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Marvel mystery oil

Aftermarket petroleum products and additives (oil/fuel) is notoriously one of the biggest hot buttons on the internet. The problem with these various additives and oils is that there is no data, only anecdote. So what we're left with is anonymous people on the internet expressing their opinion. It is guaranteed to spark an argument no matter the forum...tractors, truck, boats, motorcycles, airplanes...I must say, this is one of the most civil discussions on the subject that I've ever seen. Of course, we're only 50 posts into what, on most car/motorcycle/tractor forums, would be several hundred posts until a moderator had to shut it down. Nevertheless.... kudos to you all for your restraint :) .
 
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I've heard a teaspoon in the pan makes for cooking really good popcorn.

I know you're not serious, so this is just for the Darwin Award candidates...

The tricresyl phosphate in MMO will make you walk funny.

Look up "jake walk", "jake leg", and similar.
 
Tide Pods vs MMO

...but someone is bound to try it...

Probably one of those people who eat Tide Pods...

Hey, maybe Tide Pods would be good for our engines if we add them to the fuel and oil. ;) Ater all, I've heard detergent fuels and detergent oils are good :)

Skylor
 
MM Oil is designed for use in air tools....

actually MMO was designed pre-WWII as an additive to be mixed with gasoline to improve lead scavaging in radial engines. The military was the largest customer back then. I believe it works by reducing the critical temp where lead bromide will turn into a vapor via chemical reaction. Their air tool oil is a different product .
 
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actually MMO was designed pre-WWII as an additive to be mixed with gasoline to improve lead scavaging in radial engines.

Perhaps make it less likely lead salts would stick to hard parts...the oil and solvent. Scavenge? Ummm...

I believe it works by reducing the critical temp where lead bromide will turn into a vapor via chemical reaction.

We've seen the ingredient list. Which one would be a lead scavenger?
 
Perhaps make it less likely lead salts would stick to hard parts...the oil and solvent. Scavenge? Ummm...



We've seen the ingredient list. Which one would be a lead scavenger?

I am not a chemist and have no idea. I just know their story and know that the military bought a LOT of it for the radial engine planes. I assume they saw evidence of it's benefits. Not a good day when the warning horns blow and the engine won't run due to fouled plugs. Can't say that it works for this purpose only that it was designed, marketed, and sold for that purpose. I do know that lead bromide will become a vapor, and therefore not stick to things, above 800-1000*, so speculated that the product may have lowered the vaporization point. You may be right about surrounding the lead bromide particles with an oil film. It makes sense.

I probably used the wrong term. It is likely that that stated benefit was a reduction in the amount of lead build up. Scavaging could be assumed to be lead deposit removal which it doesn't do. I was thinking of scavaging the lead from the air fuel mixture and insuring it leaves the engine instead of being deposited on something. Not sure if that was the correct use of the terminology.
 
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Snake oil on a plane

Wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself, but a former employer of mine and I were doing work on a farmers C-172 and it had an 0-300 in it. He ran auto gas in the plane all the time and whenever he refilled his 500 gallon tank on the farm, if he didn't put marvel in the fuel his valves would stick. Sure enough he called us with the same issue and we asked if he had put marvel in the tank when he refilled. He did not. We added a little to the aircraft fuel tank and ran the engine. One cylinder cleared up right away, but it took another 10 min or so before the second cleared itself. Cant remember how much we added to the 500 gallon tank, but it was far less than what was recommended on the label. I will occasionally use it in my aircraft fuel, particularly when I run auto gas (albeit not very often). Ive never put it in the oil of my plane.
 
I LOVE Marvel Mystery Oil

I absolutely LOVE marvel mystery oil ............
in my air tools.

My Lycoming io540 which has 20,000 hr total time and 3100 SMOH uses straight 50wt oil in summer and 20w multi in winter, sometimes with cam guard.
Marvel stays in air tools.

If I want to clean the engine internally prior to oil change, rather than use marvel, I’ll use a detergent oil which does a nice job.
Marvel stays in air tools.

In the prior century, before catalytic converters but after dinosaurs, I saw a man who I can’t name, rev up a poor running engine and pour automatic transmission oil down the carburetor. Smoked like a dickens yet was like honey to those valves. Wasting a whole quart of automatic transmission which was costly back then (whole dollar), Ford type f if I recall, but it was fun seeing all that smoke. Kinda like smoking up the sky but probably environmentally politically uncorrected.
 
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I know you're not serious, so this is just for the Darwin Award candidates...

The tricresyl phosphate in MMO will make you walk funny.

Look up "jake walk", "jake leg", and similar.

Well, I learned something today thanks to Dan. Didn't think I'd be furthering my medical education by perusing VAF this morning, but here we are...
 
I absolutely LOVE marvel mystery oil ............
in my air tools.

My Lycoming io540 which has 20,000 hr total time and 3100 SMOH uses straight 50wt oil in summer and 20w multi in winter, sometimes with cam guard.
Marvel stays in air tools.

If I want to clean the engine internally prior to oil change, rather than use marvel, I’ll use a detergent oil which does a nice job.
Marvel stays in air tools.

In the prior century, before catalytic converters but after dinosaurs, I saw a man who I can’t name, rev up a poor running engine and pour automatic transmission oil down the carburetor. Smoked like a dickens yet was like honey to those valves. Wasting a whole quart of automatic transmission which was costly back then (whole dollar), Ford type f if I recall, but it was fun seeing all that smoke. Kinda like smoking up the sky but probably environmentally politically uncorrected.

Many moons ago before Exxon was Exxon when I was a teenager I worked at a gas station. We used to sell stuff to put in the carb to clean the engine out.
 
Engine cleaner

Many moons ago before Exxon was Exxon when I was a teenager I worked at a gas station. We used to sell stuff to put in the carb to clean the engine out.

I've used MMO many times, to clean auto engines. Squirt small amount in the carb. I use Sea Foam now. Can in the gas tank. Pour a little in the oil and drive for a bit before changine oil. Stick a vacuum line in the can and watch it smoke!
 
Bizarrely, in the UK it was called Redex.

Red upper cylinder lubricant.

You used to pay tuppence a squirt into your petrol tank as you fuelled. they assured you it would stop your motor from failing......

Utter bolleaux ;)
 
Instead of MM Oil in the fuel, why not run a quality 2 cycle oil, that is made to be run through the cylinder lubricating it, and is designed to burn in such a way as to not foul plugs.??? MM Oil is designed for use in air tools....

Maybe you're looking at the wrong product?? I'd like seasoned salt on my popcorn please..
 

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