Mystery Marvel Oil and a varnished engine.

"Larry Smith" wrote

I don't know about automotive engines, but Marvel Mystery oil works great in radio control aircraft engines as an after-run oil.

Ian

An old uncle of mine once told me if the oil doesn't darken over time, it wasn't doing part of it's job in the engine.

(...)

Maybe you should.

A small amount of MMO added to gas works wonders in helping to upper cylinder lubricate and keep overall engine clean. Some of it always gets into the crankcase with blowby. Just make sure you add a tiny amount that's all, 4-5oz per tank, and you'll be happy.

s.z.

Larry, MMO is high in solvents ... which is why it did a good job cleaning. However, you are almost sure to be experiencing accelerated wear during the time this stuff is in your crankcase. So, keep your interval as short as possible.

For cleaning, I prefer ester-based agents such as Auto-RX or Schaeffer Neutra:

--- Bror Jace

My uncle did wierd things in his shop.

Every engine was assembled using ATF instead of motor oil on the rings and bearings. He'd 'polish the bearing shells using clean lintfree cloth dipped in ATF before placing them in the block/rods. He never used white lube. Said it didn't liquefy fast enough, especially bad when breaking in new cam shafts. He always ran engines for the camshaft makers recommended time but at a few hundred RPM's lower - and always used a tach to be sure. For the first three oil changes, he'd use 2 quarts of ATF and the rest of the crankcase fill the motor oil the customer preferred. He did those free as part of his price. I can't remember any of his overhauls coming back on him. I learned my skills training there as teardown/cleanup/install trainee. My cousins were very successful at the racetracks.

He was very successful in his shop. Old guys did things thatalways worked best for them.

Hank

One would think that this light oil should weaken the lubricating effect of the primary motor oil. I don't know whether it does or not.

On the bottle, they recommend replacing one quart of your motor oil with MMO, routinely. I couldn't countenance that, so used a pint, and left it in the engine about 4 hours or 200 miles.

This is another situation where there is a need for actual and dependable laboratory information about the product. (Slick-50 was another. There is so much misinformation about that product it is unbelievable.)

Unfortunately, 'common sense' avails nothing with these products, and we normally have nothing to refer to except manufacturers (sometimes) unsubstantiated claims, and equally unsubstantiated testimonials both for and against a product.

I managed to locate an MSD on MMO, and the information on it is even more surprising.

Are you going to either post it or provide a link to that MSD? It is legal public information, so there's absolutely no reason whatsoever to not post it.

JazzMan

Try these:

The interesying bits are:

MINERAL OIL, PETROLEUM DISTILLATES, SOLVENT-REFINED HEAVY NAPHTHENIC DISTILLATE

STODDARD SOLVENT (PETROLEUM DISTILLATE), MINERAL SPIRITS

I would worry about more than just reduced viscosity. Besides the fact that MMO is pretty thick, what I would worry about is how it reacts with those dozens of additives that the motor oil manufacturers have so carefully tested before adding to the mix.

One compromize would be to add the MMO a day or so before an oil change. That would give it a couple of days to do whatever cleaning it does, but doesn't expose your engine to long term wear or oild breakdown problems long enough to cause trouble.

---------------------------------------------------------------------- | Just Another Internet Wise Guy Macon, GA USA |

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Have posted the link below. Wanted to do some reading on it first. The unusual things I noted were the chlorinated hydrocarbons, namely orthodichlorobenzene and paradichlorobenzene.

I might not mind a bit of chlorinated hydrocarbon in the motor oil, as these things can be good solvents and, in some cases, even lubricity additives.

However, when adding them to fuel, I wince a little bit. They should clean carburetors and fuel injectors, but when they burn, they will emit hydrochloric acid and possibly other breakdown products.

It would appear that the MSD is incomplete or in error where combustion products are listed.

Received this message to my email address. Am not sure what the poster is trying to get across:

----- Original Message ----- From: "EPIFORM" To: Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003 10:11 PM Subject: Mystery Marvel Oil and a varnished engine.

Whoever you are, Epiform, keep your responses intelligible, or intelligent, or on the newsgroup. Don't contact me personally again.

"Larry Smith" wrote

Geez, Larry....you shouldn't have your real address on here anyway! Unless it's some hotmail address that you can use as a dumping ground.

Ian

No big deal. Lots like old Tom who like to lay off behind a log and snipe.

Some of them get all boozed up and try to be cute.

Best to you, Ian

"Larry Smith" wrote

I suppose you are right. Probably old dealer techs waiting to get a shot at you....heh heh...

As long as no damage was done...I guess some people figure that if you mention a product name on here you are attempting to endorse/sell it. Very strange.

Ian