# Engine Idling Rough after Sea Foam **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** f-150, engines, ford\ **Created:** [June 15, 2022, 10:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672 "2022-06-15T22:19:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Herocbslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b38774/32.png) [@Herocbslayer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Herocbslayer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 10:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/1 "2022-06-15T22:19:37Z")
Hello, I have a 2006 Ford F-150 with 462,522 miles, and today I added sea foam to my gas tank, at about half the recommended amount on the bottle (~0.5 oz per gallon), on the drive home my engine idle was rough, and my engine threw two new codes P2195 and P2197, after I got home and turned the engine off and back on it seemed to idle fine afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 10:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/2 "2022-06-15T22:29:02Z")
All is well that ends well. I believe the instructions are to use half a can directly on the intake and the other half in the tank. The first half cleans the induction system and the gas treatment cleans the rest. Expect a big fog during the process. Only done it once and have seen no reason to do it again. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 10:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/3 "2022-06-15T22:37:10Z")
> [@Herocbslayer](#): > > and my engine threw two new codes P2195 and P2197 What are the other codes? The ones that made you decide to seafoam it. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 10:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/4 "2022-06-15T22:38:01Z")
Maybe the fuel treatment dislodged a little gasoline varnish which temporarily clogged something downstream. Similar to how homeowners will sometimes end up with a clogged sewer line when they add a clog preventative to the drain lines designed to dissolve accumulated oils and fats adhering to the insides of their drain pipes. ---
**Author:** ![bcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@bcat](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcat)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 10:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/5 "2022-06-15T22:56:51Z")
> [@Herocbslayer](#): > > P2195 and P2197 “the oxygen sensor is fluctuating outside its optimal range” Chemical cleaners can do that. How old are your O2 sensors? ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/6 "2022-06-15T23:10:20Z")
Cmon, he has not changed a single fuel injection component after 462,000 miles. Why bother? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/7 "2022-06-15T23:11:32Z")
> [@bcat](#): > > O2 sensors OP, did you happen to spill anything on the O2 sensors while working on something in the engine-compartment area? ---
**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/8 "2022-06-15T23:16:18Z")
Kinda weird. Never had an issue putting it in the tank. Ingesting it through the intake, sure, it’s going to idle rough, etc. I think maybe the fact that Seafoam is in the tank is a coincidence. The stuff’s not stout enough to cause issues if mixed with 5,10,15, or however many gallons of fuel are in the fuel tank. ---
**Author:** ![bcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@bcat](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcat)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/9 "2022-06-15T23:19:52Z")
> [@bing](#): > > I believe the instructions are to use half a can directly on the intake Not anymore. They say liquid Seafoam is for gas tank or crankcase use only. Now they have a spray can and long straw for the throttle body. Presumably to avoid hydro lock. I still do it the old fashioned way though. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/10 "2022-06-15T23:23:21Z")
I’ve only done it once and maybe did spray it. Just don’t remember how I got it in there but do remember the thick fog and thought someone might call the fire dept. ---
**Author:** ![bcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@bcat](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcat)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/11 "2022-06-15T23:28:14Z")
> [@bing](#): > > don’t remember how I got it in there but do remember the thick fog Some people claim the smoke is just Seafoam burning off, and doesn’t really clean anything. But the more I do it, the less smoke I get. Must be something to it. ---
**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/12 "2022-06-15T23:29:55Z")
> [@bcat](#): > > Not anymore. They say liquid Seafoam is for gas tank or crankcase use only. Now they have a spray can and long straw for the throttle body. Presumably to avoid hydro lock. Well that’s interesting. I never was a huge Seafoamer anyway. Ingested it into an old tbi 350 with 200k miles once. Yeah, it smoked. Other than that, I couldn’t tell I’d done anything. Of course it smokes, you’re using a lower volatile fuel to run the engine, right? I think you could ingest Seafoam into a brand new car’s engine and it would smoke. I’ve used it, it has it’s purpose, but I think the “decarbonization” aspect is a little overblown. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/13 "2022-06-15T23:31:18Z")
What issue were you trying to correct by adding Seafoam? ---
**Author:** ![Herocbslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b38774/32.png) [@Herocbslayer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Herocbslayer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/14 "2022-06-15T23:39:09Z")
I had a P0401, and I took the EGR valve off and sprayed some carb cleaner and lubricant in it ---
**Author:** ![Herocbslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b38774/32.png) [@Herocbslayer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Herocbslayer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/15 "2022-06-15T23:39:45Z")
as far as I know, they are stock from 2006 ---
**Author:** ![Herocbslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b38774/32.png) [@Herocbslayer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Herocbslayer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/16 "2022-06-15T23:42:17Z")
I was using Seafoam as I decided it couldn’t hurt to add some after so many miles ---
**Author:** ![bcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@bcat](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcat)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/17 "2022-06-15T23:42:34Z")
> [@Scrapyard-John](#): > > I think the “decarbonization” aspect is a little overblown Hard to say. But I thnk it does more than blow smoke. I’ve tried so many chemicals through the intake and gas tank, IDK which ones ones worked. At 180k miles the car runs good and Forscan says fuel trims are between +2 and +4 at 60 MPH. Must have done some good. ---
**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/18 "2022-06-15T23:43:23Z")
> [@Herocbslayer](#): > > I had a P0401, and I took the EGR valve off and sprayed some carb cleaner and lubricant in it I think that stuff got recirculated back into the intake. You’re truck ingested some lube, and set the check engine light. You probably burned it off by now and are good to go. ---
**Author:** ![Herocbslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b38774/32.png) [@Herocbslayer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Herocbslayer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/19 "2022-06-15T23:45:51Z")
Maybe, I’ll try clearing the codes, and going on a test drive, and if they come back or the engine still idles rough I’ll look into more potential problems ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672/20 "2022-06-15T23:48:46Z")
A P0401 code is EGR insufficient flow’ Using Seafoam can clean the orifice in the DPF EGR that Ford uses. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/2/7/27110037fd0044c09848283fba2ae3547ded3f07.png) Tester [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-idling-rough-after-sea-foam/184672.md?page=2)