# MMO Marvel Mystery Oil - Why use it?



## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Why are you using Marvel Mystery Oil? Do you put it in with every gas fill up or just at the end of the season? Is this suppose to clean the carburetor? The active ingredients in it are Naptha and Stoddard solvent.

Techron is 5%-10% naptha, 35% Stoddard solvent, and 50% mineral spirits.

Toulene may be the best carb cleaner.


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## 524SWE (Jan 20, 2017)

from Marvel Mystery Oil's own MSDS it looks to me like it's mostly Naptha and Stoddard Solvent.

Component Concentration (wt%) 

Petroleum Distillates 
(Hydrotreated Heavy Naphthenic) 60-100% 

Petroleum Distillates 
(Stoddard Solvent) 10-30% 

Tricresyl Phosphate 0.1-1.0% 

Ortho Dichlorobenzene 0.1-1.0% 

Para Dichlorobenzene <0.1% 

PS: Toulene and Acetone work well but don't forget they will melt plastic at high concentrations, also Wintergreen Oil, found in some fuel conditioners, won't clean your carb but it will rejuvenate old hard rubber gaskets and 'O' rings, carb spigots and airbox boots too. Too long a soak will turn rubber mushy, as always moderation is best.


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

I see no good reason to use snake oil like that. Not one. Just the name alone implies it is snake oil. As has already been mentioned on the forum, but in other topics, so you may not have seen it- most folks like to stick to stabil type additives or pour a little sea foam in. As long as you use fresh clean gasoline 9 times out of 10 you won't have any problems. There is some strange movement out there as of late for some silly thing called "TRU-FUEL" but I don't get it. Too expensive, too.. mysterious.. like that MMO. In fact- I just remembered that the dealer I purchased my Ariens lawn mower from back in June/July had filled the tank up with some of that garbage when they assembled it and mentioned it might be a good alternative to gas and that they sold it. I passed on the offer. That first tank of fuel via that "trufuel" made that lawnmower run like crap. I was not happy. I was even considering taking it back to the dealer if it had not been for the fact that the dealer is 80+ miles north of me. After I used that tank of TF up, I filled it with fresh 85 octane gas from Shell. The thing ran like a champ from then on. 

Their claim to fame: 
*TruFuel* is precision-engineered premixed fuel with synthetic lubricants and advanced stabilizers that are specially made for your 2-cycle and 4-cycle outdoor power equipment. Our high-octane ethanol-free fuel protects your investment, saves you time, and helps equipment run the way you need it to

High octane doesn't work well in small non-EFI engines where I live at 6000ft as I have proven time and time again.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

*I was reading on parts tree to use mid grade gas. it does not have any alcohol in it because alcohol binds with water and that is when things run like crap.:2cents: I have yet to try this theory out just so youse know.mg::emoticon-south-park*


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## Mike C. (Jan 28, 2016)

POWERSHIFT93 said:


> *I was reading on parts tree to use mid grade gas. it does not have any alcohol in it .........mg::emoticon-south-park*


I guess that depends on where you live-ALL grades of gas in my area has ethanol in it or so it says right on the pump.


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## Mike C. (Jan 28, 2016)

GoBlowSnow said:


> ....... As has already been mentioned on the forum, .....most folks like to stick to stabil type additives or pour a little sea foam in. As long as you use fresh clean gasoline 9 times out of 10 you won't have any problems.....


Many people have told me they think Sta-bil is BS,but I beg to differ.I have left Stabil-treated, ethanol gas in my portable gen. for over a year.The generator started and ran just fine on that gas.I removed the gas and burned it in my snowblowers and they all ran fine.I found no white snot in the tank,either.

Last winter,the final can of snowblower gas I bought,I forgot to put Sta-bil in.I left my Toro 521 with a tankful of that gas until next fall.I looked in the gas tank and the gas had all kinds of snot in it and the engine ran like crap.

I conclude that Sta-bil must do what the maker claims.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

Mike C. said:


> I guess that depends on where you live-ALL grades of gas in my area has ethanol in it or so it says right on the pump.


