Sea Foam , Marvel Mystery Oil, Berrymans B12

whizkidkyus · Oct 31, 2022

I know this is gonna start an argument , but keep it clean so that it dosen't get deleted , please . I also know that it's a metter of personal preferences / opinions ! Just curious to what you all think . Which one is better at its intended use ? Sea Foam , Marvel Mystery Oil , or Berrymans B12 Chemtool ? Or , is there another brand or homemade concoction that you like better ? I know that there is some that say that snake oils don't work and some that say they do as well as some say that they took all the good stuff out of them nowdays ! I guess that it all depends on what it is and what the problem is as well as how bad it is , etc. ? Thanks for any input .

Whizkid

whizkidkyus · Oct 31, 2022

I guess it also depends on the price of each and how deep a persons pockets are !

Whizkid

RESLLS · Oct 31, 2022

Seafoam and Marvel's are mostly oil. Cleaning a carb on or off the engine I like/use b12. Seafoam was developed for 2 cycle engines, thus the name Seafoam. I have used it before in them, but have also used b12 with better results. For diesel I use Marvel's or transmission fluid. Both with about the same result.

Bob Bancroft · Oct 31, 2022

The only one mentioned that I have used is Marvel Mystery Oil. I keep a bottle of it in the shop for when I want a thin cleaning/lubricating oil. It has worked great for reviving control cables which are nearly set up. When I worked at an AC dealer in the 70's, we had Rislone. MMO seems very similar, only red.

Steve@Advance · Oct 31, 2022

Each has it's own purpose.

Seafoam is intended as a fuel system cleaner to remove dried fuel deposits. I have never tried it, buy most who have say it works.

Marvel Mystery Oil is a holdover from the early days when non detergent oil was all that was available, and gummy valve guides would make valves slow to close, hydraulic lifters would collapse. The oil treatment would supposedly free everything up. That was before my time, but I doubt it did much other that turn more sludge loose!

Berrymans B12 is a cleaner. It is (was) marketed as a fuel system treatment, which would probably do nothing but turn more trash loose in an already contaminated system. But it is much more valuable as a non petroleum solvent. Good all around cleaner, good for cleaning brake components that must be oil free, good for degreasing before painting, etc.

Geo-TH,In · Oct 31, 2022

I don't use any gas additives to extend the life of gas..
Today's goal is to drain my generator tank and install fresh gas. My gas smells rotten. I thought it was only one year old. It could be 2 years old.

Fresh gas is my choice.

I had a hydraulic lifter sticking. I added sea foam and ATF to the gas and oil. Ran the engine wide open for an hour.

Can't say for certain if it was sea foam, ATV, synthetic oil or running the engine wide open did the trick.

Mike(NEOhio) · Oct 31, 2022

I never tried MMO and used Seafoam once to try to cure a missfire on my 5.4 Triton but the problem was a bad coil. But I always keep a can of B-12, mostly to clean a part where I can't reach. The high pressure spray cleans instantly and dries quick.

OregonAaron · Oct 31, 2022

I have an old beater Isuzu Rodeo that on occasion will have a sticky lifter. I m not going to open it up to fix it and it does get regular oil changes with quality oil. When she starts ticking I add some marvel mystery oil and it frees it up. Not exactly a scientific answer, but it seems to work in this situation.

560Dennis · Oct 31, 2022

I used the marvel mystery oil +30 weight in my oil can ,mix it by looking enough of that and a pinch of that. Just as a lube for anything , upper cylinder lube .

Russ from MN · Oct 31, 2022

They are different products for different purposes. I use Seafoam occasionally when I sense and engine not running up to par, and I think it works in most cases. I use MMO to reduce corrosion in a carburetor when the engine is in storage, seems to work for that. MMO is also a good air tool lubricant, and it smells nice! I have never used Berrymans.

dhermesc · Oct 31, 2022

I have excellent results using Seafoam to clean out gummed up carbs - especially on small engines. The only issue I have using it in the oil to clean an engine is that the solvents will dry out seals - like the valve guide seals in a Ford 4.6 V8. Always use a quality stop leak after using Seafoam in the crankcase.

I've tried Berrymans - couldn't tell it had been added - never saw a difference before and after using.

Never used MMO - seems like something that came along before the quality detergentated oil. However a guy I follow on YouTube spent a lot of time using it to clean up a Dodge PU engine with MMO added and some short duration oil changes - then he would cut open the oil filter. I don't know if it was actually the MMO or the short duration oil changes after years of neglect, but he cleaned a lot of crap out of that engine. He pulled the valve covers off to check progress and it was very noticeable.

paul · Oct 31, 2022

Seafoam has helped me out a lot over the years.

If something needs fixing the additives are only a temp bandaid, but to clean up something Ive had good luck with Seafoam.

Paul

Richard G. · Oct 31, 2022

MMO will free up a stuck lifter or valve for me.
Sometimes works as I pour it in the oil.
I use 25 to 1 Stihl oil in all my 2 cycles.
Never a problem.
Also use it in my old B and S flathead for gas on my wood splitter.
Sits all summer and cranks right up.
Richard in NW SC

John T · Oct 31, 2022

IN GENERAL Im NOT a believer in Snake Oil, however on occasion Ive used Sea Foam more for fuel related problems and Marvel Oil more for sticky lifter problems AND BOTH WORKED WELL. I also use Sta Bil for long gas storage purposes. This is one of those questions you will get as many and varied OPINIONS as there are posters AND ALL INCLUDING MINE ARE CORRECT Now its up to YOU choose whichever you like

John T

warbaby · Oct 31, 2022

''...used Seafoam once to try to cure a missfire on my 5.4 Triton but the problem was a bad coil.''

