MMO for a new vehicle?

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AMC

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My truck (see my sig) has a little over 2,000 miles on it and I am happy to report that it is running well. I was thinking about running my first dose of MMO this fill up and then repeating every 2,000 miles or so. My hopes would be that the MMO would keep the fuel system clean and lubricated from early in the vehicle's life. The vehicle doesn't always see top tier gas because I use gas points at stop&shop gas stations (not sure what brand gas it is but they are brand new tanks/pumps) and get the gas 30 cents off per gallon which is just too good to say no to.
All that being said, would this be a good idea or am I crazy? Should I be using something else instead?
In some ways I am worried about stripping some of the lubricants out of the fuel system that MAY (not sure about that) have came from the factory. Also my engine is a direct injection system so I am not sure how those engines respond to fuel system additves. Please give me your input and thoughts on this, Thanks!
 
I personally think it is a waste of money. I got rid of my last car (a '94 Grand Prix with the 3100 V6) and I probably ran a fuel system additive 1 or 2 times in it its entire life. 212k miles. It had a few issues when I got rid of it but it never had a fuel system problem. I also took the fuel injectors out of a 3.1L V6 in a '91 Corsica I had and inspected them under a microscope. They were very clean with minimal deposits and I never used a fuel system cleaner either. The car had around 110k miles on it at the time. I worked at the Delphi fuel injector plant at the time.

No Chevy Silverado has ever been made with direct injection. Maybe in 2012 or 2013 the Gen V V8 will come out with DI.
 
I've done it for years, IMO there are a lot of advantages to a UCL, and a clean fuel system. If I were you I'd try and get into the routine of using MMO at each tankful of gas. Good luck with the new ride!
 
Your fuel system on a brand new engine should be clean as a whistle to begin with. The use of MMO will certainly help keep it clean plus MMO will lube the fuel pump and fuel injectors and provide the added UCL benefits. MMO would also be helpful since you are using gas that may not have the maximum level of detergents/additives in it. Cheaper gas will work OK but it's a very good idea to use a good fuel cleaner every 3K or 4K to make up for what is missing from the gas you use. Some guys here use the no-name gas and add a small amount of Techron or Red Line Sl-1 at each fuel fill, that works very well too. You can use MMO with the other fuel additives, it will work fine, but the key with MMO is consistency. You have to add it at every fuel fill to get the full benefit from it. Adding MMO to the gas every 2K will be a waste of money and won't provide any benefits at all. It may take you a few tanks to feel or have any noticeable benefits from MMO but it is a good product to use, even in a new engine. MMO will also help to offset the negative effects of Ethanol in the gas, and you may pick up an extra mile or two in MPG. Many of us who use MMO get a little better MPG. MMO is a very good product, some here will say otherwise. Lots of us here have been using it for years. Try it out for a while and see for yourself.
 
Wish, you're right, I was getting the VVT thing mixed up with DI. All of the new V-8's feature VVT not DI.
I am mostly looking for a general maintenance additive to lubricate and keep things clean, not a harsh cleaner for built up carbon, I know I don't have that yet. I have also considered using TC-W3 but I haven't heard enough good about it yet for me to try it in any of cars, much less my new truck.
I realize I probably wont notice any difference with any additives and I am not really expecting that.
MMO (or any additve for that matter) each tankful would get expensive after a while... eeek. I was hoping every so often would be enough to keep things lubed, no?
 
Originally Posted By: DT466E_bus
As long as you use a quality oil, no need for it.


He's thinking about adding it to his fuel, not his oil.

It's pretty silly to think that a new rig would need a fuel system cleaner. Millions of cars have made it to 100-200k without any such treatment.

OTOH, if you're going to continue using spot market gas it might not be a bad idea.
 
MMO at Walmart is under $4 a qt. I just picked it up for $2.99/qt at AAP, they price matched Meynard's [sp]. MMO works best when used at every fill up. You only use 4 ounces for 10 gallons of gas, so a qt will treat 80 gallons of fuel. You could probably stretch that to 100 gallons of fuel.

TCW3 is a cheaper alternative, it doesn't clean as well as MMO but is a very good UCL. The dose is 1 ounce for 5 gallons of fuel. You can use that at each fill up and a bottle of FI cleaner just before an OC. Take your pick. I prefer MMO in a newer vehicle, but that's just me.

Don't forget there are people who use nothing and have good results too.
 
