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Knocking Sound After Seafoaming

9K views 102 replies 18 participants last post by  EmersonHart13 
#1 · (Edited)
Knocking Sound After Seafoaming/Vibrating at High Speeds

HI Fellow Jeepers!! First user for me I am new at this whole jeep forum thing so if this topic has been discussed I am sorry and would love the link to read about it.

So I have a buddy who used seafoam on his Jeep and he said it makes a world of difference. It runs better, better gas mileage and so on. So I look into it and ok not a bad Idea. So I do the bottle 1/3 in the brake booster, 1/3 on the oil, the rest in the gas tank... When I did mine after seeing everyone else do it I was expecting a TON of white smoke... I got a little blue smoke some white smoke but nothing to the effect of seafoams website, or you tube. Also after do this I noticed that all of a sudden my engine has a knocking noise coming from what I can tell the lower part of the engine as you really don't hear it standing over the top of the engine, but you can while in it and it's only at idle. Also my idle is a little jumpy between 5-700 RPM at idle in park. NO knocking when I accelerate or while stopped at a light in drive. Anyone ever come across this?

Info on Jeep 03 Overland 4.7 HO 65,000 miles on it. after I heard the noise I changed the oil has been synthetic since I've owned it now for 3 years whatever the dealers synthetic was then it switched to pennzoil ultra 10W-30. I saved a ton and started doing them myself as the dealer was charging me cheap like 39 for an oil change instead of the 80+ whatever it is.. But the guy who I knew quit... Anyways. any help/thoughts would be appreciated.

Recent Service done by me: Replaced the High Pressure Power Steering Hose as it was leaking BAD. Changed the transfer case fluid (quadradrive NV247) and both front and rear Diff's by removing the covers and then cleaning it out and using the mopar suggested RTV.

I still get the binding noise on the transfer case when in tight turns is that something I can fix even tho I replaced the fluid or a new TC? and as far driving goes A LOT more smooth with new diff fluid and TC fluid. Just the binding noise on the tight turns and I know I am not supposed to be going this fast but sometimes I can't help it. at 85 MPH and above my car vibrates real bad at that cruising speed when I have my foot on the gas to maintain that speed I take it off. it goes away.

Next up is Spark plug change, but before I do I was wondering about the Knock. Sorry to ramble again I am a newbie I apologize if this has been covered before and i just didn't search long enough.

Thanks! :2thumbsup:
 
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#3 ·
Just when I started it up after waiting about 30 mins after seafoaming it that was the only blue smoke.. I did not hear the knock before. then it showed up. My friend also noticed it as well. Just hoping I didn't knock something out of tolerance or whatever..... Who knows Jeeps are touchy!! lol
 
#5 ·
How long did you leave the seafoam in the oil before you changed it. Do you do oil changes every 3000 miles, give or take. And you use to go get synthetic from the dealership and you changed type, was this before or after seafoam. Sometimes seafoam may knock some grime lose in the engine depending on how it is before. I seafoamed my xj at 160k and everything was fine afterwards and it ran beautiful. Just want to get some extra background info
 
#6 ·
I used the same synthetic as the dealer does. I guess Chrysler and there infindent wisdom went from mobil 1 syn to pennzoil ultra syn. I never changed the type the dealer used, the only reason I stopped going to the dealer is cause the service guy I always went to quit moved on to other things so I said screw it i'll do it myself (plus I didn't feel like paying close to $90 an oil change....) same oil. I kept it in for about maybe 1-300 miles cause I was at the point of needing an oil change, I change it about every 3-5000 miles depending on my driving habits. If I am stop and go alot I will change closer to 3000, if I am always on the highway i'll do it every 5000 miles.

So Re Seafoam it? I use 93 octane and I do my best to keep it running in tip top shape...
 
#7 ·
Coulda knocked crap loose and stuck up a lifter? Maybe an exhaust leak? Mine did this for like a week after I got it and I was scared it was the bottom end, but it just randomly went away... haha I know that doesnt help, but its the same thing you described. Had a noise only at idle, sorta sounded like a knock or tick it was hard to tell, had a random rough idle. Replaced spark plugs, and switched oil filters (mopar) and the issue went away. Rough idle went away also with the filter brand change. My jeep really likes high milage semi synthetic. Be warned if you switch to that you may have to stay with it, and change the oil sooner because it cleans up gunk. But it has done good by my jeep so far, and zero oil leaks or seeping, and drastically helped my valve seal leaking/oil consumption. Anyways, get a stethescope on it, and see if it does it at idle vs revved. What is your oil pressure like?

