Adding oil to fuel

[John Vigor]

Since many of us are going to be stuck with low-sulphur diesel fuel this coming season, has anybody given any thought to adding lubrication in the way of engine oil?

I know the oil companies say they've added something to the formula to make up for the new lack of lubricity, but it all sounds rather vague and airy-fairy, like mere corroborative detail added to lend verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.

I wonder if a dash of two-stoke oil added to each gallon of low-sulphur fuel would do any harm? Bio-diesel is the answer for those who can get it, but if you're cruising it might not be available everywhere, like engine oil or two-stroke oil.

What kind of oil might best be added to the new fuel, and how much? And would there be any adverse effects? Harder starting, less power, or maybe blue smoke from the exhaust that would attract the attention of the environmental police?

Cheers,

John V.

[bottomscraper]

Marvel Mystery Oil? I use it beause my Dad did. Maybe it's snake oil, who knows. Try to find some of the vintage stuff in the metal cans


[img]http://www.turtlewax.com/img/products/p ... iginal.jpg[/img]

[Joe Myerson]

Rich:

The Car-Talk guys swear by Marvel Mystery Oil, so you know it's gotta be good!

I've also been told that biodiesel will increase the lubricity of diesel fuel. If it's true, that would be a nice way of saving our engines, saving a bit on petroleum use and adding the smell of french fries to the atmosphere instead of C02.

--Joe

[John Vigor]

Thanks, guys. I think you've solved the problem. I can get B20 biodiesel here. For lubrication alone, B2 is sufficient, so I'll dilute the B20 with regular diesel. And for cruising, where bio might not be available, I'll carry some Marvel Mystery Oil. If it's good enough for Click 'n Clack, it's good enough for my old Westerbeke.

Cheers,

John V.

[Joe Myerson]

John,

When I first got my 25D (2003), I attended a Yanmar diesel seminar run by Larry Berlin of Mack Boring. There were some folks from Sabre Yachts in Maine there, and one of them asked about visiting Canada, where low-sulfur fuel was already in use.

Larry's advice--even back then:

"Try to arrive in Canada with an empty fuel tank, so you can fill up on low-sulfur fuel."

Somebody correct me here: I think Canada uses the same grade of diesel fuel that's in use in the EU. Does that have a higher sulfur content than what we'll be using?

--Joe

[Oswego John]

Hmmm. Sounds like dejá vu all over again.

At least, if not more than, a year ago, the subject of Marvel Myatery Oil (MMO) was discussed on this board. I am a fervent advocate of this automotive "snake oil" additive

Thinking back, I did mention having a *CAN* of MMO and it was soon brought to my attention that it now came in plastic containers. Just a Freudian slip on my part. It seems that I have a hard time letting go of the past.

The first time I witnessed MMO perform a miracle was back in the late 1940s. A friend of mine had a 1936 straight six Plymouth that was chugging along on five cylinders. He was preparing to rip the head off to see what was wrong. It was decided to first open the valve cover and take a peek. Sure enough, he had a hung up valve.

We daubed MMO on the valve guides, poured it into the oil pan, poured a can into the gas tank and poured some more into the carburetor. We then started the engine. For a few minutes we were laying down heavy smoke. Within fifteen minutes, the engine was purring like it did when new. I've seen this scenario reenacted many times since. I'm a believer.

So, can it be added to fuel? It certainly can. Actually, it is recommended to add it. This stuff is slick. It is also good to help keep the inner engine clean and carbon free. It's a wonder drug for your engine. (No, I don't own stock in the corp. Wish I did.)

By the way, if you're ever stuck for Diesel fuel, you can get by for a while on #2 oil burner fuel oil. Diesel oil runs cleaner, though.

Hmmm. I'm seriously wondering if this stuff would work on arthritis, rheumatism or constipation. Nah, probably not.

Have fun.
The willow trees are turning color and
the geese are on the move.
Think spring, keep the faith.
O J

[Ed Haley]

John, I can attest to the wonderful workings of MMO when added to the fuel tank according to the directions. I think it's 2 or 3 ounces per 10 gallons fuel. It cleans the entire system. So be prepared to change fuel filters often to keep the crud from plugging up the fuel flow.

If used in the crankcase as well as in the fuel, MMO can free up sticky valves and piston rings. Whatever it's made of, it sure works.

