Snow Foam

John Laidlaw

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2013
Messages
26,373
Reaction score
9,163
Location
Wirral
Your Mercedes
Land Rover Discovery 4
does it go ‘off’?
I’m asking as the stuff I have has just stopped foaming! I’m doing nothing different to what I’ve done before, I’m using a foam lance dispenser, same one I’ve had and has worked for 18 months, but no foam anymore. Quite annoying as i’ve 1/2 litre left .
Any experience with particular makes chaps?
 

Wighty

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2016
Messages
13,435
Reaction score
12,466
Location
Sunny Essex
Your Mercedes
W211/E320cdi/2009 and CLK200k 2009
There is a round metal filter inside the lance , you can buy replacements from eBay . If this blocks up it can stop foaming , I flush my foam lance with clean water after using it . Try some car shampoo in there to test , that should also foam . I doubt snow foam will go off anytime soon .
 

V6Matty

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2012
Messages
9,260
Reaction score
4,063
Location
Newark, Nottinghamshire
Your Mercedes
S212/2010/E350 (His) W246/2016/B200 (Hers)
I'm with Whighty here, likely the mixer bit is blocked enough just to stop the lance doing its thing,

Does remind me I need to get some snowfoam and a hosepipe attachment
 
OP
John Laidlaw

John Laidlaw

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2013
Messages
26,373
Reaction score
9,163
Location
Wirral
Your Mercedes
Land Rover Discovery 4
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #4
Thanks guys I’ll strip it down....
 

C350Carl

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Messages
4,580
Reaction score
898
Location
Middle East
Your Mercedes
BMW 740Ld xDrive
You don’t need to buy replacement filters. I just soak mine in a bit of Cilit bang for a couple of mins then rinse with boiling water from the kettle.

Do this once every 3mths and it should stay tip top.

Here’s a guide for stripping a foam lance (yours may differ slightly but should give you the right idea)

 

Rotorhead500

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
5,815
Reaction score
2,650
Location
Very South Devon
Your Mercedes
Used to have a C63...
Given your location, it may even be worth just soaking the wee filter in descaler periodically.

Not a problem I get down here, but when I lived in the Mids, everything furred up very quickly! Even resorted to using water filters...! :shock:
 

ells_924

Active Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2017
Messages
31
Reaction score
1
Location
Gloucester
Your Mercedes
clk 320 cdi
i dont even strip mine down anymore, just fire some light acid threw it on the odd wash up and rinse out after
 
OP
John Laidlaw

John Laidlaw

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2013
Messages
26,373
Reaction score
9,163
Location
Wirral
Your Mercedes
Land Rover Discovery 4
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
Hadn’t thought these were so easily clogged- what a PITA really. Carl thanks for the guide- this is exactly the one I have!
 

C350Carl

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Messages
4,580
Reaction score
898
Location
Middle East
Your Mercedes
BMW 740Ld xDrive
Hadn’t thought these were so easily clogged- what a PITA really. Carl thanks for the guide- this is exactly the one I have!

It depends really on the foam you’re using and the hardness of your water.

Whenever I use mine I always unscrew the bottle and let clean water only go through the lance for a good 30secs or so. This helps prolong it clogging. But I’ve always seemed to live in hard water areas. So still have to strip it down occasionally.
 

Wighty

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2016
Messages
13,435
Reaction score
12,466
Location
Sunny Essex
Your Mercedes
W211/E320cdi/2009 and CLK200k 2009
I do similar to Carl , I just refill the snow foam bottle with clean water at the end and spray water through for 30 secs which seems to keep it all clean .
 
OP
John Laidlaw

John Laidlaw

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2013
Messages
26,373
Reaction score
9,163
Location
Wirral
Your Mercedes
Land Rover Discovery 4
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #11
Thanks for the tip chaps , once I’ve cleaned it I’ll do the run through with cleaning the future . The snow foam I have is from Race Glaze
 
OP
John Laidlaw

John Laidlaw

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2013
Messages
26,373
Reaction score
9,163
Location
Wirral
Your Mercedes
Land Rover Discovery 4
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #12
Stripped down descaled the metal gauze filter put back together still nothing. I’ve ordered another filter from Amazon as I guess this ones been clogged up fully ...now I know the maintenance it shouldn’t happen again
 

Gkinghorn

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2009
Messages
2,808
Reaction score
180
Location
Bournemouth
Your Mercedes
E350 CDI Cabriolet - 2011
Ever wish you hadn’t read a thread?

Made me wonder about mine not foaming either - it’s a Hilka RAC thing .....

So I checked the lance ... all good it seems ... decided to check the bottle (it fits onto the main unit) ... thing came off it’s connector hose ... should be simple to put back on I thought ...

Errr nope had to fully strip it down and now it’s waiting on a part after the hose connector snapped off , appears a common problem , so what should have been a 10 minute job turns into several hours of dismantling and rebuilding ...

