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CEL after using SeaFoam Engine Cleaner

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Old 06-19-2008, 12:28 AM
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Son what is your Alibi?
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CEL after using SeaFoam Engine Cleaner

Hit 50,000 not too long ago I drive far from a granny, in-fact when dealerships were testing for engine recalls about 1.5 years ago I got the best bill of health out of any Rx-8 they tested, but figured that it would be good to clean her out anyway.

First I just sucked up 2 ounces of fluid into each rotor housings using the 2 nipples on the side of the lower intake manifold with the car running with someone keeping the revs up. First housing went fine, second housing triggered a CEL.

Tried to start 3 times to clear the CEL once the smoke stopped billowing and the idle stabilized, but no such luck, reset the ECU too to no avail.

Read up on here on the process of cleaning by disconnecting the ESS and cranking the fluid into the chambers through each nipple then letting it sit for a bit than reconnecting the ESS and starting again. Doing this the CEL light flickered and I thought it was about to go away while the car was clearing the smoke out the tailpiple but then it stayed on again.

Ideas on what could be the problem ?
Old 06-19-2008, 06:03 PM
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dirty o2 sensor?
Old 06-19-2008, 06:21 PM
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Do you know what the code is?
Old 06-19-2008, 06:23 PM
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I put two cans through mine, but disconnected the cat pipe from the exhaust manifold before doing so. Most of the fluid ran right through the engine, into the exhaust manifold, and then out onto the garage floor. I left the cat pipe disconnected through the process of firing it up after the soak period and blowing out huge clouds of white smoke for 20 minutes.

More than likely you fouled your cat or O2 sensor by leaving it all hooked up however I've run 1 can mixed in 5 gallons of fuel through it several times since without issue you really need to pull the code in order to assess what the problem might be

Last edited by TeamRX8; 06-19-2008 at 06:25 PM.
Old 06-19-2008, 06:23 PM
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no sir don't have a way of pulling the code as of now.
Old 06-19-2008, 06:37 PM
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Polak, you noob! It's quite common to get it afterwards.
I did this to two cars on the same day, one got a CEL, mine didn't. Others have reported the same thing. (see Nycgps's DIY thread)
Old 06-19-2008, 06:41 PM
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heres the bong in the cat what do you think? Ignore the threads they've been like that since I took it out too hot once during a clutch flywheel swap 2.5 years ago.
Attached Thumbnails CEL after using SeaFoam Engine Cleaner-img_9088.jpg   CEL after using SeaFoam Engine Cleaner-img_9089.jpg  
Old 06-19-2008, 06:41 PM
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Son what is your Alibi?
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Originally Posted by Jedi54
Polak, you noob! It's quite common to get it afterwards.
I did this to two cars on the same day, one got a CEL, mine didn't. Others have reported the same thing. (see Nycgps's DIY thread)
alright so whats the solution, can't blame me i've been out of the loop for a bit.
Old 06-19-2008, 06:45 PM
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I'm just messin' with ya.
Unfortunately the solution requires something you don't have at the moment. Gotta pull the code.

The car I did this to therw two CEL's. One was E-shaft related, forgot the 2nd. Just zapped them with the scanalyzer.
Old 06-19-2008, 07:34 PM
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don't all cels clear after you clear the sensor memory with the 20 brake pump assuming the problem with the sensor no longer exists?
Old 06-19-2008, 07:48 PM
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no ... scan tool or you can disconnect the battery overnight
Old 06-19-2008, 07:55 PM
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Time to make use of that nifty master switch i just installed
Old 06-19-2008, 11:31 PM
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good luck...........

I think it's a simple misfire
Old 06-20-2008, 01:24 AM
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cleared, i'm guessing misfire as well due to the blinking on the second occasion.
Old 06-20-2008, 01:39 AM
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Misfire.
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