Any chemists here? What is really in that can?
Did some digging. Found this.
QuoteYes, it is mostly oil (pale oil). It is also partially naptha (a distillate of crude oil), as well as partially alcohol and water. As of about 1996, the approximate analysis of the formulation was as follows:
50% light hydrocarbon oil (pale oil);
30% petroleum naphtha;
10% isopropyl alcohol;
10% water.
http://www.automotiveforums.com/t940930-the_truth_about_seafoam.html
From Bob IS The Oil Guy this was posted from SeaFoam's MSDS
QuoteSECTION 2 - COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
Ingredients
CAS # Wt.%
Pale Oil 64742-54-7 40.00 - 60.00 N/Av >15000 mg/kg >5000 mg/kg
Naphtha 64742-49-0 25.00 - 35.00 N/Av >5000 mg/kg N/Av
IPA 67-63-0 10.00 - 20.00 17000ppm 4720mg/kg 12890mg/kg
http://seafoamsales.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/MSDS_seafoam_EN.pdf
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/2471695/2
Also, a recipe for Homebrew SeaFoam.
http://hildstrom.com/projects/seafoam/
Sounds like you could just put a little diesel in your gas tank, then fill up with gas.
Shaken, not stirred?
The naptha would loosen sludge and deposits, the alcohol would remove water... well it might if there wasn't already water in it.
Jim
He was replacing the Naphtha with gasoline in one of his formulas though. I was thinking the Naphtha would have been important. By the way, my computer keeps changing the spelling of naphtha, adding that h. I guess it is smarter than me.
I thought it was a speech impediment. :) Your computer is correct......this time.
He was mixing diesel & gas to get the color & viscosity more like SeaFoam. Maybe diesel, naphtha, & ATF. would be good enough to add to a tank of 10% ethanol gasoline.
QuoteYes, it is mostly oil (pale oil). It is also partially naptha (a distillate of crude oil), as well as partially alcohol and water. As of about 1996, the approximate analysis of the formulation was as follows:
50% light hydrocarbon oil (pale oil);
30% petroleum naphtha;
10% isopropyl alcohol;
10% water.
Hey, wait a minute....isn't that the same recipe for George Dickel?
:) You'd have to ask Kelly.
Nope, that's "Old Black Panther".
Jim
Graham, "That was Tacky". Dickel is made from finest Tn. Corn and Water. Would not consider any use other than Human Consumption. :-)
More:
QuoteHere's the basic recipe for SeaFoam, and considerably cheaper. All the componant ingredients are available with a visit to just a couple stores in town. Maybe Wally's and a Sherwin Williams or even Lowes. You'll be able to find the ingredients easily enough though
Found on the internet under 'Homebrew SeaFoam recipe', I'd site the author, but he/she seems to be FAR removed by now as this has probably made the forum rounds an alot of motorhead sites.
It's very cheap and easy to make at home
25% Cleaner>Naphtha
60% Stabilizer>Kerosene
15% Oxygenate> Isopropyl Alcohol (common Rubbing Alcohol)
Other Commercial Brands such as Chevron Techron Concentrate are 100% Cleaner.
Majority is Naphtha,,,along with Stoddard Solvent,Benzene,Xylene,etc.
You can Substitute Seafoam's 15% IPA for Toluene and get better results,,,most paint stores have it.
ALL the Products are merely a variety of Blends of generic,,bulk commodity petrochemicals.
They are simply bought by the barrel,,,,mixed together in various ratios,,,,Bottled>Labeled>Sold
SeaFoam for example,,
It's sells for about $8 USD for 16oz.
$64 USD per gallon
"Naphtha",,,2 Bottles @ $1 ea = 1/2 gallon
"Kerosene" 3 Bottles@ $1 ea =3/4 gal
"IPA" 2 bottles for 1$ = 1/4 gal
$6 for 1.5 gals
For "GENERIC ,Homemade Seafoam"
versus the
$64 USD per gallon
for actual,,name brand Sea Foam
It's not so much the point that it's only 1/10 the Cost,,,
it's that homemade blend allows for ,,,not just Enhancement but even Exaggeration of the Beneficial Properties of the Additive Mix.
For example :
Skip the Rubbing Alcohol,replace it with Acetone,,,Same Price.
Makes engine Start much better in Cold Weather,,,SOMETIMES improves fuel mileage,,,is Less Corrosive,,,and acts like a Cleaner Itself.
And,,it gets added in at much,much lower doses.
Or,,,add a $5 pint of Toluene in lieu of a quart of Kerosene
Or ,,1$ Quart of Auto Trans Fluid,to make Mega Stabilizer.
Or,to add to Crankcase---it sometimes Smokes a bit.
But I just FEEL better Cleaning internals with a premium LUBRICANT as the engine runs,,,rather than all Solvents.
Or if You would rather buy a Commercial Product and can Not find Seafoam
Chevron Techron is much,much More Powerful Cleaner by volume.
It will work at minimum,,,,better and faster and on a wider range of Fuel Deposits .
But ya should really only use it in fuel,,not in Crankcase.
It's too aggressive a cleaner and not made for such use.
Beyond Those particular products,,
Anything labeled "FUEL INJECTION" cleaner is typically going to be Higher Concentration of appropriate CLEANERS,,, than products labeled as "Carb Cleaner" or "Gas/Fuel Treatment"
The Later 2 products Have been enriched during last Decade or so,,
So the Differences in all the Variety are Not as Great as they were 15~20 years ago
If Sea Foam is Not available,,
Chose Anything labeled as FUEL INJECTION cleaner and it will do about as good a job as Sea Foam in your Tank, injectors, varnish, carbon etc in Intake tract, Valves and combustion chamber.
All more/less same stuff.
CLEANERS,,,have More Cleaner and Less Stabilizer than SeaFoam.
You are currently going through Fresh Petrol,,,so Ya do not Need the hi-dosage Stabilizers at this point.
Especially when trying to CLEAN the fuel system.
You need the higher dose Cleaner.
Reply With Quote
As You can see..... the prices are about two or three years ago, when this recipe first surfaced, or when 'I' found it, that much time variance I'm sure of. But still at double all the costs of the chemicals, sSeaFoam typically sells 'most recently at Advanced Auto' for upwards of $9.00 a can, I believe @ 16 oz.
http://ramchargercentral.com/technical-discussion/ingredients-of-%27seafoam%27/