Marvel mystery oil cured oil burning in my 308???

Of course, I've seen and heard about these products before, but are there any chemists here in FChat that can explain WHY the oil burning decreases? What does this stuff do that helps? I'm assuming its coating something, sticking to something or "lubricating" the rings to seal them better?

James in Denver

 

That's why they called it Mystery Oil nobody knows why or how it works,
it will always remain a Mystery

 

MMO is a combination of motor oil, with some light benzenes thrown in. I think one of them is dichlorobezene? These act as solvents for carbon, and other deposits that tend to get into the rings and cause them to stick. It's very common in engines that sit for a long time, to have some stuck oil control rings. The MMO gets into the ring area and loosens things up so that the tension can push the ring back out to the cylinder wall.

Generally speaking, it won't do any harm unless you use a lot of it. The car would probably have come back down in oil consumption on it's own after a few weeks of spirited driving, but the MMO may also have advanced that process. You could simply have used a bit of lighter fluid to do the same job, but you wouldn't get that nice MMO fragrance!

 

Jeez, I don't know. If you're driving it regularly I wouldn't think it's needed. The whole quart of MMO isn't various Benzenes, it's mostly mineral oil, with the lighter fluid added as a compound. I would say don't use it as a guess unless you see your oil consumption going up. I put it in my Lambo because I don't drive it much, and it keeps the rings a bit looser.

 

Just would like to add this: Dichlorobenzene is in MMo, but not the main ingredient. Main ingredient is............drumroll...........................plain old paint thinner!!!!

also, MMO , I would say, is not a combination of motor oil.

Second active ingredient is..........................Naphtha. DCB is the least of the ingredients, not to lessen its effect, though. What does MMO do? drumroll......................
I dunno. Not my field, really.

But, re statement above, MMO is not a solvent for carbon. Why? Cuz there is no solvent available that dissolves carbon. It can loosten it, maybe, so cant reving engine at high rpm's. MMO to me, is snake oil, not mystery oil. Another elixir used by big business to prey on well meaning car stuff consumers. So many out there.......

 

I use MMO in my 330. It was recommened to me by Peter Markowski, who rebuilt my engine - he swears by the stuff. By the way, in combination with 100LL AvGas, it really smells nice... - but you can't have cats for that .

Regards,

Art S.

 

It has its uses. Works very well in engines with hydraulic lifters that have had infrequent oil changes and/or been run with dirty oil. You can get tapping if the lifter is blocked. Fresh oil and a quart of MMO will work wonders. I agree with the assessment of its effect on oil rings too. When I have used it I would change to fresh oil once it had taken it's effect, along with a fresh filter. PB

 

What ratio should it be used? I have a 4 cyl engine that it may help. 4.8 qt sump.

 

After spending some time around airplanes, the older guys convinced me that MMO is some neat stuff. It does what it says it will do, and has proven it to people for decades. Use it on older engines that are using oil, and take apart an engine thats had MMO in in the crankcase. Its still on parts from my 308 I took apart 3 years ago and washed in solvent. I can still smell MMO on everything and all the parts are slick to the touch. I dont know what its made of, but it works.

 

I just posted it. 5 posts before yours. Paint thinner, Naphtha, and DCB. Its not really a mystery. We still dont know how it works, though, but, I will do my darnest to find out, and let yous know. I have to say, I doubt I will find some concrete explanation.

 

Yes, but you also refered to it as snake oil, and an "elixir used by big business to prey on well meaning car stuff consumers". That reference was kind of lost on me.

I spent quite a bit of time working around a guy who has been building aircraft engines for over 50 years. He is a highley respected aircraft engine builder and aircraft mechanic and is well known all over North America. It was his assessment of MMO that really got me using it, and trusting in it. It does what it says it will do. It is not necessary in young good running engines with decent compression that arent using oil more than normal. But on older engines that have lost some compression or are starting to use oil, it has helped them. In some cases amazingly. And as far as "preying" on consumers, I have never in all my life seen so much as one single ad anywhere promoting its use. It has all just been word of mouth to my knowledge.

Also, I am certainly not a chemist, but AFAIK, those three ingredients would not only evaporate off at normal oil temps quite rapidly, they would also attack oil seals and other rubber, neoprene or plastic parts inside the engine if left in for any length of time. The FAA does not screw around. They are known to walk flight lines and give cursory inspections of private aircraft out on the ramp. They have been known to walk up to pilots and ask to look inside their airplane to check documents, log books, airworthiness, smell your breath and look for contraband. When they find items like WD40, Slick 50, or anything else that could be hazardous or might be termed "snake oil", they have been known to cite owners or ground aircraft. There are products that are very dangerous and or corrosive that just arent allowed around aircraft. MMO is not one of them. While it is not specifically certified by the FAA, they really dont say anything about it either. Because aircraft are so heavily scrutinized, in every single event of an aircraft engine failing in flight, and especially in air crashes, engines are almost without question torn down and inspected by both government officials as well as manufacturer personell. Air worthiness directives or cautionary statements are published anytime somthing is found not to be operating properly, failing before its practical service limits, or damaged by something extrenuous. If MMO had ever been found to be destructive in any way, stern warnings against its use would have been issued. You could absolutely guarantee it. In over 40 years no one has been able to fault it. I could certainly be wrong, but I just have a hard time believing the stuff contains those chemicals.

