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[Sea Foam] Zetec engine -- Location of "manifold vacuum line?"

7K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  Oblivion 
#1 ·
Hello.

I do not know where the "manifold vacuum line(s)" are on my vehicle (2001 Ford Focus ZX3, Zetec engine).
I would like to try something called, "Sea Foam." According to their site, you are supposed to pour 1/3 to 1/2 into the "carburetor throat or into any main manifold vacuum line that DISTRIBUTES EVENLY TO ALL CYLINDER."
See here: www.seafoamsales.com/how-to-use-sea-foam-motor-treatment.html


Here is a picture of my vehicle, under the hood as of right now (pardon the anti-freeze debris; Recently damaged hoses):
- http://imgur.com/a/lWRC3#0 (two pictures)

Thank you in advance, as always.
 
#2 ·
Seafoam is really only useful for 2 applications:

1) Pour it in the gas tank of your Mercruiser outboard motor after you let it sit all winter with gas in the carb and tank, and didn't run it dry at the end of last season (that is why it got it's name)

2) Pour it in the gas tank of your motorcycle in the spring when you let it sit all winter with gas in the carb and tank, and didn't run it dry at the end of last season.

Boat engines in particular many were originally 2 stroke and you have to put oil in 2 stroke gas, over the winter the gas evaporated leaving behind an oily mess.

Use it in your car and it will do nothing other than produce a lot of smoke and probably fry your catalytic converter.

if your car is running rough and your convinced it's fuel (it almost never is) then take apart the throttle body and clean it with throttle body cleaner and a rag.
 
#3 ·
Don't waste your time. Or your money. Just because it smokes, that's no indication that anything good is going on. Sure, they say that there's a possibility that it will clean out your intake manifold, your vacuum system, your throttle body, your catalytic converter, your garage floor, and your underwear, but there's absolutely zero evidence that it does anything on a modern 4-stroke gasoline engine, especially since the "solvents" in it don't stay in contact with any oily deposits for long enough to do anything.

This product has been getting noised about on just about every automotive forum in the world. There's a huge fight going on about it on one of my other forums that I belong to, and it's amazing the claims that people make about it. "I put this stuff in my vacuum system on my M3, and my idle is better, gas mileage is up 2 miles per gallon, the valve noise is gone, my car seems more responsive, and my girlfriend's cooking has gotten better." None of it is proven to be effective at all, so why waste time and money?
 
#9 ·
True. B-12 is cheaper. And it usually sits right next to the seafoam. But I have yet to see actual definitive proof that it really does anything when poured into the vacuum system on a car. As a fuel additive, the B-12 is a good idea to use annually, so in that sense, it's good. Just don't do it in your vacuum system, since that's quite literally burning your money.
I still stick by my opinion here that says the Seafoam or B-12 won't spend enough time in contact with the gunk that might be built up in your intake to have any real measurable effect. Fuel stabilizer, probably. Injector cleaner, possibly. But viability as a vacuum and intake runner cleaner, I seriously doubt it.
We heard you the first eight times. Thank you for your input. It's being disregarded, and not agreed upon based on personal experience.

The vacuum line I was looking for, is located below/behind (on the master cylinder) the power box/air-box. It is made of hard plastic, and pops right out (with a firm pull).

My vehicle has been running a lot smoother since I have poured my money (as you put it) down the intake.
 
#4 ·
If you buy a badly maintained car, or don't pay much attention to your own car... like buy cheapest gas, change oil once a year with cheapest oil, almost never replace/clean your PCV valve and air filter... then Seafoam or other products (I like B-12 better than Seafoam, it's cheaper and has a better solvent mix) will help clean your injectors, valve backs/seats and can even help sticky rings, when used in both the tank and the vacuum line together (then change the oil). But for well maintained cars, you only need a can of B-12 (or whatever) in the tank every year or two... anything more is a waste of resources.
 
#5 ·
True. B-12 is cheaper. And it usually sits right next to the seafoam. But I have yet to see actual definitive proof that it really does anything when poured into the vacuum system on a car. As a fuel additive, the B-12 is a good idea to use annually, so in that sense, it's good. Just don't do it in your vacuum system, since that's quite literally burning your money.
 
#6 ·
I like seafoam for a lot of stuff, especially running through carburetors and stabilizing gas. I know the can says you can do the vacuum line thing, but I don't think the focus even has any vacuum lines going into the intake. I also don't think with multi port EFI that's even an issue you need be worried about. If you have a couple hundred thousand miles of carb or TBI atomized gas gunking up your intake, it might be worth doing
 
#7 ·
the zetec has many lines going into the intake. I used to use the one that goes to the canister on the passenger side of the firewall that looks like a hockey puck. There is a small line that runs there and goes into all runners.
 
#8 ·
I still stick by my opinion here that says the Seafoam or B-12 won't spend enough time in contact with the gunk that might be built up in your intake to have any real measurable effect. Fuel stabilizer, probably. Injector cleaner, possibly. But viability as a vacuum and intake runner cleaner, I seriously doubt it.
 
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