Marvel Mystery Oil???

[51456]

Greetings,

I have recently entered the mysterious realm of this substance we used to mock when young. I had someone (who seems to be knowledgeable in such matters), recommend it to stop the valve train rattling in my Nissan pick up. So far, it seems to be working.

Any experience here in using this additive in airheads? I have a 1978 R80/7.

Thanks in advance for your educated comments.

Cheers

 

[lmo1131]

Here are a few.

http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?21274-Marvel-Mystery-Oil

http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?70314-Marvel-Mystery-Oil-in-my-2002-RT

http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?34019-Fork-Oil

http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?61234-1973-R75-5-project

 

[51456]

Thanks...

...looking at them directly. My R80 has 100,625 miles. No real major rebuilds. Just replaced the con rod bearings myself about a dozen years ago. Cheers.

 

[SCBuckeye]

I've heard nothing but good things about Marvel Mystery oil. I use it myself for some things (not my airhead, though). In my airhead, I use Lucas gasoline additive to do the job. I am a big believer in Lucas. I purchase the stuff in a gallon jug from Summit Racing (abut 10 miles from home!) for lots cheaper than anywhere and use it in the recommended 400:1 ratio. lasts long time and so far )1-1/2 years everything has stayed perfectly clean, with no carb issues. Whether it really works? Anybody's guess.

The guy at Lucas, of course, says it is the reason my auto (2010 Toyota Corolla) rated at 36 MPG highway ACTUALLY gets 40 MPG which I have carefully proved many times on trips from Ohio to South Carolina.

 

[ebeeby]

Almost instantly stopped lifter noise in my 1973 Jeep CJ5 304CI V8

 

[8ninety8]

Two cents. Had an old R90 since '87. Was at the rally last month. When I left for rally thought the old scoot was rattling a bit. Went the few miles, I was close by. Registered, removed ear plugs, thought the top end sounded tight. WTH, rattle or no rattle, I always just kept on riding trusting my last valve gapping and the way the bike were first designed to run once warmed up.

Never added an additive to engine. It's still low mileage, 47 and half K. Just old oil, that is, SF, SG, SH, for the flat lifters. Other airhead owners with high mileage probably run the same way. Old oil, change it every 3K or once a year, enjoy. Going out for a fifty mile spin right now.

 

[classicvw]

I think high mileage engines can benefit from MMO. My father rebuilt engines for 40 years, both in the Army and civilian life. And he was good at what he did. Many mechanics and other machinists would ask him to pay them a visit to help them with a diagnosis or repair that they weren't 100% certain they were on the right track, whether it was a motorcycle, car, truck or even the occasional US Navy marine engine.

He was always a believer in Marvel for sticky valve lifters and many other issues.

 

[happy wanderer]

Since we're talking about Marvel Mystery Oil and old car engines let me relay an old hi mileage cab drivers tip. Got a dirty old motor with sticky lifters or valve train noise? Maybe a piston ring that won't spin any more and suddenly your motor is spewing blue smoke all over town? Pour 25% ATF in your engine. That's right, ATF. Run it for a few hundred miles, dump that oil and put in new stuff. The engine will be cleaned right up. ATF is full of detergents and has an extremely high temperature rating. Some of my cab mates used to run like this all the time and there was a few cabs on the fleet that had reached a million kms on the same motor. One of my two Buick LeSabres had over 700,000 kms on it when I sold it.

My R80G/S started smoking from the left cylinder recently. I thought it was the usual side stand blue smoke routine but it got so it was doing it every start even when parked on the center stand. I took half a liter of oil out and poured in ATF to replace it. Ran the bike for 200 miles that way. But within the first five minutes it quit smoking and has never pushed blue smoke out since. The problem was just sludge in the rings and the ATF cleaned it up easy peasy.

 

[SCBuckeye]

Since we're talking about Marvel Mystery Oil and old car engines let me relay an old hi mileage cab drivers tip. Got a dirty old motor with sticky lifters or valve train noise? Maybe a piston ring that won't spin any more and suddenly your motor is spewing blue smoke all over town? Pour 25% ATF in your engine. That's right, ATF. Run it for a few hundred miles, dump that oil and put in new stuff. The engine will be cleaned right up. ATF is full of detergents and has an extremely high temperature rating. Some of my cab mates used to run like this all the time and there was a few cabs on the fleet that had reached a million kms on the same motor. One of my two Buick LeSabres had over 700,000 kms on it when I sold it.

My R80G/S started smoking from the left cylinder recently. I thought it was the usual side stand blue smoke routine but it got so it was doing it every start even when parked on the center stand. I took half a liter of oil out and poured in ATF to replace it. Ran the bike for 200 miles that way. But within the first five minutes it quit smoking and has never pushed blue smoke out since. The problem was just sludge in the rings and the ATF cleaned it up easy peasy.

