Marvel Mystery Oil vs Engine Restore?

[savatreatabvr]

Since finances are tight right now I've put a hold on rebuilding the old 454. If you've kept up with my prior post you know what my issues are with my 1973 Chevy c20 454. If not then the 454 is basically tired, kinda runs like I'm pulling a big A-S boat anchor, lol. On YouTube there are many videos on oil additives and Engine Restore seems to be the most popular but there are a few on Marvel Mystery Oil. I grew up watching my grandfather use both products in tractors, old trucks and boats but the crazy moonshine drinking, pipe smoking, dancing around in his baggy briefs old fart has since passed away so I never got his expert advise on which was better. No joke, he used to dance around in front of my friends in his baggy briefs, cool old okie but anyways looking online and averaging out the oil additive articles it's about a 50/50 tie between the two. Here's the big question, I'm wondering what would happen if I used both at the same time? Substitute a couple quarts of regular engine oil with a quart each of Marvels and Restore? Didn't mean to talk your ears off but has anyone tried this epic idea?

[andrewmp6]

Honestly i haven't used either one,Only thing close to those i have used was rislone engine treatment.And that stuff is good at quieting down a lifter tick.

[tucsonjwt]

Rislone helped my 73 454 run a little better. However, I think a lot of these additives just make the oil thicker. I had a mechanic recommend straight 40 weight oil, but I don't think that helped much. If you have no power it might be something else, like brakes hanging up. A compression test will give you more information, if you have not done one yet. The only additive I now use is BG44K, and it does help the old 454 run better - about $20 on ebay, but worth it. It is just a top end fuel system cleaner - won't help a sick engine on the bottom end.

[86c20]

check comp if you havent. if there all the same but low then you can try anything you want as you know you will need a rebuild. i have used15-40 and higher on old low poer crap motors. if nothing else it slows the leaks down lol

[bnoon]

Two different intended purposes Marvel vs. Restore.

Marvel will clear up the thick sludge and goo from stuck lifters and oil passages, help dry seals by making them swell, and do a general cleaning.

Restore is more for temporarily restoring lost compression by filling the groves in cylinder walls.

[Axle]

Restore is some thick syrup that will thicken things up and potential block partially blocked oil drainsépassages...

Marvel Mystery oil is mostly kerosene and will thin things out and help clean up deposits, and if things are bad, potentially block partially blocked oil drainsépassages...

I wouldn`t use either. If it uses oil between changes I`d up the oil viscosity. ie: 15w40 instead of 10w30, if it uses no oil, I`d probably stick with what I always use and drive it accordingly.

Alex.

[savatreatabvr]

My compression is around 120lbs per cylinder, EXCEPT for cylinders #2 & #6 and they're at around 95lbs or 100lbs each. I know I've got something wrong like maybe burnt valves or worn rings so I'm just looking for a quick temporarily fix to raise the compression a bit and make the truck more pleasant to drive. Don't get me wrong, the truck runs and drives good it just needs a little oomph!

[enaberif]

Originally Posted by savatreatabvr

My compression is around 120lbs per cylinder, EXCEPT for cylinders #2 & #6 and they're at around 95lbs or 100lbs each. I know I've got something wrong like maybe burnt valves or worn rings so I'm just looking for a quick temporarily fix to raise the compression a bit and make the truck more pleasant to drive. Don't get me wrong, the truck runs and drives good it just needs a little oomph!

95 is really low and 120 is low considering stock is around 160. But numbers don't mean much unless they are all consistent across from each other.

[Corts60]

None of these products will return you any power. Especially now that you know you have two dying cylinders.

The only additive I use in my engines is Lucas oil stabilizer and I usually only use it when an older engine is starting to show low oil pressure due to excessive bearing clearance.

[bnoon]

I used a compression tester hose to feed carb cleaner down into a cylinder on a 350. I made sure the piston was at bottom center to be able to get as much cleaner as possible. I then attached an air hose and cranked up the pressure gradually over a few minutes to slowly force the cleaner past the rings. Of course I changed the oil after. Compression on that cylinder went from 90 to 120 and ran much better. I thought I had stuck rings and this did help.

[Corts60]

Originally Posted by bnoon

I used a compression tester hose to feed carb cleaner down into a cylinder on a 350. I made sure the piston was at bottom center to be able to get as much cleaner as possible. I then attached an air hose and cranked up the pressure gradually over a few minutes to slowly force the cleaner past the rings. Of course I changed the oil after. Compression on that cylinder went from 90 to 120 and ran much better. I thought I had stuck rings and this did help.

That's pretty neat. I'd be interested to try this.

