as they are used. On a 3.5 Montero you'd be looking at $3000+ to correct noisy lifters but a $10 bottle of Lucas would probably do the same thing. Now if the lash adjusters are worn down then obviously the additives wouldn't work.

[dumpycapri85]

I have used the water before with good results on vehicles with no cats . I am not sure how good all the carbon blowing into the cats all at once would be for them . I think I would make sure the engine is very warm as well as the exhaust to make sure the cats can burn the extra material . Just a thought .

[90MarkVII]

I use a can of Berrymans B-12 at least twice a year, no more than 3.
Every time I have pulled the intake, you can see the grime right up to the point where the injector pattern hits the runner, then clean all the way to the intake valve. Back side of the intake valve is always clean, as wel as the actual chamber.

Like mentioned before, bad rings/valve guides loads the chamber with oil and you're fkd. Even more so if you use a synthetic as most "cleaners" can't break down the synthetic carbon.

[SMEGMA STENCH]

Put seafoam in my 97 z28, it spun a bearing a few days later.. Don't know if it had anything to do with it.. But I wouldn't add any to the oil like the can says.

You're the third person I've heard that story from. I'll be staying away from seafoam. It sounds like it has a tendency to spin bearings.

I have used the water before with good results on vehicles with no cats . I am not sure how good all the carbon blowing into the cats all at once would be for them . I think I would make sure the engine is very warm as well as the exhaust to make sure the cats can burn the extra material . Just a thought .

This is something I've always been afraid of. I always thought there was a chance that you just might ruin a perfectly set of cats by using stuff like berryman's throttle body cleaner and the like. All that carbon that they claim you're knocking off, has to go somewhere. Best case scenario it goes into the exhaust. Where its gonna get stuck in the cats.

[carbd89sleeper]

I have used the water before with good results on vehicles with no cats . I am not sure how good all the carbon blowing into the cats all at once would be for them . I think I would make sure the engine is very warm as well as the exhaust to make sure the cats can burn the extra material . Just a thought .

Who needs cats?....lol...

[91CoupeMike]

explain?

Ever seen a combustion chamber that had a leaking head gasket? They're spotless.

[91CoupeMike]

I've heard the restore oil additive works great, as well as seafoam and b-12. Techron has always been a solid choice aswell.

Rxp can kiss my ass with 2.5oz for 7$.

ATF will do wonders for oil sludge, but watch out the sludge will go right to the bottom of the pan and plug the pick up screan and cause oil starvation. Sludge doesn't disappear it just gets unstuck from the ATF and slides on down..

[91CoupeMike]

Put seafoam in my 97 z28, it spun a bearing a few days later.. Don't know if it had anything to do with it.. But I wouldn't add any to the oil like the can says.

Sounds like it did a pretty good job. It broke up the sludge like they said then it just plugged up the oil pick up screen and tube causing starvation.

Its a gamble it really depends on how much sludge there is to begin with.

[carbd89sleeper]

Sounds like it did a pretty good job. It broke up the sludge like they said then it just plugged up the oil pick up screen and tube causing starvation.

Its a gamble it really depends on how much sludge there is to begin with.

Plus its a chevy....

[SMEGMA STENCH]

I've heard the restore oil additive works great, as well as seafoam and b-12. Techron has always been a solid choice aswell.

Rxp can kiss my ass with 2.5oz for 7$.

ATF will do wonders for oil sludge, but watch out the sludge will go right to the bottom of the pan and plug the pick up screan and cause oil starvation. Sludge doesn't disappear it just gets unstuck from the ATF and slides on down..

With the RXP, they're selling you what it takes. You're getting your money's worth. Its not like your typical petroleum distillates where you need 24oz to do the job.

As for the ATF... wouldn't you just change the oil and let all the sludge run out the hole? Or maybe drop the pan and get it all out?

[91CoupeMike]

With the RXP, they're selling you what it takes. You're getting your money's worth. Its not like your typical petroleum distillates where you need 24oz to do the job.

As for the ATF... wouldn't you just change the oil and let all the sludge run out the hole? Or maybe drop the pan and get it all out?

If sludge would just drain out, you wouldn't need to use a solovet to break it loose.

You have to remove the pan to get it all out.

If youre about to do a pan gasket. What a better time to clean that shit out.

[Blackpony]

Seafoam works great! I have used it more times then I can remember, with nothing but success!!! Don't ever put it in your oil though. They make a specific additive that cleans out the engine.

[matts5.0]

The only thing I trust is a wire wheel and high grade . I wouldn't run 87 in a lawn mower .

why no 87? i was always told run the lowest octane possible..