I will continue to use Amsoil and RXP as my additives of choice.
In an effort to better understand the topic I have come across some information I think is interesting. This is more info than many of you are interested in. Regardless, I think it is important to use gasoline additives because of the crud, ethanol and well know need for good detergent additives.
(I bought gas at Costco where they say they now add 5X the EPA minimum detergent.)
Please be aware that the formula found in various additives have changed.
Seafoam is:
50% light hydrocarbon oil (pale oil); (Lubricant)
30% petroleum naphtha; (varnish dissolver/decarbonizer)
10% isopropyl alcohol; (drying agent)
10% water.
AMSOIL P.i. Performance Improver is:
Component CAS# Weight% Carinogen
Hydrocarbon solvent………………Confidential………………………44.4 – 53.6%…………………N/E
Polyether amine……………………Confidential………………………27.7 – 36.9%…………………N/E
Petroleum Naphtha…………………64742-94-5……………………....9 – 4.5%……………….……N/E
Substituted Aliphatic amine………Confidential…………………….….9 – 4.5%………….…………N/E
Naphthalene…………………………91-20-3……………………………..0.2%…IARC Suspect Carcinogen NTP Carcinogen
Interesting Amazon review:
Amazon.com: Glenn Carpenter's review of
Short version:
Among all fuel system cleaners I'm aware of, Redline SI-1 contains the highest quantity per dollar (based on manufacturer MSDS) of the critical fuel-system-cleaning compounds known as polyether amines (PEA). Primarily for this reason I believe SI-1 to be the best available and most cost-effective fuel system cleaner product at retail pricing. [...].
In my case it has not been necessary to use Redline's recommended quantity of approximately 3 oz per fill-up. The effects of 1 oz per fill-up are indistinguishable in terms of tested results (see my basis for this statement below). This results in an approximate cost of $0.35/tank or less than a tenth of a penny per mile. A full case at this usage rate is enough to treat 180 full tanks of fuel or to last approximately 80,000 miles. (Figures based 15gal/tank, 25-35mpg).
Long version:
As far as I know, every effective fuel system cleaner on the market uses a class of compounds known as polyether amines (PEA), in varying proportions, to effectively clean deposits from fuel system components, and particularly from fuel injectors, which can quickly impact engine efficiency and performance when not operating correctly. My understanding is that these compounds were first developed by Chevron and sold under the Techron name, and have since been made available to other blenders of fuel treatment products. Until recently BG 44K, Chevron Techron Concentrate, Gumout Regane Fuel System Cleaner, Amsoil P.I. Performance Improver Concentrate, and Redline SI-1 (among others) listed polyether amines on their Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) in proportions varying from approximately 25% to 50%. Most of these products no longer list PEA on their MSDS, having changed their terminology to disguise the precise nature of their products' constituent components. Whether PEA is still contained in those products is a matter of uncertainty. As of this writing Redline's SI-1 MSDS still specifies that the product contains 30-50% PEA. Consequently it is one of the few remaining fuel system cleaner products that undoubtedly does contain PEA in significant quantity.
I have been able to test the efficacy of fuel system cleaners in one of my own vehicles using a method I stumbled on after having its injectors professionally cleaned while out of the vehicle. The car in question uses a Bosch engine management system that reports fuel injector data to an on-board computer, which then uses that data to calculate and report instantaneous and average mpg to the driver. I noted after the professional cleaning that the accuracy of the reported mpg, when used to measure average mpg over each full tank of fuel, improved suddenly from a prior error of around -3% - -5% (that is, the reported mpg was ~3-5% below the actual mpg, or typically just over 1mpg low) to an error as close to zero as I could measure (that is, usually between -1% and 1%, fluctuating above and below a perfect "match"). This can be explained on the basis that the engine management system will compensate for a dirty injector by holding the injectors open slightly longer during each combustion cycle, in order to admit the proper amount of fuel. The on-board computer interprets that as a slightly higher rate of fuel consumption, reporting a lower-than-actual mpg figure.