Ps, u joints making it knock?
 
#8 ·
.

Changed the transfer case fluid (quadradrive NV247) and both front and rear Diff's by removing the covers and then cleaning it out and using the mopar suggested RTV.

I still get the binding noise on the transfer case when in tight turns is that something I can fix even tho I replaced the fluid or a new TC? and as far driving goes A LOT more smooth with new diff fluid and TC fluid. Just the binding noise on the tight turns and I know I am not supposed to be going this fast but sometimes I can't help it. Thanks! :2thumbsup:
You also needa friction modifier for the front and rear diff. You get it from the dealer, a whole bottle in the rear and a partial bottle in the front...

www.wjjeeps.com has a ton of info as well as the exact number up front (forget off top of my head, but it's just over half a bottle. 2.5oz maybe?)
 
#9 ·
How would the u joints make it knock at idle? It's only while i am in park I use Full Syn. And my jeep loves it. Oil pressure is Good. No issues there. I have the true dummy gauge so I took it out and used an oil pressure test kit and all was within the specs I have seen on wjjeeps.com
 
#15 ·
you didnt happen to hydro-lock the engine while sucking the seafoam through the booster line did you? If so there is a possibility that you bent a rod, which would cause a knock and an unstable idle.
 
#16 ·
Last time I used Seafoam the bottle said 1/3 oil, 1/3, gas tank, 1/3 vacuum line if carbureted and 1/2 vacuum line, 1/2 gas tank if fuel injected.

The last time I had done the treatment the jeep was hungry and eat the hole can through the vacuum line and stayed running just fine.
 
#22 ·
williambmac said:
when you bring it to the dealer..... do not tell them what happened.
Just tell them it started knocking.
And yes some of these top engine cleaners do work, to an extent.
I work for GM and we have a top engine cleaner that we use to decarbonize valves and pistons and it works very well.
We use and injection machine thru the throttle body to soak down the valves, but I have also used the vacuum line method with good success.
Problems do occur when seafoam or any other top engine cleaner is introduced to quickly into the engine.
If one cylinder sucks up too much on a compression stroke the excess has no where to go and can cause the cylinder to hydro-lock and bent a rod.
I am not saying this is what happened, I am not there to look at it but unfortunately that is what it sounds like to me.
This is a good way to put it. So many jeepers, myself included, have done the brake booster method and have had positive results. My pops has also used that gum out stuff, or whatever it was called mopar stuff, through the injector machine. Let then hear it. Tell them a noise started and you don't know from where.
 
#23 ·
IAWJ47 said:
that solenoid on my jeep will tick once and awhile, usually after i had driven for awhile and when i come to a idle it will tick. doesnt happen to often but i have heard it a few times. a mechanic told me it was nothing to worry about and it was kinda normal to do that. is that the case?
Normal? Depends on what you think normals is..:). From reading the TSB I would believe it is just an annoyance not something that would cause your jeep to break down. Just trying to help the OP in his diagnosing his problem. If he was putting seafoam in the brake booster line, some could have flowed up the evap. system causing the "new" tick. Both my 02's (4.0 and 4.7) have the same tick coming from that purge solenoid and it happens with a warm or cold engine, but usually when the ambient air temp is cold. If jeep has a TSB out for it I would assume it is something they must deal with regularly. Personally I have left the ticking purge solenoid alone right now, cause I haven't had the time to research where I can get the parts.
 
#24 ·
First off if your going to use seafoam don't stick the vacuum hose directly into the can like the guy at autozone told me to do, lol
You just let it drip in to the hose slowly then have someone shut the engine off while doing so to let it do it's job, you don't stall the engine with the stuff like some people tell you...
Seafoam has a video on youtube for the correct way to use it.
 
#25 ·
USFORCES said:
First off if your going to use seafoam don't stick the vacuum hose directly into the can like the guy at autozone told me to do, lol
You just let it drip in to the hose slowly then have someone shut the engine off while doing so to let it do it's job, you don't stall the engine with the stuff like some people tell you...
Seafoam has a video on youtube for the correct way to use it.
WWWWWWHHHHHHHHAAAAATTTTTTT!!!!!! I hope you're kidding. What a ******. Doesn't the can even say slowly pour a 1/3 of the can into the brake booster so as not to stall the engjne too early
 
#26 ·
Yep that's what the autozone guy told me, just stick the hose in the can :rolleyes:

Anyhow you don't want the engine to stall or hydrolock because bad things happen, parts bend and so forth.
As your dripping it in you have someone shut it off to let it sit.
 
