What Can We Do about the High Cost of Gasoline?

The price of gasoline is going up higher and higher every day. It is taking a larger bite out of our budget. Some folks have to make serious compromises with their food and healthcare budgets just to keep on driving that car/SUV/Old Jalopy!

Is there relief in sight?

All signs indicate that there is none.

The best we can do is to cut down on our driving, try to combine chores so that we make fewer trips and generally be very conscious of every mile we drive so that we do not waste gas.

Even when all of these steps are taken, there is still that sticker shock when we see the pump showing astronomical numbers when we fill up. Companies like ExxonMobil are making sinful profits and some of their CEO's are taking half a BILLION dollars in paychecks while rest of us average Joe's are suffering! This is an economic calamity that is hitting every pocketbook!

When I got exasperated with this and talked to my mechanic Bob about this, he suggested something that sounded almost like an old wives' tale!

He suggested that I put 6 ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil in the gas tank every time I filled the tank. he said that it would give me better gas mileage and help the engine run smoother and extend its life.

Being a skeptic about such claims, I took his advice with a grain of salt. Nonetheless, I decided to try it. The worst that can happen, I figured, would be a few dollars down the drain; on the other hand, if it works, it may be good for my car and my wallet, too!

Now, at this point, I must put a disclaimer. I have no financial connection whatsoever with Marvel Mystery oil, nor do I own any stock in this company or have a gainful employment with them. Neither does anyone in my family.

After I put the first 6 ounces in the tank when I filled up, I forgot all about it until I went for another fill-up. Being a finicky record keeper, I keep a meticulous record of the miles I get per tankful of gas on all of my 4 cars. At the time of fill-up, I noticed that my car got 60 extra miles for the tank of gas. I thought that my driving habits got better, there was less head wind, I probably inflated the tires just right, etc. etc. I figured another tankful would even the things out. But next tankful gave me similar results. Then I tried it in my other cars, one after another.
The results were the same - an average of 60 to 65 extra miles for the tankful. The cars seemed to run a lot smoother, too! I picked up a couple of quart bottles at Advance Auto Parts at less than $4 each!

Things were getting interesting! For about 65 cents worth of Marvel Mystery oil, I was getting 60 to 65 extra miles. You just couldn't beat that!

Being a Physicist, I had to know the reason why this was happening. So I started digging deeper to understand this. What I found out made a lot of sense.

Inside a car engine, a tight-fitting piston moves inside the cylinder. This piston has 3 sets of compression rings that prevent the combustion gases from escaping into the crankcase ( the tank that holds the engine oil). During the movement of the piston, the area of the cylinder near the top, between the top and bottom rings, does not get much lubrication. This causes friction, and therefore loss of energy. Translated, it means that we waste gas. Apparently, the Marvel Mystery Oil lubricates this portion of the cylinder, reducing the friction. This means that there is less wastage of gas, therefore better mileage! It also cleans the valve seats, reducing carbon build-up, and improves the compression in the cylinders, therefore helping burn the gas more efficiently.

When I admitted my skepticism and eventual acceptance of this additive to Bob, my mechanic (who also happens to be my friend), he just shrugged his shoulders and said that I should trust his judgment!

Ever since, I have been preaching the virtues to Marvel Mystery Oil to everybody I know, and they are getting similar results.

I felt I should share this experience with my friends on this blogosphere, with the hope that they can benefit from this and save money in this brutal gasoline warfare.

I found out something more about this company that makes it. This product has been on the market since 1923 - that is 84 years! - and THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED ANYTHING!

That says something about good old American ingenuity!

P.S. Some additional information:

All 4 cars were fuel injected, however the information on the bottle says that it works equally well with carbureted engines, too.

All 4 cars had high mileage, from 75,000 to 130,000 miles.

The information on the bottle gives specifics regarding warranties.
________________________________________________________________

RESPONSE TO COMMENTS POSTED HERE:


Thank you, folks, for your comments!

Joe, I would like to mention something regarding the 4 cars I have. When there are four drivers in the family, all four going in different directions on different schedules, and long distances, there is little choice I have! To make the best of situation, I try to save my money by using Marvel. It has worked very well for me, and saved quite a few bucks.

Chris, Marvel can be used in crank case as well, which I occasionally do to clean the crank case, crankshaft bearings etc. and to open the oil passages that seem to get clogged with gunk. It also helps quieting the rocker arms and lifters. I do not know about the compatibility of Marvel with synthetics, because I do not use synthetics in my cars. However, I will give you a link that you can go to, to find answer to this and other questions that you and others here may have regarding Marvel. I can only talk about my own experience.

http://www.marvelmysteryoil.com/

One interesting thing I found out from this website is the guy who invented Marvel Mystery Oil was the one who invented Marvel carburetor which was used in a majority of cars in the post WWI era!

nascarbum, I would like to reiterate my disclaimer. I have no connection whatsoever with Marvel, neither does anyone in my family. I do not accept payments from companies to promote their products. This gives me the freedom to speak my mind and be objective about what I say and write.

Jim, I appreciate your comment. I cannot ask you to believe in anything. That is your choice. However, if you want to benefit from my experience, you are welcome to do it. That was the sole purpose of this blog. I hate to pay those outrageous prices for gas, and I believe a majority of people do, too!

Manoli, Because I do not own a diesel vehicle, I cannot say. However, if you follow the link above, you may find that information.

http://www.marvelmysteryoil.com/

richnauer, dan, kevin and frank, I took the same attitude the first time I used Marvel. It worked for me, and I hope it works for you, too.

roger, I have not seen any fouled plugs in my cars. I believe the fuel injection system and computer management of the gas and air mixture, combined with very precise control of ignition timing may all have worked together to prevent it.

I like your idea of buying ExxonMobil stock. With the money I am saving, I may be able to afford a few shares!

Andy's idea of riding a bike is really good. It can help both ways, and will also make us feel a lot better about ourselves!

Thanks for your sharing your thoughts here.

-Searchbeam.