# Isopropanol and fuel injectors **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [March 9, 2021, 6:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/isopropanol-and-fuel-injectors/175597 "2021-03-09T18:54:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 6:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/isopropanol-and-fuel-injectors/175597/1 "2021-03-09T18:54:29Z")
I am familiar with the use of isopropyl alcohol as a fuel drier and freeze preventer. However, the label of a leading brand now claims “fuel injector cleaner”. Does anyone know the validity of this claim? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 6:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/isopropanol-and-fuel-injectors/175597/2 "2021-03-09T18:59:03Z")
It’s a solvent, so it might help a little. I’d go with Techron. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 7:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/isopropanol-and-fuel-injectors/175597/3 "2021-03-09T19:29:39Z")
If it’s 100% alcohol, it might help a bit–albeit less than a good product like Techron or Seafoam. One major word of caution: Rubbing alcohol is usually only 70% alcohol, with the remaining 30% consisting of water. There is even a ‘stronger’ rubbing alcohol, but that one is something on the order of 90% alcohol/10% water. Rubbing alcohol is **not** something that should be used in your gas tank. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 7:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/isopropanol-and-fuel-injectors/175597/4 "2021-03-09T19:38:51Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > If it’s 100% alcohol, it might help a bit–albeit less than a good product like Techron or Seafoam. Guess what Seafoam contains? > **[What is in Seafoam Products?](http://youdiyauto.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-is-in-seafoam-products.html)** > > Excerpt from the Seafoam website: Sea Foam was actually developed for the outboard motor and marine market back in the 1930’s. The invento... Tester ---
**Author:** ![melott](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/melott/32/10827_2.png) [@melott](https://community.cartalk.com/u/melott)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 8:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/isopropanol-and-fuel-injectors/175597/5 "2021-03-09T20:47:57Z")
surely seafoam has a lot of other ingredients. _tell me it does_ ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/isopropanol-and-fuel-injectors/175597/6 "2021-03-09T20:59:47Z")
> [@Tester](#): > > Guess what Seafoam contains? Are you telling us that Seafoam contains _only_ alcohol? IIRC, based on its odor, it must contain other ingredients besides alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![fleetmanager](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fleetmanager/32/24111_2.png) [@fleetmanager](https://community.cartalk.com/u/fleetmanager)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 9:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/isopropanol-and-fuel-injectors/175597/7 "2021-03-09T21:05:28Z")
From reading tester’s link, Seafoam contains 10-30% Alcohol, depending on the product. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/isopropanol-and-fuel-injectors/175597/8 "2021-03-09T21:26:13Z")
> [@fleetmanager](#): > > From reading tester’s link, Seafoam contains 10-30% Alcohol, depending on the product. … and the other ingredients are surely solvents, and not water, as in rubbing alcohol. 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![fleetmanager](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fleetmanager/32/24111_2.png) [@fleetmanager](https://community.cartalk.com/u/fleetmanager)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/isopropanol-and-fuel-injectors/175597/9 "2021-03-09T21:31:14Z")
This is from the article, **Seafoam** - Pale Oil 40.00 - 60.00 % - Naphtha 25.00 - 35.00 % - IPA 10.00 - 20.00 % Summary: Seafoam is mostly a lubricant known as Pale Oil which is used for upper cylinder lubrication. The white smoke from “seafoaming” through a brake booster is huge quantities of pale oil wrongly referred to as “carbon” on YouTube. The solvent is Naphtha which is an an old school solvent, marginally effective for carbon deposits. IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol) was used as a fuel stabilizer and water absorber years ago. IPA boosts your octane levels, giving you more power and a better running engine while in use. Gone with the next tankful. **Seafoam Deep Creep** - Pale Oil 40 - 70 % - Low Odor Base Solvent 30 - 60 % CAS# 64742-96-7 and 64742-47-8 - IPA 10 - 30 % - Carbon dioxide 3 - 7 % Summary: Deep Creep is not Seafoam in a can, its Seafoam’s equivalent of WD40 and PB Blaster. The Low Odor Base Solvent 30 - 60 % CAS# 64742-96-7 and 64742-47-8 = Kerosene. **Seafoam Spray** - Pale Oil 40.00 - 60.00 % - Naphtha 25.00 - 35.00 % - IPA 10.00 - 20.00 % - Carbon dioxide 3.00 - 5.00 % ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/isopropanol-and-fuel-injectors/175597/10 "2021-03-09T21:53:06Z")
IPA is a mild solvent, even at full strength. That’s why we use it at work, so we won’t destroy polymer materials while we clean them. More aggressive alcohol solvents are methanol and ethanol. Acetone is a very good solvent too. Note that IPA is not used in Seafoam for its solvency, as the link by @Tester says. Consider trying one of these after reading the article. > **[Best fuel injector cleaners for 2021](https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/best-fuel-injector-cleaner/)** > > These are the top fuel injector cleaners for high-mileage, direct-injection, diesel and Hemi engines.