Good to seafoam or not?

[bdy0003]

I have an oil leak around the timing belt area. Right now, I use high mileage oil so the leak could be worse. I plan to seafoam only the vacuum lines. Anybody know if its safe to do so even though I have the leak?

BTW, my valve cover gasket and dist o-ring were replaced recently.

[SirThomas88]

I can't imagine why inserting SeaFoam into the vacuum lines would impact your oil leak or vice versa.

But I'm no expert. I would still do it.

[LUVLEXUS101]

I seafoamed today, I felt like the car was pulling a lot harder but when I was adding the seafoam, smoke starting coming out the engine, it looked like it was coming from the front exhaust manifold but I'm not sure.

Any ideas anyone?

[Retrospekt]

Originally Posted by LUVLEXUS101

I seafoamed today, I felt like the car was pulling a lot harder but when I was adding the seafoam, smoke starting coming out the engine, it looked like it was coming from the front exhaust manifold but I'm not sure.

Any ideas anyone?

You have a leak in your flange gasket between the headers and front pipe.

[LUVLEXUS101]

Easy to fix? Is it as simple as getting a new gasket and putting it in?

[bdy0003]

Arent those gaskgets made out of metal?

Originally Posted by Retrospekt

You have a leak in your flange gasket between the headers and front pipe.

[Retrospekt]

They are metallic wrapped in hard rubber. It's an easy replacement given you have the right tools. It's a tight fit to get the 3 bolts off, and bet your ass they'll be rusted.

[bdy0003]

Yeah, well being in Queens or Chicago, I'll bet the weather and salt does that to you.

Originally Posted by Retrospekt

They are metallic wrapped in hard rubber. It's an easy replacement given you have the right tools. It's a tight fit to get the 3 bolts off, and bet your ass they'll be rusted.

[LUVLEXUS101]

Is this possibly a reason why I get horrible has mileage?...like 13 mpg

[CCMphysician]

Originally Posted by LUVLEXUS101

Is this possibly a reason why I get horrible has mileage?...like 13 mpg

I'd be willing to bet you also have pretty poor compression. Did the Seafoam help at all with sluggish acceleration, etc? Also, keep track of your gas mileage. I'd be willing to bet that it dropped another 1-2 mpg after the Seafoam treatment.

On another note, are you losing oil? If so, at what rate?

-CCM

[LUVLEXUS101]

I'm not losing oil but the Seafoam did really help with the acceleration. The car was very peppy right off the line spinning the tires and everything. At one point my fuel economy was down to something like 9 mpg all city driving.

[bdy0003]

Why does Seafoam drop the fuel efficiency by 1-2mpg?

Originally Posted by CCMphysician

I'd be willing to bet you also have pretty poor compression. Did the Seafoam help at all with sluggish acceleration, etc? Also, keep track of your gas mileage. I'd be willing to bet that it dropped another 1-2 mpg after the Seafoam treatment.

On another note, are you losing oil? If so, at what rate?

-CCM

[CCMphysician]

Originally Posted by bdy0003

Why does Seafoam drop the fuel efficiency by 1-2mpg?

Normally it shouldn't and in almost all vehicles it won't, but in some vehicles (very rarely and in very worn and poorly maintained engines), the carbon deposits are actually aiding the seals. Seafoam removes those carbon deposits. Again, that would be very rare.

-CCM

[CCMphysician]

Originally Posted by LUVLEXUS101

I'm not losing oil but the Seafoam did really help with the acceleration. The car was very peppy right off the line spinning the tires and everything. At one point my fuel economy was down to something like 9 mpg all city driving.

Was this before or after the Seafoam treatment? What other maintenance have you done on this vehicle?

-CCM

[LUVLEXUS101]

Oil changes every 3 months, with Pennzoil and mostly Toyota filters, occasionally a Purolator filter. Changed the tranny fluid last summer, head gasket was changed before, as well as the pwr steering pump.