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Engine decarb cleaner

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Old Jul 22, 2008 | 01:44 AM
  #1  
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Engine decarb cleaner

A friend who drives a Subaru STI swears that using an upper engine cleaner , keeps his car running like new .

Has anyone used a foam like carbon cleaner in the RX8 ?


Cheers
Michael
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Old Jul 22, 2008 | 02:22 AM
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From: Under my car
Search - "SeaFoam".
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Old Jul 22, 2008 | 02:56 AM
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Originally Posted by MazdaManiac
Search - "SeaFoam".
Jeff .............good to see your still on the ball

http://www.seafoamsales.com/motorTuneUpTechGas.htm

Is this what you guys are using ?

Cheers
Michael
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Old Jul 22, 2008 | 04:46 AM
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That's the stuff!
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Old Jul 22, 2008 | 05:03 AM
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http://www.finishlineperformance.com...cat=338&page=1
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Old Jul 22, 2008 | 05:15 AM
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Now i am going to put this down for my next service thanks Henley good find


Cheers
Michael
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Old Jul 22, 2008 | 05:24 AM
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can we get the engine cleaner in .au?
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Old Jul 22, 2008 | 05:47 AM
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The Mazda version is the same stuff for twice the price.
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Old Jul 22, 2008 | 06:11 AM
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Originally Posted by rotarenvy
can we get the engine cleaner in .au?
I purchased the upper engine cleaner from Subaru they use it on their cars , similar product to seafoam and the US Mazda one for $17.00.

One of the TECKS from MAZDA TOLD ME THEY HAVE USED IT ON THE ROTARY MAZDAS mostly AUTOS for decarbing


Found a DIY thread thanks .......... nycgps Great read for those attempting this Solo

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-yourself-forum-73/diy-mazda-zoom-power-engine-cleaner-engine-cleaning-seaform-142852/


Cheers
Michael

Last edited by erx8s; Jul 22, 2008 at 06:58 AM.
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Old Jul 23, 2008 | 02:40 AM
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Originally Posted by MazdaManiac
That's the stuff!
I don't know what his secret is, or how he gets away with it....but Mazda Maniacs Avatar is what I call good stuff....!
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Old Sep 3, 2008 | 04:38 PM
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anyone in .au tried this yet or has mazda Australia brought in a de-carbonizing procedure?
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Old Sep 3, 2008 | 09:53 PM
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Hmm, when I read labels on these products and they say "100% hydrocarbons", I worry. This could cover a range of stuff. Kero is 100% hydrocarbon, so is mineral turps. Diesel is too, and petrol as well. Not to mention benzene, toluene and xylene. I would worry about paying big bucks for a solvent you could get for say $12/4L at Bunnings. Not that I'm going to pour turps into my baby, mind.

Someone with more automotive experience than me might comment on the potential damage that sloshing a solvent around in your motor while cranking it might do, especially as there's no lubrication going on.

How does this treatment compare with the simpler expedient of a good long highway run?
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Old Sep 4, 2008 | 03:43 AM
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Where to get them? I have seen japanese injecting something to the plug hole to keep the compression ratio up
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Old Sep 4, 2008 | 04:14 AM
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Originally Posted by labrat
Hmm, when I read labels on these products and they say "100% hydrocarbons", I worry. This could cover a range of stuff. Kero is 100% hydrocarbon, so is mineral turps. Diesel is too, and petrol as well. Not to mention benzene, toluene and xylene. I would worry about paying big bucks for a solvent you could get for say $12/4L at Bunnings. Not that I'm going to pour turps into my baby, mind.
yeah I know the story; when I bought a bottle of injector cleaner for my last car it smelt of kerro. however the subaru spray is cheep enough <$20 and you need the spray action. (disclamer; you might be able to dribble small amounts of liquid for the same effect)

I'm going to try a can of the subaru treatment this weekend and I'll give it a sniff to see what it smells of.


Someone with more automotive experience than me might comment on the potential damage that sloshing a solvent around in your motor while cranking it might do, especially as there's no lubrication going on.
this concerns me since it would make a lovely grinding paste. the carbon is there and it is better to suffer the short cleaning damage than have it there doing continual damage.
I think this is why they only do a limited short spray and then a good hot blast out the exhaust.

