You know what additive/cleaner I'm referring to here.

I was using this stuff on my older cars and it was getting real expensive ($10 per can at the auto supply store - yikes!). So I looked up the ingredients. Here they are with the percentage of each that goes into the end product. The manufacturer lists these components by weight percentage, but just use volume percentage, it's close enough.

isopropyl alcohol 99 percent pure (ask for this purity at the pharmacy counter, they usually have the watered down 70 percent stuff on the shelf): 10-20%
pale oil: 40-60%
naptha: 25-35%


Pictures from left to right: original product; Naptha which is just camping fuel; isopropyl alcohol; mineral oil.

For mixing a small batch just get a measuring cup. Then, for example, add 1 ounce of alcohol, 5 ounces of pale oil, and 3 ounces of naptha.

I bought the naptha and mineral oil at the local farmer's co-op store, and alcohol at the pharmacy. For the price of four little original cans I have a lifetime supply.

 

Hmmm , it sounds good in theory but have you actually used it to confirm it works ??

 

Of course, used it on my two Subarus and a VW, put it in the gas tank and did the "pouring into the intake" thing too. It steamed and cleaned and smoked like the original. Right now in the driveway is an old Sentra that's gonna get the intake treatment too - have to wait until the neighbours go out so the noise and smoke doesn't alarm them.

I got the recipe right from the manufacturer's publication.

 

wow sounds awesome, I may have to try this. Because 10$ per can is really annoying to pay

 

Nice research! how much would you estimate a "bottle" of your own concoction costs in comparison?

 

It cost $1.83 to make a 473 milliLitre amount, which is the size of the can I now would have to pay $12 for (just checked the latest price at an auto store).

 

Nice catch Mod

Very cool Nick.

 

Thank you. Having to teach WHMIS and material safety data sheets (msds) did it. There are, in fact, websites that list brand-name fluids popular with auto enthusiasts and tell you exactly what is in them - just read the msds.

I would be happy to make some for you, Cranswick, I have too much of the constituent materials for one household to ever use up, even though I'm back to owning 5 vehicles again.

 

Not a problem

Keep the ideas coming RalliartN

 

just imagine how much they make off ONE can of sea-foam...if it costs YOU $1.83 to make ONE can....and you bought the ingredients in quite small ammounts...(compared to a giant company that is)...they buy it in bulk, like thousands of gallons at a time...and you have like a gallon of each(minus the alcohol of course..wich it looks like u have about a pint..)

o well..at least for now u save like $10 off every treatment right..?
good job!

 

The numbers look like the consumer is getting really ripped off, but I understand that money has to be generated to pay for overhead (chemists and engineers and managers and lawyers and accountants), maintenance of machinery and buildings, workers wages, distribution and marketing, and finally dealer profits. However, I can't support the whole world on the wages I make for a family of five, so screw'em.

It's fascinating to learn how almost all of these sorts of products boil down to a few simple chemicals.

For example, a chemist where I used to work told me you'd never need to flush and replace antifreeze if the companies would just sell cheap little bottles of anti-corrosion fluid to pour in every few years, because only that part degrades as time goes on. It is the only reason that an entire engine full of antifreeze needs to be changed.

 

well they do see little bottles of "additives" for coolant but theyre all generic brands..not made by the brands who actually make the antifreeze...and so we dont really trust them...

and it IS interesting to see the cheap(well...compared to the marketed product) ingredients make things

 

Thats some great work! Hope you don't mind if I share this in a different forum I'm on.
I wonder what they do with "recycled" oil and antifreeze? I bet they run it through a filter system and/or a centrifuge to separate oil and water then maybe put a few additives in it and repackage it?

 

so im curious does sea foam is it good for cleaning injectors? sorry if its offtopic!