MMO in the Gas

mcgarrett said:
Found this description of MMO on Wikipedia:

Marvel Mystery Oil is an automotive product of the American Marvel Oil Company,[1] founded by Burt Pierce in 1923.[2] It is used as a fuel additive, oil additive, corrosion inhibitor, penetrating oil, and transmission leak stopper and seal relubricator.

It is composed primarily of petroleum distillates, including mineral oil (60–100%), mineral spirits (10–30%), tricresyl phosphate (an antiwear and extreme pressure additive in lubricants, 0.1–1.0%), ortho-dichlorobenzene (a softening and removing agent for carbon-based contamination on metal surfaces, 0.1–1.0%), and para-dichlorobenzene (a precursor used in the production of chemically and thermally resistant polymers, <0.1%).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Mystery_Oil
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MMO is now owned by Turtle Wax since 1999. They never did reveal the formula and kept it a trade secret. When people would ask Burt Pierce "What kind of oil is this"? he would answer "It's a Mystery" I'm sure he didn't want to disclose the formula so it wouldn't be copied. That's why the ingredients are vague on the label. Same as WD-40, they never filed a patent because they would have to disclose the formula.
 
Brent,


Please don't underestimate the effect of modern lubricating oil. Just a hint of an oil film thickness of 0.0003 mm is enough to lubricate cylinder & piston with the highest loads.
In order to wet the four large cylinder and piston surfaces smear-proof, that is about two small drops of oil distribution. Nevertheless, the additives, which are only introduced in microscopic traces, have a reliable effect.


In addition, the note that water-cooled two-stroke engines in the medium performance range with modern lubricating oil 1:400 is sufficient.


The exhaust valve stems also benefit from a little MMO lubricating oil in the petrol, because when the valves overlap at dead center, a tiny bit of fuel is always lost into the exhaust and this also lubricates the glowing exhaust valve stem.




At Swoboda:


A lot is good - that's not always right. The MMO is an additized white oil that contains detergents. Very little is enough for the additional cleaning and lubricating effect. If you take too much, this has no additional advantage, but the white oil leaves ash in the combustion chamber and smoke.


Stickswift,

please, tell me what is 'HAMP'?


I shot the MMO Oiler on Ebay USA. Unused, in the original dusty box with guarantee certificate.A lot of money for this part with tax fees and flight bill.


I added an oil level glass to the side.


It's a great piece of technical equipment that looks good, fits the car, works well and, above all, makes the child in man laugh.
 
At Swoboda:


A lot is good - that's not always right. The MMO is an additized white oil that contains detergents. Very little is enough for the additional cleaning and lubricating effect. If you take too much, this has no additional advantage, but the white oil leaves ash in the combustion chamber and smoke.


I was being facetious.
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
Ok, for those who say it makes noises go away, or lubricates the top-end, coats fuel tanks, or that it can keep valves from sticking, ...please help me wrap my head around these thoughts.

We are talking 1 ounce of oil to 320 ounces of gasoline (4oz to 10 gallons of gasoline)! Think about that for a sec. Based on the dilution ratio of that oil, it seems to be a very minute amount to me. Next, the valve guide is not really in the path of where the air/fuel/oil travels, so does the valve stem really see any benefit? Especially in not causing a valve to stick in an L-head engine?? I would think not. So the final thing is, the upper-end of a Model-A engine is just the cylinder head. Not sure exactly what would benefit there from MM oil.

Again, maybe I am wrong in all of this but I struggle seeing a benefit.
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I think a lot of it is psychological (the placebo effect), just like the hoopla surrounding "essential" oils!
As far as the effect on valves and guides, consider the exhaust valves: No Marvel Mystery Oil ever reaches the exhaust valve or guide because it gets burned up during the combustion cycle and any residue just gets blown out the exhaust!
 
WHN said:
Brent:

Maybe it’s like taking CBD. No one can really tell you how or why it helps, but for some people it does.

MMO seems to have worked for me. In one of my cars there was no other reason that the valves would have freed up and quieted down.

Enjoy.
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How can MMO "quiet" the valves?? It is a thin oil so it can't 'cushion' any wear in the guides, nor can it compensate for excessive lash! Model A's don't have hydraulic lifters that may gum up so MMO can't help with that. What's left?
 
