[gavoci92]

Hey guys I have a question. Has anyone ever used seafoam on their e90?? I know it says only 2-cylinder and 4-cylinder engines and thats why I was wondering. If so, where did you put it in the car? Thanks.

[XM_Rocks]

Waste of time and money, plus it looks silly when you are blowing all of that white smoke out.

Just clean your intake valves with a walnut shell blasting kit or by hand.

Mine at 82k miles... Before and after.

[TrollToll]

The N54 uses a vacuum pump. Without going into a lot of detail, Seafoam won't work at all.

[CeeWhizzle]

Seafoam won't do anything drastic to make any changes. It may get rid of some very minor carbon build up on the piston heads, but that's about it. Do a walnut blast like XM mentioned.

I put 2 cans of seafoam through my motor (brake booster hose going into the manifold *EDIT* Meth injection port on IC pipe. lool) as a test before pulling the manifold to do my walnut blasting. And it made absolutely no difference on the intake valves.

[Sgop335]

Originally Posted by CeeWhizzle

Seafoam won't do anything drastic to make any changes. It may get rid of some very minor carbon build up on the piston heads, but that's about it. Do a walnut blast like XM mentioned.

I put 2 cans of seafoam through my motor (brake booster hose going into the manifold) as a test before pulling the manifold to do my walnut blasting. And it made absolutely no difference on the intake valves.

Dont think the brake booster hose goes to the intake man. 335 has a vacuum pump.

[TrollToll]

Some people just don't get it. The N54 uses a vacuum pump. The brake booster line has absolutely nothing to do with the manifold or the engine. Seafoam will not work.

[Sgop335]

Wonder where his 2 cans of seafoam went.

[TrollToll]

Originally Posted by Sgop335

Wonder where his 2 cans of seafoam went.

Through the vacuum pump. I'm sure it's very clean.

[CeeWhizzle]

Originally Posted by Sgop335

Wonder where his 2 cans of seafoam went.

Hahaha. My bad. Meant to say I sent it through the meth injection port on my IC pipe towards the throttle body. Screwed in a nipple, hooked up a vacuum line and sucked it out of the bottle. But like I said, did nearly nothing at all. The valves for cyls 3/4 were slightly washed, but it wouldn't make as much as a difference as a walnut blasting since that carbon/gunk build up is quite tough.

I've used seafoam on many different vehicles via the brake booster port. Explains why I got that mixed up.

[Sgop335]

Originally Posted by CeeWhizzle

Hahaha. My bad. Meant to say I sent it through the meth injection port on my IC pipe towards the throttle body. Screwed in a nipple, hooked up a vacuum line and sucked it out of the bottle. But like I said, did nearly nothing at all. The valves for cyls 3/4 were slightly washed, but it wouldn't make as much as a difference as a walnut blasting since that carbon/gunk build up is quite tough.

I've used seafoam on many different vehicles via the brake booster port. Explains why I got that mixed up.

I do something suimilar every oil change or so. But with my proprietary formula 3oz of redline si1 mixed w a quart of 93 gas. So very high in detergents. Suck it thru the diverter valve line in the intake man. Cars at 82k not done any walnut blasting but purrs well. Going to get a borescope and inspect if it does anything. Should be able to see my intake valves if i take off the tb right?

[CeeWhizzle]

Originally Posted by Sgop335

I do something suimilar every oil change or so. But with my proprietary formula 3oz of redline si1 mixed w a quart of 93 gas. So very high in detergents. Suck it thru the diverter valve line in the intake man. Cars at 82k not done any walnut blasting but purrs well. Going to get a borescope and inspect if it does anything. Should be able to see my intake valves if i take off the tb right?

If you have one of those snake cameras you can push it through the throttle body and inspect the valve chambers. I was planning on doing the walnut blasting anyways as I have all the equipment for it.

If you're at 82k though, I highly doubt your valves are even anywhere near clean :P Should do the walnut blasting every 30-50k. But doing your detergent cleaning every service after a walnut blasting (and getting an Oil catch can) should definitely slow the process of the carbon build up on the valves afterwards.

The only problem with putting detergents in our engine is the fact that 90% of it will go through the middle cylinders (2-5) 1 and 6 will barely get touched with that stuff. I've been thinking of doing a little custom work on my intake mani for spraying cleaning detergents onto each valve chamber more appropriately. Such as drilling and threading in meth spray nozzles into each runner on the manifold (all 6 of them) about 2-3 inches from the actual valves. Then just hook up a line on each one during a service and suck the stuff through for a few seconds to really target one set at a time.

[The Convert]

Originally Posted by CeeWhizzle

If you have one of those snake cameras you can push it through the throttle body and inspect the valve chambers. I was planning on doing the walnut blasting anyways as I have all the equipment for it.

