[Nate...]

Originally Posted by Elite Engineering

To add some actual info from studies, you do NOT want to ever use a solvent based engine running upper induction cleaner on ANY DI engine due to the damage the hard crystalline deposits cause when some of the coking build up material is loosened. These engines are introducing fuel at 2,000 plus PSI and unlike past port injection engines or carbureted engines where you CAN use these products safely and benefit, we have yet to see a case where there was not scouring of the pistons and cylinder walls when used on the hard sand like abrasive make up of a GDI engines deposits are broken loose as there is always some pushed between the pistons and cylinder walls. These products are seeing their core business in jeopardy with GDI engines so are pushing more and more, but Ford will void the warranty if used on an Ecoboost GDI engine. The only safe way to use these is during a manual valve cleaning allowing it to soak into the deposits to help loosen before cleaning.


The "soft carbon" of port injection engines could safely be removed with these products, but the deposits on the backsides of the intake valves on a DI engine are a hard sand like abrasive material as they are baked at such high temps with no fuel cooling the valves like in the past. Just Google search how many GDI engines had rod bearing failures shortly after a treatment, etc.


So word of warning. Want to see pictures? Have plenty of engines we have inspected if anyone wants more details.


OEMtech has some good advice. ONLY use a full synthetic oil and contrary to the new Dexos full syn, many dealers are STILL using the cheap blend for the "free" oil changes. The biggest threat to your oil is the fuel dilution with DI engines. It is not uncommon to see fuel percentages exceed the 5% fuel level where oil is considered condemned and no longer able to protect in as little as 5k miles, so for best protection, take oil samples and have tested at different mile accumulation to see.


When you look at some DI engines they can in the winter months with cold start enrichment see levels as high as 7-12% by 5-6k miles. The reasons? much higher CR DI engines run as well as unlike 45-55 PSI of port injection at 2,000 plus PSI much more fuel is washed down past the rings causing the dilution levels were seeing.

I would be very interested to see you post pictures from inspections that you have done and include information like mileage, vehicle usage (DD, Winter, Sunny day only...) and fuel type used including auxiliary fueling. Also it would benefit the community to see the studies that you are referring to.

After some light searching on my own it seems that what you are saying is supported. There is a common occurrence with gasoline direct injection engines of buildup on the intake valves because of the lack of "washing" that a PFI engine experiences.

Still, I am not sold that adding a treatment to the fuel system would dislodge these deposits. It seems odd that putting something in the fuel would dislodges deposits that are there specifically because fuel cannot reach them... Something seems to not add up with that one...

After my light research I now will not be running a Seafoam product through my LTG, and appreciate the quoted post. BUT! I would like to respectfully request that Elite Engineering provide some more evidence of this buildup on the intake valves and the claim that putting Seafoam in the fuel system would dislodge it. I only say this because they are obviously an oil catch can company and have something to gain by this community thinking their LTG engines are at risk.