Charon
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The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for Seafoam says it contains about half "pale oil" (20w motor oil); about a third naptha, and about a sixth isopropyl alcohol. I say "about" because apparently there are two or three formulations differing slightly in their composition. Seafoam's website says it was originally developed in about 1942 to clean lacquer and varnish from clogged outboard carburetors. Let's look at these things.
Outboards of the era used premix, that is, gas mixed with oil. If someone poured a solvent into a carburetor to clean out the grunge, then started the outboard, it would be running with no oil and might be damaged. This is probably why Seafoam included oil. Naptha is not very different from gasoline, and in fact is sold as "white gas" or Coleman fuel. It also sold as lighter fluid and spot remover. It will dissolve at least some deposits, but so will gasoline. Isopropyl alcohol, also known as rubbing alcohol, is another solvent and will assist in dissolving carburetor deposits. It will also attract at least a little water and help move it through the system.
Four-stroke engines do not need oil in their fuel. Thus, the "pale oil" is of very little value. Gasoline is itself a very light oil and will provide plenty of lubrication for carburetor parts, especially as those carb parts normally run wet with gasoline anyway. Little comment is needed on the naptha, since it is almost indistinguishable from gasoline. Seafoam's website says it will remove small amounts of water, but goes on to say liquid water will need to be drained and that the Seafoam will not remove it. In any case, much US gasoline has ethanol (another alcohol) added anyway, and in quantities far greater than the small amount in Seafoam.
For use in engine oil, the little bit of 20W oil will have almost no effect. By the time the engine oil gets up to temperature, the naptha and isopropyl alcohol will have evaporated out, and thus will have essentially no effect either.
Seafoam has been around for a long time. It has a lot of believers and a lot of anecdotal testimony as to its effectiveness. But, as far as I have been able to find, there have been no actual tests of its effectiveness. The conclusion I reach is that it is unlikely to do either good or harm.
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