How does this treatment compare with the simpler expedient of a good long highway run?
good long fast drives probably reduce the need but I doubt it would be a complete substitute.
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Old Sep 4, 2008 | 06:36 AM
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Originally Posted by rotarenvy
anyone in .au tried this yet or has mazda Australia brought in a de-carbonizing procedure?

Doesn't look good..........

I went to the #1 Sydney dealership for spare parts & asked the ever rotary freindly spare parts guy who is always happy to get anything rotary in thats not on the Mazda Australia database.

Gave him the ZOOM POWER CLEAN part number + pictures to make it easier for ordering.

For the 1st time in 5+ years of dealing with him he came back & said "I cant get it Dave"

I was shocked, thats not happened before.

Sooooooo, if we want it. We have to buy from an online USA dealership. Thats is unless someone else has some idea's

REgards
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Old Sep 4, 2008 | 06:43 AM
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Originally Posted by erx8s
I purchased the upper engine cleaner from Subaru they use it on their cars , similar product to seafoam and the US Mazda one for $17.00.

One of the TECKS from MAZDA TOLD ME THEY HAVE USED IT ON THE ROTARY MAZDAS mostly AUTOS for decarbing


Found a DIY thread thanks .......... nycgps Great read for those attempting this Solo

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=142852


Cheers
Michael
The answer lies in the above post use the Subaru engine cleaner available here in OZ
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Old Sep 4, 2008 | 07:02 PM
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Originally Posted by rotarenvy
this concerns me since it would make a lovely grinding paste. the carbon is there and it is better to suffer the short cleaning damage than have it there doing continual damage.
I think this is why they only do a limited short spray and then a good hot blast out the exhaust.
I think that any carbon left behind would be in the form of graphite, which is soft and a lubricant. I don't think the temperatures or pressures are high enough to turn the carbon into diamond. The only potentially abrasive material is mineral ash left behind after all the carbonaceous material is burnt off, and modern fuels and lubricants are really low in ash.

Once again, automotive experts can correct me, but is it possible that the cause of engine roughness is due to uneven ignition in the combustion space due to glowing carbon deposits?. My thought on either tracking or long highway runs is that you're burning a generally leaner mixture, with the combustion conditions being more oxidizing. This would tend to gradually burn away any accumulated deposits.

I certainly notice better performance and better fuel consumption after we've made a trip up or down the coast. The weather's warming up now, so lots of opportunities for nice picnics and lunches after a long drive! It makes me feel good that my car is getting something out of it too!
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Old Sep 4, 2008 | 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted by labrat
I certainly notice better performance and better fuel consumption after we've made a trip up or down the coast. The weather's warming up now, so lots of opportunities for nice picnics and lunches after a long drive! It makes me feel good that my car is getting something out of it too!

......or Natmeet 2008 @ Lakeside Raceway in early October
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Old Sep 5, 2008 | 11:35 PM
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big problem with the subaru cleaner is the length of the plastic tube. the pic of the mazda one below is about 5 times as long as the subaru one. I would guess the diameter of the mazda one is larger also. unless you can find a suitable extension hose the subaru can is useless



physically it appears the subaru spray is half the size of the mazda can and you use the whole can per treatment on the subaru motor.
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Old Sep 28, 2008 | 06:02 AM
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I forgot to report on this because I was busy with other car stuff.

I followed mazda's procedure with the Subaru cleaner and it did stuff all. you need to use the whole can of the Subaru stuff if you want it to have an effect. the 15 seconds isn't enough to wet the ports let alone free up the carbon. maybe following the mazda procedure 3 or 4 times in a row might have an effect.

I would say the Subaru cleaner is useless, unless you want to spend most of your day doing this.
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Old Oct 10, 2008 | 02:16 AM
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^^^

reported.

beers
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Old Aug 8, 2009 | 09:08 PM
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Sorry to bring up an old thread.

Went into my local dealership to see if they stock the seafoam, unfortunately they (still) don't.

I'll have to import it from somewhere, will report back with my results/photos.
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Old Aug 8, 2009 | 09:45 PM
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try the Subaru upper engine cleaner. I repeated the procedure and it seems to help. just use a fair amount of the can.
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Old Aug 19, 2009 | 11:25 PM
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Does it really call upper engine cleaner.

I have not use the car for much this year I think it is time for a clean.
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Old Sep 2, 2009 | 12:19 PM
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Australian Motors Mazda use the Subaru Cleaner ...Mazda Australia Approve.
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