[plumber]

Every now and then you people hit on a subject close to my heart. My dad (with help from the boys,My brothers and I) restored a 1934 Ford Pheathen, followed by a 1935 Convertible coupe, and lastly a 1935 Pickup. At the time leaded gas was the norm and it never crossed our minds that when they stopped putting lead in gas that it would bother any of those sweet flathead V8's. But it did have some effects on them. We started putting a lead additive but that got to be more expensive than the gas and was eventually taken off the market. We were told about "MMO" by an old friend and started using it to satisfaction of my father, who is very paticular about those cars. We only have the truck and the '34 now but they are driven almost dailey during the summer and still purrrrrrrrrrrr like kittens. Thank You "MMO" .
Plumber

[Ted Gaidelis]

The contents of Marvel Mystery Oil are 74 percent mineral oil, 25 percent stoddard solvent, and 1 percent lard.

Ted

[Joe Myerson]

Ted,

Well, if it weren't for the Stoddard solvent, you almost could drink the stuff.

(Does it really contain lard?)

--Joe

[Ted Gaidelis]

You can look it up in a FAA crash report..

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_ ... 181&akey=1

[Carter Brey]

Biodiesel is great-- it increases lubricity, reduces or eliminates soot and odors-- but it can attack old rubber fuel hoses. I would think about replacing the old hoses with viton hoses. While you're at it you can replace those old, crappy hose clamps with AWAB non-perforated 316 SS hose clamps.

The same solvent property is responsible for the release into suspension of muck and grunge that might otherwise have spent its miserable existence minding its own business in dark corners of the engine and fuel tank, so the advice to change filters often is sound.

Carter Brey
Sabre 28 MkII #532 "Delphine"
City Island, NY
(Where the apparent temperature at the moment is 18F)

[chase]

Echoing what Carter said, biodiesel can wreak havoc on a fuel system. We run B100 (100% biodiesel) in all of our tractors/combine and have had no trouble except in our vintage combine. It cleaned 25 years of crud out of the system and had us changing filters, cleaning screens and bleeding injectors multiple times each day during harvest. While we weren't stuck out on the water, we might as well have been. B20 would likely not have the same effect, but be prepared for potential problems with an older boat, tank, etc.

I take 6 gallons of B100 each cruise and mix with diesel to achieve roughly a 25% mix. That amount covers a bunch of summer cruising. I leave 100% diesel in the tank over winter.

Carter, the hoses and clamps you mentioned, do you have a preferred source for these items?

Chase

[Oswego John]

[quote="Ed Haley"]John, I can attest to the wonderful workings of MMO when added to the fuel tank according to the directions. I think it's 2 or 3 ounces per 10 gallons fuel. It cleans the entire system. So be prepared to change fuel filters often to keep the crud from plugging up the fuel flow.

I have to say a few words in defense of an excellent product. MMO has been successfully marketed for as long as I can remember.

In my opinion, it wasn't MMO that caused the power failure in that airplane. More likely, it was the carelessness or ineptitude of whoever it was that fueled the fuel tanks. There must have been an awful lot of MMO in the fuel tank in order to change 18 gallons of blue fuel to a red color.

I wish that I had a nickel for every time that I have seen or heard tales of dock help haphazardly mixing two stroke oil with gas in a fuel can. 25:1, 40:1, 50:1. Ratio doesn't matter much to some people. Too often the dock hand removes the cap and dumps the entire bottle of oil into the fuel can and fills it up.

The most memorable time that I recall was when we towed an outboard cruiser home from the rip off Shagwong Point at Montauk. His plugs were fouled and shorted out after trolling with a too rich oil to gas mixture. He had no radio, his batteries were dead. The sun was going down and he was headed for the Azores if we hadn't spotted him.

Yes, following directions and using proper ratios for mixtures is important for achieving success whether fueling the tank, baking a cake or even mixing a proper D&S.

An afterthought. John V. Hmmm, I wonder what might happen with mixing a touch of two stroke oil to Diesel?

Whatever,
Think spring.
O J

[Len]

Ted,

Well, if it weren't for the Stoddard solvent, you almost could drink the stuff.

(Does it really contain lard?)

--Joe

Stoddard Fluid used to be used by dry cleaners to clean your clothing. They switched to "perc" (tetra somthing somehting) because Stoddard wasn't strong enough. Maybe you can drink it.