One of my friends recommended using Seafoam engine cleaner for my new Civic...it's an '02 with 53000 miles on it....I know it's probably not necessary to do but he swears up and down it will increase lost horespower and clean out carbon buildup that's been accumulated from those 53000 miles. I've been doing some research on it and have found that some people who used it (both incorrectly and correctly) have experienced problems/it ****ed up their engine. Can anyone tell me if this is a wise decision? Has anyone here ever used the stuff? I'm a girl and I've never had my own nice car to take care of so I don't know all that much abt maintenance haha...but willing to learn!

edit: hmm...on second thought I think I may have posted this in the wrong place lol...my bad

 

I've used it multiple times with no problems.

1/3 a bottle in the crankcase, 1/3 in the gas tank (preferably with more than just a tiny bit of gas...), and 1/3 sucked in through a vacuum line. Just remember to change your oil a hundred miles or so later.

 

Seafoam is good stuff. Dont expect to feel much of a difference in power tho. At 53000 miles your engine is probably still fairly clean but it wouldnt hurt to use it for preventive maintenance.

 

i use it also but one thing i dont recommend is putting it into the oil, it thins your oil.

 

ive also used it many times
actually it just got my 2nd car running lol
and its fine to use in your oil AS LONG AS you change your oil after 100 miles after you put the seafoam in your oil

 

alot of people was saying it removes all the carbon build up in your engine and sometimes after 100k miles, its the carbon that is preventing your engine from breaking down.. im kinda leery about it, i heard mixxed reviews.

 

which is why you only run it in your oil for a very short period of time

 

but alot of people dont know that...and dont change oil and then complain saying how their motor is messed up.... im just saying on the safe side.

 

And explaining this to the OP is part of the point of this thread. The OP already mentioned people doing it incorrectly (i.e. not changing the oil afterwards).

Not doing it isn't staying on the safe side, it's chickening out. Staying on the safe side is to change the oil like you are suppose to.

 

+1 just change your oil
it helped my idle smoothen in one car of mine and in the other it cleaned the injectors allowing it to run for more than 30 seconds lol