Just hope I can remember which screws go where out of the 20 or so I have ....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
OP
John Laidlaw

John Laidlaw

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2013
Messages
26,373
Reaction score
9,163
Location
Wirral
Your Mercedes
Land Rover Discovery 4
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #14
Indeed! Luckily my car hasn’t been dirty filthy so the snow foam hasn’t been entirely necessary ...
I put mine back together awaiting the filter gauze for exactly the reasons you mention Gordon, not so much remembering how it fits but losing bits ( like my marbles )
 

Capra

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Messages
3,320
Reaction score
1,197
Location
Gloucestershire
Your Mercedes
W204 2013 C350 CDI Pan roof
Indeed! Luckily my car hasn’t been dirty filthy so the snow foam hasn’t been entirely necessary ...
I put mine back together awaiting the filter gauze for exactly the reasons you mention Gordon, not so much remembering how it fits but losing bits ( like my marbles )
Is snow foam only required when the car looks really dirty??
 

C350Carl

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Messages
4,580
Reaction score
898
Location
Middle East
Your Mercedes
BMW 740Ld xDrive
Is snow foam only required when the car looks really dirty??

Short answer, no.

Longer answer.

Snowfoam is used as part of the process of removing as much dirt from the car without physically touching the paintwork with a physical wash device (wash mitt etc)

The logic behind it and things like TFR (traffic film remover) is that if you can loosen all the muck/grime etc on the car and rinse off this is always going to be better than rubbing a wash mitt around the car, no matter how deep the pile of it is.

Unfortunately no-one has developed coating for the car that allows it to be totally cleaned with just a rinse. No matter what any marketing blurb or anecdotal forum/internet post tells you.
 

Capra

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Messages
3,320
Reaction score
1,197
Location
Gloucestershire
Your Mercedes
W204 2013 C350 CDI Pan roof
Short answer, no.

Longer answer.

Snowfoam is used as part of the process of removing as much dirt from the car without physically touching the paintwork with a physical wash device (wash mitt etc)

The logic behind it and things like TFR (traffic film remover) is that if you can loosen all the muck/grime etc on the car and rinse off this is always going to be better than rubbing a wash mitt around the car, no matter how deep the pile of it is.

Unfortunately no-one has developed coating for the car that allows it to be totally cleaned with just a rinse. No matter what any marketing blurb or anecdotal forum/internet post tells you.
Thanks, just wondered. I have used some foam picked up from halford, but doesn't give that marshmallow look, it all drips off quickly, will buy some better stuff with a proper lance at some point.
 

C350Carl

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Messages
4,580
Reaction score
898
Location
Middle East
Your Mercedes
BMW 740Ld xDrive
Thanks, just wondered. I have used some foam picked up from halford, but doesn't give that marshmallow look, it all drips off quickly, will buy some better stuff with a proper lance at some point.

It's all in the lance. If you have elcheapo lance that they chuck in with pressure washers then it is more likely that is the case.

The proper lances allow you to control the amount of foam vs water.

Word of warning. Once you get a proper lance, in the summer don't use it so that you get uber thick foam unless you can do it out of sunlight. Also don't let it dwell more than 10 mins. Otherwise it can leave soap stains which take ages to wash off.

Two foams that I recommend and have used are Autobrite Magifoam and Bilt Hamber Auto Foam. Put them on the thickest foam setting on the lance and it's like the ghostbusters have just melted the Staypuff Marshmallow man on your car! Plus it will dwell for a good 30mins in the winter so is great for getting rid of most of the cack.
 

Capra

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Messages
3,320
Reaction score
1,197
Location
Gloucestershire
Your Mercedes
W204 2013 C350 CDI Pan roof
It's all in the lance. If you have elcheapo lance that they chuck in with pressure washers then it is more likely that is the case.

The proper lances allow you to control the amount of foam vs water.

Word of warning. Once you get a proper lance, in the summer don't use it so that you get uber thick foam unless you can do it out of sunlight. Also don't let it dwell more than 10 mins. Otherwise it can leave soap stains which take ages to wash off.

Two foams that I recommend and have used are Autobrite Magifoam and Bilt Hamber Auto Foam. Put them on the thickest foam setting on the lance and it's like the ghostbusters have just melted the Staypuff Marshmallow man on your car! Plus it will dwell for a good 30mins in the winter so is great for getting rid of most of the cack.
I picked this up from halfords - https://www.amazon.co.uk/CarPlan-CDW200-Demon-Snow-Foam/dp/B00ITIL306

Good advice thanks. Yes, I was really after that Staypuff look. When I was rinsing off the foam was forming along the street, god knows what the decent stuff is like.
My neighbour who religiously cleans his car didn't have a clue what I was doing for 7 hours the other Saturday. My other neighbour says things like "if you carry on you'll wash it away"
 


AMF Automotive - We are an independent Mercedes-Benz and AMG specialist located in Paddock Wood, Kent, with full Mercedes Diagnostic equipment. We offer a full portfolio of tuning options for AMGs and can cater for all your Mercedes needs.
Tel: 0203 384 4644www.amfmercedes.com/
Top Bottom