After several thousand miles - not long - the perfect mpg accuracy I'd noticed began to deteriorate, likely indicating that the cleaned injectors were beginning to suffer from some sort of renewed impedance to fuel flow. Out of a desire to retain near-perfect injector performance, and also out of curiosity, I started experimenting with various commercially-available fuel system cleaners and keeping records of the results at each fill-up.
Leaving out the long details, I'll simply say here that the results were surprisingly clear and unambiguous. Each time I went several tanks without using a fuel system cleaner (usually as a result of simply forgetting to use it or not taking the trouble), the on-board computer (OBC) accuracy would deteriorate. This would fluctuate from tank to tank, of course, as a result of inevitable measurement errors, but the trend was very clear even over a small number of fill-ups. Returning to the use of a fuel system cleaner (Chevron Techron Concentrate, Gumout Regane or SI-1, all of which at the time did contain PEA), the accuracy would improve again very quickly - within 2-3 fill-ups. I began using the SI-1 exclusively seven months ago based on its apparent cost-effectiveness and since then I have reduced the quantity I use in each tank to the current 1oz per ~15gal fill-up. The results remain unambiguous. If I use this small amount of SI-1 consistently, the accuracy of the on-board computer is excellent, with an average error of below 1%, or a fraction the error rate seen when not using such a product.
Based on the above I feel I can confidently conclude that SI-1 works very well, even at reduced treatment rates, at keeping fuel injectors clean. Fuel system types and injectors will vary, and other parts of the fuel system - for example intake valves and combustion chambers - might benefit from higher treatment rates (or, conceivably, might not benefit at all). Actual engine efficiency will not vary nearly as much as injector cleanliness, since the engine feedback system normally corrects for imperfect injector flow rates. However, as the flow is more greatly impeded, or impeded differentially among the individual injectors, mpg will be affected to some degree. I feel it is well worth the tiny cost to consistently use a small quantity of SI-1. Other benefits, such as to combustion efficiency as a result of combustion chamber cleanliness, to volumetric efficiency as a result of intake valve cleanliness, and to fuel system lubrication, probably exist as well although I can not evaluate them and have not attempted to do so. Other fuel system cleaners may work as effectively, or nearly as effectively, but I do not believe them to be as good in terms of value per dollar spent.
In my experimentation I did try some less expensive fuel system cleaners, those not containing PEA. They appeared to have no effect. I can not categorically state that only PEA-containing fuel system cleaners work, of course, but my observations did match the conventional wisdom on this point. I also experimented with using top-tier fuels only, without any additional fuel system cleaners. The results were the same as when using non-detergent (Costco and others) fuels. I don't doubt that top tier fuels contain small amounts of cleaners and will keep a fuel system functionally and acceptably clean, but the quantities involved are reputed to be tiny and my observations seem to indicate that even a small amount of additional additive is far more effective.
The Amsoil Quickshot new MDS is hard to get at all the ingredients. It appears that the above review is right, the new MDS info hides what is really going inside the bottle. http://www.amsoil.com/msds/aqs.pdf
From another site:
I used to search for fuel cleaners just like you and people from BITOG discuss them a lot. From what I learned is, the % of PEA in fuel cleaners is important. Chevron Techron Concentrate contains 32% PEA, other known fuel system products containing PEA include the following:
* Gumout Regane (30-40% PEA content based on published MSDS data; about $5 for 12oz. bottle)
* Redline SI-1 (30-50% PEA based on MSDS data; about $9 for 15oz. bottle)
* Amsoil Performance Improver (28-37% PEA based on MSDS data; $10 for 12oz. bottle)
* BG Products 44K (unknown PEA content since they reformulated).
(I saw somewhere that the current amount of PEA in Techron is unknown.)
Amsoil info on their fuel injector cleaner: http://www.sinwal.com/data/g2543.pdf
Interesting info from Bob the Oil Guy:
From a Miata owners ingredient study of some common injector cleaners from MSDS information; http://www.jhodson.net/miata99/inj-cleaners.txt
"I made this file to show the differences between Injector cleaners.
