Rislone and Marvel Mystery Oil - to use or not to use?
Chris Papademetrious
I recently bought a Dodge Omni GLH-S (pretty rare car, #432 of 500
made) which has close to 90,000 miles on it. The previous owner
claims the engine has never been opened up (which, based on all the
crud in the engine compartment, I'd believe to be true), and that it's
run Mobil I since new.
The question is, exactly what is Marvel Mystery Oil, how does it
compare to Rislone (which I suspect I *don't* need, since Mobil I
likely doesn't leave much sludge in there), and should I put some in
my oil and/or gas? I may try some in the gas tank, to see if it helps
quiet the typical Chrysler 2.2L valvetrain at all, but I was just
wondering what current state-of-the-art netwisdom thought of MMO...
All comments and speculations appreciated!
- Chris
Clarence Snyder
st92...@dunx1.ocs.drexel.edu (Chris Papademetrious) wrote:
Nothing will quiet the 2.2 valve noise. If the noise goes away, the
engine has quit.
The Marvel Mystery Oil is a highly detergent additive with penetrating
and lubricating qualities that are legendary. Its effect is similar to
using ATF, but more pronounced. For many years (back in the 40s) it
was sold as a top lube, to prevent cyl wear and valve guide wear on
the old flatties. It was mixed with fuel for this purpose.
In the oil, it disolves varnish and gum, freeing up hydraulic lifters
and chain tensioners. Until monitoring this newsgroup, I had not heard
of it in about 20 years, but it sounds like it is still around. I've
never heard any bad press on it, and it sounds like it's still doing
the job
Clare Snyder, Class "A" Licenced Auto Mechanic
Recycled as a Computer Solution Provider
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
BELJAN E
In <32a10624....@news2.ibm.net> csn...@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca
1918 or so to clean the Marvel Carburator (which disappeared, but the
additive survived) So, on we went, MMO was used and is used. Ok, so
sometime in the 80s longtime Marvel executives bought the company from
the family. Marvel still exists, they make a few products:
Marvel Mystery Oil (3 sizes of oil additive pint, quart, gallon)
Marvel High Rev (red plastic bottle of Marvel as a fuel system
treatment)
Marvel Auto Transmission treatment
Marvel Inverse Oiler (never actually saw one, but it supposedly sucks
MMO through the intake manifold to provide top cylinder lubrication)
Marvel Air Tool Oil (unlike the familiar red can of MMO, Marvel Air
tool is in a white can. It says from the makers of WORLD FAMOUS Marvel
Mystery Oil)
Average price of MMO is about $3 a quart. I have used it to clean
carbs, and as a fuel additive. My car started knocking and it stopped
it cold. Amazingly powerful. Lab analysis of MMO yeilded something as
follows, MMO contains light oil, cleaners, red dye, wintergreen scent,
extreme pressure additives, and some ingredients that couldnt be
determined. Rislone is the closest competitor. I dont think it is as
powerful. Another long proven additive in this catagory is Wynn's
Friction Proofing. It is more powerful (from my experience) than
Rislone.
EDWARD ZWOLAN
I am not a mechanic, not even mechanically inclined- this is what
I can say about Marvel.
From time to time, I put a generous dose of it into the gas
tank of my 1989 Chevy Corsica (94 000 miles -no oil consumption, driven
moderatly hard)
I have observed the following:
-if you put it into the gas tank, some of it, about 1/3 or 1/4 will find
its way into the oil. It does not burn totally, which is good, cause
you can have it work twice. Once on the valves, then in the crankcase
-MMO thins out oil. Because I don't want it interfere with the
viscosity of new oil, I use it only in the last several hundred (500)
miles before changing the oil
-it does help get sludge out, and works well on carbon deposits, and
generally flushes out dirt- this I can tell because whenever I use MMO,
(500 or so, miles before the oil change), the new oil that I put in stays
cleaner over a longer period of time.
-it reduces gas consumption, but only slightly
-it is hard to pour from a badly designed can (talking here about the
big one)
I consider MMO to be an excellent, and inexpensive additive.
Would be weary about using large amounts of it in a towing vehicle,
cause it does tend to thin out oil.
S.Zwolan
sd...@campus.mci.net
> The question is, exactly what is Marvel Mystery Oil, how does it
> compare to Rislone (which I suspect I *don't* need, since Mobil I
> likely doesn't leave much sludge in there), and should I put some in
> my oil and/or gas?