I have heard the same thing. However, I have also heard that not all trans fluids work this way. My understanding is that the ATF for Fords does not have those detergents and lubrication abilities and therefore will not work, could even do harm.

 

[oldnslo]

I use MMO with every tank on two of our vehicles, my 36 Ford pickup with the original 221cu in flathead V-8 and, and my son's '65 Mustang. It's almost like a religion with vintage Flathead guys as those motors are very susceptible to sticking valves. I don't use it in my '92 R100RS, although I do use SeaFoam now and again.A lot of this stuff strikes me as voodoo

Adam

 

[30064]

Two cents. Had an old R90 since '87. Was at the rally last month. When I left for rally thought the old scoot was rattling a bit. Went the few miles, I was close by. Registered, removed ear plugs, thought the top end sounded tight. WTH, rattle or no rattle, I always just kept on riding trusting my last valve gapping and the way the bike were first designed to run once warmed up.

Never added an additive to engine. It's still low mileage, 47 and half K. Just old oil, that is, SF, SG, SH, for the flat lifters. Other airhead owners with high mileage probably run the same way. Old oil, change it every 3K or once a year, enjoy. Going out for a fifty mile spin right now.

+1.

Sounds like what we're seeing here is a list of testimonials for using a lubricating solvent to mend some motor ills that may have never been necessary with good mechanical maintenance and internal hygiene (in mostly vintage automotive engines).
STP will quiet a worn engine just as adding sawdust to the hypoid of a worn standard transmission or differential. There's a few more "old' tricks to add to the list.

I'm not going to "knock" MMO, I don't use it or any other additives to fuel or oil of my motorcycles. But if it works for you...

I figure if it was truly a "Marvel" the oil manufacturers would have already discovered it and added it as a part of their existing formula.

 

[dennisdarrow]

Surely NOT to go against the "all knowing" that dismiss the use of fuel and oil additives as just not maintaining engines as they should be taken care of. To those that advise that they have never ..........NEVER......used any kind of additive in their fuel or oil.......I just ask: How are you countering the effects of ethanol?...........oh well......they KNOW ALL..........

For me, the additives have a function..........Just an old guy here that keeps a farm alive and going well with last count, 17 various engines performing a myriad of "MUST WORK" functions..........tillers, chain saws, tractors, UTV, commercial chipper shredder, generators, etc and of course the 4 wheel and 2 wheel transportation machines...........We deal in MUST work reality here.....not condo, apartment, sub-division petty concerns.

There never has been an additive of any kind to go in the oil of my trusty dusty R90/6. But the fuel is another matter. As in my 320 SLK, on an every tank basis, drop in a slug of Lucas gas treatment and either Startron or another type of ethanol treatment. Every 5 gallon can for the various hand machines, probably 5 cans per month, that comes on the place with gas, is treated right then with a slug of Lucas and ethanol treatment. Since we began this practice maybe 4 years ago we have had zero fuel related engine problem. Before that we were constantly replacing carb bowls, lines , and other rubber bits........In my diesels: tractors, UTV, generators, with EVERY fill of the tank goes the Lucas, Cetane +, and yes, the Marvel Mystery fluid...........WHY??..........Just as with the gasoline, modern diesel needs help.......specifically lubricity for fuel pumps, injector pumps and yes, the top end..........

Marvel and oil additives in the oil.........Yes there is a function there.....NOT JUST TO DO IT.........Old engines need every bit of help one can do. In the middle of planting, harvest, or even hauling timber, one cannot just drop what one is doing to do a top or bottom end overhaul.........

We can't all afford new equipment so yes, we buy used, often times, and real problems and a lack of maintenance come with that equipment

Awhile back, I inherited a 77 Troy Bilt tiller.......VERY WELL USED........lol......pull the plug, put your thumb over the hole and turn it over.....lolol.....what compression...........????????..................But.....I needed it to use on the acre of asparagus that we market right then.....It was going through a pint of oil in that old Briggs engine every hour of use, with a need for at least 8 more hours over 3 days......So, Marvel, STP, Rislone, and top end special oil from auto zone was mixed with perhaps a cup of oil in the quart of fluid that went into the crankcase.....That old puppy smoked but it pulled and pulled and pulled........Got the job done and did so well that we got probably another 30 hours of use out of it before we put on a new engine...........

I go on and on and I apologize for that; but it just irks me that people come on here so righteously about how wonderful their world is with very little knowledge that there are folks out here who NEED and USE what they say doesn't work..........Oh well........God bless........Dennis

 

[classicvw]

I figure if it was truly a "Marvel" the oil manufacturers would have already discovered it and added it as a part of their existing formula.

How do you know they don't?

