Ampco Auxiliary Lubricator

[Richard Cope]

For those that use Marvel Mystery Oil in their gasoline, came across new old stock lubricators  that are being sold  by Ampco, see attached.  Was told that they are from the 50's era.  The injector plates are listed by year / manufacturer and sell for and additional $25 or so.   I use MMO in my 39 occasionally, seems to run quieter, considering installing one of the lubricators. 

[chrysler1941]

11 minutes ago, Richard Cope said:

For those that use Marvel Mystery Oil in their gasoline, came across new old stock lubricators  that are being sold  by Ampco, see attached.  Was told that they are from the 50's era.  The injector plates are listed by year / manufacturer and sell for and additional $25 or so.   I use MMO in my 39 occasionally, seems to run quieter, considering installing one of the lubricators. 

I have one in my other car. I use kerosene. Lowers the octane and slows burning. Much better suited for flatheads.

[greg g]

I don't get these things at all.  They advertise a TOP CYLINDER LUBRICATORS.  Ok on an old stove bolt or Buick ohv engines ther might have been a benefit to additional lube to those spindly rockers and valve guides and seals.  But what is there in a flat head that requires lubrication???  After the intake charge is lit off it's what smoke???  Does smoke lubricate anything.  Some guys say it keeps the engine from burning oil!  How? By adding a perfumed colored oil that gets burned instead.  It like saying I don't want any alcohol in my gas then putting a bottle of two of "dry" gas in the tank. 

 

The ingredients of MMO are

 

Petroleum distillate. aka oil

Stodard solvent (an industrial solvent used to clean machining lubricant from metal parts after they are machined and during production)

Red dye. ( the color they put in ATF so you know what's leaking)

 

Now this company wants you to introduce a vacuum leak connected to a glass jar with their version of oil, cleaner, color and lemony fresh odor...

 

Can't see any possible benefit except your money going to a giant retail con jobs CEO.

Edited April 21, 2021 by greg g

[chrysler1941]

Greg g you are 100% correct. Absolut no gain on flatheads except more smoke and waste of money 

That's why I use it for something else as mentioned earlier. And it's a good conversation subject at rallies.

[Polsonator2]

I use one in my '39.  Tops of my valves stay clean with it.  I think it works but if it happens to actually just be BS it is definitely a conversation piece at shows.  Gets a lot of attention.  I can also turn it way up to blow smoke on Teslas and Priuses.

Edited April 21, 2021 by Polsonator2

[T120]

My 1948 Dodge D25 was fitted with this type of oiler, ( not AMPCO), same idea back in the day... It is still there mounted on the firewall. I removed the tubing to the base of the carburetor at the intake manifold , and replaced the custom gasket with the proper stock gasket.... The oiler bottle was empty and wasn't serving any useful purpose  at the time. With unleaded fuel and added ethanol now the most common regular fuel at the pump, maybe it's time to consider reconnecting the oiler...I don't know. There has been others comment about adding a shot of MMO or Diesel to a tank of gas  - but how much? At least with using the oiler it can be metered. Just my thoughts. ?   

Edited April 21, 2021 by T120

[Sniper]

MMO has directions that will tell you how much per gallon to use.

 

Went and looked it up, 4oz per 10 gallons.

 

https://www.marvelmysteryoil.com/faqs/

Edited April 22, 2021 by Sniper

[Bryan G]

Last summer I started adding diesel with every fill-up of my flathead 6 Ford, generally 1-2 gallons per tank. Seemed to start easier and maybe run slightly better. I'd rather use kerosene but it's expensive and inconvenient to buy vs diesel. I stopped running it when temps cooled back down. The idea of the injector and kerosene sounds solid to me. 

[Loren]

Those oilers are especially valuable on Propane fueled engines. Propane is dry and there is zero lubrication to it.

With unleaded ethanol fuels I should think they'd be helpful.

Diesel fuel has more BTUs per gallon so adding a little can't hurt.

Jet fuel even more but I wouldn't go that way. lol

[T120]

Forum member,David Strieb, has a great looking 36 Chrysler C7 coupe that has been in the family I seem to recall since new and passed along through a couple of family members.The car has several hundred thousand miles on it. (2nd engine) It is fitted with a Marvel Mystery oiler and David attributes the car's longevity to proper maintenance through the years and also in part due to the oiler....A picture David posted years back.

 

 

Edited April 24, 2021 by T120

[Richard Cope]

I purchased one & received it today,   It is NOS, enclosed paperwork is yellow with age.  The container is glass unlike the one in the photo.  When get an opportunity will install and test out.  Last year started getting a slight valve ping, a theory was that the ethanol gasoline was cleaning the lubricant from the valve guides.  Added a few ounces of MMO in the gas tank and the ping stopped shortly after & hasn't came back.   Have been occasionally adding a few ounces of MMO since.  The engine has about 6,500 miles since a rebuild done around 20 years ago, have been using 30 wt HD oil.   The unit has a control valve, will see how low can adjust the flow to.  If it adds too much will shut it off and continue occasionally add to the gas tank.  Will be a conversation piece. 