You must not have used enough to fix it!

Tgrasher · Oct 31, 2022

About 1979 I had a 71 Dodge Demon 318ci that had 140,000 miles on it. I had faithfully changed the oil with Penzoil since I'd bought it new. It was using oil, smoking some when accelerating. An older mechanic friend suggested I put some Rislone in it, to get the carbon off the rings. Next oil change I added a quart of Rislone. The engine went from smoking a little to smoking a lot. All the crude in the engine was burning and going out the tail pipes. Never did clear up and really began using oil, so bad, I carried 3 quarts with me. Ended up putting a used 360 ci motor in it that had a four barrel manifold. Added some headets while I was at it, and as the George Jones song goes, she was hotter than a two dallor pistol.

DCM · Oct 31, 2022

Have good success with Seafoam, always keep a can or 2 around.

retired farmer · Oct 31, 2022

Marvel Mystery oil will keep seldom used carbs clean and operating and I also use it when changing oil. SeaFoam is also good. have a Mercury that was running rough and been pouring in the gas, has made it run better.

37 chief · Oct 31, 2022

I worked for old man Berryman in 1960, in a small shed at his home as he was starting his business. Making B12. Stan

rustred · Oct 31, 2022

i will add... i do know that a fuel stabilizer works good when an engine will be sitting.

sotxbill · Oct 31, 2022

bg44k which is techron works well for gas. and bg245k for diesel.

Anything that can super clean injectors...makes me wonder if its good for plastic gas tanks and rubber fuel lines. So I think there is a compromise in the todays additives vs older ones.

BarnyardEngineering · Oct 31, 2022

(quoted from post at 07:46:57 10/31/22) i will add... i do know that a fuel stabilizer works good when an engine will be sitting.

I've tried with and without, and never noticed any difference. Haven't used StaBil in anything in 5 years, after they started making the claim "removes water" which is a LIE. Heet fuel line antifreeze is what you use to remove water, and guess what? It's ALCOHOL, same as what already makes up 10% of the fuel.

rustred · Oct 31, 2022

well i guess you have not let an engine sit long enough to even find the difference in the fuel. my reply is a real fact i have proven. my
2010 challenger sat for 2 years not used only started. then when i went to take it to town it had no power and i could hardly get it up to 50
mph. in town i filled the tank with gas took over 1/2 a tank. after filling the tank it was just like normal again. then once home i put
fuel stabilizer in it. it sat again this time for 2 or 3 years started it couple times each year. then when i took it town it had the same
power as a fresh tank of fuel. so yes stabilizer works,... tryed and tested by me.

treeman53 · Oct 31, 2022

Can't say if fuel stabilizers work or not, but I can tell you this...
I left a lawn tractor sit for 2 years with the tank full of 10% ethanol gas, and it turned to jelly!

Crazy Horse · Oct 31, 2022

Not sure why you would think that a discussion on oil or fuel additives might start and argument, or on house prices in your earlier posts. It does happen now and then for some things but to think it might end up being nasty and deleted might be expecting the worst of the worst of the worst. Anyways, not to worry, it's not happening and so far a lot of good replies for both of your posts today.

rusty6 · Oct 31, 2022

The only one of those I've used is Seafoam. They make a very good penetrating oil. The Seafoam fuel additive I can't say I've seen any results from. I poured some down the carburetor on the Eldorado today hoping it might clear up the miss but no change yet.
Eldorado Halloween

Texasmark · Nov 2, 2022

I use Power Services diesel fuel treatment after reading of its origin. Been running diesels over 40 years and only had one pump rebuilt on a '65 3000 with over 5k hrs and haven't had any injectors replaced in any tractor. The grey can is fuel treatment and the white can is antifreeze protection. Had no problems with rubber fuel lines or any other fuel related problems.

Otherwise Sea Foam is my first choice for the last 25 or so years. It has proven itself time and time again in 2 and 4 cycle engines. Just for grins one day I took 3 engines that had been sitting for a number of years and brought them back to life with fresh fuel and a good dose of SF in the fuel. On an '88 3910 Ford I bought several years ago, estate sale, 900 hours, there was a quarter inch or so of sludge in the bottom of the pan. I added a pint of SF to the oil and ran it for half an hour or so at moderate RPM sitting. Drained the oil, felt the bottom of the pan through the drain hole and the sludge was gone. Running 15w-40, oil pressure is solid at 60# and over 50 after a hard workout. (gauge installed at the port on the side of the pump)

BarnyardEngineering · Nov 2, 2022

(quoted from post at 18:33:40 10/31/22) The only one of those I've used is Seafoam. They make a very good penetrating oil. The Seafoam fuel additive I can't say I've seen any results from. I poured some down the carburetor on the Eldorado today hoping it might clear up the miss but no change yet.
Eldorado Halloween

If you pour it down the carburetor throat it just gets sucked straight through into the engine. It won't do anything to clean the carburetor.

For it to do any good there it has to go through the fuel bowl. Ideally drain some or all of the fuel out of the bowl and then fill it through the vent tube with Seafoam.

Sea Foam , Marvel Mystery Oil, Berrymans B12

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