*Around here the 87 has 10% but the mid and high does not. 1 night when I was up there I asked them about that 1.*


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## NJHonda (Feb 8, 2013)

sorry but I have been using tru fuel in 2 of my small 4 stroke machines and 2 of my small 2 stroke machines with excellent results. Been using it for many years with nothing but praise. Yes its expensive but in small machines like blowers, weed , chain saws its goes a long way. a quart a summer. Shelf life is years and no need to drain after the season, just shut it off and set it down. First pull 7 months later and its running well. Very little exhaust smell too and no ethanol. Awesome stuff. Its based off clear Coleman lantern fuel


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## 524SWE (Jan 20, 2017)

"Its based off clear Coleman lantern fuel"

Isn't that what we used to call White Gas, highly refined unleaded before unleaded came about?


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## classiccat (Mar 1, 2014)

I'm lucky enough to have E0 fuel at a gas station nearby...so no "snake-oil" is needed, nor do I need to be stingy with it.

MMO is great at dissolving rust and seems to be decent at preventing rust/corrosion. 

For example, after draining the fuel in my old school metal Briggs tank for the summer, I put a few ounces and swish it around. 

It's also a pretty good penetrant... it has a fairly low viscosity to begin with...even better if you spike it with some acetone.

Oh, it's also good for fogging your intake when the engine is taking its last breath of the season...it doesn't foul the plug as bad as fogging oil.


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## NJHonda (Feb 8, 2013)

524SWE said:


> "Its based off clear Coleman lantern fuel"
> 
> Isn't that what we used to call White Gas, highly refined unleaded before unleaded came about?


Yes it is also known as 'white gas' 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleman_fuel


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Yes all my gas here has Ethanol in it. The only non-ethanol gas sold at a specialty place is 91 octane only so given how crappy things run on high octane here, it doesn't matter. I've been running regular 85 octane (87 for you at lower elevation) mixed with Stabil-360 for a few years now and I have never had any trouble since then and I am quite happy at not paying an arm and a leg for "speciality" fuel in a can.


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## Motor City (Jan 6, 2014)

The Wintergreen oil softens carbon, in MMO. I've put it on the head of some Tecumseh flatheads, to clean the combustion chamber and let it sit for a day or two. Then scrap the carbon off with a razor blade.


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## scrappy (Dec 7, 2014)

The only mystery in MMO is the fact that folks still buy it.


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## Elt31987 (Sep 6, 2015)

Ive always used it in my vehicle at every fill up and all of my OPE gets a mix of MMO and Stabil. For how cheap it costs, if it works, Great!! If it doesn't, I've wasted much more money on much dumber things.


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## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

Wintergreen oil is used as an analgesic in topical ointments. It is very powerful and used in tiny amounts. For what ever that is worth? I have no doubt it can damage plastics and rubber.


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## guilateen02 (Nov 23, 2014)

I bought a gallon of the MMO a while back. It was on clearance at my local auto parts supplier. I have an 04 caravan that the plugs fouled up about every 6000 to the point that I would have to pull them and clean them up. I've been using about 6 ounces to a 20 gallon fuel tank whenever I remember. I haven't had to clean the plugs and its been about 24000. Can't say anything bad about it here.


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## CO Snow (Dec 8, 2011)

GoBlowSnow said:


> Yes all my gas here has Ethanol in it. The only non-ethanol gas sold at a specialty place is 91 octane only so given how crappy things run on high octane here, it doesn't matter. I've been running regular 85 octane (87 for you at lower elevation) mixed with Stabil-360 for a few years now and I have never had any trouble since then and I am quite happy at not paying an arm and a leg for "speciality" fuel in a can.


I've been using E0 gas from a pump (91 octane - not by choice but the only available option for E0) for 2 years here in CO at 6700 ft elevation without any problems. I use it in everything - snow blower, riding mower, string trimmer. I can't tell any difference in performance compared to lower octane E10. 

I don't routinely use it all year for the riding mower because I use gas pretty quickly. But I switch over to E0 in late fall to make sure that's what's in the tank for the winter.


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## vern7000 (Jan 1, 2017)

Ok, let me tell you a story, back in the day, 1968 to be exact, my Dad used MMO all the time.
But thats another story, I'll get back with ya on that 1.


