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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: john fish on May 26, 2025, 07:46:17 AM

Title: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: john fish on May 26, 2025, 07:46:17 AM
Marvell Mystery Oil.
Techron.
Gumout.
Sea Foam.
Grandma Clampetts cure-all.
Anything else.

Anybody think any of this stuff is useful?
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: Dirk_S on May 26, 2025, 08:00:20 AM
Lake Speed, Jr (The Motor Oil Geek on YouTube) says they *can be good for fuel systems, but bad as engine oil additive. I’ll trust the scientist / racing engineer.
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: StuCorpe on May 26, 2025, 08:08:35 AM
Back in the 1950's Marvel Mystery Oil made what they called an Inverse Oiler that mounted to the fender sidewall under the hood and had an adaptor plate that mounted on the intake manifold and the carburetor to inject the oil into the intake fuel stream.  It took a quart of oil per 1,000 miles of driving.  Some previous owner had mounted one on the 52 Mercury flathead that I owned.  I don't know if it actually did anything other than consume the oil but I did keep it filled up as long as I owned the car.
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: Perazzimx14 on May 26, 2025, 09:13:34 AM
Snake oil
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: twowings on May 26, 2025, 09:19:19 AM
Actually, MMO is quite useful...ask an old-school aircraft powerplant mechanic
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: Turin on May 26, 2025, 10:10:53 AM
I can't speak to the effectiveness of the oil and fuel additives, as I can't actually see them working. Gumout is a different story. It's great for blasting off all kinds of crud.


(https://i.ibb.co/FbVrh6mM/20250402-180737.jpg) (https://ibb.co/FbVrh6mM)


I'm a fan of Berrymans carb cleaning products.
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: Trialsman on May 26, 2025, 10:57:34 AM
I used to use MMO when there was a rotary engine with stuck apex seals usually due to carbon build up.  I would pour it in every orifice and let it sit for a week.  Every singe engine turned over when I came back.  As for the others, I think they may be more hype.
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: Moparnut72 on May 26, 2025, 11:06:22 AM
We used MM in the radials we overhauled on the initial breaking run. Seafoam has worked real well for me cleaning lightly gummed up carburetors. Used in the marine world since I was a little kid which was a loooong time ago as a fogging oil especially on two strokes.
kk
 
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: StuCorpe on May 26, 2025, 11:44:27 AM
Here is what their inverse oiler looked like.  If someone still wants one they can find it on Ebay for about $500.
(https://i.ibb.co/938PK97s/MMOIO.webp) (https://ibb.co/938PK97s)
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: Dr. Enzo Toma on May 26, 2025, 12:04:20 PM
The question is, what are you using it for?

I've had good experience with it on air systems, especially after rebuilding vacuum wipers on antique cars. I know it's also popular to use on air tools. On antique motorcycles, especially those with total loss oiling systems, folks add it to the gas to help with top end lubrication similar to premix in older 2-strokes.

Things it's not good for are modern EFI engines that are stock. Burning oil like that is no good for the o2 sensor or the exhaust catalyzer.
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: JJ on May 26, 2025, 01:51:49 PM
Actually, MMO is quite useful...ask an old-school aircraft powerplant mechanic

My late father was a B-17 mechanic stationed in England, and told me they used MMO often and successfully in rebuilding and repairing B-17 engines...


(https://i.ibb.co/m5W6KqYn/IMG-8207.jpg) (https://ibb.co/m5W6KqYn)

(https://i.ibb.co/dY2r5r2/IMG-8201.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dY2r5r2)
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: twowings on May 26, 2025, 03:51:49 PM

(https://i.ibb.co/9FZgNnD/e9e5135a-0b95-42d3-97bd-635037b24ce6-1024x1024.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9FZgNnD)


For future reference...
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: michaell32 on May 26, 2025, 04:13:38 PM
I have used Seafoam 10 minutes before an oil change and it removed the ticking from stuck hydraulic lifters.  Other than that I haven't tried anything else. 
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: Guzzidad on May 26, 2025, 05:58:26 PM
   I've used MMO to clean and lubricate the chains on a couple of Triumphs I had. Doesn't sling off and lubricates well.
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: slowmover on May 26, 2025, 09:00:18 PM
What about

(https://i.ibb.co/hJ7GDKr9/IMG-4176.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hJ7GDKr9)
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: Guzzidad on May 26, 2025, 09:18:42 PM
    I remember Slick 50. That stuff was the real deal.
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: PeteS on May 26, 2025, 09:24:40 PM
Any more I use MMO in air tools. I have had it so long I forgot what I bought it for??
As for STP, I understand its a Viscosity Index Improver. Turns 10-30 to 10-50 or something like that.haven’t used it in decades.


Pete
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: ridingron on May 27, 2025, 12:53:40 AM
I haven't seen STP in decades! Still available? Their big splash was almost winning the Indy 500 many years ago in a turbine powered car. I think they still took home a large purse for leading laps.

I used the MMO in air tools also.
Title: Re: Marvell Mystery Oil?
Post by: kballowe on May 27, 2025, 06:29:49 AM

The FTC sued the Slick 50 manufacturer (and others) for false advertising.

Source:
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/1997/07/quaker-state-subsidiaries-settle-ftc-charges-against-slick-50 (https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/1997/07/quaker-state-subsidiaries-settle-ftc-charges-against-slick-50)