If you're at 82k though, I highly doubt your valves are even anywhere near clean :P Should do the walnut blasting every 30-50k. But doing your detergent cleaning every service after a walnut blasting (and getting an Oil catch can) should definitely slow the process of the carbon build up on the valves afterwards.

The only problem with putting detergents in our engine is the fact that 90% of it will go through the middle cylinders (2-5) 1 and 6 will barely get touched with that stuff. I've been thinking of doing a little custom work on my intake mani for spraying cleaning detergents onto each valve chamber more appropriately. Such as drilling and threading in meth spray nozzles into each runner on the manifold (all 6 of them) about 2-3 inches from the actual valves. Then just hook up a line on each one during a service and suck the stuff through for a few seconds to really target one set at a time.

Oil catch can will do nothing for carbon build up. This has been proven over and over again. Just search the pcv thread from way back.

[TrollToll]

Originally Posted by The Convert

Oil catch can will do nothing for carbon build up. This has been proven over and over again. Just search the pcv thread from way back.

I didn't read that thread, but how do you suppose that eliminating oil vapors doesn't help keep valves clean?

[Sgop335]

Originally Posted by Yournamehere90

I didn't read that thread, but how do you suppose that eliminating oil vapors doesn't help keep valves clean?

the occ collects oil vapors going to the intake of the turbo not intake manif. ( i.e. During boost conditions), pcv valve is shut. During vacuum conditions ( idling and decel) vapors go to intake man that gunk up the valves.

[CeeWhizzle]

Originally Posted by Sgop335

the occ collects oil vapors going to the intake of the turbo not intake manif. ( i.e. During boost conditions), pcv valve is shut. During vacuum conditions ( idling and decel) vapors go to intake man that gunk up the valves.

So then run a custom line from the OCC to the pcv valve. Much like Rob did on his DIY for the Custom OCC. I am currently in the process of that.

Otherwise there really isn't much to do about carbon build up. Walnut blasting every 30-50k isn't that bad anyways.

[The Convert]

Originally Posted by CeeWhizzle

So then run a custom line from the OCC to the pcv valve. Much like Rob did on his DIY for the Custom OCC. I am currently in the process of that.

Otherwise there really isn't much to do about carbon build up. Walnut blasting every 30-50k isn't that bad anyways.

I wouldn't blindly follow Rob...he blindly follows others, and that can get you blown seals or a blown motor. Learn the way the system works, why it works that way, then make your decisions. Don't even take things vendors say as gospel. There has been a lot of bad info given in the N54 world from all directions. When in doubt, mod cautiously and with information.

[limitdown]

Originally Posted by CeeWhizzle

I've been thinking of doing a little custom work on my intake mani for spraying cleaning detergents onto each valve chamber more appropriately. Such as drilling and threading in meth spray nozzles into each runner on the manifold (all 6 of them) about 2-3 inches from the actual valves. Then just hook up a line on each one during a service and suck the stuff through for a few seconds to really target one set at a time.

This is a great idea. I read the thread where the OP drilled and threaded in meth nozzles into all 6 runners as a DIY port injection kit. I'm not sure how well that would work as PI.
However, for intake valve cleaning during servicing, this might work.
Used intake manifolds sell for under $150 on eBay. It wouldn't be expensive at all to experiment. The worst case scenario is that you ruin the $150 manifold, but then you'd just slap the your old good one back on.

[The Convert]

Better off to just add PI to your car and never worry about dirty valves again.

[Cloud9blue]

Originally Posted by The Convert

Better off to just add PI to your car and never worry about dirty valves again.

PI wouldn't help much if you don't hit high boost target very often, which is the case for a street car. Most of the carbon build up occurs at idle and load load use, which PI would not spray any fuel to the manifold.

[CeeWhizzle]

Yeah, pretty sure those PI kits are made to be tuned to only spray under heavy loads and mid-high boost. No sense having them spray 100% of the time, just to waste extra gas.

[TrollToll]

Originally Posted by Cloud9blue

PI wouldn't help much if you don't hit high boost target very often, which is the case for a street car. Most of the carbon build up occurs at idle and load load use, which PI would not spray any fuel to the manifold.

Depends on who's driving.

[Cloud9blue]

Originally Posted by Yournamehere90

Depends on who's driving.

Please don't tell me you are hitting +12 psi of boost 50% of the time on STREET. Seriously, even if you drive the car very aggressive on the street, it won't see significant boost anything more than 5% of the time tag engine is running

If you want clean valves, either walnut blast at every 30k or instal PI and do a dozen track day events every year like some of us here