MMO in the Gas

[Model A Ron]

I have not used Seafoam in my Model A but I have only heard good things about it.

[Dino's A]

I use it in the gas to attempt to put some kind of layer of oil
to coat the tank. The old timers in my club told me it was good
stuff, and I trust them. I also like the smell of it.

[GPierce]

MMO use is wide spread in the antique and classic aircraft community to prevent valve sticking caused by the high lead content in todays 100 octane leaded fuel. Known as AVGAS.
The low or no lead 80 octane is no longer available.
MMO is available from aviation supply houses.
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal...loilgallon.php
Be sure to scroll down and read the OVERVIEW

[Werner]

Hey,

please tell me, what's "wintergreen oil"?

Thanks in advance,
Werner


An 1946: Very nice old rare airplane!

[jack backer]

I’m curious to the proven effects. Sure, if you put oil in the fuel it will provide “top end lubrication” but why do you need top end lubrication? We are discussing a simple low compression engine with wide piston rings.. upper cylinder lubrication occurs naturally with it.. oil leakage by the rings is unstoppable.extreme upper cylinder/ combustion chamber temperature which strips this lubrication, and MMO lubrication is mainly caused by the manual spark control, engine timing is almost never correct, especially accelerating. If it makes you feel good do it, petroleum distillates with detergent is handy around the shop.

[Jemelton#]

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Along with using MMO in my 29 Tudor I find that it makes a good air tool oil!

[stickshift]

Originally Posted by jack backer

I’m curious to the proven effects. Sure, if you put oil in the fuel it will provide “top end lubrication” but why do you need top end lubrication?

Top end lubrication usually refers to in-head valves and valvetrain. Ford was one of the last companies to switch over from flatheads. Chevrolet had their in-head valve six cylinder in 1929. Rambler still made flatheads 'till 1965.

[jack backer]

Originally Posted by stickshift

Top end lubrication usually refers to in-head valves and valvetrain. Ford was one of the last companies to switch over from flatheads. Chevrolet had their in-head valve six cylinder in 1929. Rambler still made flatheads 'till 1965.

I’m referring to upper cylinder lubrication, a slight amount of mmo in the fuel or a slight amount of oil in the combustion chamber, extending valve seat life, or so they say.. didn’t mean to mislead..in my opinion you could use ATF, it’s a fine distillate with a solvent/ detergent additive..or don’t use anything..

[Terry, NJ]

Originally Posted by Werner

Hey,

please tell me, what's "wintergreen oil"?

Thanks in advance,
Werner


An 1946: Very nice old rare airplane!

Werner, There is a small Plant with little white berries (edible) that grows in our woods here. The name of this plant is Wintergreen and it has a strong, yet pleasant taste and smell. It's a sort of Menthol. It is the smell that they've synthesized and are using to cover the smell of the Paradiclorobenzene. Perhaps I'm wrong, perhaps it does contribute more than a cover smell to the whole concoction.
Terry

[SAJ]

Werner, wintergreen oil contains methyl salicylate. An ester of salicylic acid and methanol. It is a good wetting and creeping agent on metals, smells nice and is useful as an embrocation on the human body to relieve pain in tired muscles. It is related to aspirin (acetyl salicylic acid) in the way it works for muscular pain relief.
It also works in the vapor phase to soften hard rubber in articles like go-kart tyres, to give better grip for racing. Possibly made illegal now in the go kart racing fraternity
Is that too much information?
SAJ in NZ

[Phil Brown]

Originally Posted by jack backer

I’m curious to the proven effects. Sure, if you put oil in the fuel it will provide “top end lubrication” but why do you need top end lubrication? We are discussing a simple low compression engine with wide piston rings.. upper cylinder lubrication occurs naturally with it.. oil leakage by the rings is unstoppable.

I've been following along and this has been my thoughts as well. Most of the time I spend trying to keep oil OUT of the combination chamber

[duke36]

Some use ZDDP zinc additive for flat tappet motors since zinc is banned from fuels due to catalytic convertor issues with zinc. If there is test data for all these additives, it would be good to see them.

[J Franklin]

Originally Posted by duke36

If there is test data for all these additives, it would be good to see them.

With the advances in AI could you believe test data? At least MMO admits there is mystery!

[[email protected]]

My Grandfather and Father built a corner Gulf gas station before WWII in Boone County, IL. My Father shared stories of how a lot of local car owners would bring their cars in to be "de-carbonized" .. They would tell the owner to give them a day to do the work of taking the head (s) off. Then they would coat the piston tops and the heads with MMO and let it sit overnight. The next morning they would come in and use shop rags to wipe the pistons and heads completely clean . Easy Peezey.... No brass wire brusheswere needed.

[jack backer]

A teaspoon of un cooked rice sprinkled it no the carb at 1200 rpm decarbonizes in a snap

[stickshift]

Originally Posted by jack backer

A teaspoon of un cooked rice sprinkled it no the carb at 1200 rpm decarbonizes in a snap

I heard the same thing about Bon Ami, not sure I would want to try it though.

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by stickshift

I heard the same thing about Bon Ami, not sure I would want to try it though.

Bon Ami to settle in new rings (it is abrasive). Rice would ricochet around the combustion chamber and remove carbon like sand blasting it.
Another way to remove carbon is to spray water in the carburettor intake till the motor stats to miss. Then stop till it runs smooth again. Then, spray again only more till the engine stops. Leave it overnight and when it is run next morning, the carbon will vanish. This works by dampening the carbon and allowing the water to penetrate it before starting the motor. The sudden, extreme heat of combustion causes the water to explosively turn to steam, blowing the carbon off the chamber walls and out the exhaust. Yet another way is remove he head and physically do it but that is hard work.

[GPierce]

A newly rebuilt engine running in as test cell with high crankcase pressure caused by blow-by from rings not seated were cured by a handful of bon-ami thrown into the intake. You could the crankcase pressure drop immediately.

I had an Opel Kadet leaking water into one cylinder while parked. It ran fine. I pulled the head and found exactly what Synchro909 explained; a perfectly cleaned head, valves and piston.

[stickshift]

This makes sense with the water. I remember in the early to mid-seventies when the oil embargo caused gas prices to go up to 50 cents a gallon. People were hooking up water injection to their engines so they could run cheaper gas. It prevented detonation and improved mileage. I guess kept the cylinders clean too. I don't know why people stopped doing this. I remember seeing the kits in Warshawsky and JC Whitney catalogs.

[jack backer]

If you really want to clean it up instead of using water in the vapor draw system use ethanol.. did that on a 400M ford V8.. turned the tail pipe white.. noticeable increase in performance.