Cleaning engine and O2 sensors

Discussion in 'General Subaru Discussion' started by kickin_81, Jul 7, 2004.

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  1. kickin_81
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    kickin_81 Well-Known Member

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    What do you guys use for spraying into the throttle-body to clean up the engine? I've heard of Berryman's, SeaFoam in a spray bottle, and the Subaru TB Cleaner spray. Any others that will do the job the right way?

    In a turbocharged motor, how exactly do you enter "failsafe" mode? Just turn the ignition key to the on and then back off? I do it all the time to check the clock, but my car doesn't act any different by doing that.

    http://endwrench.com/current/spring04pdfs/InsiderInfo.pdf
     
  2. Zola
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    Zola Well-Known Member

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    Are you having the surging or other issues described in that document?
     
  3. kickin_81
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    kickin_81 Well-Known Member

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    Maintence. It won't hurt, right? :I
     
  4. morganm
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    morganm New Member

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    I've used Seafoam a lot and I'm happy with its results. Its a very potent cleaner. It's just a very potent form of alcohol :) I put half a can in the oil and half a can in the fuel. Change the oil soon after wards or you are doing yourself no good. The stuff works fast and burns off. Then all that junk is in your oil! Change the oil and filter within 50 miles of using it really. It really does clean stuff up very well.

    As for spray cleaners I'm not very picky. Brake cleaner is potent stuff. Really just blasts most any junk off metal, rubber and plastic. Not particular on any brand for that as it doesnt go IN the engine much at all. Even if you shoot a bunch down your throttle body it will just evaporate in a few minutes inside the intake manifold.

    To really clean an engine I use a bunch of cloth rags, some brake cleaner to get most of the junk off, and some gear oil to wipe down with. Just using a little gear oil can go a long ways to having a very clean engine bay :) Great thing is that it STAYS shiney for quite a while. I used to clean my Legacy's engine bay about once a month this way. Kept all the hoses in good shape (no dry rot), metal wouldnt oxidize, and stayed shiney for a few days :)

    Anyway I've prolly rambled on enough here about some pretty unimportant things. Can you tell I'm bored at work today? !_!
     
  5. kickin_81
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    kickin_81 Well-Known Member

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    Hey, anything will help...! I'm bored at work, too. That's why I'm posting up stuff I can't get out of my head.

    A co-worker of mine who owns a '69 Chevy Nova swears on Seafoam. He pours it into a plastic bottle sprayer (eats at the bottle if left in too long) and sprays it into the TB. I've used it in the fuel tank, but I am unsure of pouring some into my crankcase oil. Might be worth a try.
     
  6. Zola
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    Zola Well-Known Member

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    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by kickin_81

    Maintence. It won't hurt, right? :I
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Seems to me you are confusing a remedy for a specific problem with maintenance. If this were recommended to maintain normal operation, then it would be outlined in the owner's manual and/or the service schedule. If you don't have the problem, why would you perform the remedy?

    That is the first time I have seen "failsafe" mode described as such. But turning the car on and off to check the clock is NOT the same thing as removing the intercooler, disconnecting the MAF, and running the engine. If you take off the intercooler but leave the MAF connected, the car won't run. I assume it's the disconnecting the MAF that makes it "failsafe" mode.
     
  7. Zola
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    Zola Well-Known Member

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    Also, if your goal is "cleaning up the engine," remember that there is much fouler stuff in places that you can't reach without pulling off the intake manifold. And if you clean it up, it'll just come back.

    (hint: PCV system)
     
  8. kickin_81
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    kickin_81 Well-Known Member

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    Joel, thanks for your input and I agree with you 99%, but I'm still doing it. Hehehe! :D Automotive manufacturers don't state that you have to pour in fuel injector cleaners, but people do and it restores the engine's liveliness. So in my opinion, it's considered a maintainance issue. Besides, I'm trying to get rid of my 2 CELs related to the front O2 sensor the cheap way before I do any moderate spending. :eek:)
     
  9. morganm
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    morganm New Member

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    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Zola

    Also, if your goal is "cleaning up the engine," remember that there is much fouler stuff in places that you can't reach without pulling off the intake manifold. And if you clean it up, it'll just come back.

