seafoam trouble!

[mattferguson14]

OK seafoamers, I just did a seafoam treatment on my vx. I used the brake booster vacuum line to sip up about half a bottle. I was expecting smoke, which there was, coming from my exhaust manifold!! I thought maybe I have an exhaust leak at the manifold, but no, I can see something (I'm assuming oil) running down over the manifold! It never did this until this seafoam treatment. And it happened during the treatment so I blame the seafoam! Could this stuff have eaten away my valve cover gasket or head gasket??! Any ideas on what it could be? I'm hoping this attempt at a little preventative maintenance doesn't end up costing me big time..

[circmand]

if seafoam ate the gaskets everyone who ever used it would have this issue. It might have eaten gunk away that was plugging an already leaking valve cover. If it is leaking from between the valve cover and the engine I would think the most you would need was replacing the gaskets which apparently already needed replacement. Or if a valve cover job was done and the gaskets were not seated correctly. (need more history)

I believe you just purchased your VX. It is not unknown for an unscrupulous seller to plug leaks in an order to deceive a buyer. (not saying that is what happened) Either way not a big fix if just the gaskets need done.

[Mile High VX]

I've used seafoam in the past in the same way...with the brake booster vacuum line...never an issue.

I would agree that likely there was a leak that had plugged up with old oil and the Seafoam just cleaned it out.

Hopefully an easy fix for you.

[mattferguson14]

Thanks Circ. Here's an update - I just finished driving it like I stole it, per the seafoam instructional post I found. When I finished, I looked again where the ''leak'' was/is and whatever it was had burned off of the manifold. I ran it for a while in park then shut it off and kept and eye on the manifold for signs of the leak and saw nothing. I also ran my fingers along the valve cover gasket and didn't get any oil on my fingers. The dealer I bought it from had done a fresh valve cover gasket change before I bought it because they were leaky. You can see the fresh gasket sealer that oozed out of the seal. I don't think they are leaking. So this mystery fluid could be something else.. Any idea what else is between the valve covers and the exhaust manifolds that could be leaking?? I'm thinking the fluid may have been the seafoam itself. Maybe the intake plenum gasket is leaking??

[circmand]

I'd need a pic. If you had the oil level to high and added seafoam it might have caused overflow from the oil cap but you did not mention where the leak was.

[MSHardeman]

Where is the oozed out gasket sealer under the valve covers? The valve cover gaskets are actually rubber and should only have some sealant in the corners where the cam shaft bearing are. Just want to make sure that you have the right gaskets under the valve covers and not just some "gasket maker" goop. The intake manifold gaskets are a metal and "some other material" sandwich and have been known to fail and leak on our VX's but that usually results in a rough running engine.

I have a partially torn down engine so if you need any pictures of anything, and how it should be installed on your VX let me know and I can rattle some off and post them up.

For now, though, it sounds like everything is good.

[mattferguson14]

The fluid was on the exhaust manifold on the drivers side. It was on the manifold below the rear-most cylinder, closest to the firewall. It definitely didn't come from the oil cap. I didn't put any in the crank case, just the intake and gas tank. Is there some sort of overflow for the intake plenum? I'm pretty sure the fluid was seafoam. And it only leaked out while I was adding the seafoam.. I'll try to post a pic too.

[Y33TREKker]

Maybe you just didn't see it as it was happening, and some of the Seafoam just got on the outside of the vacuum hose as you were adding it and ended up dripping down to the location you saw it burning off?

Is the bottom of the brake booster vacuum hose darker, er even still wet with some of the Seafoam liquid?

[IndianaVX]

I agree with Hardeman....there should not be any squeeze out on the gasket, but for the 90 degree corners around the cam housings. If there is gasket maker around the whole cover, you may want to replace the goop with the actual gasket....
Just my opinion...