Seafoam- 20 Minute Hot Soak @ 298k Miles

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Prius_Angie, Apr 16, 2020.

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  1. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    Initial success---
    I recently bought a used 2010 damaged Prius with 298k miles. As I go through rehab projects, I successfully emptied a whole bottle into the throttle body after i warmed the engine. As instructed, I sprayed for <10 minutes while engine was on idle between 1000-2000 rpms. Let it hot soak for 20 minutes then took it out for a 20 minute highway road test at 70 mph on cruise control. So much noticeably smoother engine idle and responsiveness on throttle. No CEL codes availed themselves. I shall report back intermittently. I shall consider doing this 2/year.
    P_20200415_151740.jpg P_20200415_152446.jpg P_20200415_152453.jpg P_20200415_151752.jpg
     
    #1 Prius_Angie, Apr 16, 2020
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  2. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    You need to know that SeaFoam is made of mostly light duty SOLVENTS.
    IF you had sticky rings because of sludge or HEAVY carbon deposits on the valve seats, it's solvent action likely helped with those things.

    HOWEVER...... as a result of your "treatment" some of that solvent no doubt carried down into the crankcase and mixed with the oil......which is NOT good long term. It might also have loosened some sludge which is now in the oil or trapped by the filter.

    After a treatment like you did, it is a good idea to do an oil change too.......soon.
     
    #2 sam spade 2, Apr 17, 2020
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  3. Ed Beaty

    Ed Beaty Active Member

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    "After a treatment like you did, it is a good idea to do an oil change too.......soon."

    +1
     
    #3 Ed Beaty, Apr 17, 2020
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  4. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    How did you monitor that?
     
    #4 Grit, Apr 17, 2020
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  5. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    All this was conducted alone and without assistance
    i placed the Prius in maintenance mode
    during the 10min spray procedure, i intermittently gently revved the gas pedal-- ~ 5 times
    idle is ~ 1000rpm
    no white smoke from tail pipe
     
    #5 Prius_Angie, Apr 17, 2020
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  6. NewHybridOwner

    NewHybridOwner Active Member

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    You did a lot better with Seafoam Spray than I did when I used it on our Vibe: it was difficult to attach the tube to the button on the can, and when I did get it attached, it was difficult to get it to stay in place: it came off a couple of times despite my best efforts to hold it in place, and it sprayed stuff on my hand, After ten minutes or so, my hands were getting numb from trying to hold the tube in place and hold down the button, so I quit with some stuff left in the can.
     
    #6 NewHybridOwner, Apr 17, 2020
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  7. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    Thanks, it was ~ 1 hour of quick fun from a $8 bottle. Not a lot of documented reporting on Seafoam and Prius on PriusChat, nor the greater internet web. I figured I take some risk with this cheap old beater car at ~300,000 miles. What i didnt document was that i wrapped a small swatch of blue paper towel around the thin red spray straw in order to tighten up the vacuum seal. No doubt both my hands experience numbness and fatigue... lol
    P_20200216_145537.jpg
     
    #7 Prius_Angie, Apr 17, 2020
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  8. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    How did the neighborhood crop dusting go as per instructions?
     
    #8 Grit, Apr 17, 2020
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  9. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    Fortunately for me, I didn't see any white smoke... for now that is... lol
    Unlike a month earlier during car maintenance. Then, I had more white smoke emanating from my tailpipe during road testing after I cleaned out the intake manifold/port with solvents and wipe rags. Otherwise I feel pretty confident on the highway at 70mph.
     
    #9 Prius_Angie, Apr 17, 2020
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  10. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    thanks, I appreciate your thoughts.
     
    #10 Prius_Angie, Apr 17, 2020
  11. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Let us know how much mpg improvement you get, a lot of brave souls here but a few will only seafoam thru the intake. (y) Thanks for sharing the experience with us, hope it restores life back onto your prius.
     
    #11 Grit, Apr 17, 2020
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