    (hint: PCV system)

    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    That's what Seafoam is for :) It cleans the insides out where you cant get to. Getting some squirted into your intake would be tougher on these EFI engines. The guy with this '69 nova can just take off the his big fancy chrome air filter top and mist some Seafoam down the carb and clean out his intake manifold and combustion chambers REAL well. There are cheap universal injection systems for EFI engines. Lets you squirt a little through a sealed access point in your intake system, through a vacume hose, while the engine is running.
     
  10. Zola
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    Zola Well-Known Member

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    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by kickin_81

    Automotive manufacturers don't state that you have to pour in fuel injector cleaners, but people do and it restores the engine's liveliness. So in my opinion, it's considered a maintainance issue. Besides, I'm trying to get rid of my 2 CELs related to the front O2 sensor the cheap way before I do any moderate spending. :eek:)<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Hmm, I don't use fuel injector cleaner and my injectors work just fine. Do these people you speak of have any empirical data showing performance improvements, are is it the placebo effect? :) Also, I will give you $100 if this Seafoam thing gets rid of your CELs (that's code for 'not a snowball's chance in hell'). :D
     
  11. morganm
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    morganm New Member

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    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Zola

    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by kickin_81

    Automotive manufacturers don't state that you have to pour in fuel injector cleaners, but people do and it restores the engine's liveliness. So in my opinion, it's considered a maintainance issue. Besides, I'm trying to get rid of my 2 CELs related to the front O2 sensor the cheap way before I do any moderate spending. :eek:)<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Hmm, I don't use fuel injector cleaner and my injectors work just fine. Do these people you speak of have any empirical data showing performance improvements, are is it the placebo effect? :) Also, I will give you $100 if this Seafoam thing gets rid of your CELs (that's code for 'not a snowball's chance in hell'). :D
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    As much as I love Seafoam its true; it wont REPAIR anything :) All it does is clean stuff up. This CAN help but this is not always the problem at hand. Repairs simply need to be repaired. Seafoam is maintainace !_!
     
  12. kickin_81
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    kickin_81 Well-Known Member

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    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Zola
    is it the placebo effect? :) Also, I will give you $100 if this Seafoam thing gets rid of your CELs (that's code for 'not a snowball's chance in hell'). :D
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    It's the placebo effect. I have no evidence that I'm correct, so my ass is doing the talking now. :p

    Morgan, I guess Seafoam is the better product than? I've used it for my fuel only. Nothing else.
     
  13. morganm
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    morganm New Member

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    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
    Morgan, I guess Seafoam is the better product than? I've used it for my fuel only. Nothing else.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Funny thing is Seafoam is just 99% isopropl alcohol (or however the heck you spell that there stuff :) ) Nothing special or fancy about it. It just eats the pewp off and you change the oil. Bye bye pewp in oil system !_!

    As for in the fuel it cleans off your injector tips (or the little guards like on Legacy injectors), pistons, rings, cylinders and burns it off. Its like a high compression steam cleaning. All the pewh flys out the tail pipe (or into your cat! ew; but better than the combustion chambers or inectors!)

    Peace
     
  14. WRX1
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    WRX1 _ Staff Member

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    Also remember, that when you start to clean a motor, you WILL have to do it all the time. It is just like changing different brands of oil. everything the goes through the motor leave deposits (oil, fuel, water, even air). The oil deposits will help seal your motor from leaks (around seals and piston rings). If you clean off all this burnt up crap in the motor, there is a very good possibility that the motor will start to burn/use oil. Worst case is that some of these deposits will plug up oil passages and bearings. I have seen it happen, and the longer the engine has been alive, the more stuff there is built up on the inside.

    Russ
     
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  15. Substeroo
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    Substeroo Well-Known Member

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    I also heard that you're not supposed to clean O2 sensors.
     
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