Marvel Mystery Oil Material Safety Data Sheet.
The secret ingredients. Mix it up in your kitchen while your wife is out shopping.

https://www1.mscdirect.com/MSDS/MSDS00011/00140145-20210402.PDF

Distillates (petroleum), hydrotreated light / Distillates, petroleum, hydrotreated light / Hydrotreated light distillate.
Phosphoric acid, tris(methylphenyl) ester / Phosphoric acid, tritolyl ester / Tricresyl phosphate.
Benzene, 1,2-dichloro- / Benzene, o-dichloro- / ortho- Dichlorobenzene
Benzene, 1,2-dichloro- / Benzene, o-dichloro- / ortho- Dichlorobenzene.
Benzene, 1,4-dichloro- / Benzene, p-dichloro- / para- Dichlorobenzene

It Also contains some oil of wintergreen to give it that distinct oder I’ve been told. Since that is not hazardous it doesn’t show up on the MSDS.

Tricresyl phosphate: (TCP)
In the aviation industry, this compound is used as an anti-wear, extreme pressure additive in lubricants and hydraulic fluids.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topic...nd-pharmaceutical-science/tricresyl-phosphate
 
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BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
Ok, for those who say it makes noises go away, or lubricates the top-end, coats fuel tanks, or that it can keep valves from sticking, ...please help me wrap my head around these thoughts.

We are talking 1 ounce of oil to 320 ounces of gasoline (4oz to 10 gallons of gasoline)! Think about that for a sec. Based on the dilution ratio of that oil, it seems to be a very minute amount to me. Next, the valve guide is not really in the path of where the air/fuel/oil travels, so does the valve stem really see any benefit? Especially in not causing a valve to stick in an L-head engine?? I would think not. So the final thing is, the upper-end of a Model-A engine is just the cylinder head. Not sure exactly what would benefit there from MM oil.

Again, maybe I am wrong in all of this but I struggle seeing a benefit.
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Why do you not like something proven to work so good?
 
Jeff/Illinois said:
All I know is, I use the stuff and it works!!

Love it!
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So many people do. I had a distributor that was frozen with rust....dropped it in some good old MMO for a week and I was able to turn it with a screw driver.....dropped it back in for a few weeks and it spins like a brand new distributor...poped it in a car and it ran just fine...all I can say is its a Mystery and I love it....lol
 
When I was much younger man, I worked at a BIG TIME service station that also did towing, and auto repairs. A customer came in and had a lifter ticking. Supply house brought over a can of MMO. Dumped it in the crankcase. The customer was told it works half the time, and it is worth a try. A couple tanks of gas later the customer was in for another fillup. As I was washing the windshield I asked him. He said in a minute when you are done you can hear me start it back up. Ticking all gone...

Chemical analysis all you want, it worked. Lots cheaper than tearing the top end down.
 
Model A Ron said:
Why do you not like something proven to work so good?
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Who said anything about not liking it. I am only trying to understand how the claims being made are possible. For example, someone thought it may have detergents in it however I read where most modern fuels have additives and detergents in them straight from the pump.
 
Way back in biblical times it was told to the people that would listen that faith could move mountains! Have faith.
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
Who said anything about not liking it. I am only trying to understand how the claims being made are possible. For example, someone thought it may have detergents in it however I read where most modern fuels have additives and detergents in them straight from the pump.
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I understand now.....you do like it but do not understand how it works......no one does it's a mystery lol
 
Gene F said:
When I was much younger man, I worked at a BIG TIME service station that also did towing, and auto repairs. A customer came in and had a lifter ticking. Supply house brought over a can of MMO. Dumped it in the crankcase. The customer was told it works half the time, and it is worth a try. A couple tanks of gas later the customer was in for another fillup. As I was washing the windshield I asked him. He said in a minute when you are done you can hear me start it back up. Ticking all gone...

Chemical analysis all you want, it worked. Lots cheaper than tearing the top end down.
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One more real life example of the Mystery in MMO......I have been using it for years and nothing works better in the gas or as a penetrating oil.
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C;2220432................. however I read where most modern fuels have additives and detergents in them straight from the pump.[/QUOTE said:
Top Tier gasolines do, like Chevron-Mobil-Shell-Phillips/Conoco-BP for example.

That leaves out Pilot or Love's:)

They skimp on the additives and detergents to save a few pennies to draw you in to buy their gasoline. Steer clear of that stuff............
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Jeff/Illinois said:
Top Tier gasolines do, like Chevron-Mobil-Shell-Phillips/Conoco-BP for example.

That leaves out Pilot or Love's:)

They skimp on the additives and detergents to save a few pennies to draw you in to buy their gasoline. Steer clear of that stuff............
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I think BP should add MMO at the pump.....make it a lot better gas
 
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