Seafoam Treatment?

[4Runner7]

Has anyone tried the Seafoam Treatment?

I have a 99 4Runner with a weird idle problem. Runs great on the highway and roads, just idles weird when in Park and never in drive. For example, RPM's will drop when in park and go down to about 500 and it sounds like its going to die. Then it will go back up to 900 before settling down back to the normal 600 or so. It will do this about once every 30 seconds for so. My wife was in a drive through at a coffee shop and she said that it completely died on her. Throttle body cleaning? New Plugs? What do y'all suggest? Thanks!

 

[momo.75]

The Seafoam treatment really helps, especially for higher mile trucks. Depending on when the last time you had the plugs changed, you might want to do that as well. I would do the Seafoam first. It would be easier to search for a thread about it than me rambling on it. I know there are a few good threads about the process on T4R.ORG, somewhere.

 

[Tucson4runner]

Good thing about seafoam is it cleans really well. Bad thing is well it cleans to well. Using seafoam could potentially open cracks and leaks that were previously covered or plugged by goop. Also depending on the amount of gunk you have it could also damage spark plugs and your downstream o2 sensor. I would replace plugs and wires about a week after seafoam and only do o2 sensor if you get a CEL. And if your putting the seafoam in all 3 places it tells you to then change your oil a week after too. That will give it enough time to collect all the gunk. Hope this helps.

 

[theizzardking]

Good thing about seafoam is it cleans really well. Bad thing is well it cleans to well. Using seafoam could potentially open cracks and leaks that were previously covered or plugged by goop. Also depending on the amount of gunk you have it could also damage spark plugs and your downstream o2 sensor. I would replace plugs and wires about a week after seafoam and only do o2 sensor if you get a CEL. And if your putting the seafoam in all 3 places it tells you to then change your oil a week after too. That will give it enough time to collect all the gunk. Hope this helps.

x2 was going to do seafoam myself not to long ago but just put in new plugs and read where the company doesn't suggest using their product in cars over 100k that have never had the block cleaned in anyway due to the information provided by tucson above.

 

[RunninOnBlue]

Good thing about seafoam is it cleans really well. Bad thing is well it cleans to well. Using seafoam could potentially open cracks and leaks that were previously covered or plugged by goop. Also depending on the amount of gunk you have it could also damage spark plugs and your downstream o2 sensor. I would replace plugs and wires about a week after seafoam and only do o2 sensor if you get a CEL. And if your putting the seafoam in all 3 places it tells you to then change your oil a week after too. That will give it enough time to collect all the gunk. Hope this helps.

I did Seafoam with decent results. My idle leveled out back in the correct range. But I only had 95k miles on mine. Worth $8 to try.
Clean the MAF sensor, clean the TB and check your plugs first. Also replace the fuel filter if you haven't already. These 4 items plus Seafoam cost less than $50 and will help your rig to be run better even if they are not the direct cause of your issue.

 

[josh.bunch]

So it seems the consensus is to not seafoam unless you plan on changing spark plugs and engine oil in the near future. It seems logical to think that when all that debris is loosened from the engine it will gunk up the plugs. Am I right?

Also the information above about cars over 100K with gunk built up in leaks or cracks could become worse. This is slightly terrifying. Is it something anyone has had a problem with?

 

[4-Ripcord]

So it seems the consensus is to not seafoam unless you plan on changing spark plugs and engine oil in the near future. It seems logical to think that when all that debris is loosened from the engine it will gunk up the plugs. Am I right?

Also the information above about cars over 100K with gunk built up in leaks or cracks could become worse. This is slightly terrifying. Is it something anyone has had a problem with?

I have never heard of that happening. And yes, plan your seafoam day for they day before a oil-change/spark plugs day.

 

[josh.bunch]

And yes, plan your seafoam day for they day before a oil-change/spark plugs day.

That's kind of what I thought. Guess I wont be doing seafoam for a few years. (When I wrote that post I had you in mind that I was hoping you would respond since you are Mr. Super Tune-Up.)

 

[dd210]

seafoam

I did seafoam in my 4runner and like a week or two later my lifters starting making noise I don't know if that was the cause but just saying

 

[quicksilvr]

That's kind of what I thought. Guess I wont be doing seafoam for a few years. (When I wrote that post I had you in mind that I was hoping you would respond since you are Mr. Super Tune-Up.)

You don't actually have to change the plugs (if they happen to be fairly new, and you don't want to spend money on new ones). You just have to pull them all out, and clean them off with a brush or a spark plug cleaner. But since you're pulling them all out, it's usually easier to just put new ones in.

 

[Clownmeat]

IAC can cause this.

 

[4Runner7]

Great. Thanks! So it sounds like do the sea foam first (even though I have 175K). The bit on it loosening too much goop out and it reveling openings is a bit scary, but then they need to be replaced anyway even if that happens is what I am thinking. Anyone else had problems with it loosening up too much and exposing more leaks? Also, what kind of plugs should I be using on a 99 SR5? Time for an oil change anyway so that works out!

 

[Major]

I'd check for a Vacum leak. That will cause a rough idle but run great when driving

 

[4Runner7]

Also.... Does anyone have any opinions on which hose to put the sea foam in? Been reading up on this and some say for a 99 SR5 to use the brake booster line. Does anyone have opinions on which vacuum line to use? pictures? Thanks!

 

[1985taylor1925]

I used seafoam about a year ago at around 165K miles. But I just did it as a fuel additive, not the all out method through the vacume lines. I didnt notice any changes honestly. Also changed to synthetic motor oil around the same timeframe. No new leaks as far as I know. But it may be a different story for you