Composition of BG109

friendly_jacek · May 13, 2011

My 2003 Corolla started drinking oil at ~60,000 miles. I suspect stuck rings (common problem in Corollas). After not seeing much effects after a few treatments with MMO (including one piston soak session), I decided to move to a more aggressive action.

I've heard good things about BG109. I ordered a few cans online (not available locally) and was shocked that the ingredients are listed on the label! No more looking for MSDS. I wish every product was like that.

Here you go: hydrotreated light paraffinic distillate, cyclohexanone, ethylene glycol monopropyl ether, methyl amyl alcohol.

My take, like other flush products, it contains light oil base and strong organic solvents.

ahoier · May 13, 2011

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
...was shocked that the ingredients are listed on the label......hydrotreated light paraffinic distillate, cyclohexanone, ethylene glycol monopropyl ether, methyl amyl alcohol....
well, it's not like anyone could try re-creating that concoction unless they started googling each "ingredient" and buying each component from "ChemNet" or some such (Note: just a generic name lol....but i know I've seen places that claim to "sell" chemicals lol).

Seafoam also lists their ingredients on the can, as does Berryman's B-12 CHEMTOOL.

Anyways, commentary aside, I'm willing to bet either,

a) you didn't let the MMO "work" long enough. How long (mileage, not time frame) did you keep the mmo in the crankcase?.....or,
b) the wrong concentration was used. Typical is 1 qt of MMO to 4 qts of MMO (for a typical 5 qt. sump). My reference shows your vehicle with a 4-4.5 qt capacity....so a pint (half of a quart) of MMO should be the typical application - though granted, more (say, the whole quart...) may or may not hurt (MMO themselves advise against it though, since MMO is very light oil and you want Maximum, 25% concentration of MMO).

I'm willing to bet you may just have not let the MMO work long enough. It's definitely a slow cleaner, takes some time to do it's job.

Bottom line, if a MMO soak didn't fix it, it could possibly be a mechanical problem/adjustment needing to be done.

Something else you could try, would be Seafoam, at 1.5 oz. per quart of Oil. It fixed a cold-start noise on my 2 previously owned Kias....

The Critic · May 13, 2011

BG109 is a professional grade product (unlike MMO) so it is definitely worth a try. But it is a solvent type product.

FL_Rob · May 13, 2011

Try a seafoam soak just before the BG109 flush ,give it the double shyzooki.

robshelton · May 13, 2011

How about some Kano Kreen? It has some impressive testimonials and worked well on some two cycle equipment I had with stuck rings.
http://kanolabs.com/engCle.html
Click on the risk free trial offer for a great deal!

salv · May 13, 2011

BG products are awesome! I have used a few myself.

SteveSRT8 · May 13, 2011

while I like BG I have an actual testimonial for Kreen.

It works fast. It works well. It is amazing.

electrolover · May 13, 2011

Originally Posted By: robshelton
How about some Kano Kreen? It has some impressive testimonials and worked well on some two cycle equipment I had with stuck rings.
http://kanolabs.com/engCle.html
Click on the risk free trial offer for a great deal!

Vikas · May 13, 2011

Kreen may be great but I do not recall it fixing oil drinking problems. At least testimonials on BITOG are concerned.

- Vikas

Letter_K · May 13, 2011

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Kreen may be great but I do not recall it fixing oil drinking problems. At least testimonials on BITOG are concerned.

- Vikas

I think you are correct as far a testimonials are concerned. One of its uses is supposed to be for loosening gum and varnish and sticky rings.

friendly_jacek · May 13, 2011

Originally Posted By: ahoier

Anyways, commentary aside, I'm willing to bet either,

a) you didn't let the MMO "work" long enough. How long (mileage, not time frame) did you keep the mmo in the crankcase?.....or,
b) the wrong concentration was used. Typical is 1 qt of MMO to 4 qts of MMO (for a typical 5 qt. sump). My reference shows your vehicle with a 4-4.5 qt capacity....so a pint (half of a quart) of MMO should be the typical application - though granted, more (say, the whole quart...) may or may not hurt (MMO themselves advise against it though, since MMO is very light oil and you want Maximum, 25% concentration of MMO).

I'm willing to bet you may just have not let the MMO work long enough. It's definitely a slow cleaner, takes some time to do it's job.

Bottom line, if a MMO soak didn't fix it, it could possibly be a mechanical problem/adjustment needing to be done.

Something else you could try, would be Seafoam, at 1.5 oz. per quart of Oil. It fixed a cold-start noise on my 2 previously owned Kias....

To clarify, I used one MMO piston soak (overnight) and 2 sessions of MMO added in the last 500-700 miles of OCI (400-500 cc each). The soak removed a lot of carbon from the pistons (i sucked it back) and improved responsiveness and pinging and even helped initially with oil consumption, but the consumption came back in 3000 miles. So, it was not entirely a failure.

But, I'm looking for a permanent solution and then will switch to synthetic oils only to keep the rings clean.

You are right about the B12 and seafoam ingredients, I was talking about oil flush products.

The reason I passed on Kreen, no one mentioned oil consumption benefits.

On the other hand there are numerous accounts on this site and internet as well that oil flush helps with oil consumption.

IMHO, there is a room for oil flushes even with the modern oils despite the bad reputation (can fail in a heavily sludged engine though, well disclosed on the can). On the other hand there are products that are heavily promoted on internet forums that really don't work.

Trav · May 13, 2011

Kreen will work on stuck rings and free them,if that's the cause of the oil consumption then it will decrease.
That being said BG does make great products and will work no question.

ahoier · May 13, 2011

Quote:
You are right about the B12 and seafoam ingredients, I was talking about oil flush products.
I've never been a fan of "oil flush" products, particularly those used as "pressure washes" at the quick lube joints lol.

But Seafoam itself _can_ be used as a "flush" per se....anywhere from 300-3000 miles in the oil/crankcase; at 1.5 oz. per qt of oil.

Quote:
2 sessions of MMO added in the last 500-700 miles of OCI (400-500 cc each)

I know from my childhood my grandpa used B-12 CHEMTOOL as a flush...BUT the new(er) version(s) of the product have removed the motor/crankcase flush instructions from their can

Likely due to people "mis-using" the product in the crankcase...? One will never know

But I know from experience it does do a great job in the gas

Bottom line, I'd go for the "cheap" fixes before going to drastic measures with special mail-order only products....It'll be better on your wallet; for one Seafoam is $8-$9, and you only need about half a can for a "typical" crankcase....rest can go in the gas tank, or there's MMO which is only $2-$4 per qt, and a typical engine (5 qt sump) only needs 1 qt....

If the simple products don't work, then move onto others

as I suspected

500-700 miles isn't the ideal MMO interval...I'd stretch it out to 2-3k for a thorough clean, with the pint of MMO + conventional oil in the crankcase.

Vikas · May 13, 2011

Anyway, as Trav said, BG makes great products. Please update this topic with your impressions after you have used it.

- Vikas

friendly_jacek · May 14, 2011

I just changed oil, so it will take a few months before I will do next oil change+flush with BG109. It's now my daughter's car and she doesn't drive a lot.

I do have an update on composition. I found MSDS that showed different solvents, but it's dated 2006, maybe old: http://www.bgprod.ie/bgdatasheets/109 Engine System Cleaner English .pdf

On the other hand, BG105 (quick clean) is mostly naphthenic oil (just like MMO): http://www.bgprod.ie/bgdatasheets/105 Quick Clean English.pdf

Composition of BG109

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