Berryman's B12 Chemtool added to oil causing running issues

[pasadena_commut]

Berryman related instructions on this forum and elsewhere make no distinction between the regular and VOC compliant variants of their products. I have not been able to find the MSDS for the low VOC versions. They have a big table of what is and isn't VOC and the variants here:

https://www.berrymanproducts.com/voc/

but 0116 and 0121 (the fuel injector cleaner in two sizes) isn't listed. Maybe the SCAQMD allows this product despite its high VOC content because in normal usage (poured in the gas tank) all of that is burned? Piston soaks and oil treatments are "off label" uses. Adding it to the crank case shouldn't result in emissions, as that will go out through the PCV valve and back through the motor to burn. Piston soaks though, that's going straight into the air.

Anyway, if there actually is a VOC compliant version of this product, when added to the oil it would not evaporate as quickly. Some components might evaporate so slowly that for all intents and purposes they will just stay in the oil. It is right there in the name, VOC is "volatile organic compounds" and the compliant ones have less VOC, replaced with chemicals that are specifically not also VOC.

 

[mjk1967]

In the past, I've used it. However, it was 1 oz per quart of capacity. Idle for 10 minutes, then drain.

 

[JackWildfeuer]

I think one problem is when adding it to a warm engine. I noticed back in the 1990's that when you pour it into a hot crankcase it made some of it vaporize rather agressively. I noticed most car's I added it to that way acted as if they where vapor locked but not for long. It just happened to be that most of the vechiles where abused/neglected GM products with 60°V6. I stopped adding it hot and the problem went away. Those vapors where ending up in the PCV system and the airbox of the car and drawn into the intake.

So once I went to adding it cold and just taking on some time to make up for the engine being cold it never happened again.

Back in the 1990's I always added an extra quart of oil to an engine before adding the full metal can of B12 to combat thining and to give the dirt some place to go. If my friend could afford it I would have them use fresh oil far thicker than normal like 15W40 for the flush with B12. Clean oil and fresh additive package being able hold more dirt in suspension than oil oil and not as much impact on the viscosity. I would be scared to death to add even 1/2 a can of B12 to 10,000 mile used 0W8 oil.

 

[JackWildfeuer]

Sounds like somebody was running a product that wasn't meant to be ran in the part of the automobile or for the duration that it was. I've always steered clear of Berryman products because a lot of those cheap products are nothing but extremely strong solvents and you're better off with a slow cleaning with detergents. It's not to say that some of their products don't work cuz they probably do.

So what detergents are you purchasing over the counter for use in the crank case of a car or truck? I am dying to find out since I have not heard of any such cleaning detergent formulation intended to clean up the inside of an engine. I have used Lube Control later LC20, various ester products like Shaeffers 131, Hot Shots Stiction Eliminator, Auto RX, all kinds of flushes from Lube Guard to B12 which is high energy solvents, ICS VARNASOLV etc........That is not counting stand alone filtration units and particulates that can be added and latter removed either. I have never ran across a "Kid Friendly Green DETERGENT" anything that could be added to an internal combustion engine that was both safe and produced rapid results with zero risk.

The detergents added to formulated engine oil are worthless for cleaning up an already dirty engine. Adding TIDE or Whisk detergent to your crankcase is worthless and dangerious likely to destroy the engine faster than even stupidly large amounts of high energy solvents.

The best products are too expensive for regular use like the origanal Valvoline Premium Blue Restore created for Cummins at $75 a gallon and only in 10W30 which was made with very expensive Esters and PAO's. Some concern over long term seal compatability but it was designed to be a band aid fix for cheap chinese made parts causing issues and in frame rebuilds under warranty in huge numbers.

We all agree that it is best to keep the engine clean and not neglect it but we also often purchase used vechiles. So learning how to properly apply things that are not propritary and can be purchased year round decade after decade in a way that is safe and reliable and not overly agressive is the trick. They are unable to make these sorts of things idiot proof and so to use them well takes some complixity and understanding. There are all kinds of things in daily life that can kill you if abused like potassium supplements but when used smartly are perfectly safe. One lady killed herself by accident by drinking a gallon of Soy Suace as part of some trendy new age holistic detox-flush. Generaly we do not consider the routine use of Soy Suace as lethal or high risk!

Everyone wants absolutes and idiot proof instructions and zero risk but that is just not how life works. Every time you pick up a tool to work on something it could kill you or you could lose a finger. Every time you take a shower you could slip and fail and die. You could fire up the old HeathKit SSB-220 and take 2500 volts to the hart by accident when all you intended to do was talk to the world. My life is not dominated by fear but that is the overwhelming sentiment I get on a lot of posts on this site.

I have been looking hard on this site and I can not find a single post where an engine flush instantly destroyed an engine. Even if you found one the actual cause of death would not be the flush but some hedious levels of sludge and debrigh already in the engine with the engine already on it's last leg. When has anyone posted how LigiuMoly Engine FLush destroyed their engine or BG EPR or any of them? If it is on this site I have not been able to find it! The worst I have seen so far is "Auto RX made my seals weep or made my seals weep more."! With all of the crazy oil nuts myself included on this site if flushes where causing mass issues in otherwise healthy car's I like to think we would hear about it.

I do not use B12 anymore for engine flushing but I have used it about 20-30 times in the past and never had any issues at all. You will never one shot clean an engine with most things. It is far better to take your time and use safe levels of powerful but effective chemicals than to attempt to one-shot it! I have not used it myself because it is like $300 a pop but I have seen some on-shot cleans with BG Dynamic Engine Cleaner. Even with that which is I think as good as it gets for every one-shot clean I have seen I have 2-3 applications that where impressive but still very dirty!