Snake Oil Science

[FMSPEED49]

The other thread was way too long....... so I startred a specific one

Here's the details.....

1949 D29 L6 230ci

Stock carb

.40 over pistons, clean as a whistle.

2" exhaust w/ 18" glasspack

Sat in a field for more than 10+ years

Valves set to spec with go-no-go

Crancase vent checked - clean and free

Aprox 1000 miles since revived.

1 real good overheat after freeze plug blow out ( aprrox 240 degrees)

New head gasket

Fresh rotella oil and wix filter.

Problem: uses 1 qt of oil per 100 miles, blows smoke at hard acceleration.

Solution: ol' timer trick, Bon AMI houshold polishing cleanser down the carb.

[FMSPEED49]

Theroy : The powder will "hone" the glazzed cylinder walls and seat the rings

For scientific purposes, I just pulled compression

Carb wide open

air cleaner removed

15amp batt charger hooked to keep her steady

coil grounded

motor cold, aprox 70 degrees in shop

ment to check the humidity, but forgot

cyl 1 70lbs

cyl 2 70lbs

cyl 3 73lbs

cyl 4 71lbs

cyl 5 70lbs

cyl 6 74lbs

Stay tunned

[FMSPEED49]

BTW,

I don't need the negative feedback or opinions,

my motor, not yours, my dime not yours.

If you wanna cheer me on, thanks. If you wanna laugh, after I am picking pieces up off the floor, I'll join you.

[Niel Hoback]

I am axiously awaiting your results as I have an engine doing the same thing.

I have seen this done, but I was a little kid then and didn't really get what was going on. At that time it was remedy used when you couldn't afford a ring job.

My engine also was rebuilt some time ago, I have no idea when, bored .040 over and the walls are clean and shiny.

If it works for you, I will try it. If it doesn't work for me, I will put in the spare 230 thats been sitting here in reserve for some time now.

I want this to work so bad I'm already looking for Bon Ami.

[FMSPEED49]

Put the plugs back in, reassymbled the linkage, and started her up, ran her around the block 3 times to get her to operating temp. 180 degrees

20 coca cola bottle, cleaned w/ carb cleaner

1 tablespoon of powder

the rest 89 octain unleaded.

Shaken, not stirred ( i had to say that)

ran the car at aprox 2000 - 2500 rpm

fan to the radiator

poked small hole in side of bottle

dribbled solution into carb over a 10 - 15 minute period

Adverse affects = NONE

Smoke = NONE

had to adjust idle up aprox 1/2 turn (compression rising???)

Sounds better (isn't that scientific)

Let it Idle for a minute

Shut her down, gonna let her cool, then test drive for the scientific seat of your pants test.

I will repull compression after she has cooled back down to the same temp as the first test.

Stay tuned.......

[FMSPEED49]

I am axiously awaiting your results as I have an engine doing the same thing.

I have seen this done, but I was a little kid then and didn't really get what was going on. At that time it was remedy used when you couldn't afford a ring job.

I want this to work so bad I'm already looking for Bon Ami.

Ive used it for chrome rings on motorcycles, but have always heard the rumors too, so I figured I would be the guinnie pig.

BTW, the "tire shaving" white walls are true also.

You can find it at your local grocery for 89 cents.

[Don Coatney]

I was going to ask if you put it in wet or dry. I was thinking of mixing it in water not gasoline. If this test fails are you gonna try it in the powder form? I was also thinking it might be possible to use a tube and blow the powder to the top of the pistons through the spark plug hole. Then reinstall the plugs and fire it up. How did you determin how much to use? Seat of the pants? Follow these links for more information.

http://forums.aaca.org/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/238575

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/mc-engine/message/14215

[FMSPEED49]

Used the dry powder, and mixed it with fuel, would have gone water but i have NO carbon build up on this at all.

The tablespoon was just seat of the pants, figured 20oz of fuel and 1 tblspoon should be a mellow mix.

Off for the test drive.

[Heavy Flat Head]

Please keep us posted if this works or not. I have heard this years ago but never had the guts to try it on a new engine. For that matter not on a old one either. Hope this works because this does seem to be a problem on rebuilt motors from time to time.

Ed.

[FMSPEED49]

Test drive.

10 minute drive, varied speeds from 0 - 60 mph

Feels quite a bit more responsive. Idles smother. Sounds better.

Pulled up the local hill with quite a bit more omph.

Will need to wait for cool down to check compression so that it will be accurate.

