Found some people online that have added two stroke synthetic marine oil to their gas tanks as a fuel additive. It supposedly cleans up the valves and makes engines run better. I guess this was an old school mechanic's trick.
Has anyone tried it on their bikes, or even heard of it?
I tried it on my $400 '92 Civic and it did seem to make a difference I didn't measure MPG, but the engine ran much smoother and seemed to have a bit more power. I was planning on trying it with the GS, but forgot about it till recently.
Here's a link
http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91206
Here are some testimonials:
Quotedecided to try it out on our family van prior to driving down to Florida for vacation. The van is a 2002 Dodge Ram conversion with about 45K miles on the OD. The van had just had some basic service; oil & filter, air filter, coolant change, plugs & wires, brakes, etc., so she was running pretty smoothly - I thought.
After burning through the first tank full with the 2-cycle marine synth added, we started noticing a difference in smoothness, both at idle and during acceleration. At one point, during a rest stop, while waiting for my son to come out of the restroom, I asked the wife to turn on the engine while waiting so as not to kill the battery with all the accessories running. She answered that the engine was still running! This is a 5.2L V-8, and if I could not hear it in the past, I at least could always feel it vibrating. Not anymore - smooth as glass and as quiet as can be.
Our driving style didn't change over the course of the trip (highway miles), but gas mileage steadily improved, and by the time we got to Florida (approximately 780 miles) gas MPG had improved by almost 3 MPG!!
QuoteOkay - tried this in the wife's 83 Honda Shadow with fantastic results. Here's the story: She bought the bike for $300 earlier this year, hoping she could get it running after it had been sitting unused for years. She paid a bike mechanic about $600 to get it running, which he did, but it never ran quite right. It would hesitate, and stall after it had been running a while. Carbon deposits turning to goo and gumming up the valves perhaps?? The mechanic said that it could be vapor lock, but I felt that because it had sat for so long, that the motor really needed to be rebuilt. Since that wasn't going to happen, we decided to try the 2-cycle marine treatment. The results were almost immediate. A bike that ran choppy as hell now idles so smoothly, you almost can't hear it! During that first tankful, it hesitated one more time and had a series of load backfires (I suspect that years of gunk are be burned out). It has run great ever since! I'm convinced.
I think that is pretty much the deal with MMO (Marvel Mystery Oil). Actually, Lucus Oil markets a fuel and oil additive that is supposed to clean injectors and carbs and valves and and and. I tried it in my 35 year-old chainsaw that had been left with funky fuel in it for over a year (not by me). It was running very poor with no pick-up from idle. Then it quicky ran well with Lucus treatment. We used it heavy a few days to clear windfalls. When done I opened the carb to see if it needed a new kit and it was as clean as a new whistle. Was it the Lucus or just junk that would have cleared anyway? :dunno_black:
prs
:cheers:
Food for thought: Adding two-stroke oil to your fuel will have the effect of leaning out your mixture. If you're not careful, you could wind up with some pistons with the very uncool sunroof mod on the dome.
Don't ask how I know :oops: (it happened on an older two-stroke)
The take-away here is that you will lean out your mixture w/ 2-stroke oil. I'm not thinking this is a positive thing.
:thumb:
I add MMO now and then, it's basically a top end lube, it reduces cylinder drag and also lubes the guides on the intake valves, I follow the mixing directions on the container :dunno_black:
Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on June 15, 2009, 03:28:35 PM
it reduces cylinder drag and also lubes the guides on the intake valves
I'm not giving my opinion on this topic or saying anything. It just kind of hit me...
I would imagine my engine can handle lubricating its intake valve guides and reducing cylinder drag without having to add something to the fuel. If it can't, then I'm pretty sure it's time for a rebuild.
Quote from: ineedanap on June 15, 2009, 03:36:36 PM
Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on June 15, 2009, 03:28:35 PM
it reduces cylinder drag and also lubes the guides on the intake valves
I'm not giving my opinion on this topic or saying anything. It just kind of hit me...
I would imagine my engine can handle lubricating its intake valve guides and reducing cylinder drag without having to add something to the fuel. If it can't, then I'm pretty sure it's time for a rebuild.
Back in the day the Air Force use to add it to the fuel in the V-12 fighters, such as the P-51 Mustang during WWII....you tell me :dunno_black:
I dunno either, but it could be to keep the V12's supercharger oiled.
Placebo Effect. :)
Quote from: GeeP on June 15, 2009, 04:17:24 PM
Placebo Effect. :)
DING DING ! WINNER !
try taking a hardly ever run engine out on a road trip. before long it's either A) dead on the road (aka ford) B) running smoother than ever.
engines were made to be used, and used until worn out. sitting is the worst thing that can happen to an engine. run it, maintain it, and forget the snake oil. crude is much cheaper ! ;)