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## BeerGhost (Dec 17, 2013)

MMO stopped a lifter tick in my old 77 dodge snow commander.
It good for cleaning up the internals of old neglected engines.


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## ih8thepackers (Jan 4, 2014)

There is some strange movement out there as of late for some silly thing called "TRU-FUEL" but I don't get it. Too expensive, too.. mysterious.. like that MMO. In fact- I just remembered that the dealer I purchased my Ariens lawn mower from back in June/July had filled the tank up with some of that garbage when they assembled it and mentioned it might be a good alternative to gas and that they sold it. I passed on the offer. That first tank of fuel via that "trufuel" made that lawnmower run like crap. I was not happy. I was even considering taking it back to the dealer if it had not been for the fact that the dealer is 80+ miles north of me. After I used that tank of TF up, I filled it with fresh 85 octane gas from Shell. The thing ran like a champ from then on. 

Their claim to fame: 
*TruFuel* is precision-engineered premixed fuel with synthetic lubricants and advanced stabilizers that are specially made for your 2-cycle and 4-cycle outdoor power equipment. Our high-octane ethanol-free fuel protects your investment, saves you time, and helps equipment run the way you need it to

High octane doesn't work well in small non-EFI engines where I live at 6000ft as I have proven time and time again.[/QUOTE]

I've used truFuel quite a few times,both the 2 stroke and 4 stroke type.i use the 2 stroke for my leaf blower,and the 4 stroke I used in my old Ariens 8526 Snowthrower at the end of the season,I would run the gas dry,then put truFuel in the take just enough to run it for good 10 minutes or so till it runs out.then store the Snowthrower till the next winter.never had a problem starting it for the first time the next winter...yes I agree it is expensive,but I don't use a lot of it..


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## NJHonda (Feb 8, 2013)

If i could afford it Id run tru Fuel in my cars. Thats how much I like it. 

Pure fuel with no gov't required emissions additives.

For things like chainsaws its an ideal fuel. You usually need a chainsaw in emergency situations and most of the time it sits. A quart of Tru Fuel sitting on the shelf (5 years shelf life) next to the saw and you will be ready for any emergency situation. No worry if you have 2 stroke fuel in the jug and whether its still good or spoiled.


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## pdesjr (Feb 7, 2015)

Stabil is to treat the fuel.Marvel treats the engine.It keeps carburetor parts moving.And lubricates and cleans the intake and upper cylinder.


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## Bror Jace (Jan 13, 2015)

I use a variety of upper cylinder lubricants, especially in OPE. While they have cleaners in them, they are primarily light lubricants that are designed to lubricate everything the fuel touches including fuel pumps, carburetors, fuel injectors, intake valves and (most importantly) piston rings as they contact the cylinder walls.


I especially like to use these in weak concentrations (100:1 to 200:1) during the break-in of new engines. Slow, gradual break-in of rings hopefully leads to a tight engine with the best possible compression and the least possible engine oil consumption. To avoid fouling, I typically only use them about every other tankful of fuel.


I use MMO, Lucas UCL and any brand of TCW3 (ashless) 2-stroke engine oil.


They usually have some cleaners in them … but are not usually strong cleaners themselves. I have heard many stories of the “shock effect” of introducing water, ATF and other sprays and liquids into the combustion chambers to break up and remove carbon deposits. Enjoy at yor own risk.


Want the mild cleaning effects of MMO … but in a slightly stronger form? Try Seafoam and the Gumout cleaner in the Seafoam-like bottle. I am not a fan … but they enjoy a wide following with countless postive testimonials on forums such as this.


Personally, for cleaning I use dedicated cleaners such as Techron or amine-based cleaners like Redline SI-1 or Gumout, etc … but I rarely need them in OPE. Maybe one treated tankful in 2-3 years.


Likewise, for fuel stabilizers, I use products designed for fuel preservation like Stabil (Marine or 360 formulas) as well as Briggs & Stratton 5 in 1 fuel stabilizer. Other products such as Seafoam or Startron may work, but I'm sticking with what I know. Ethanol free fuel is available in my area (Stewarts 91 octane) but I only use it in my S2000 sports car. As long as I don't let fuel sit for too long (2-3 months), I don't have a problem with the E10 in this area.


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