Seafoam OR Marvel Mystery oil?

[DerekTheGreat]

God Bless SDS (Safety Data Sheets)
https://seafoamworks.com/uploads/2019/09/SDS-SFMT-US-ENG-v20190905-1.pdf

Not more than 25% isopropanol
Not less than 5% isopropanol
Remainder is "hydrocarbon blend". Exact proportion is a "trade secret".

More like alcohol-doped petrochemical, than "denatured alcohol"...

Annnd that's why it smokes all to hell when burned. Definitely not cleaning "built up carbon" in the combustion chamber as so many people think it is. In that tank or in the oil, the only places I'd consider putting it.

 

[Schurkey]

Edit: their percentages count for less than 50% of the makeup of the product.

I guess they're allowed to not list "non-hazardous" ingredients.

For the record, I found a second SDS that lists similar but more-specific ingredients. I suppose one SDS is for USA and the other for somewhere else--or--one is older than the other;

Shurkey, you're damn smart.

Please tell my wife and friends. They think I've got mental problems. Maybe I do.

Can you summarize what that means to someone who dosent know much about chemicals. Obviously it's not a very environmentally solution, dont drink it.

It means the stuff is mostly a hydrocarbon with some alcohol thrown in; it's a reasonable solvent.

Wild Guess with no evidence: You could make a fair substitute by mixing Naptha with isopropyl alcohol; and it'd cost about 1/3 of what they get for SeaFoam.

Shurkey, I have heard about the water trick but not until after i had already done it. A buddy said take a spray bottle and spray the intake with a mist until it dies. Get it going again and it will puke out all the bullshit... gee I think I'd rather burn it then send it toward my O2 sensors. But I dont know I am FAR from an expert.

Al

When I clean combustion chambers with water, I don't use a spray bottle. I pour a "urine stream" of water back-and-forth between the primary venturis or into the throttle body with the engine at ~2000 rpm maybe faster. And I use about a gallon of water, maybe more. Change oil afterward, due to moisture contamination.

Annnd that's why it smokes all to hell when burned. Definitely not cleaning "built up carbon" in the combustion chamber as so many people think it is. In that tank or in the oil, the only places I'd consider putting it.

The point of spraying it into the air/fuel stream (via the throttle body/carb) is as much to solvent-out the intake manifold as to clean the combustion chamber.



Don't get me wrong. I'm not a big fan of SeaFoam or MMO. If I want to clean stuck rings, I use GM Top Engine Cleaner, about two ounces down each spark-plug hole into a warm engine. If I want to clean carbon out of the chamber, I use water. And keeping the rest of the fuel system clean, I use Top Tier fuel.

I'm told SeaFoam is OK for stabilizing gasoline that gets stored. I don't think I've ever bought MMO, but I'll need a new bottle of air-tool oil soon. I might try their air-tool product.

 

[thegawd]

Thanks man!

 

[454cid]

Annnd that's why it smokes all to hell when burned. Definitely not cleaning "built up carbon" in the combustion chamber as so many people think it is. In that tank or in the oil, the only places I'd consider putting it.

I've always thought that was a dubious claim, too.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

I've got 2 cousins, both mechanics, that swear by MMO. One even uses it in his '15 Chevy 5.3 pickup. These guys are 3rd generation mechanics and grew up in their grandfather's Texaco station. Were running it while still in high school! Have always given me good advice so I trust them.
I probably put some in the gas once a month or so, and I can't say it doesn't help a little to clean the fuel system. Have used it once in the oil, on their advice to shut up a noise that started on Thanksgiving morning last year. Did the trick, got the oil pressure back to normal too. We think that some passage was clogged, and the Marvel cleared out the blockage. So I guess it's kinda like Lipitor for an engine?

 

[DerekTheGreat]

I've got 2 cousins, both mechanics, that swear by MMO. One even uses it in his '15 Chevy 5.3 pickup. These guys are 3rd generation mechanics and grew up in their grandfather's Texaco station. Were running it while still in high school! Have always given me good advice so I trust them.
I probably put some in the gas once a month or so, and I can't say it doesn't help a little to clean the fuel system. Have used it once in the oil, on their advice to shut up a noise that started on Thanksgiving morning last year. Did the trick, got the oil pressure back to normal too. We think that some passage was clogged, and the Marvel cleared out the blockage. So I guess it's kinda like Lipitor for an engine?

