Maintenance :: How-To do Seafoam Treatment R55/R56

[Oxybluecoop]

I use this stuff on regular basis(right before my 3k oil changes) and was unable to find ANY videos of Seafoaming a MINI so I managed to throw together a quick video of some past treatments. I can't emphasize enough how useful this product is on the N12/N14 engines with the high compression ratios and the PCV design. I've seen the cylinder heads from these engines after 20k+ and the amount of burnt oil/carbon buildup is ridiculous. You can pick a can up at Walmart or most auto parts stores for under ten bucks. Installing an Oil Catch Canister will also help in preventing sludge/carbon buildup. For you folks who are hesitant for fear of hydrolocking I've done this procedure every 3k for over 85k on the MINI and never had any catastrophic results. You will definitely notice a difference in performance after the treatment.

Motor On,
Chad

For the MC
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26216779@N05/4634264372/

For the MCS

[ThumperMCS]

I just did exactly what he did in the video last week with my R56 and it seemed to work wonders. I actually repeated the process 3 times...ultimately using the whole can. The smoke that comes out is sooo fun. I highly recommend any R56 owner to do a SeaFoam treatment through the PCV tube ASAP if you have 30k+ miles. It was recommended by some of the technicians at my dealer...who have begun using SeaFoam on the cars that come in with carbon related pinging, misfires, or CEL's.

One thing though....on the 2nd and 3rd round, the car kept running after I shut it off, after injesting the SeaFoam. Not firing, but just turning...it was the weirdest thing. Any ideas as to what caused that?

[Flynscot1772]

WOW if I seen all that smoke I would have thought that I blew my engine?? If it works go for it.

[Porthos]

Its cool to use this stuff cause I have do it on several cars but, I wouldn't do it until the car had 80k+ cause you really don't need too.

[etalj]

Hi.

Couple questions. My JCW only has 12k miles on it, but there is a hell of a lot of sludge in my PCV hoses. Would this treatment be worth doing on my car?

Secondly, can you give me the exact name of this product? I live in australia, so it'll be difficult to find here, as everything is!

Thanks for the vid, excellently done

[ThumperMCS]

Originally Posted by etalj

Hi.

Couple questions. My JCW only has 12k miles on it, but there is a hell of a lot of sludge in my PCV hoses. Would this treatment be worth doing on my car?

Secondly, can you give me the exact name of this product? I live in australia, so it'll be difficult to find here, as everything is!

Thanks for the vid, excellently done

SeaFoam: http://www.seafoamsales.com/

Yea, all that sludge that you saw in your PCV hose, goes directly into the intake manifold and collects on your intake ports and valves. Seeing as our motors are direct injection, fuel never hits the valves and thus they never get cleaned.

I've posted this picture before in another thread, but this is a picture of an intake valve on a Cayenne (which uses direct injection)...this is what happens, not a pretty picture.


Some sort of de-carbonizing treatment is a must with these motors in my opinion. Should be done at regular intervals to prevent the above.

[etalj]

Yeh, I was looking at an earlier thread about that particular issue with DI engines.

What interval do you suggest I do the clean at? And should I do it now?

[punkgeek]

Really interesting! Has anyone taken 'after' pictures to confirm that seafoam is getting rid of all the goop?

[Oxybluecoop]

Originally Posted by punkgeek

Really interesting! Has anyone taken 'after' pictures to confirm that seafoam is getting rid of all the goop?

I don't believe there are any of a MINI head as of yet but there are photos of other car's before/after seafoam treatment. Lay a white towel on the ground underneath your pipes.

[punkgeek]

Originally Posted by OXYBLUECOOP

I don't believe there are any of a MINI head as of yet but there photos of other car's before/after seafoam treatment. Lay a white towel on the ground underneath your pipes.

Sounds great - I'll try it!

Btw - I found this photo: http://volvospeed.com/Repair/seafoam.html

[etalj]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D11ZVYwj62w&NR=1

seafoam says to put 1/3 through the PCV, another 1/3 through the crankcase oil res, and the last 1/3 into the fuel tank

[kukaepe]

Thanks for the info on the Seafoam treatments, I'm going to try it. Related to this carbon build up problem on the direct injection cars, do these cars have EGR? It seems some modern engines use variable valve timing to eliminate EGR. If there isn't an EGR system then I am assuming that all the oil and carbon build up is a result of the oil vapors from the PCV system recirculating through the intake side of the engine. Has anyone installed a oil catch can on the PCV system? If so, has the can been effective in condensing and collecting oil?