#28 ·
I have used Seafoam many times and stalled about half of them when sucking it in. It's not flammable that's why the engine stalls. I highly doubt you bent a rod, do a compression check on all cylinders. I normally do a Seafoam treatment just before I change the plugs and oil on any engine even the lawnmower.
 
#30 ·
the way i did it on my zj was slowly drip it while its running, drip fast enough to make it stutter, but not enough to make it stall. or something liek that.


but anyways, what ive always heard from the old man, and wise old mechanics, and my grandfather, was to never use anything to clean out an old engine.
if theres gunk in there, chances are its plugging a leak.
proved true on my ZJ. seafoamed the engine and sprung a leak right after in the rear main
 
#31 ·
Well I am just going to drop it at the dealer and be like over the past few weeks I have developed a knock I haven't done anything out of the ordinary. And see what they come up with. I mean I have not lost any power its made it a little more peppier. I also have the recall so i am waiting for that part to come in and then have them look at it and see what they come up with..
 
#32 ·
WJEEPSMASS said:
Well I am just going to drop it at the dealer and be like over the past few weeks I have developed a knock I haven't done anything out of the ordinary. And see what they come up with. I mean I have not lost any power its made it a little more peppier. I also have the recall so i am waiting for that part to come in and then have them look at it and see what they come up with..
Just say there's a noticeable knock that's developed over the past week. That's the problem on their work ticket and they'll get a solution.
 
#33 ·
Or make a bunch of bogus lies of things it needs.
 
#35 ·
I'm currently dealing with lies from my local dealer that I called them out on, this is why I had brought it up, this is why dealers are referred to as "stealership". I'm not bashing all shops, just dealerships. Funny to that a local news station just tested this theory and had proven that the small time shops (mom and pop) are far more trustworthy then any corporate operation.

Flat rate techs are not found vary often, I my self was a tech as well that was paid in part of commission and was still being pushed to find more "issues".

Don't take it personally, you should know that there are more fraudulent shops out there then honest shops.

FYI, I think there is a couple posts down that a man had taken his in for a basic replacement of a brake booster replacement, charged him and handed him the one he brought in to be put on. If you would like I could dig up all these complaints just under the WJ section about various shops across the world if you would like?
 
#36 ·
I do work for a dealer, and most dealership technicians are flat rate. So when someone comes in with a bunch of bogus complaints.....
I end up wasting my time checking out a vehicle and I don't get paid for it.
I don't know about the dealerships by you, but most in my area and honest.
Unfortunately I can't say the same for the customers.
When you come in with a bunch of bogus complaints.... You are the one being dishonest.
I could give you hundreds of examples as to where customers lie through their teeth in an attempt to get their vehicles fixed under warranty when if fact most problems come down to neglect, abuse and failure to properly maintain their vehicles properly.
You call us stealerships. We also have a saying.... "Buyers are liars"
 
#38 ·
Why is it that service centers offer a "free" so many point inspection? Seems the centers are the ones to bring on the "bogus" clams, that is what I had called them out on just recently, two other times I called out the so called master mechanic about certain part relations on vehicles and proved him wrong infront of the VP. Just remember the customer is first, seems the techs think that they are the ones smarter then the customer, sure there maybe times it is true but not all the time.

Don't get me started on how much the price and time the job takes if it doesn't fall under the warranty, funny that corporate knows how long it really takes to fix or replace a part but the dealer will stick it to the customer and in most cases double the cost and time out side of the warranty.

I'm not saying that you are a fraud or fake but you should know by now that most places push or lie about unnecessary repairs, hints the bad rep that shops have received over the years.
 
#39 ·
I brought my car into a well known shop for a oil change. About 2 hrs later they said my car was done but the serptine belt was cracked and old so they just replaced it and it was close to $60. I told them that it was odd that a belt with less than 500 miles on it was worn out and old. I pulled out the receipt from my wallet showing the new belt that was just put on and paid for my oil change and free belt. Never went back again.

I now have a very trusted mechanic who does the stuff I'm not comfortable with or don't have the time. He either gets the parts or I supply them. He charged me $200 to pull the dash to change the heater core and blend doors and refilled the AC system.
 
#41 ·
Alright alright lets keep it on topic. Op, if you can gt it fixed under warranty that's awesome. Other than that no need to get off tangent about stealerships. There are dishonest customers and 2-left handed mechanics everywhere.
 
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