HI Chris. I have had two experiences with Marvel Mystery Oil. First, I had a
boat with a V8 that had a chronic case of sticking exhuast valves. I poured a
pint or so of MMO in the oil, and the problem disappeared.
In the second case, my Datsun 280Z has a stuck exhaust valve. Thinking of the
success I had with the boat, I poured some MMO in the crankcase. The valve
sticking was cured, but the engine began smoking fairly heavily after a week
or so. I took the head off and found the rubber seals on the valve stems had
hardened and had lost their sealing ability. Coincidence? Who knows, but I
won't leave the MMO in the engine for long periods anymore.
John Lamb
Not much experience with MMO, but I can tell you that Rislone does a good
job. We have used it frequently. The bottom line is, if you don't have a
sludge problem, have frequent oil changes, and no internal problems,,,,,
don't use either.
--
John Lamb
Lambs Automotive
Lincolnshire, Il.
847-821-2100
sd...@campus.mci.net wrote in article
<NEWTNews.849505...@sdold.campus.mci.net>...
Clarence Snyder
sd...@campus.mci.net wrote:
>
>
>> The question is, exactly what is Marvel Mystery Oil, how does it
>> compare to Rislone (which I suspect I *don't* need, since Mobil I
>> likely doesn't leave much sludge in there), and should I put some in
>> my oil and/or gas?
>
>HI Chris. I have had two experiences with Marvel Mystery Oil. First, I had a
>boat with a V8 that had a chronic case of sticking exhuast valves. I poured a
>pint or so of MMO in the oil, and the problem disappeared.
>
>In the second case, my Datsun 280Z has a stuck exhaust valve. Thinking of the
>success I had with the boat, I poured some MMO in the crankcase. The valve
>sticking was cured, but the engine began smoking fairly heavily after a week
>or so. I took the head off and found the rubber seals on the valve stems had
>hardened and had lost their sealing ability. Coincidence? Who knows, but I
>won't leave the MMO in the engine for long periods anymore.
>
In all likelihood, the seals were bad for a while before the MMO was
added. It is surprising what guck will seal up. When the crud around
the valves was disolved, the guides passed oil. This is the case in an
extremely large percentage of cases where someone claims a particular
additive damaged their seals.
Rick Metheny
Chris Papademetrious wrote:
>
> I recently bought a Dodge Omni GLH-S (pretty rare car, #432 of 500
> made) which has close to 90,000 miles on it. The previous owner
> claims the engine has never been opened up (which, based on all the
> crud in the engine compartment, I'd believe to be true), and that it's
> run Mobil I since new.
>
> compare to Rislone (which I suspect I *don't* need, since Mobil I
> likely doesn't leave much sludge in there), and should I put some in
> quiet the typical Chrysler 2.2L valvetrain at all, but I was just
> wondering what current state-of-the-art netwisdom thought of MMO...
>
> All comments and speculations appreciated!
>
> - Chris
I've had 3 cases where sticky lifters (on Chrysler V8's) were cured by
Rislone. All 3 were high mileage, sludgy tickers, but the stuff works.
There is always the chance that cleaners such as MMO and Rislone will
break off and allow crud into oil pump screens, but on cars where major
engine repair is cost prohibitive, it is worth a try.
leep
In article <01bbe01a$9eae1180$31c2b8cd@home>, "John Lamb" <harl...@ix.netcom.com> says:
>
>Not much experience with MMO, but I can tell you that Rislone does a good
>job. We have used it frequently. The bottom line is, if you don't have a
>sludge problem, have frequent oil changes, and no internal problems,,,,,
>don't use either.
>--
>John Lamb
>Lambs Automotive
>Lincolnshire, Il.
>847-821-2100
>
>sd...@campus.mci.net wrote in article
><NEWTNews.849505...@sdold.campus.mci.net>...
>>>
engine until noise went away (20 miles). I dumped the oil twice as this
stuff is very good but, VERY solvent and I didn`t want the bearings
etc to be too clean and damaged from lack of proper lubrication. I had
been using STP in this old engine and it clogged the lifters big time.
The engine was later rebuilt as it had over 200k miles on it. Yeh, the
car has 370k miles on it now. Time to get new wheels? I dunno. Sticker
shock turns me off. LEE