[Oxybluecoop]

Originally Posted by kukaepe

Thanks for the info on the Seafoam treatments, I'm going to try it. Related to this carbon build up problem on the direct injection cars, do these cars have EGR? It seems some modern engines use variable valve timing to eliminate EGR. If there isn't an EGR system then I am assuming that all the oil and carbon build up is a result of the oil vapors from the PCV system recirculating through the intake side of the engine. Has anyone installed a oil catch can on the PCV system? If so, has the can been effective in condensing and collecting oil?

No EGR system or PVC valve on these engines just a single crankcase vent for the MC and two for the MCS which empties into the bottom of the manifold and for the MCS into the the compressor intake hose as well.

[PoktRokt]

Thanks for the "how-to" video oxyblue! So I just hit 20k. Is it too early? There's been recommendations on here at 20k, 30k and 80k. Can any damamge occur if it's done too early or too many times?

[ThumperMCS]

Originally Posted by PoktRokt

Thanks for the "how-to" video oxyblue! So I just hit 20k. Is it too early? There's been recommendations on here at 20k, 30k and 80k. Can any damamge occur if it's done too early or too many times?

Won't damage anything...can only help!

[countryboyshane]

I've heard on some other direct injection vehicle forums that the spark plugs often need to be replaced after you do this from all the fouling of the sea foam. Any comments about this Thumper and Oxy?

[chakraj]

OXY, is that car a turbo? everything is on the wrong side. I am very confused

[ThumperMCS]

Originally Posted by countryboyshane

I've heard on some other direct injection vehicle forums that the spark plugs often need to be replaced after you do this from all the fouling of the sea foam. Any comments about this Thumper and Oxy?

I've heard that too...but apparently its not an issue.

I pulled my plugs after and they looked fine...seafoam might actually clean them off a bit. However, I changed my plugs out anyway...as MINI changes out the plugs at 30k under the maintenance plan on the JCW, so I figured why shouldn't I. Especially since I'm tuned and running higher boost like the JCW.

[Oxybluecoop]

Originally Posted by chakraj

OXY, is that car a turbo? everything is on the wrong side. I am very confused

No it's not a turbo.

[PaulCIssa]

Originally Posted by ThumperMCS

One thing though....on the 2nd and 3rd round, the car kept running after I shut it off, after injesting the SeaFoam. Not firing, but just turning...it was the weirdest thing. Any ideas as to what caused that?

Thump, Probably just dieseling from high compression and lots of distillates in the Seafoam.

Did you throw any CEL's during treatment? Just curious - doing mine this weekend.

[countryboyshane]

OXY,

How many drops of seafoam are you putting in the PCV tube before letting the engine ingest it? I'm just concerned about the seafoam puddling up before the intake and then accidentally sucking in a huge amount causing a hydro-lock type incident

[ThumperMCS]

Originally Posted by PaulCIssa

Thump, Probably just dieseling from high compression and lots of distillates in the Seafoam.

Did you throw any CEL's during treatment? Just curious - doing mine this weekend.

Interesting...it was funny, I was with my friend and told my friend to shut off the motor. She goes "I DID!"

Originally Posted by countryboyshane

OXY,

How many drops of seafoam are you putting in the PCV tube before letting the engine ingest it? I'm just concerned about the seafoam puddling up before the intake and then accidentally sucking in a huge amount causing a hydro-lock type incident

I poured a third of the bottle into a glass measuring cup and used a clear tube like Oxy did. That way its easy to see how much is getting ingested and how quickly. If you completely place your thumb over the PCV tube when the tube of seafoam is in it....it will suck it up REAL fast. Just modulate the rate with your thumb...its really not scary.

[chakraj]

thumper where did you poor it in? not the tube before the turbo?


Oh and OXY, you pnp'ed your head on a non turbo?

[ThumperMCS]

Originally Posted by chakraj

thumper where did you poor it in? not the tube before the turbo?

No, not the tube before the turbo. The same PCV tube that OXY showed in the video...instead of coming out the side of the valve cover, it comes out on the back. Same location though:

[Rossii]

Thumper which tube is used in the R53?

Cheers!