Also will drive with buddy following me tonight to do the "smoke in the headlights" test.

The idle is now set more than half a screw in , to obtain the same idle.

[FMSPEED49]

Couldn't wait, motor still warm, pulled compression on first 2 cylinders

BEFORE

cyl 1 70 lbs

cyl 2 70 lbs

AFTER

cyl 1 85 lbs

cyl 2 87 lbs

[FMSPEED49]

ok so the motors pretty cooled off, probably not all the way

every cylinder is AT LEAST 15lbs higher than the first test.

BEFORE

cyl 1 70 lbs

cyl 2 70 lbs

cyl 3 73lbs

cyl 4 71lbs

cyl 5 70lbs

cyl 6 74lbs

AFTER

cyl 1 85 lbs

cyl 2 87 lbs

cyl 3 86lbs

cyl 4 86lbs

cyl 5 88lbs

cyl 6 90lbs

There the answer , YES it works.

Now I am debating, doing it again tommorow morning, just to see if the results come up any more.

The smoke test (in the headlight, will be tonight)

[NatesSedan]

Wow, pretty dramatic! A second dose would be interesting. Thanks for taking the time to do the tests.

[Niel Hoback]

Well, I guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow!

[FMSPEED49]

Yup, seems to have worked really well, better than I anticipated.

On a side note, If you do this, have a spare set of plugs ready, 20 oz of fuel straight down the throat fouled em out pretty good.

Pretty sure , I'll hit it again tommorow just for more entertainment, and do the smoke in the headlight later tonight.

I will also pick up a fresh oil filter and oil.

I am going to look closely at the oil when I drain it , It was brand new, The powder has a clouding effect on the gas, so in theroy, it would do the same if it got in the oil.

[Niel Hoback]

I am considering sprinkling the powder in dry. Seems to me that mixing it with gas would dissolve much of the abrasives if they are soluable. My oil is very well used anyway.

How does Comet cleanser compare to Bon Ami on the grit scale?

[FMSPEED49]

Everything i was ever told or read, was to only use BonAmi, and never use anything else, But i really don't have that answer,

I just performed a finger test (very scientific) and it seems quite a bit less abrasive then i remember comet or any of those to be, almost has the texture of baking power .

[Norm's Coupe]

I for one would never put something like Bon Ami in my engine. However Bon Ami makes a great cleaner to clean grease on the garage floor. Just wet the area with water, pour the BonAmi powder over it and let it stand for about 10 minutes or so. Then take a stiff brush or floor broom and lightly scrub it in a little, then rinse. Nice clean floor after that.

[Niel Hoback]

Bon Ami it is then.

[FMSPEED49]

Bon Ami it is then.

NO ! NO ! don't use that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I can sell you some "MAGIC MOTOR POWER" for lets say 20...... no.... 50 dollars american. jk

Good Luck, I will probably hit it again in the morning.

I am still contimplating my mix vs. straight powder, so we'll see.

[NatesSedan]

But I can sell you some "MAGIC MOTOR POWER" for lets say 20...... no.... 50 dollars american. jk

But wait theres more....

Not sure I would do the straight powder. You had good success before...dont tempt the fates.

[greg g]

Bon Ami is based on a different mineral than other Clensing powders ( usually Silicate based). Its advertising used to feature a very young chick (poultry type) coming out of an egg, and the slogan was Hasn't Scratched Yet. The only other one I know of that is based on the same mineral is Bartenders Friend which was used for behind the bar cleaning and polishing glassware.

Bon Ami's active ingredients are the mild abrasives sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate and feldspar.

[mackster]

WOW! BON AMI for me then! I got a little smoke when at high idle. gotta get it running again and then try it . . .Thanks for sharing FMSPEED! are you gonna do it again? dry? I need to know! how about the lights test?

[FMSPEED49]

Got lazy and didn't go driving tonight, I will add more tommorow out of curiosity, but I will probably still mix it with fuel.

Also, If you attempt this, fashon a piece of card board in between the fan and the carb to block the air, or it will blow the mixture everywhere.

[FMSPEED49]

Round 2 (ding ding)

Pull cold compression, same specs as the high ones last night (whoo hoo)

Stared, contimplated, stared, comtimplated.

1 Tablespoon Of BonAmi

1 cup of unleaded (full 20 oz yesterday)

Shaken well

Down the throat.

Adverse Affects = NONE

Test dirve = No real noticible gain. (unlike yesterday)

Idle, same setting.

Waiting for cool down to pull compression.

Stay tuned.........