Some cost $2 others cost $13, the mid priced bottles are a best buy.
This method does not come close to sending all your injectors for a clean and balance.
Most cheap injector cleaners are just
pure kerosene or alcohol., like $2 GumOut.
Some MSDS forms say trade secret, but tell what chem. that is not toxic and would clean an injector?
The top brands , tell the truth here.
MSDS data:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Techron Concentrate
Distillates, hydrotreated light < 50 %weight Aka: Paint thinner(oil based)
Stoddard solvent < 35 %weight Aka: dry clean solvent, white solvent
Solvent naphtha, light aromatic 5 - 10 %weight : zippo lighter fluid
Benzene, 1,2,4-trimethyl- 95-63-6 1 - 5 %weight : powerful toxic solvent
Xylene , powerful solvent
Techron is naptha and 3 kinds of benenze.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GUM OUT INJECTOR CLEANER (WINTER GRADE)
Chemical Percent
Trade secret or proprietary formula < 1 ( secret #1)
Petroleum distillate(s) (unspecified) 40-70 ( most likely paint thinner)
Detergent/Inhibitor mixture 1-10 ( secret #2 )
Isopropanol 30-50 (rubbing alcohol, GAS DRYER "CH3CHOHCH3")
I can not begin to guess why we need more alcohol when all gas has it already.
Gasoline, must contain 2% oxygen by weight, in most smog chocked areas of the USA.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seafoam ingredients:
1 PALE OIL 4229 40-60% = A base or process oil refined until its color = yellow.
2 NAPHTHA 20 25-35% solvent powerful , common in all good injector cleaners. Zippo juice !
3 IPA 125 10-20% = Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol), Useless in gas , cuz it already has tons.
in my opinion , putting oil into your gasoline is not too smart. Think about it?
fouls plugs, makes lots of carbon , and messes up OXy sensors. You decide.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"GM TEC" ingredients:
2-BUTOXYETHANOL, a paint and ink solvent , used even in Clorox cleaner 409
Naptha, , raises octane rating of gas, , simular to Zippo ligher fluid. Coleman camp fuel.
4-METHYL-2-PENTANOL, (aka:Methyl isobutyl carbinol) used as a lacquer paint tinner
9-OCTADECENDIC ACID.(aka:Oleic acid, found in Olive oil) ( this acid is interesting)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BG-44k: ( madly popular but little different than old Chevron Techron)
Light Aromatic Solvent Naphtha , ( Zippo lighter fluid)
1, 2, 4-Trimethylbenzene , commonly found in up to 7% by volume already in Gasoline.
Xylene ,(1,2-dimethylbenzene & 1,3-dimethylbenzene & 1,4-dimethylbenzene), xylol , powerful solvent
Cumene ,(isopropylbenzene, ) powerful solvent,raises octane of gasoline.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GUNK , RADIATOR SPECIALTY COMPANY, FUEL INJECTION AIR INTAKE CLEANER
2-Propanone 30-60 % aka: Acetone
Ethylbenzene >10 % a powerful solvent
Hydrotreated Heavy Paraffinic Distillate 1-10 % weak solvent
Methanol 1-4% , solvent.
Propane 10-30% , gas
Toluene 15-45% ,powerful solvent
Xylene (mixed isomers) 5-20%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Red Line SI-1
1-5% Alkenylamine - (a detergent ,even used sometimes,in baby shampoo)
1-10% Isoctanol - ( C8H18O , aka, 2-ethylhexan-1-ol, or Octyl alcohol)
1-10% 1,2,4 Trimethylbenzene , (C9H12 )
5-20% Aliphactic Napthta , zippo lighter fluid. , aka: white gas, low octane)
--------------------------------
Valvoline Complete Fuel System Cleaner
52 - 62% Kersosene
28-38% Light hydrotreated petroleum distillate
6-16% Stoddard Solvent ( stoddard is the name of the man who invented dry cleaning)
Warning, some of the chemical names have 20-30 synonyms."
