DiosMioMan

Has anyone had good results with adding Seafoam to your engine oil and running it for 50 miles or so before oil change? Or is this a waste of money or harmful to the 5.4 Triton in any way?

Was planning to throw the rest of the bottle in the gas tank. Thoughts/opinions on this?

F150Torqued

I've done it (something similar) for the last 150k miles, at 264k mi. now. But I use STRONG solvent like "Kreen" or "Motor Mechanic". The way I like to do it is - at the end of the day or drive cycle when engine is full operating temperature, pour in a quart of STRONG engine cleaning solvent, even if it over it overfills the crankcase, and drove it (gently) the last 50 miles or so. Then let it set overnight. Next day idle to warmup (5 min or so), then drain and change oil and filter. During the 50 miles, I try to do a lot of varying light cruise to exercise both Retard as well as Advance action in the VVT system and Solenoids.

I know MANY would chastise me for this, but I believe it has worked well for me.

16IngotFX4

I don't know if it is harmful (never torn own a motor after SeaFoam).

If you are just burning it in your gas tank that's okay. Not super required but is okay.
It is a different story if you were going to introduce it through the intake though.

I think I've burned up seaform on my 5.4 a few times. I can't really remember. It feels like I didn't start using Seafoam until after I had that truck. I know for certain I used Seaform on the next vehicle (not the Ford 5.4) through the intake. And poured the remainder in the tank.

Note to new users: Seafoam is not recommended whatsoever on the turbo motors (in case somebody piggybacks on this thread). In the event the chemical breaks out a bit of carbon or debris it can be recycled into the intake/turbos and make bad things happen.

laterongc

have you ever used, or considered using, a mix of diesel and kerosene vs the commercially produced flush products like motor medic?

F150Torqued

No sir. But I have _thought_ about trying 'lacquer thinner' or 'acetone' or B-12 chemtool, but haven't tried that. My dear old late father used to put a gallon of diesel fuel in his gas tank every so often saying it cleaned carbon of the valves and pistons. But that was in the days of led in gasoline. I don't know what the effect of diesel or kerosene in the oil briefly might do. ??? It's good for cleaning parts - just might do perfectly fine.

laterongc

Was just curious because I’ve read of many people using diesel or kerosene as a flush. And, it looks like motor medic is 60-70% diesel and 20-30% kerosene.

16IngotFX4

We should ask "what are you trying to accomplish".
What do you need to 'fix' with additives?

How do you intend to achieve the 50 miles -pour in the chemical, drive it 50 miles with your end point being the oil chance shop or will the 50 miles be in 15 trips through the course of a week to the grocery store?

If you just want to clean the motor, take the truck for a good steady drive on the highway so normal operating temp can be reached and maintained.

I guess I'm going back in time too just like above. "Back in the day we used to do these crazy things to clean a motor". I'll jump in and say that back in the day we always felt it healthy to just take the vehicle for a good long drive.
I think the modern motor and electronics, fuel injection, timing and fuel trims are more efficient than the old carburetors that always suppled the exact same amount of fuel. I suspect our motors run more clean than in the 80's for instance.

So what is it you are trying to achieve with an oil additive that wasn't accomplished by quality modern day oils haven't done for you?
I will continue by saying I ran a gallon of a produce by LCD Inc. It was a fuel additive but I think was also used in oil? Maybe I'm just getting confused. It's been about 8 years since I've used it though.

F150Torqued

I think I would say "it's more what I hope to avoid" than seeking to definitely accomplish or 'fix'. Having done a timing chain / components job at 212k miles, I am a DIYer (non-seasoned mechanic "NSM") familiar with the intricacies and temperamental characteristics of the 5.4L 3v VVT system. I've seen and cleaned those 'itcy-bitcy' passageways and filter screens. It seems _ANY_ crud, carbon deposits, corrosion, sludge or otherwise that obstructs oil delivery to those components causes some varying degree of problems. My hope it to avoid that. I KNOW that harsh solvents do not benefit the bearing surfaces - in fact would quickly harm them. Thus I feel, (again I'm an NSM), but I just _FEEL_ that oil manufacturers cannot afford to have the MAX level of detergents in oil advertised to hold up for 15,000 miles. I _think_ the 50 miles or so of light varying load speed and sitting overnight is an acceptable risk AND beyond that possible from detergents contained in stock oils.

Other than those feelings - I am ill prepared to argue the point in any real depth.

laterongc

thx for this post. I follow your logic and the risk reward approach to your decision/method. Two follow ups if you don’t mind:

- did you ever experiment with similar approach, but without one or more of the: 50 mile drive OR the sitting overnight step?

- with your flush routine, what OCI interval are you running in between ?

thanks for your posts

F150Torqued

Experiment - not really. I have dropped the overnight routine because busy life dictated I could NOT change in the morning before I had to get going. Guess I sorta' view it as just skipping the flush. I prefer the idea of it sitting in there for a few hours for the slower dissolving stuff after solvent has been been mixed good with all the oil. The morning warm up is just to get any loosened stuff into the oil filter and thin oil for draining.