Help with misfire at IDLE

[chengny]

Throw some sea foam in it

Hah - I'm a big Sea Foam fan! And that was going to be my first suggestion. But when I saw the following, I held my tongue:


I have never been 1 to believe in any of the "Miracle" engine cleaners or restorers but honestly at this point if anyone has any real experience with any of them I am all ears!!!!

But now, since it apparently has "moderator approval"...

I have used Seafoam for some time now and, while it is not a miracle cure, I believe that it does help sometimes.

1. Added to the engine oil (2 pints) a week before an oil change. Really helps loosen and flush any sludge from within the internal passages (dead ends and low flow areas esp.). The week of circulating along with the oil allows time for the freed up sludge to migrate out of the system and be captured in the oil filter. I first saw how effective this was when changing the oil on a late model Volvo. That oil filter is a replacement cartridge type. When I pulled it out after a Seafoam treatment and inspected the folds of the filter media, I was amazed. To see how much crap was removed from the engine (as opposed to with a normal oil change) was enough to convince me that it works. Been a fan ever since.

2. Injected (pulled in by vacuum actually) into the downstream side of the throttle body on fuel injected engines. Using any convenient vacuum line, I stick the end of the vacuum hose into the can of Sea Foam and suck up a full pint. This procedure creates HUGE billows of white smoke and is best done where it won't create a commotion.

After you get the full pint sucked up into the intake system, quickly hop in the car and drive it hard. Keep pushing it until the white smoke from the exhaust tapers off.

The results of using Sea Foam this way are not as apparent as when added to the engine oil. But, if you have any restrictions in the fuel injection system or any deposits on the valve stem/faces it helps. So, unless you have other mechanical/electrical issues, a couple of S/F treatments will generally improve performance.


Be advised, it is expensive (about $8 per pint) and, as noted above, when introduced into a the intake of a running vehicle it will make a tremendous amount of white smoke.

 

[chengny]

That's what is so puzzling to me I can see the coolant level rise but it doe NOT bubble.

This is the expected result when diagnosing a H/G leak via the method you describe (i.e. - compressed air into the cylinder with the engine not running).

Think about it - if you have a combustion space-to-coolant system leak in the head gasket (and the coolant is not circulating) when compressed air is applied to the affected cylinder, it won't immediately come bubbling out in the radiator/expansion tank.

It will only form a stagnant pocket at the high point in the engine. This might be somewhere in the block, intake manifold or cylinder head. It doesn't matter exactly where. The point is, the air has no way to get to the radiator/expansion tank - it just rises to the top of the engine and hangs there until it is pushed out.

Any air that leaks into the coolant while the engine is off (and consequently there is no circulation) will not show up in the expansion tank until the engine is started. Then the water pump pushes it out of the engine, into the radiator and then into the expansion tank.

If you really do have a H/G leak to the coolant system, leave the compressed air applied to the suspected cylinder for a few hours. That will give the compressed air time to displace enough coolant so that it has a direct patch to the radiator. Then you will see bubbles in the coolant.

 

[MrMarty51]

Thank You Chengny.

 

[89Suburban]

Hah - I'm a big Sea Foam fan! And that was going to be my first suggestion. But when I saw the following, I held my tongue:


I have never been 1 to believe in any of the "Miracle" engine cleaners or restorers but honestly at this point if anyone has any real experience with any of them I am all ears!!!!

But now, since it apparently has "moderator approval"...

I have used Seafoam for some time now and, while it is not a miracle cure, I believe that it does help sometimes.

1. Added to the engine oil (2 pints) a week before an oil change. Really helps loosen and flush any sludge from within the internal passages (dead ends and low flow areas esp.). The week of circulating along with the oil allows time for the freed up sludge to migrate out of the system and be captured in the oil filter. I first saw how effective this was when changing the oil on a late model Volvo. That oil filter is a replacement cartridge type. When I pulled it out after a Seafoam treatment and inspected the folds of the filter media, I was amazed. To see how much crap was removed from the engine (as opposed to with a normal oil change) was enough to convince me that it works. Been a fan ever since.

2. Injected (pulled in by vacuum actually) into the downstream side of the throttle body on fuel injected engines. Using any convenient vacuum line, I stick the end of the vacuum hose into the can of Sea Foam and suck up a full pint. This procedure creates HUGE billows of white smoke and is best done where it won't create a commotion.

After you get the full pint sucked up into the intake system, quickly hop in the car and drive it hard. Keep pushing it until the white smoke from the exhaust tapers off.

The results of using Sea Foam this way are not as apparent as when added to the engine oil. But, if you have any restrictions in the fuel injection system or any deposits on the valve stem/faces it helps. So, unless you have other mechanical/electrical issues, a couple of S/F treatments will generally improve performance.


Be advised, it is expensive (about $8 per pint) and, as noted above, when introduced into a the intake of a running vehicle it will make a tremendous amount of white smoke.

I have not been personally bitten by that bug yet but I know others that swear by it and if you do too then I am one step closer to trying it out myself. Especially so i can blow some white smoke up my neighbors asses, lol! I have an outboard motor to try it in as well.

Luke if you have a cracked head I am surprised you are not noticing any extra white smoke out the exhaust during the first 20 minutes of warm up. I been down this road. Shame you ain't close, I got those brand new heads sitting on a shelf.

 

[Jims86]

Yup, smokes like a Mother, but runs great after! The only comperable cleaners are 3m, if you can find them any more. NAPA has the pour in the tank 3M, but there was a complete package with intake cleaner at one time.

 

[oneluckypops]

I have not been personally bitten by that bug yet but I know others that swear by it and if you do too then I am one step closer to trying it out myself. Especially so i can blow some white smoke up my neighbors asses, lol! I have an outboard motor to try it in as well.

Luke if you have a cracked head I am surprised you are not noticing any extra white smoke out the exhaust during the first 20 minutes of warm up. I been down this road. Shame you ain't close, I got those brand new heads sitting on a shelf.

You have a NEW set of VORTEC heads on the shelf?


I am trying to convince my boss into letting me lease one of the gooseneck trailers, and start doing a little Part time "Hot shoting" hauling to our crews to pay for cummins.... We talked a little about it over Lunch today so maybe it will go thru and I can go ahead and trade this in on a 03-06 Cummins

 

[Jims86]

You have a NEW set of VORTEC heads on the shelf?


I am trying to convince my boss into letting me lease one of the gooseneck trailers, and start doing a little Part time "Hot shoting" hauling to our crews to pay for cummins.... We talked a little about it over Lunch today so maybe it will go thru and I can go ahead and trade this in on a 03-06 Cummins

If you get a 4x4, make sure the steering gear has been updated, so you dont get the death wobble that has caused so many to dismiss RAM trucks as pieces of ****.

 

[89Suburban]

You have a NEW set of VORTEC heads on the shelf?


I am trying to convince my boss into letting me lease one of the gooseneck trailers, and start doing a little Part time "Hot shoting" hauling to our crews to pay for cummins.... We talked a little about it over Lunch today so maybe it will go thru and I can go ahead and trade this in on a 03-06 Cummins

Yah, VORTECH heads, and I'll throw in some beach front property in Mantoloking New Joisy for free...