Has anyone ever used them and not had problems, like Engine Flush, Seafoam and the like?

Heres the deal.. I bought a 05 LQ4 almost a year ago with the intent that I will need it some day. Well, that someday has come a whole lot sooner than I wanted. My 5.3 has a lifter go bad wiping the lifter and cam. It had a long life with just over 200k.

The person I bought it from local said its an 05 with ~40-45k on it. I started tearing into it and it has sat for a very long time. Where the oil has pooled has turned to sludge, like on the small ledges, in the lifter valley, etc.. As Im tearing into it, Im cleaning all the parts the best I can with brake cleaner and rags. Im leaving the actual rotating assembly together as I don't want to disturb it. When I get it as clean as I can get it, Im going to reassemble the motor, but Im sure theres going to be a lot that I cant physically clean and wanted to "flush" the motor.

I had the stock heads recon'ed and Im soaking the lifters in Mineral Spirits and then oil. The motor looks to be in great health as the cam and lifters look great, the cylinders look great, all cylinders had <5% leakdown and no leaks anywhere. The stock rods look a lot beefier than my old LS1 rods and the lifters are the new style with the completely enclosed roller, not like my 5.3s where the whole roller is exposed.

Thoughts? Also, this isnt my 1st go around with building a LS motor. Ive built a few for my old Camaro SS from wicked H/C, to a 200 shot, to a turbo setup.

Also, I dont have time to spare. I have to have it running by Sunday as its my DD/ work/ only ride so Ive been air'ing in parts to get 'er done.

 

i have used seafoam in the past with good results. It literally blows the crap out the exhaust, and after its cleaned up it will stop smoking. Even adding more seafoam afterwards, it will not smoke no longer, cause it cleans all the deposits out in the combustion chamber. It can have a vehicle smoking for 10 mins or 10 plus miles. I have used it on worn engines and it made them feel lil stronger. You will tell if the motor is dirty by how much it bellows out smoke.

Old man told me once that in the good ole days, they would use H20! Yes a little bit of good ole water in the intake, and it would clean the cylinders and all like the seafoam does, but this is only to be done sparatically and a lil at a time. Not like flood the motor sorta a deal, else it will lock. Also this was more of a carb thing where you could get something in the intake.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsCvq...eature=related

 

Thanks for the info, but Im talking about an oil additive. I dont need to seafoam the intake tract as the motor is completely apart.

 

Put 4quarts of oil and 2 quarts of transmission fluid in it and run it up to temp for a few minutes and then change oil

 

This is what my dad and I both do to our motors, also did it to a buddy's, it'll blow a S&#t load of carbon buildup out of it... I usually just use the vacuum tube that attaches to the fuel pressure regulator, keep the engine steady @ about 2500 to 2800 RPM and let the vacuum of the engine suck in the water. It'll miss and sputter, and act like it's going to throw a rod, just keep the RPMs up and slowly start backing the RPMs off after you pull the water away from the vacuum. He sold his truck at 235,000 miles to a family friend, and it's sitting at 1/4 million now, and I'm sitting at 152,xxx, motor runs as strong as the day I bought the truck.

 

I've seen mineral spirits used with good success.

 

I always see that Z-Max stuff advertised, but never actually read reviews on if it really works

 

get yourself some Gunk cleaner that comes in the gallon paint can with the little dipping basket and a plastic bristle parts cleaning brush. You can usually find it at the parts store. Brush the stuff on whatever you want clean and it removes it like nothing else i've seen. The dipping basket works great at cleaning out lifters and pushrods left in overnight. Just brush the stuff on the block and let it sit for about 10-15 minutes and repeat....cleans out any oil residues or burnt on sludge. I've made 150k mile 5.0 blocks look like new with this stuff. It kills latex mechanics gloves almost instantly so pick up some good chemical resistant gloves from Home Depot.

This one works the best

 

There's a guy on here that swears by something called B-52 I believe, says it'll clean carbon, oil, grime off of everything, he also said don't wear rubber gloves with it cause it'll melt them to your skin... best I can tell you need a hazmat suit to use it.

 

this stuff?
http://www.hollanderproducts.com/b52.html

All I know is the Gunk will clean that block better than a hot tank and it doesn't etch/corrode aluminum parts like other acidic degreasers such as Formula 88 and Zep Industrial Purple.