When I was in High School in the 60's a friends father always used Marvel Mystery Oil in his gas tank, claiming top valve lubrication was good. I have always wondered if this is a good move. We live in the desert and it does get hot here.
Does anyone know if this really works or are folks doing that just waisting their money? I assume, at the very least, it does no harm. At least adding only the small amounts it calls for on the instructions. Thanks.
Marvel Mystery Oil Usefulness?
Started by
Guest_Desert Donk_*
, Aug 06 2004 07:38 PM
8 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_BigNasty_*
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Posted 07 August 2004 - 06:16 AM
Just the modern design of parts, such as hardened valve seats and better metal in moving parts, in my opinion, make things like Marvel Mystery Oil pretty much useless nowadays 
From around the mid 70s and back, it was a normal thing to find engines that needed leaded gas to soften the repeated impacts of the valves in the non hardened seats and to help prevent galling the valves themselves while moving up and down repetitively.
With all the better parts, improved fuel refinement, closer tolerances in all areas from the fuel pumps all the way out the exhaust ports for the fuel to travel through, I dislike any additives that can cause a chance of gumming anything up or forcing parts to work harder, such as electric fuel pumps etc. The only fuel additives I trust are some octane boosters and fuel driers in the event I get some watered gas.
The best suggestion I can make is to keep your vehicle on a regular maintanence schedule for its fluids and fileters etc, as this will usually ensure that everything is getting good clean oil for all the moving parts
From around the mid 70s and back, it was a normal thing to find engines that needed leaded gas to soften the repeated impacts of the valves in the non hardened seats and to help prevent galling the valves themselves while moving up and down repetitively.
With all the better parts, improved fuel refinement, closer tolerances in all areas from the fuel pumps all the way out the exhaust ports for the fuel to travel through, I dislike any additives that can cause a chance of gumming anything up or forcing parts to work harder, such as electric fuel pumps etc. The only fuel additives I trust are some octane boosters and fuel driers in the event I get some watered gas.
The best suggestion I can make is to keep your vehicle on a regular maintanence schedule for its fluids and fileters etc, as this will usually ensure that everything is getting good clean oil for all the moving parts
#3
88pimpin
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Posted 07 August 2004 - 11:50 AM
Most of the fuel additives like Octane Boosters have no effect. They really don't add much octane to your fuel. If you read the label it talks about raising octane by points. After researching 3 different companies, the resul was that they are playing a marketing gimmick. A point is 0.1 not 1.0. So most octane boosters will add about 1 octane point to your gas. If you don't believe me, call them.Just the modern design of parts, such as hardened valve seats and better metal in moving parts, in my opinion, make things like Marvel Mystery Oil pretty much useless nowadays
From around the mid 70s and back, it was a normal thing to find engines that needed leaded gas to soften the repeated impacts of the valves in the non hardened seats and to help prevent galling the valves themselves while moving up and down repetitively.
With all the better parts, improved fuel refinement, closer tolerances in all areas from the fuel pumps all the way out the exhaust ports for the fuel to travel through, I dislike any additives that can cause a chance of gumming anything up or forcing parts to work harder, such as electric fuel pumps etc. The only fuel additives I trust are some octane boosters and fuel driers in the event I get some watered gas.
The best suggestion I can make is to keep your vehicle on a regular maintanence schedule for its fluids and fileters etc, as this will usually ensure that everything is getting good clean oil for all the moving parts
This also passes the "reality test". Tolulene is 112 octane. (you can't just add toluene) So if you put 1 gallon of pure tolulene in a 20 gallon tank of 93 octane gas, you have 112*1/20+93*19/20 or a total octane of 93.95, or 1 real octane point.
How can a quart give you more? Xyelene is 119 octane, so 1 gallon of this to a 20 gallon tank is 94.3 octane. Even if the tank size was 1/2 or 10 gallons, tolulene gives a 2 point increase and xyelene gives a 2.5 point increase. Now you can see why people make their own octane booster. Tolulene and Xyelene and petro based products. You can make your own octane booster a lot cheaper.
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#4
Guest_Desert Donk_*
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Posted 07 August 2004 - 06:13 PM
Thanks guys, I kind of thought that additives were bunk. But all those years ago my friends father was no idiot. He was head of a major corporation and put the stuff in his vehicles and boats. So I had to ask. I'm happy to hear he was not wasting his time back then. I won't bother now.
#6
Shadow_D
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Posted 09 August 2004 - 05:34 AM
I thought about trying that in my chevy a few years ago but I was afraid of burning a hole in the pistons, so I drank it instead1 gallon everclear and 5 gallons of gas dont know if it really raised the octaine but it sure made the exhause smell gooood
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#7
Seabronc
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Posted 10 August 2004 - 05:26 AM
My 2 cents. Octane is a measure of resistance to detonation. The higher the compression in your engine the higher the octane required in order to prevent premature detonation. If the engine is stock and you don't have detonation problems boosting the octane by additives is just throwing your money away. Ofcourse if your engine is designed for 93 and you are using 87 then spsend the bucks to put the proper octtane rated gas in it, it will run better and actually will probably get an improvement in gas milage. There is a lot unsaid here and we don't have time or space for the complete course in this forum, mucho designe factors left out of this commet. 
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#8
Guest_BigNasty_*
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Posted 11 August 2004 - 03:56 PM
88pimpin....
The ratios for the octane boosters.. I never thought of it like that and it does make sense
But going on the original thoughts of what I trust as a fuel additive.. although it really doesn't do much, I still trust it to not do any damage to anything, at least I haven't had any problems with gummed carbs or broken anything from it I haven't used any boosters in years though, just an occasional fuel drier in the winter as some gas stations near me get water in their tanks when it gets cold and rains etc.
The ratios for the octane boosters.. I never thought of it like that and it does make sense
But going on the original thoughts of what I trust as a fuel additive.. although it really doesn't do much, I still trust it to not do any damage to anything, at least I haven't had any problems with gummed carbs or broken anything from it
I haven't used any boosters in years though, just an occasional fuel drier in the winter as some gas stations near me get water in their tanks when it gets cold and rains etc.
#9
Guest_andersson_eighytduce_*
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Posted 12 August 2004 - 05:24 PM
Ive used marvel mystery oil, I ran it through a tank on my 81 bronco, and its really good to add to put a shot in spark plug holes on a sitting motor and let it penetrate before you start it up. It works good for airtools too but i imagine theres probably something better. I wouldnt think of it as a great fuel additive for todays cars, but as some one said already about older trucks and cars it would be a good idea, especially to cushion some worn parts.
Always remeber not to get gas at a station were the truck is dumping the fuel. The reason why is that the gas and the water in the tank will mix, and it usally takes around and hour for the gas and water to seperate itself from each other.
Just what I was told by my Dad, who used to work for Union Oil.
Always remeber not to get gas at a station were the truck is dumping the fuel. The reason why is that the gas and the water in the tank will mix, and it usally takes around and hour for the gas and water to seperate itself from each other.
Just what I was told by my Dad, who used to work for Union Oil.
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