Kinda sounds like religion. Blind faith, "Mommy & daddy loved Jesus so I do too." Aside from the ethanol, today's gas is better and so too is the filtration. Injectors injecting is a lot better than boosters dumping fuel in response to air passing by them too. Don't believe me? Let any of your gas powered lawn care equipment run on straight gas for a while and then let them sit for a year with gas in their fuel tanks and float bowls. In the same time, do the same with any fuel injected car you've got. Try and start them a year later.

...When I clean combustion chambers with water, I don't use a spray bottle. I pour a "urine stream" of water back-and-forth between the primary venturis or into the throttle body with the engine at ~2000 rpm maybe faster. And I use about a gallon of water, maybe more. Change oil afterward, due to moisture contamination.

The point of spraying it into the air/fuel stream (via the throttle body/carb) is as much to solvent-out the intake manifold as to clean the combustion chamber.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not a big fan of SeaFoam or MMO. If I want to clean stuck rings, I use GM Top Engine Cleaner, about two ounces down each spark-plug hole into a warm engine. If I want to clean carbon out of the chamber, I use water. And keeping the rest of the fuel system clean, I use Top Tier fuel.

I'm told SeaFoam is OK for stabilizing gasoline that gets stored. I don't think I've ever bought MMO, but I'll need a new bottle of air-tool oil soon. I might try their air-tool product.

I spray the water into the venturies, alternating left and right and at least a half gallon. Right before an oil change if I'm going to do it, same RPM as you. Spray bottle because I figure the water is going to try to atomize anyway when it gets under the throttle blades, so I help it along. Would be easier to dribble though..

With good gas, I feel the gas/air mix already solvents out a "wet" manifold. Gas is a pretty good solvent on it's own.. But these people dumping Seafoam down their brake booster's vacuum line are only creating a smoke show due to that "hydrocarbon blend" mentioned in the SDS. The only fuel system cleaner I've used with noticeable results was BG 44k or something like that. I just dump it in the tank, haven't used it on anything in over two years.

I might consider adding MMO to the crankcase on something with stuck rings. I'm under the impression that combined with an extended freeway run will bust stuff loose. Haven't had to do that yet so no personal experience.

 

[67GMC]

Try cleaning the MAF sensor with MAF cleaner

I don't think my '88 has a MAF sensor. It's throttle body.

 

[454cid]

I don't think my '88 has a MAF sensor. It's throttle body.

Should be an easy job then

You are right, you don't have one.

 

[kenh]

A little story from my far past. I had just graduated from an automotive tech school at my local community college. (1975) Got a job at a local chevy dealer. About every six weeks an "older" gentleman would come in and ask for a tune up. The "tune up" consisted pouring something down the carb with the engine at a fast idle until it died. I'm not sure but I think it was a Berryman product??? I know it was not a GM product. Smoked like no tomorrow! Let it set for 20 minutes then take it out and run the living crap out of it.

The car was a High performance 455 Olds. He was, IIRC, about 85 years old and just putted around town. Don't think the engine ever got completely warmed up.

Every six months we would do a real tune up with plugs, dist cap & rotor, wires if needed. We charged the guy $25 and he was a happy camper!! The price never changed even when we did a proper tuneup!!!!

Ken

 

[67GMC]

A little story from my far past. I had just graduated from an automotive tech school at my local community college. (1975) Got a job at a local chevy dealer. About every six weeks an "older" gentleman would come in and ask for a tune up. The "tune up" consisted pouring something down the carb with the engine at a fast idle until it died. I'm not sure but I think it was a Berryman product??? I know it was not a GM product. Smoked like no tomorrow! Let it set for 20 minutes then take it out and run the living crap out of it.

The car was a High performance 455 Olds. He was, IIRC, about 85 years old and just putted around town. Don't think the engine ever got completely warmed up.

Every six months we would do a real tune up with plugs, dist cap & rotor, wires if needed. We charged the guy $25 and he was a happy camper!! The price never changed even when we did a proper tuneup!!!!

Ken

Probably a quadrajet carb too. I remember lots of those. Old folks would complain that they went on the highway and had no power. The secondary's were usually stuck from never opening up around town. Lots of 350s like that (Buick, Cutlasses etc). Easy fix though. Carb cleaner or just a good tap!