In an effort to better understand the topic I have come across some information I think is interesting. This is more info than many of you are interested in. Regardless, I think it is important to use gasoline additives because of the crud, ethanol and well know need for good detergent additives.
(I bought gas at Costco where they say they now add 5X the EPA minimum detergent.)
Please be aware that the formula found in various additives have changed.
Seafoam is:
50% light hydrocarbon oil (pale oil); (Lubricant)
30% petroleum naphtha; (varnish dissolver/decarbonizer)
10% isopropyl alcohol; (drying agent)
10% water.
AMSOIL P.i. Performance Improver is:
Component CAS# Weight% Carinogen
Hydrocarbon solvent………………Confidential………………………44.4 – 53.6%…………………N/E
Polyether amine……………………Confidential………………………27.7 – 36.9%…………………N/E
Petroleum Naphtha…………………64742-94-5……………………....9 – 4.5%……………….……N/E
Substituted Aliphatic amine………Confidential…………………….….9 – 4.5%………….…………N/E
Naphthalene…………………………91-20-3……………………………..0.2%…IARC Suspect Carcinogen NTP Carcinogen
Interesting Amazon review:
Amazon.com: Glenn Carpenter's review of
Short version:
Among all fuel system cleaners I'm aware of, Redline SI-1 contains the highest quantity per dollar (based on manufacturer MSDS) of the critical fuel-system-cleaning compounds known as polyether amines (PEA). Primarily for this reason I believe SI-1 to be the best available and most cost-effective fuel system cleaner product at retail pricing. [...].
In my case it has not been necessary to use Redline's recommended quantity of approximately 3 oz per fill-up. The effects of 1 oz per fill-up are indistinguishable in terms of tested results (see my basis for this statement below). This results in an approximate cost of $0.35/tank or less than a tenth of a penny per mile. A full case at this usage rate is enough to treat 180 full tanks of fuel or to last approximately 80,000 miles. (Figures based 15gal/tank, 25-35mpg).
Long version:
As far as I know, every effective fuel system cleaner on the market uses a class of compounds known as polyether amines (PEA), in varying proportions, to effectively clean deposits from fuel system components, and particularly from fuel injectors, which can quickly impact engine efficiency and performance when not operating correctly. My understanding is that these compounds were first developed by Chevron and sold under the Techron name, and have since been made available to other blenders of fuel treatment products. Until recently BG 44K, Chevron Techron Concentrate, Gumout Regane Fuel System Cleaner, Amsoil P.I. Performance Improver Concentrate, and Redline SI-1 (among others) listed polyether amines on their Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) in proportions varying from approximately 25% to 50%. Most of these products no longer list PEA on their MSDS, having changed their terminology to disguise the precise nature of their products' constituent components. Whether PEA is still contained in those products is a matter of uncertainty. As of this writing Redline's SI-1 MSDS still specifies that the product contains 30-50% PEA. Consequently it is one of the few remaining fuel system cleaner products that undoubtedly does contain PEA in significant quantity.
I have been able to test the efficacy of fuel system cleaners in one of my own vehicles using a method I stumbled on after having its injectors professionally cleaned while out of the vehicle. The car in question uses a Bosch engine management system that reports fuel injector data to an on-board computer, which then uses that data to calculate and report instantaneous and average mpg to the driver. I noted after the professional cleaning that the accuracy of the reported mpg, when used to measure average mpg over each full tank of fuel, improved suddenly from a prior error of around -3% - -5% (that is, the reported mpg was ~3-5% below the actual mpg, or typically just over 1mpg low) to an error as close to zero as I could measure (that is, usually between -1% and 1%, fluctuating above and below a perfect "match"). This can be explained on the basis that the engine management system will compensate for a dirty injector by holding the injectors open slightly longer during each combustion cycle, in order to admit the proper amount of fuel. The on-board computer interprets that as a slightly higher rate of fuel consumption, reporting a lower-than-actual mpg figure.
