Seafoam. Smoking start-up after 1 week

[skewe]

I did a seafoam via the break booster last week. Exactly 7 days ago.
Did slightly 1/3 of the seafoam bottle.
Did the instructions according to the bottle's label.
Been driving it for 5 days a week, about 100miles a day.

Today, when i start up, it smoked white smoke. It smoked for like 20 seconds.
My car have never smoked before.
2000 camry 2.2 w/ 89000 miles

Should i be worried???????

edit:
after almost 2 weeks
Great news, NOT!

My CEL light came on. Not sure if it was due to the Seafoam.
Code is P0440.

No, i tighten my gas cap really tight.

Could be a Vacuum Switching Valve, based on this posting.
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/s...21&page=2&pp=15

What a B*tch!!
Might be Seafoam or might not be..

There goes my 90k waterpump/belts/thermostat replacement to fix the CEL.

[leasaunce]

hmm.....did you put any additive to your car?? like fuel cleaner or oil cleaner,etc..??/

coz it happened to me last year. i added a bottle of engine oil cleaner (got it from K-Mart) and then couple of days later it started producing white smoke .

I asked my mechanic and he told me NEVER buy those special Additive for your car, they usualy make things worse rather then better.

Sorry but you used the Seafom for cleaning the Throttle body right..?

[stir_fry_boy]

I hope this doesn't happen to me as I dumped about 6 oz of Seafoam in my oil crankcase just this last oil change and dumped the rest to 1/2 tank of gas. Runs smoother, faster pickup (of course I wouldn't do this if the bottle it came in says it is not designed for it). But I havn't heard of anyone other than anyone in the Camry Forum dumping it down the brake booster. I dumped some down the PCV opening in the head of my 93 Legend (Acura) and it didn't make any difference. I heard of other people doing it (an easy access point on the Legend for the crankcase) but on my Camry v6 the PCV is in the Back?!?! WTF on that. I am really careful about what I put in the engine as some things put in there might spark a BHG (the G2 Acura Legends are notorius for that). Good thing that the Toyota Camry doesn't have a problem with the Head Gaskets like the Acura Legends do.

[skewe]

I know a lot of people ran the seafoam via their brake booster line. I read up the instruction on TN.

No, nothing was added to the fuel tank or the engine except the brake booster which cleans out the intake manifold/ Throttle. Not the engine crankcase.

Still smoking whenever i start it up and would linger till i get in the car and drive..

[deekay140]

You Need To Replace The Valve SealS

[AVL92CAMRY]

Does the smoke have a distinctive smell? Like coolant or oil or something.

How thick is the smoke?

Not trying to sound like a bastard, but are you sure its not just water vapor? If the weather has recently changed (gotten cooler,humidity changed) your car will blow some steam out the tailpipe until the exhaust warms up.

I just did my '92 5s-fe with Toyo-Guard(Toyota dealer version of seafoam) and it made a huge difference. Only used half a bottle. I have 185,000 miles.

Karl

[leasaunce]

Originally Posted by AVL92CAMRY

Does the smoke have a distinctive smell? Like coolant or oil or something.

How thick is the smoke?

Not trying to sound like a bastard, but are you sure its not just water vapor? If the weather has recently changed (gotten cooler,humidity changed) your car will blow some steam out the tailpipe until the exhaust warms up.

I just did my '92 5s-fe with Toyo-Guard(Toyota dealer version of seafoam) and it made a huge difference. Only used half a bottle. I have 185,000 miles.

Karl

what happen after you warm the car?? any white smoke?

if u do, u might need to clean the engine or use a PREMIUM UNLEADED.

[greylock]

You sure it was smoke and not water vapor? Weather's changing and a lot of cars are developing condensation in the exhaust system and when you start up, the warm exhaust evaporates the condensation causing the exhaust to emit water vapor clouds until the condensation is gone.

[swegyptian]

My car used to smoke on start sometimes too, at about the same mileage. It would only happen in the spring and fall though. I imagine that it has something to do with the weather. Maybe that's what is happening to yours?

[skewe]

No. Over in texas, it was still warm when it started to smoke.

The smoke was white but not thick. Doubt that it was caused by the weather..

the smoke looks exactly like the smoke at the time I used seafoam and smoked out the whole neighbourhood.

[AVL92CAMRY]

Well there are several other things that could be causing the smoke.

1. You may have some seafoam residue in the intake manifold or brake booster hose.

2. There may still be some deposits that are loosening up while the car sits and then are being burned off when you start up.

3. There may be some seafoam in the exhaust system (cat/muffler/pipes) that is condensing over night and burning off at start up.

4. Already mentioned:

Originally Posted by deekay140

You Need To Replace The Valve SealS

Does it smoke at every start up or just when its cold in the AM?

Karl

[skewe]

Originally Posted by AVL92CAMRY

Well there are several other things that could be causing the smoke.

1. You may have some seafoam residue in the intake manifold or brake booster hose.

2. There may still be some deposits that are loosening up while the car sits and then are being burned off when you start up.

3. There may be some seafoam in the exhaust system (cat/muffler/pipes) that is condensing over night and burning off at start up.

4. Already mentioned:


Does it smoke at every start up or just when its cold in the AM?

Karl

i thought seafoam is not going to harm the valve seals

[AVL92CAMRY]

It shouldn't have hurt them but could have actually cleaned some crud from the internal side of the seal causing a brittle seal to start leaking.

However, your smoke would probably be more blue if you were getting oil in the cylinders. And your car is pretty new, I would not think it would leak at that age. My car still has the original valve seals.

I know its not healthy but try smelling the smoke. Could provide valuable info.

Karl

[Kep]

White "smoke" sure sounds like water vapor. Have you noticed your coolant level dropping? You may have developed a head gasket leak though I can't see a cleaner like Seafoam having anything to do with it. Unless, you did something radical to keep the engine over 2000 RPM???

I don't know how sensitive they are but there are tests to detect exhaust gases in the coolant. I think this tells you if you have a leak like this. If you do there are additives that might help but they have downsides as well. I like Cargo and Stealseal. Flush your cooling system after use and don't be surprised if your water pump goes out soon after (If it has a small leak the sealer will do its job and the sealer deposit will wear out the shaft seal). If you favor an additive consider using it soon. If it is a gasket going bad waiting may result in the repair area expanding to a point that an additive won't work.

With your newer car I would find out for certain the cause before doing anything. If it is the head gasket the best thing would be to replace it and verify that the head(s) is true. It is kind of pricey though, which is why I chose a sealer (still working after 3 years). Hope that it is something simpler like left over Seafoam residue.

Kep

[skewe]

that sucks if that is my head gasket.

i plan to do a water pump, thermostat, belt, gasket, replacement as i am approaching 90K.

Maybe that will solve the problem.

And I do not have any leaks from my car, mat it be water or oil (still crossing my fingers)