What it has always reminded me off was some oil they sold for musical horn instruments back when I was a kid. It looked smelled and felt like the same darn stuff.

 

Thanks for this post. It's always nice to see someone else experiment with these products. I'm going to try this in my car when I get back in mid September.

Thanks!

Jim

 

I wonder what A.E. Haas the oil guru would have to say about MMO ?

FYI just for grins http://www.marvelmysteryoil.com/main.taf?p=2,1 for all you young whipersnappers.

 

MMO contains chlorinated hydrocarbons that as a result of combustion turn into hydrochloric acid like many of these over the counter parts store elixirs. The chemistry of the product has changed over the decades, so use at your own risk.

MSDS http://www.myerstiresupply.com/MSDS/Part_Nos_31552-45248/MSDS45200_02_04_Marvel_Oil.pdf

BITOG thread http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=305219&page=0&fpart=all&vc=1

 

Back to this MMO thing...

Paul, all I was trying to say was the list of ingredients, which I understood you were looking for, and which I previously posted. These ingredients , to some folks, are not a Mystery. I even listed them in their order of highest to lowest concentration, but sounds like you still dont believe me. Hey, Ill get over it.....

I said Id do more research this morning to verify my position on MMO.....so I did. Took a while, you know. Mineral spirits/min oil, naphtha type solvent, and DCB. Doesnt matter what their vapor pressures are..... Known for years to the tech people, even though these are "low tech" chemicals. MMO can be categorized like the scam elixirs that in the late 90's were subjected to law suits by the FTC (Fed Trade Commission).

The FTC sued companies selling wonder glop ALA's (Aftermarket Lube Additives), and won, for fines levied on Shell, Quaker State, Dura Lube, Ashland (owns Valvoline), and more. Some settled out of court. Others paid 12-13 million dollars in fines for deceptive ads/claims. Car manufacturers void warranties if ALA's are used in the car.

Some of these sellers of ALA's claim independant labs tested and verified their claims, but when asked, they decline to tell of the lab's names, True research has no problem with making findings public. Problem is, ALA's disrupt the properties of the motor oil itself, and prevent it from doing its job! Lots of data available on this....

Here's some verifiable, brief (cant ramble too much, you know) findings from some heavy hitters:

Briggs & Stratton: (world renowned engine builder) "Oil additives do not appear to offer any benefits"
Avco Lycoming (Major aircraft engine manufacturer, like Pratt & Whittney) : "All oil additives are worthless"
N Dakota State University: "We tested oil additives, and the products simply don't work"
Ed Hackett, Chief Chemist, Univ of Nevada: "oil additives should not be used"
The Detroit Diesel Bulletin: "never use an additive to fix a mechanical problem"

Other research points to the placebo effect anticipated when a well meaning car owner add an ALA, and "expects" some results.

It's kinda like the sacred cow. We dont want to kill it. Im just a fellow Fchatter without an F car, for now, but the above is what I stand by, and hope it will shed some light on this. But if anyone here still believes MMO works, then you should keep using it.

 

Whoooooah!! LOL! Another hit against MMO! Yep, HCl, will get the walls of your cylinders faster than anything I know!!! Like too much acid in the stomach after eating the wrong foods!

 

well, i have used MMO in ALL 4 of my 308s, both Lambos, my 911 Porsche's and even my 02 Nissan Pup . the truck i bought brand new, and after break in about once a year i substitute a whole quart of MMO for the 5w30. also, in all the other above mentioned cars i would use a whole quart of the stuff, being careful to follow the proper quantities. i am in touch with the owners of almost all of my former cars and none of them have had any engine or oil issues.

if there is an issue with MMO i would like to know. i will read the links when i have time, as its been a long day.

 

well said. people that i know stand behind it.

 

can anyone tell me where it's made....... don't no if you can get it in ozz!! sounds like the ducks nuts....... thanks

 

I also own a 80 308i. I'm in my 4th year of ownership, and oil consumption has been steady at a quart (5W50 Mobil 1) every 200 miles, on any kind of driving situation, from track to street, and needless to say I'm interrested in using any kind of canned mystery that would reduce this consumption.

I've never seen that produst anywhere in Canada. Is it sold thru the regular parts store in the States.

Thanks
Marc-André

 

I don't know where it's manufactured, but the MMO company is headquartered in Chicago Illinios ... but they are now owned by the Turtle Wax folks, who are in Westmont Illinios.