After several thousand miles - not long - the perfect mpg accuracy I'd noticed began to deteriorate, likely indicating that the cleaned injectors were beginning to suffer from some sort of renewed impedance to fuel flow. Out of a desire to retain near-perfect injector performance, and also out of curiosity, I started experimenting with various commercially-available fuel system cleaners and keeping records of the results at each fill-up.
Leaving out the long details, I'll simply say here that the results were surprisingly clear and unambiguous. Each time I went several tanks without using a fuel system cleaner (usually as a result of simply forgetting to use it or not taking the trouble), the on-board computer (OBC) accuracy would deteriorate. This would fluctuate from tank to tank, of course, as a result of inevitable measurement errors, but the trend was very clear even over a small number of fill-ups. Returning to the use of a fuel system cleaner (Chevron Techron Concentrate, Gumout Regane or SI-1, all of which at the time did contain PEA), the accuracy would improve again very quickly - within 2-3 fill-ups. I began using the SI-1 exclusively seven months ago based on its apparent cost-effectiveness and since then I have reduced the quantity I use in each tank to the current 1oz per ~15gal fill-up. The results remain unambiguous. If I use this small amount of SI-1 consistently, the accuracy of the on-board computer is excellent, with an average error of below 1%, or a fraction the error rate seen when not using such a product.
Based on the above I feel I can confidently conclude that SI-1 works very well, even at reduced treatment rates, at keeping fuel injectors clean. Fuel system types and injectors will vary, and other parts of the fuel system - for example intake valves and combustion chambers - might benefit from higher treatment rates (or, conceivably, might not benefit at all). Actual engine efficiency will not vary nearly as much as injector cleanliness, since the engine feedback system normally corrects for imperfect injector flow rates. However, as the flow is more greatly impeded, or impeded differentially among the individual injectors, mpg will be affected to some degree. I feel it is well worth the tiny cost to consistently use a small quantity of SI-1. Other benefits, such as to combustion efficiency as a result of combustion chamber cleanliness, to volumetric efficiency as a result of intake valve cleanliness, and to fuel system lubrication, probably exist as well although I can not evaluate them and have not attempted to do so. Other fuel system cleaners may work as effectively, or nearly as effectively, but I do not believe them to be as good in terms of value per dollar spent.
In my experimentation I did try some less expensive fuel system cleaners, those not containing PEA. They appeared to have no effect. I can not categorically state that only PEA-containing fuel system cleaners work, of course, but my observations did match the conventional wisdom on this point. I also experimented with using top-tier fuels only, without any additional fuel system cleaners. The results were the same as when using non-detergent (Costco and others) fuels. I don't doubt that top tier fuels contain small amounts of cleaners and will keep a fuel system functionally and acceptably clean, but the quantities involved are reputed to be tiny and my observations seem to indicate that even a small amount of additional additive is far more effective.
The Amsoil Quickshot new MDS is hard to get at all the ingredients. It appears that the above review is right, the new MDS info hides what is really going inside the bottle. http://www.amsoil.com/msds/aqs.pdf
From another site:
I used to search for fuel cleaners just like you and people from BITOG discuss them a lot. From what I learned is, the % of PEA in fuel cleaners is important. Chevron Techron Concentrate contains 32% PEA, other known fuel system products containing PEA include the following:
* Gumout Regane (30-40% PEA content based on published MSDS data; about $5 for 12oz. bottle)
* Redline SI-1 (30-50% PEA based on MSDS data; about $9 for 15oz. bottle)
* Amsoil Performance Improver (28-37% PEA based on MSDS data; $10 for 12oz. bottle)
* BG Products 44K (unknown PEA content since they reformulated).
(I saw somewhere that the current amount of PEA in Techron is unknown.)
Amsoil info on their fuel injector cleaner: http://www.sinwal.com/data/g2543.pdf
Interesting info from Bob the Oil Guy:
From a Miata owners ingredient study of some common injector cleaners from MSDS information; http://www.jhodson.net/miata99/inj-cleaners.txt
"I made this file to show the differences between Injector cleaners.
