Marvel Mystery Oil

[shady1701]

mineral spirits... hydrocarbons.. hydrocarbons.. hum....a simple mix of solvents.

http://images.shipstore.com/ss/images/mav/mavmmoMSDS.pdf

 

[s1120]

<font color="red">My truck engine is a 350 Chevy. I don't know if that means it is an overhead cam engine. </font>

Nope, it's an overhead VALVE engine. Cam's in the block.

<font color="red"> Anybody know what the usual cause for the valves to start sticking could be? I have always used 10-30 Castrol oil and changed it every 3000 miles.The oil looks dirty when I change it which I suppose is normal. </font>

Sticking lifter, and valves are mostly caused by oil varnish. Your oil is breaking down. Now unlike a deisel engine, when the oil in a gas engine is dark, and dirty, it's dirty. Change it. Now, you are using a good oil for that motor, and normaly 3k oil changes are good, but something about your use is hard on the oil. Wether it's just sitting, running hot, real hard use, whatever, you need to change it more. If the truck sits a lot, do the changes every 3 months. No mater what the miles. If you just use it hard, drop down to 2k and see what it looks like. I bet when you start cleaning it up, your lifter/valve problem will fix it's self.

 

[MikeIIA]

Thanks for the good info.
I am going to change the oil and filter this afternoon (and at least every 3 months). I will keep an eye on the condition of the oil too and change it when it begins to get dirty.
And again thanks for the insight. Very helpful and appreciated.
Mike

 

[bgott]

You also want to run a thermostat or make sure your thermostat is letting the engine get up to operating temperature. If the oil doesn't get up to temp you're going to build up sludge and varnish no matter how much you change the oil. Short hopping, where the engine never gets up to temp, is the worst thing in the world for an engine.

 

[MikeIIA]

Update...
Realizing this may a totally ICKY thing to do...
First let me say I do not really need this truck (...or the problems associated with it)
Probably should have been in a grave yard long time ago.

Here is what I did.
I changed the filter and replaced the oil with 5 quarts of Marvel Mystery Oil.
Yup... 5 quarts of Marvel Mystery Oil.
Started it up.
Idling it my driveway for about 10 minutes.
The oil pressure looked normal as compared when I had regular oil in it.
I drove the truck 9 miles and back to my acreage.(total 18 miles round trip)
All the while I was watching the oil pressure readings.
The oil pressure stayed the same all during the trip.
GUESS WHAT....
No more sticking valve problem.
Mike

 

[Bird]

Mike, I think you had a pretty good idea, and if it were me, I'd now drain out the Marvel Mystery Oil and put motor oil in it again.

 

[pruntyc]

Bird, if he watches the oil presure, I think it might be a good idea to leave it in a little while longer. But I would drive at a slower speed than the limit I think. If its doing the job, it may still have some more sludge it could get out of it. Not a long time, maybe another 5 or 10 miles. Then I would probably put oil back in and maybe a quart of Rislone, instead of one quart of oil to keep it from sludging back up. Of course I would check the MMO and see if it felt grity or looked real dirty, it so, then I would take it out real quick. And add the oil.

 

[Bird]

Dick, I wouldn't disagree with that recommendation at all.

 

[5030]

When you drain the MMO, strain it through a cloth rag and use it for something else. That's expensive to throw away!!

 

[pruntyc]

And if you want to really strain it good, put it through a coffee filter. It is slow, but to get all the dirt out I think it will work the best.