[savatreatabvr]

Originally Posted by bnoon

I used a compression tester hose to feed carb cleaner down into a cylinder on a 350. I made sure the piston was at bottom center to be able to get as much cleaner as possible. I then attached an air hose and cranked up the pressure gradually over a few minutes to slowly force the cleaner past the rings. Of course I changed the oil after. Compression on that cylinder went from 90 to 120 and ran much better. I thought I had stuck rings and this did help.

That's a new one on me but it makes since and I just may try it.

[justcuz]

I use 4 oz of Marvel Mystery Oil every oil change. I dump it in the filer. I also use magnetic drain plugs on all my engines and stick a round rare earth magnet on the bottom of my oil filter. I have 2 Suburbans with over 250,000 miles on them and no major engine work has ever been done to them.

It has been said that ATF can be substituted for MMO. I read somewhere that ATF has more ZDDP in it and helps engines too. I do know it is a high detergent base and will clean a sludged up engine real well. Gradual cleaning is always better.

Oil makes a difference too. I once bought a company truck that ran Pennzoil. Originally had a 2 barrel carb. It needed a valve job when I purchased it. I pulled the engine apart and the inside was black, not sludgy but black colored with sort of an ash deposits around the lifter castings. 10,000 miles after the valve job I got a deal on a 4 barrel intake and carb. When I pulled it apart the second time the inside of the engine looked brand new. The castings were clean as a whistle.
When I re-installed the heads I changed to Valvoline oil. I have been using Valvoline ever since.

[bnoon]

I've known people to drain the oil, put in 1-2 gallons of diesel fuel into the crankcase, crank it with the starter for 20 seconds with the power removed from the dizzy, let it rest a few hours, crank 20 seconds, rest a few hours, crank 20 seconds... repeat as often as you wish, then drain the oil/filter, and replace with new oil/filter. I know it works at least somewhat because that diesel fuel came out as black as night and was golden when it went it. I've also known people to free up stuck engines with diesel fuel too...

[justcuz]

Yep diesel works great to free up old engines.
When a boat racer flips and the boat sinks or the engine gets wet we pour a gallon of diesel down the carb to pickle the top end. When we get home we pull the engine and let it set for a couple weeks to let the oil and water in the crankcase separate. Then crack the drain plug and let the water out. Then drain the oil, pull the plugs and rotate the engine a couple turns by hand to expel the diesel. Now the engine is ready to pull apart for inspection!

[justcuz]

Yep diesel works great to free up old engines.
When a boat racer flips and the boat sinks or the engine gets wet we pour a gallon of diesel down the carb to pickle the top end. When we get home we pull the engine and let it set for a couple weeks to let the oil and water in the crankcase separate. Then crack the drain plug and let the water out. Then drain the oil, pull the plugs and rotate the engine a couple turns by hand to expel the diesel. Now the engine is ready to pull apart for inspection!
Whoops double post.

[motornut]

Ever try duralube?
used to be put in when changing oil,now just add it.
I used it first time on a block that was getting noisy,took a few 100km to notice ,but it ran better.
tranny fluid for oil?did that first in case something was sticking,no help.
a friend used diesel in his,we watched it seize up.....I'd only use it for soaking parts

[justcuz]

Diesel is used for pickeling and cleaning. I think the post about flushing the engine meant just spinning over, not running it.
I personally believe in the slower process over time. Just add a small amount of MMO or ATF to the oil and let it slowly do its job for a few oil changes.

[bnoon]

Originally Posted by justcuz

Diesel is used for pickeling and cleaning. I think the post about flushing the engine meant just spinning over, not running it.

Correct. If you notice, I even said to disconnect the power to the distributor (to keep it from starting). It would never lubricate enough to run an engine.

[Bigstevex4]

I put mmo in defiantly quitted up lifters and stopped it from using so much oil figured had stuck oil ring 250 /6

[MikeB]

I'd opt for one of the "high mileage" oils offered by Pennzoil, Castrol, Mobil and others before going with an additive. And use the heaviest weight available. I believe 20W-50 has higher viscosity at operating temperature than straight 40W.

[franken]

Is there a lot of goo if you pull a valve cover?
Put one in, drive, then the other.
There's nothing like good clean oil to keep an engine healthy.

[Gregski]

additives = snake oil

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by savatreatabvr

My compression is around 120lbs per cylinder, EXCEPT for cylinders #2 & #6 and they're at around 95lbs or 100lbs each.

Did you try squirting some oil in #2 & #6 to see if it will help the rings seal? That's one way to tell if it is a bottom end or top end leak. You may find that all you need is to lap the valves, I would much rather see you pull the heads off flip them upside down, poor some gasoline in the chambers and see which valves leak and then wire brush them clean and lap them with some lapping compound and elbow grease than poor any of this crap in your engine, especially since both low cylinders are in the same head

cost = new gaskets and your time

[Oregoon]

I second Gregski.

Tear it down and see what's up. Elbow grease is free.