marvel mystery oil ???

[HEC]

There seems to be a fair amount of marvel mystery oil being sold in my area and when I ask people why they use it I get many different answers such as for lubricating fuel pumps and injector pumps etc. etc. and some use it for gas engines ,some for diesel engines.My question is do any of you use this product and if so for what reason and how do you like it.I presently use the power service product which is a good seller also but they seem to be for different applications.
Herb,

 

[sneaky_pete]

I once owned a 1949 BSA motorcycle; the owners manual specified the addition of "an eggcup-full" of upper cylinder lubricant to every other tank of gas. MMO was the closest thing to upper cylinder lubricant I could find in this country. I never did have any top end problems with that bike so I guess it worked!

 

[Bird]

In the late '50s and early '60s my Dad owned a service station and we sold lots of 4 oz. cans of "upper lube". I know Mobil had their own brand; can't remember whether Texaco did, also, or not, but I think they did. Some people added it to their gas tank, some poured it slowly through the carburetor with the engine running at a fast idle, and a few put it in their oil. And of course we sold a lot of quarts of Marvel Mystery oil for the same uses.

 

[Syncro]

<font color="blue">In the late '50s and early '60s my Dad owned a service station and we sold lots of 4 oz. cans of "upper lube" </font>

Roger that Bird, my dad had a auto service shop in the '30s and as a kid in the 50's I too heard a lot about MMO. It was sorta a 'mystery' back then as to what this stuff actually did, I think now in 2006 its still a 'mystery' to me. I still keep a can in my shop though, I guess it just makes me feel good to see it there knowing somehow that I'm doing right by at least having it.

In the days of manual hand operated oil pumps on old Harleys and splash lubrication, engines probably needed a little boost. I doubt todays engines are lacking for lubrication. Still, its a good penetrating oil and I do occasionally add some to a fresh rebuild, or to gear transmissions. Most of all that red can in clear view above my wrenches just makes me feel good /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[sneaky_pete]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( In the days of manual hand operated oil pumps on old Harleys and splash lubrication, engines probably needed a little boost.)</font>

Good point; flatheads (which Harley still manufactured through 1965) don't have any way to lube their valves except a bit of oil mist that gets blown up the pushrod tubes from the cam chest. Curiously though, I've owned several flatheads (still have one actually) and their owners manuals never said anything about adding upper lubricant, while the BSA that did had overhead valves. Maybe Indian and Harley just had more faith in their designs than BSA.

 

[MadReferee]

Do a search here for Marvel Mystery Oil. It has been discussed to death here on TBN several times, as recently as a few months ago. You will get more info than you will ever want to know about MMO, it's uses and it's myths.

 

[sneaky_pete]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I know Mobil had their own brand; can't remember whether Texaco did, also, or not, but I think they did.)</font>

hmmm - I guess I didn't look in Oklahoma, Bird. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Truth to tell, that was when I was a teenager so I probably didn't look all that hard.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( didn't look in Oklahoma )</font>

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gifDad's Texaco station was in Marietta, OK, but the Mobil station was in Plano, TX, where I know we had Mobil upper lube. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif In the auto parts store (same building as the service station), we sold all kinds of oil additives and lubricants (and told customers that we recommended none of them). I also recall Mobil technical people claiming that there were only two additives on the market at that time that would do no damage to your car; those being Bardahl and Alemite CD2. And they claimed that the Mobil upper lube would do just as much good as those two. And of course, I have no way of knowing whether they were right or not. It was also not uncommon for customers to try oil additives and return requesting a refund, which we always gave them (money back guarantee on everything we sold). And the additive manufacturers refunded our money, except for Wynn's. They expected the retailers to offer a money back guarantee, but they refused to refund to us, so it didn't take long for us to drop their products because nearly everyone who bought one wanted his money back.

 

[Syncro]

<font color="blue"> "flatheads (which Harley still manufactured through 1965" </font>

A little off topic, but I thought Harley dropped the flathead K, and KH models for the Sportster before that, or maybe they continued the flathead for racing only. Speaking of BSA, I bought a new Super Road Rocket in '62. I see also where Triumph has brought back the Bonneville, I may just get one. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Interesting coments on the old name brand name additives, I forgot most of them until Bird's post. Marvel Mystery oil survived to this day, and I am sure it has redeaming value. Still like that red can! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[sneaky_pete]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="blue"> "flatheads (which Harley still manufactured through 1965" </font>

A little off topic, but I thought Harley dropped the flathead K, and KH models for the Sportster before that, or maybe they continued the flathead for racing only.)</font>

The K model was dropped in 1957 as you say for the OHV Sportster, but they still made the venerable WL 45" flathead for meter-maid trikes until 1965.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Speaking of BSA, I bought a new Super Road Rocket in '62. I see also where Triumph has brought back the Bonneville, I may just get one. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif)</font>

I'm sure you know that the new company just bought the rights to use the Triumph name and logo, and has nothing to do with the original Triumph from Meriden. They seem to be putting out some decent bikes and all and I wish them well because competition is a Good Thing, but personally I'd rather have a vintage Bonneville than their new one.

 

[Syncro]

Pete, Thanks for the interesting info, and no, I didn't know Triumph was now a new company.

 

[Soundguy]

I always take a fuzzy eye look at mechanic's in a can.. however.. for MMO ( mostly stoddards solvent I think ).. I can actually say that I have seen results.

My wife has a 94 linc mk8 that she got from her fathers estate. It had been rode hard and put away wet a few too many times, and had some extended oil change times .. etc. It has just a bit of valve chatter. HAve had it to the local ford specialist and he recomended adding 1/2 quart mmo to the oil in place of 1/2 quart of oil.

Now.. i realize the thinning effects of course.. however... valve chatter went away... did that for a year with no problems.. forgot and after 4 mos.. it came back when accelerating.. added the mmmo.. and it's gone again... scientific expirement? no... results? at least enough to warrant the extra buck per 3 mo oil change to not hear the valves chatter a bit...

Soundguy

 

[HEC]

Very interesting sound guy , after reading the posts of the new bio diesel fuels and maybe a lack of lubrication I thought maybe adding a little mmo would help but maybe it really isn't needed.They are going to start making the bio diesel in my area shortly so just wondering what one should do.I have talked with some farmers who use mmo on a regular basis even now in their fuel.
Herb

 

[RichS]

I use a 3-to-1 ratio of PowerService to MMO (total 16 oz) for every other fill-up in my Dodge Cummins pickup and same for my tractor. It does as seem to quiet it down a little.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[MadReferee]

The major ingredient of MMO is mineral spirits. The DOT hazardous material spec sheet gives the list of what is contained in MMO and the percentages. You should be able to find the sheet online. I used to have a link but it is no longer valid (the link that is). All this was discussed way back when in another post.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( adding 1/2 quart mmo to the oil in place of 1/2 quart of oil )</font>

Chris, I've mentioned before on TBN that in '56, when my Dad owned a Texaco service station, one of our regular customers had us do that all the time. He only wanted Texaco non-detergent oil and a pint of Marvel Mystery Oil at each oil change. I believe it was a 1950 Ford he had; only 6 years old, but very high mileage, and clean as a pin.

 

[slowrev]

Bird, Isn't that pretty much just making detergent oul our of non detergent oil ?
Ben

 

[Bird]

In my opinion, that's exactly what he was doing, Ben.