Seafoam vs MMO

[severach]

It's good to see that Seafoam has discovered the Internet. Some time ago I went looking for Seafoam product usage instructions and I had to go to the store to read the can.

Let's see how the costs stack up.

Seafoam costs $10 for 16 ounces. At 1.5 oz per quart I add 7.17 ounces of Seafoam to 4.78 quarts of oil and I end up with 5 quarts of additized oil. At $3 per quart the oil costs $14.34 and the Seafoam costs $4.48 for a total cost of $18.82.

MMO costs $4.50 for 32 ounces. At 8 oz per quart I add 1 quart MMO to 4 quarts of oil and I end up with 5 quarts of additized oil. At $3 per quart the oil costs $12.00 and the MMO costs $4.50 for a total cost of $16.50.

MMO saves me $2.32 per oil change. It isn't much.

Which delivers more solvent per quart of additized oil?

Seafoam MSDS sheet:
1 PALE OIL 4229 40-60% (not a solvent)
2 NAPHTHA 20 25-35% (white gas, lighter fluid, solvent)
3 IPA 125 10-20% (Isopropyl Alcohol, solvent)

MMO COMPONENT (wt %)
Naphthenic Hydrocarbons 70 – 80 (Kerosene, not a solvent)
Mineral Spirits 20 – 30 (white spirit, Stoddard solvent)
Chlorinated Hydrocarbons 0 – 1 (solvent)

5 quarts of oil and Seafoam contains (30+15) 45% of 7.17 ounces or 3.23 ounces of solvent.

5 quarts of oil and MMO contains 25% of 32 ounces or 8 ounces of solvent.

MMO recommends twice the solvents as Seafoam. MMO has delivered twice the solvents as Seafoam at half the cost assuming MMO is similarly priced to oil. MMO could be twice as effective or half as safe. MMO does not contain alcohol which may make it less effective or less dangerous.

Unless someone finds mistakes the math makes the choice easy.

I think Mineral Spirits which is oily is much more oil friendly than IPA or lighter fluid which are dry.

 

[sw99]

I love the $12.50 gallons of MMO at Wal-Mart...

 

[lipadj46]

Just a correction there is no kerosene in MMO:

Quote:
70% Light Aromatic Oil (Pale Oil)

29% Mineral Spirits

38 parts per million (ppm) Boron

900 ppm Phosporous

1/2% 1, 2 ortho-Dichlorobenzene

1/4% 1, 4 para-Dichlorobenzene

Oil of wintergreen - for the scent

Red Dye - for the color


The good news is we are not arguing about mmo vs. ARx.

 

[Nik]

So how about adding 2-3 oz of seafoam into 10% MMO/oil mix for full OCI?

 

[c3po]

Originally Posted By: Nik
So how about adding 2-3 oz of seafoam into 10% MMO/oil mix for full OCI?


If you are going to do it, Good Luck.

 

[Nik]

Seafoam website states that it could be used for full OCI but one has to monitor the oil (if it's becoming black and dirty) which means that it's not that mild.
But again, it's pale oil, naphta and 10-20 iso-propyl alcohol.

 

[c3po]

Originally Posted By: Nik
Seafoam website states that it could be used for full OCI but one has to monitor the oil (if it's becoming black and dirty) which means that it's not that mild.
But again, it's pale oil, naphta and 10-20 iso-propyl alcohol.


Is your engine real dirty, I would say that it would be wise to monitor the oil if someone were going to use Seafoam.

 

[wiswind]

c3po's advice to monitor the oil would apply to most any use of a cleaning additive.
Of course, the more agressive the cleaner, the more monitoring that would be needed.

 

[holla]

Originally Posted By: martinq

The only thing anyone has said is opinions based on suspicion, not based on any fact.


Uh... would you expect to find anything else on an internet message board, especially when debating the merits of engine snake oil?

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: holla
Originally Posted By: martinq

The only thing anyone has said is opinions based on suspicion, not based on any fact.


Uh... would you expect to find anything else on an internet message board, especially when debating the merits of engine snake oil?




How do you state facts? We've seen before and after pictures, compression readings? They can be faked, or doctored up. For me the only facts are my observations, everything else is to be taken with a grain of salt. Anything on the Internet can be fabricated to either endorse a product or shoot it down.

To me real testimony that I deem credible from people I feel don't have an agenda is better than company website hype. Paid for testimony, be it cash or product, is a turn off, for me.

From what I've read, and my feelings Seafoam is a product that has some value, and I wouldn't call it snake oil. I used it in a mower and power washer application with good results. Good enough for me.

 

[Trajan]

All I can say is that seafoam worked in both of my Camaros. They both ran better after treatments.

I do not use it in the Z4, as the engine, instead of stumbling, would race.

 

[kr_bitog]

What I can say both Seafoam and MMO is only effective when there is a lot of heat, and to put either alcohol or kerosene inside engine oil for long term is not a good idea.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: kr_bitog
What I can say both Seafoam and MMO is only effective when there is a lot of heat, and to put either alcohol or kerosene inside engine oil for long term is not a good idea.


I would not mix the two together in an engine, use one or the other.

 

[ahoier]

Yea, definitely not a good idea to mix the two......

I'm kind of curious how "safe" the additives truely are. I've heard people write about oil additives sort of "attacking" or "negating" each other, say, for those people who add 1 qt here, 1/2 a quart here, etc....and end up with a crankcase of say, 1 qt of QuackerState, 1/2 quart of ACCEL, maybe 1/3 quart of Pennzoil...etc. some oils the additives may "attack" the other additives, i.e.: not compatible when mixed.

I will say though, I used Seafoam in my crankcase and it quieted my engine. I had a ticking sound under the hood during cold starts on my Kia Rio, and the next day the noise was gone And then it was off to the o/c shop. I _never_ ran it at a "post-service" cleaner, only as a "pre-service" cleaner. Cause yea, not too sure about 3000+ miles with it in the crankcase...but it's all over the can and their site, so they must have done some testing to validate their directions.

The only seafoam mishaps I've heard of resulted when users slurped it through the intake (PCV or brake booster line); resulting in CEL codes, shot plugs, shot O2 sensors..etc..... Haven't embarked on that adventure yet Though most concensus states that Seafoam didn't "kill" the O2 sensor, or the plugs, they were on their way out anyways, and Seafoam was just the straw that broke the camels back

 

[Clevy]

seafoam seemed to fix my rough idle...a little more punch when i hammer the gas...and seemed to de sludge my engine...i left it in the crankcase for 1500 kms in new oil....not sure if you wanna do it all the time but it certainly cleaned something

 

[CarNewb]

So what you guys are saying is that, the reason i get PO170 and PO172 codes as well as my car not starting is. Because i left seafoam in the oil too long

 

[Spyder7]

I prefer MMO over Seafoam (have used the first, but not the second). Preference is based on product composition: MMO seems gentler and not harsh or abrasive. Not saying that Seafoam is harsh or abrasive, but I do consider it more potent than MMO and I prefer the gentler remedy before trying something more invasive. MMO, from my POV in comparing composition, does seem gentler and safer. I have used it for a full OCI (though not at full strength, but only because I wanted to lessen the thinning a 25% concentration in 5W30 would create), with no negative effects at all, and would not hesitate to do so again.

I do think this is largely a preference thing: either will do the job, though Seafoam will likely do it quicker (which isn't necessarily relevant to the application its used for).

-Spyder