kylemorley said: (quoted from post at 23:59:23 11/13/13) All my antennae tell me that MMO is bogus, but it just seems to work for what it is best at, unsticking rings, so I use it. I've produced several genuine miracle cures with it.
I have seen half a dozen analyses of MMO over the years, all of them claiming to be the real thing, and contradictory to the others. Either the makeup changes frequently, or the various ingredients answer to several different names, or maybe it just isn't that easy to do an analyses of a mix of different oils.
Like any engine oil product the formulation has changed with technology. This breakdown and description is from 2010:
70% Light Aromatic Oil (Pale Oil) - a Naphthenic Oil, so while it oxidizes faster than a Paraffinic oil, it does clean and dissolve sludge and carbon well and cleans up after itself from any oxidation. serves as base oil as well. [Naphthenic oils have more solvency and are more polar (they are attracted to metal more), but oxidize faster.
29% Mineral Spirits - Cleans Varnish very well. General cleaner. Also acts as an antioxidant.
38 parts per million (ppm) Boron - AW/EP agent, friction reducer, antioxidant
900 ppm Phosporous - AW/EP agent
1/2% 1, 2 ortho-Dichlorobenzene - EP agent as it interacts with Iron to form an Iron chloride barrier under any ZDDP or other AW additives. Also very good cleaner/solvent, and friction reducer
1/4% 1, 4 para-Dichlorobenzene - EP agent as it interacts with Iron to form an Iron chloride barrier under any ZDDP or other AW additives. Also very good cleaner/solvent, and friction reducer
I will add the following. Keep in mind that additives are a total sum game. So while MMO has 900 PPM Phosphorous and 38 PPM Boron the regular oil that you are removing has about the same if not more along with a lot of other essential additives. MMO has no calcium or magnesium for example which are common detergents used in engine oil at around 2000 PPM. These types of additives are LOST when you substitute MMO.
The dichlorobenzenes are a plus on the wear protection side and excellent detergents. But the chlorine component in them makes them a source of harmful acidic (HCL) by products of combustion which is why they are not used in conventional motor oil formulations. The chlorine content is rather small so used in moderation for short time treatment of a problem like sticky rings, valves, or lifters they are probably not harmful.
On its own MMO is a good chlorinated engine cleaner but a very poor engine oil. Used in SMALL quantities as an engine oil additive it is harmless and may be effective at dissolving varnish and freeing sticky or dirty components. Mixed in large propotions with regular engine oil and used for extended drain intervals it dilutes the oil viscosity in much the same way fuel contamination dilutes it, it contributes to the formation of corrosion producing acids, and it displaces and depletes the very robust additive package in the regular oil you are removing. The net sum at 5:1 mix ratio is almost surely negative.
Just to make it a bit clearer I have include a Virgin Oil Analysis of MMO and Rotella T6 engine oil below. What is in the MMO (top table) that is NOT in the Rotella T6 (bottom table)? And what is in the Rotella that is not in the MMO?
JMIO,
TOH
This post was edited by TheOldHokie at 08:37:09 11/14/13 4 times.
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