Some cost $2 others cost $13, the mid priced bottles are a best buy.
This method does not come close to sending all your injectors for a clean and balance.
Most cheap injector cleaners are just
pure kerosene or alcohol., like $2 GumOut.
Some MSDS forms say trade secret, but tell what chem. that is not toxic and would clean an injector?
The top brands , tell the truth here.
MSDS data:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Techron Concentrate
Distillates, hydrotreated light < 50 %weight Aka: Paint thinner(oil based)
Stoddard solvent < 35 %weight Aka: dry clean solvent, white solvent
Solvent naphtha, light aromatic 5 - 10 %weight : zippo lighter fluid
Benzene, 1,2,4-trimethyl- 95-63-6 1 - 5 %weight : powerful toxic solvent
Xylene , powerful solvent
Techron is naptha and 3 kinds of benenze.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GUM OUT INJECTOR CLEANER (WINTER GRADE)
Chemical Percent
Trade secret or proprietary formula < 1 ( secret #1)
Petroleum distillate(s) (unspecified) 40-70 ( most likely paint thinner)
Detergent/Inhibitor mixture 1-10 ( secret #2 )
Isopropanol 30-50 (rubbing alcohol, GAS DRYER "CH3CHOHCH3")
I can not begin to guess why we need more alcohol when all gas has it already.
Gasoline, must contain 2% oxygen by weight, in most smog chocked areas of the USA.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seafoam ingredients:
1 PALE OIL 4229 40-60% = A base or process oil refined until its color = yellow.
2 NAPHTHA 20 25-35% solvent powerful , common in all good injector cleaners. Zippo juice !
3 IPA 125 10-20% = Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol), Useless in gas , cuz it already has tons.
in my opinion , putting oil into your gasoline is not too smart. Think about it?
fouls plugs, makes lots of carbon , and messes up OXy sensors. You decide.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"GM TEC" ingredients:
2-BUTOXYETHANOL, a paint and ink solvent , used even in Clorox cleaner 409
Naptha, , raises octane rating of gas, , simular to Zippo ligher fluid. Coleman camp fuel.
4-METHYL-2-PENTANOL, (aka:Methyl isobutyl carbinol) used as a lacquer paint tinner
9-OCTADECENDIC ACID.(aka:Oleic acid, found in Olive oil) ( this acid is interesting)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BG-44k: ( madly popular but little different than old Chevron Techron)
Light Aromatic Solvent Naphtha , ( Zippo lighter fluid)
1, 2, 4-Trimethylbenzene , commonly found in up to 7% by volume already in Gasoline.
Xylene ,(1,2-dimethylbenzene & 1,3-dimethylbenzene & 1,4-dimethylbenzene), xylol , powerful solvent
Cumene ,(isopropylbenzene, ) powerful solvent,raises octane of gasoline.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GUNK , RADIATOR SPECIALTY COMPANY, FUEL INJECTION AIR INTAKE CLEANER
2-Propanone 30-60 % aka: Acetone
Ethylbenzene >10 % a powerful solvent
Hydrotreated Heavy Paraffinic Distillate 1-10 % weak solvent
Methanol 1-4% , solvent.
Propane 10-30% , gas
Toluene 15-45% ,powerful solvent
Xylene (mixed isomers) 5-20%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Red Line SI-1
1-5% Alkenylamine - (a detergent ,even used sometimes,in baby shampoo)
1-10% Isoctanol - ( C8H18O , aka, 2-ethylhexan-1-ol, or Octyl alcohol)
1-10% 1,2,4 Trimethylbenzene , (C9H12 )
5-20% Aliphactic Napthta , zippo lighter fluid. , aka: white gas, low octane)
--------------------------------
Valvoline Complete Fuel System Cleaner
52 - 62% Kersosene
28-38% Light hydrotreated petroleum distillate
6-16% Stoddard Solvent ( stoddard is the name of the man who invented dry cleaning)
Warning, some of the chemical names have 20-30 synonyms."