Seafoamed it, now it won't start??? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

eagerinsight · 07-01-2007, 03:29 PM

I added half a can of seafoam into my brake booster vacuum line, turned the car off and I let it sit for 5 minutes. After five minutes I can't get it to start!! Checked and changed all the plugs while it was down, none of the plugs were fouled but they were wet. Should I just let it sit and try again later, did I fluid the engine??? 93 Camry le 2.2

Mike Gerber · 07-01-2007, 04:18 PM

If it is flooded, the best way to start a flooded engine is to hold your foot down to the floor while you crank it over. This procedure applies to both old carburated engines as well as today's modern fuel injected engines. If this doesn't get the engine started, then I would begin checking for spark and fuel. Download the generation 3 Toyota factory service manual stickied at the top of the General Camry Discussion Forum and refer to the section on ignition system for a no start condition.

Mike

marc780 · 07-01-2007, 06:10 PM

Hopefully you didnt break something, all you can do is let it dry out, maybe block the throttle open for an hour or two. Maybe even use some starting fluid to start it again.

I don't pour liquid seafoam inth othe brake booster line, i think that having unvaporized liquid of any kind in your combustion chamber is just a bad idea - as you found out. The worst thing that could happen is that the pistons try to compress the liquid (seafoam) which they are not designed to do, and a piston breaks. Not likely but it is possible.

I just use the spray can kind and spray that in the hose. If i didnt have the spray can i would dump the liquid kind into a spray bottle from the 99 cents store and use that -

eagerinsight · 07-01-2007, 07:35 PM

I tried starting it with the throttle wide open, nothing. So i pulled the plugs and I'm hoping the cylinders will dry out. How long should i wait?

eagerinsight · 07-01-2007, 09:14 PM

So, update... No start, I let it sit for hours with the plugs out and the throttle body wide open. I open to all suggestions, I afraid that there is something else I'm missing.

marc780 · 07-02-2007, 01:03 AM

Try some starting fluid. If it runs on the starting fluid and then dies, then its some fuel system component. Possible culprits: MAF sensor, Idle air control valve (maybe you killed it by dumping in the seafoam but since you did it through the vacuum hose, this isnt likely). Try disconnecting the battery and reconnecting it after a minute or two, maybe you made it throw a code that you cant read cause it wont start.

DFBonnett · 07-02-2007, 08:21 AM

Are you getting spark? Pull the wire off of a plug and have someone crank it over while you hold the wire near a good ground. You should be able to see and hear the spark jump.

geoff5093 · 07-02-2007, 08:27 AM

Just wondering, but when you were pouring the seafoam into the vacuum line, was the engine still running fine? Or did it stall out while pouring it in?

Venom_5 · 07-02-2007, 09:03 AM

first of all - you shouldve never started to unplug things, because more than likely you left something unplugged

second of all - you arent listening to us in the Gen 3 & 4 section when we tell you how to start it up ... you cant just try for 3 seconds, you have to try to start it [pumping the accelerator from 0 to the floor] for a good 10-15 seconds ... while holding the key in the ignition spot

thirdly - dont pour acetone into your engine, and chances are the seafoam is not going to evaporate by leaving your spark plug wires out, so put them back in and stop trying to make guesses

finally, what spark plugs do you have? make sure you put in new ones AFTER you put in the seafoam ... make sure ur distributor cap and spark plug wires are all setup ... if you have to, take [good quality] pictures of ur engine bay and ill look for bad connections or anything that could cause it not to start

eagerinsight · 07-02-2007, 09:13 AM

No spark, i just verified it. I held one of the plug wires close to ground and there was no spark. I tested for spark at the cap and I check to see if there was one in the air gap, nothing. I checked the resistance at the pickup coil and it was in range and the primary of the coil is also in range. Any suggestions?

eagerinsight · 07-02-2007, 09:55 AM

How can i test the wires that plug into the pick up connector? Should there be voltage for some of the wires? Where is the 12v source for the coil?

Also I realized that i don't hear the hum of the fuel pump. Is there something on the passenger side by the diagnostic port that would be affected if i spilled some seafoam on it?

scribby · 07-02-2007, 02:44 PM

Maybe check the fuses?

eagerinsight · 07-02-2007, 02:48 PM

first thing i did, all check out.

DFBonnett · 07-03-2007, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eagerinsight

No spark, i just verified it. I held one of the plug wires close to ground and there was no spark. I tested for spark at the cap and I check to see if there was one in the air gap, nothing. I checked the resistance at the pickup coil and it was in range and the primary of the coil is also in range. Any suggestions?

Go back over your work and carefully inspect all wiring in the areas you worked. You're looking for a wire supplying power to the coil or igniter that got broken or disconnected.

marc780 · 08-09-2007, 12:35 AM

Quote:

I added half a can of seafoam into my brake booster vacuum line, turned the car off and I let it sit for 5 minutes. After five minutes I can't get it to start!!

I never pour any liquid into the engine, its just bad. Ignore what they say, pouring liquid into the brake hose is just not a good idea. Seafoam is great but ignore the can. If your engine starts, its clean enough inside. Use it for cleaning the TB and lubing your hinges and for whatever else you want it for and think it might work. But pour nothing into the engine, its just bad.