[greg g]

Not familiar with term "valve ping" what do you mean by that?

[Richard Cope]

Couple of weeks ago went to a cruise night, granted the entrance to the parking area was on a slope and as I turned in the car was coasting with the engine idling.  Most of the cars at the show were muscle or street rods.  Later when I opened the hood, several individuals came over, they said that they expected to see that it had been converted to electric as they didn't hear the engine when I turned in.  The engine idles quiet, if I get too much MMO in the gas tank will get a puff of smoke when I pull out

[Adam H P15 D30]

I have to ask why bother?  If it's for the 'coolness' part or a neat 'gizmo' from the day, I totally get it!  No need to answer the why.

If you're actually looking for a benefit, I'd look elsewhere.  These engines will run on anything combustible and last many more miles than most will drive them.

[Richard Cope]

I'm not affiliated in any way with either Ampco or MMO or promoting their products.  I seen where probably 40 to 50 year old NOS Ampco lubricating units were being sold and thought would pass on.  I mentioned my positive experience by adding MMO in the gas tank, however this was my personal experience and not intended to promote the product.  Perhaps others have had negative experiences.  The ethanol gasoline we are using may be different along with the selected motor oils.  Based on everyone's own experiences either add or don't add additives, use or don't use a lubricator, I recommend use what works best in your particular car.  There are enough products on the market and custom blends that one shoe doesn't have to fit all.

[Polsonator2]

As I mentioned before mine works great and I can actually see the difference on the tops of my valves when I get it set right.  It keeps the surface clean and is easy to inspect by taking the plugs out.  I also run a PCV valve too so this seems to help keep the middle valves that are sucking in the brunt of the PCV vapors cleaner.  And again, I have put almost 50k miles on my 218 in my '39 in 5 years with my oiler.  How many on here have driven their flatties 50k miles in 5 years?

Edited April 27, 2021 by Polsonator2

[chrysler1941]

If this cold weather continues, I wont be doing 50 Miles this year. Global warming my A$$ ?

[Richard Cope]

Hi Polsonator2, 

Appreciate if you could post a photo of your injector plate with the carburetor, want to ensure that I have the correct plate.  Suspect that I am getting or have gotten gasoline with excess ethanol.  The summer that was getting tapping from the valves, also went through three mechanical fuel pumps.  All of the pumps were suppose to be alcohol resistant, however when disassembled the diaphragms were sticky & gummy.  Tried different gas stations and neutralizers however didn't know if it works until too late and AAA is bringing car back.  Switched to an electric fuel pump and that issue solved. 

 

[Polsonator2]

Richard, I am not actually using an injector plate at all.  I have a T pipe threaded into a port on the side of my intake manifold.  This T connects my PCV on one side and vacuum wipers on the other.  I have another T connection spliced into the PCV hose which goes to the oiler.  This T connector came with the Amco oiler.

Edited April 27, 2021 by Polsonator2

[Loren]

Just a thought, one eBay there are lots of parts for South Wind Heaters, one of which are carburetor base plates for the vacuum supply.

I don't know this for sure but it seems to me one of these could be used for the lubricator.

Stewart Warner sold base plates to fit most popular cars such as the Plymouth.

[Sniper]

When I was fitting the Weber throttle bodies to my Thickstun dual carb intake I had to make adapters.  I used some phenolic laminate to make them, it was fairly easy.  Some aluminum plate of appropriate thickness would work too.

 

http://www.yourolddad.com/tbi-adapters

[chrysler1941]

4 hours ago, Sniper said:

phenolic laminate

Yes and all the variants of Phenol, the wonder material invented over 100 Years and still used today. ?

[Loren]

Over the last century of automobiles the fuel has been the big variable.

What was sold as gasoline in the teens wasn't the same in the twenties and so on. When the government got involved with emissions there were 9 different blends of fuel mandated coast to coast and with ethanol I've lost count.

One of the problems engineers found with emission controlled engines is that crud will build up on the intake valves.

The strategy to keep this from happening was to chemically raise the temperature that this build up forms at.

The crud just moves to the combustion chamber instead of collecting on the valves.

That's what Chevron's Techron does (among other things).

Since you can buy little bottles of the stuff, that could be added to your Ampco oil vapor injector Marvel Mystery Oil.

Seems to me that might be a good thing.

 

[Richard Cope]

Thanks for the tip Loren, will give it a try.  Have two injector plates, will be using one and a friend using the other.  Width of plates are .25 in.  injector holes are very small, was going to measure however have wires in center of holes,  Either plate should work, however one has a smaller circumference where the line from the bottle connects, this may help with clearance.  Going to have to use longer studs to compensate for the plate.  The top has a regulating valve / or can be used to shut off.  Thinking of using a small flow, with perhaps every other tank of gas.  My heater has two mounting bolts that come through the firewall enough that a plate can be added, will mount the jar on that plate.