Marvel Mystery Oil

[lawsoncl]

Never thought I'd hear "Saturn" and "Reliable" in the same sentence! I have done the trick of Sea Foam in the cylinders to help free up stuck rings. Basically the same thing, naptha and a light oil.

 

[stoneattic]

Never thought I'd hear "Saturn" and "Reliable" in the same sentence! I have done the trick of Sea Foam in the cylinders to help free up stuck rings. Basically the same thing, naptha and a light oil.

When compared to Kia and reliable, Saturn and reliable is huge. We've been stranded by that POS Kia more times in 1 1/2 years and 29,000 miles than the Satrun in 16 years and 250,000 miles. I'm not kidding or exaggerating.

It's not that I loved the Saturn, but I had to respect how it just kept going and going with nothing but 2 alternators, 2 serp belt tensionor pulleys and normal maintenance. I was never into the engine or trans. When I sold it it was still running fine.

 

[Ecomike]

When compared to Kia and reliable, Saturn and reliable is huge. We've been stranded by that POS Kia more times in 1 1/2 years and 29,000 miles than the Satrun in 16 years and 250,000 miles. I'm not kidding or exaggerating.

It's not that I loved the Saturn, but I had to respect how it just kept going and going with nothing but 2 alternators, 2 serp belt tensionor pulleys and normal maintenance. I was never into the engine or trans. When I sold it it was still running fine.

I have a friend with similar experiences buying and driving pioties out of used Saturns.

 

[TomMcD]

Had several friends who were big on Saturn. From what I saw first hand it was well built and one of the most reliable American car brands for a good number of years. Which is of course why GM killed it.

I've used MMO in my airtools and had good luck with SeaFoam when I bought this current Jeep. One thing, if you're going to pour it directly into the intake to clean everything out? you might want to do it BEFORE you install your brand new catalytic converter.

Don't ask me how I know.

 

[Ecomike]

How do you know?


LOL.

Sorry, could not resist that one.

Good recommendation. Same goes for the O2 sensor.

Had several friends who were big on Saturn. From what I saw first hand it was well built and one of the most reliable American car brands for a good number of years. Which is of course why GM killed it.

I've used MMO in my airtools and had good luck with SeaFoam when I bought this current Jeep. One thing, if you're going to pour it directly into the intake to clean everything out? you might want to do it BEFORE you install your brand new catalytic converter.

Don't ask me how I know.

 

[TomMcD]

How do you know?


LOL.

Sorry, could not resist that one.

Good recommendation. Same goes for the O2 sensor.

Lets just say that I got to test out the Vatozone lifetime warranty only 3 days after I bought the converter.

I was up front with the guy about what happened, and to their credit they replaced it on the spot anyway.

 

[american_zero]

My '93 Country has 51k miles on it and is ticking pretty good. I chalked it up to the notorious piston slap that I have read is common on the H.O. and to possibly noisy injectors (my last Jeep, a '94 4.0, had pretty noisy injectors). I have had good success with MMO in the past on other vehicles, but for some reason, I hadn't considered adding it to my Jeep to see if it quiets things down. Next oil change I'll add it and see if it helps.

 

[DeftwillP]

The forums recommended pulling the spark plugs and pouring a couple of tea spoons of MMO into each cylinder and let it sit overnight. The next day turn it over a few times without the plugs to spit any MMO out. Put the plugs back in, fire it up and then change the oil.

To those in the know, would this procedure work for curing leaking valve stems? My #3 spark plug keeps getting fouled up after less than 5k miles due to oil leaking in.

 

[stoneattic]

To those in the know, would this procedure work for curing leaking valve stems? My #3 spark plug keeps getting fouled up after less than 5k miles due to oil leaking in.

Nah. Doing the MMO soak is for loosening sticky rings. If your oil is coming in through the valves you need new valve seals (and/or valve guides). Assuming you need valve seals, replacing them isn't hard.

Basically you need to:

Remove the valve cover
Remove the rockers on that cylinder
Pressurize the cylinder with compressed air (You need a fitting to adapt the air hose to the spark plug hole.)
Pull the spring retainer, lock and spring (You'll need a valve spring compressor for this. Many auto parts will lend or rent you one.)
Remove the valve seal (if it's still there)
Put the new valve seal on and reassemble

It's a good idea to have the piston at TDC when you do it in case you lose pressure. That way the valve doesn't have far to drop and you grab it.

I've heard of people stuffing a piece of rope into the cylinder through the spark plug hole and rotating the engine by hand until it's pressing up against the valve to hold it in place instead of pressurizing the cylinder but I've never done it that way before.

YMMV.

I'm sure there are a ton of posts on the net describing this in more detail as well as the rope trick (probably with pics) but I'm too lazy to look.

 

[winterbeater]

I did it the rope way once. Worked fine, but a little tedious. Remove spark plugs and valve cover. Turn engine until a cylinder is coming up on compression stroke. Stuff rope into the spark plug hole. LEAVE SOME COMING OUT OF THE HOLE TO GRAB ON LATER. Turn engine up by hand until it binds up. Remove spring with little compressor gizmo. Replace valve seal. This was on an old 413 Chrysler motor home engine. It still burned just as much oil. I went with hotter plugs and got away from Champions. Never had much luck with them on oil burners.

 

[hightime81]

Would it be a good idea to replace all the valve seals while you have the cover off anyways?

 

[DeftwillP]

I read somewhere on here that if you need to replace the guide seals, chances are the holes are warped anyway and you'll need machine work to get good seals. Any truth to that?

 

[joe_peters]

I read somewhere on here that if you need to replace the guide seals, chances are the holes are warped anyway and you'll need machine work to get good seals. Any truth to that?

The seals can go before the guides. I have replaced valve stem seals to stop cold start up smoking.

That said, do it with the understanding that if the guides are badly worn then the new seals won't last a long time.

 

[Ecomike]

Couple of thoughts. It may not be the valve seal, but a rare alignment of piston rings that got stuck in an alignment, and or trash on the oil control ring, or valve seal (carbon), in which case MMO treatment might clean out the trash, and loosen the rings. After MMO, I would raise the oil wt as step 2, if step does not solve the problem. Step 3 would be to try the silver can snake oil called Restore:

http://www.restoreusa.com/Engine_Restorer.html?gclid=CKuT_96ngaACFclg2godQhTRJg

I have had great (incredible) luck at reducing oil burning with this product! There is a thread or two here about those successes! (Seach "Ecomike Ford Taurus" in OEM forum here, or search "snake oil" here)

Lastly I have an old tired 4.0, 267,000 miles that has valves that stick and tick on cold start up. I have used Lucas oil additive and MMO on it over the last 5 years with some success, but what finally solved (solves) the problem is to run the engine briefly at 3500 RPM to get the lifters freed up so they rotate again, a trick 5-90 taught me.

If none of this helps, short of what was recommended below, a hotter plug on the oil fouling cylinder might help. Also check or replace the spark plug and plug wire on that cylinder!!!!!!

 

[Diamnd1]

I have run MMO in just about everything I have ever owned and it performs well, keeps parts clean and will make engines run less noisy and smoother. IMO.

 

[itbrokeagain]

So from what I am understanding, Rislone would be just as good as MMO?