 

[toooldtocare]

A close friend of mine is out looking for a new engine for his Chevy PU. Seems the original engine, that has had only the recommended maintenance, is getting tired, but still running. He does his own work and swears it never has been apart, even though it now has over 620,000 miles. The new oils today must be very good, very good indeed, I don't think they need any help. The truck even looks good, just a tiny bit of rust.

 

[amiles]

An alternative to MMO is 1 oz per 5 gallons of fuel of TCW3 rated two stroke marine engine oil.

MMO did quiet a noisy valve train on my former 1996 Windstar van (roller tappets no less!)

I have a friend who feels that MMO is the best oil for keeping compressed air powered tools lubricated.

I've stopped using any Lucas products, they didn't seem to do any good.

 

[SCBuckeye]

I've stopped using any Lucas products, they didn't seem to do any good.

My question is, "How did you determine that they weren't doing any good?"

I am not saying either way - that they were or were not, but I am just curious how you determined your view?

This is one of the perennial problems with any additive - the ability to objectively verify their benefit/waste.

I have over the years heard good things about Marvel Mystery and use it to do some special oiling (guns, etc.) and have heard good things about it when used both as a gasoline additive and as an oil additive in the crankcase. I think one of its great advantages is that it is highly detergent which loosens deposits here and there - esp. in hydraulic lifters.

 

[amiles]

My question is, "How did you determine that they weren't doing any good?"

I am not saying either way - that they were or were not, but I am just curious how you determined your view?

This is one of the perennial problems with any additive - the ability to objectively verify their benefit/waste.

I have over the years heard good things about Marvel Mystery and use it to do some special oiling (guns, etc.) and have heard good things about it when used both as a gasoline additive and as an oil additive in the crankcase. I think one of its great advantages is that it is highly detergent which loosens deposits here and there - esp. in hydraulic lifters.

Just like any other seat of the pants impression that the bike was running better or not. When I was unable to determine any benefit,I stopped using the Lucas product & again no change was apparent. I was looking for smoother running better starting, cleaner combustion chamber & plugs. The TCW3 has cleaned up the bike engine & several 4 stroke yard machine type engines. one simple example When removing the bike plugs I no longer start with the crunch/grind of carbon being pushed out of the plug threads as I have for a long time. The plugs come out smooth as silk.

As far as MMO, I was having a lot of tappet noise in my van. The mechanic added the MMO to the oil & magically the noise stopped. Feeling that the problem was cured & perhaps some fouling had been cleared I changed the oil M-1 5W30 as before. and surprise surprise the noise was back. I surmised that the removal of deposits was not what was going on. Another bottle of MMO & all was well. I have to believe that most additives are snake oil that somehow makes us feel that we are doing good things for the machine.

 

[SCBuckeye]

Just like any other seat of the pants impression that the bike was running better or not. When I was unable to determine any benefit,I stopped using the Lucas product & again no change was apparent. I was looking for smoother running better starting, cleaner combustion chamber & plugs. The TCW3 has cleaned up the bike engine & several 4 stroke yard machine type engines. one simple example When removing the bike plugs I no longer start with the crunch/grind of carbon being pushed out of the plug threads as I have for a long time. The plugs come out smooth as silk.

As far as MMO, I was having a lot of tappet noise in my van. The mechanic added the MMO to the oil & magically the noise stopped. Feeling that the problem was cured & perhaps some fouling had been cleared I changed the oil M-1 5W30 as before. and surprise surprise the noise was back. I surmised that the removal of deposits was not what was going on. Another bottle of MMO & all was well. I have to believe that most additives are snake oil that somehow makes us feel that we are doing good things for the machine.

You very well could be right!

BTW, what is TCW3 ?? I've racked by brain (such as I have) and can't come up with anything.

For me, what Lucas claims is pretty much undetectable by observational use. The oil additive is supposed to "stick" to the metal surfaces better when the engine stops running, therefore allowing it to be lubricated when started the next time. Regular oils - esp. the lower weights used now-a-days is so runny that it drains down to the crankcase when hot and not much left for cold starts.

I don't know - but I hope I will get around 500,000 miles on my Toyota!!

 

[Geoff]

TC-W3 is just a rating for 2-cycle oil. Recommended for use in most marine engines, but can be used in all 2-cycle engines. It has to meet certain criteria in order to be rated TC-W3. I buy it by the gallon at Fleet Farm and use it in everything...

 

[ebeeby]

An alternative to MMO is 1 oz per 5 gallons of fuel of TCW3 rated two stroke marine engine oil.

MMO did quiet a noisy valve train on my former 1996 Windstar van (roller tappets no less!)

I have a friend who feels that MMO is the best oil for keeping compressed air powered tools lubricated.

I've stopped using any Lucas products, they didn't seem to do any good.

Which is why I still have some on hand - air tool lubrication.