Use it at oil change time if that.There are vehicles that go 300k with no additives what so ever and no top tier fuel. I know the owners of gas stations of non top tier and their personal vehicles.The whole family grandparents on down with never a additive or a top tier fuel.I use just about nothing but top tier and a additive on a yearly basis.I might be wasting my own money doing so.But back to you.Every 2k is just a waste of $$$,Use that money to buy lunch.
 
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I like to use a UCL/cleaner. Is the cleaner necessary? Likely not. But the UCL functionality is nice all the same. I keep a rotation, as the additives will certainly leave their own deposits and residues too. MMO is a great option and a smart add to use. I always say that with adds, less is more. I have ODed MMO to the point where gas mileage dropped (and it wasnt that much MMO).

IMO it is smart to keep an additive in play, and I prefer the maintenance dose philosophy to that of shocking the system.
 
I would think adding a viscous fluid to the fuel will reduce the atomisation of the fuel droplets and reduce efficiency. I wouldnt do it on a modern FI car. Then again what you get from the/or any gas pump is an iffy roulette game, so, have at it with the UCL - just dont over cook it. Please recall that the PCV system should provide all the UCL (from the oil sump mist then into the intake stream) you need. ESP if you wing the engine daily
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I dont think 4 ozs of MMO in 10 gallons is enough to make the fuel any thicker and clog things up. I actually ran a dose of MMO in my pontiac last fill. I did notice the engine started faster and didn't idle as high on cold start up, almost like it is helping with cold starts somehow. Any insight on this?
Maybe I will just use the MMO every time I fill up at stop&shop? Thanks for all the replies, keep them coming!
 
I've been adding MMO to gas for decades. 4 ounces in 10 gallons of gas had no negative impact on starting, clogging anything up, no harm to 02 sensors, or cat converters. I've used some heavy doses too. If anything the starts were easier with the addition of MMO. A strong dose can reduce mpg.

I've used 1 qt of it in a tank of gas on three occasions as part of prepping my son's car for Military Deployment. Even at that amount the car ran fine. Use 4 ounces/10 gallons of fuel and you'll have no problems. You can even use a little less if you like.
 
Just my opinion - since the vehicle is new and you using non top tier gas, I might start with a lesser dose of MMO, like maybe 2oz/10-gallons for some benefit of UCL and maintaining a already clean system.
Then some time later when the mileage starts racking up on the odo, adjust the dose as you feel. Could also, like maybe 1-2 times a year, do a dose of Regane or Techron system cleaner.
Others use TCW-3 and/or MMO for maintainers.

IMO - I think it would be better running a dose of MMO for consistency at each gas-up instead of a dose every so many tanks or miles. And/or TCW-3

My little Toyota 4-cylinder seems to do better with a light dose, 2-3oz/10-gallons instead of the bottle recommended 4oz/10-gallons. I have over 130k on the odo. It has been on schedule maintenance that included heavy fuel system cleanings every 30k
I also use Chevron gas, with the exception of once in awhile on road trips out of town. I'll be using Regane 1-2 times a year.
 
With MMO, my truck starts right up with just a blip of the key, idles at exactly 600 RPM cold or hot and idles very smooth and quiet. I get 1 to 1.5 more MPG with it too. Living in Florida, I don't have to worry too much about super cold starts, it hardly ever gets to freezing here.
 
+1 to the TCW3 and/or MMO. I'd use either or both (mixed) even if the vehicle was new. Lower the dosage a bit as suggested. Make sure the TCW3 doesn't exceed 1oz/5 gal regardless of the mixture with MMO.
 
Originally Posted By: Jimmy9190
Adding MMO to the gas every 2K will be a waste of money and won't provide any benefits at all.

I am a little suprized by this "use it constantly or it is a waist" concensus I am getting.
Here is my thought process. If soot and carbon are slowly depositing on the valvetrain and piston heads, wouldn't a cleaner like MMO clean it off? As long as MMO is added before the deposits become built up and hard, why wouldn't a gentle cleaner like MMO be able to clean it? Is 2,000 miles really long enough to let the deposits get to the point where MMO will no longer clean them and a much more agrresive product like redline SL-1 is needed (keep in mind it is a new, clean, burning engine)?
As far as lubrication goes, Once MMO is added and the fuel system is lubricated, would it not stay lubricated until the thin layer of lubricant is depleted? How lubricated can a valvetrain get and would 2,000 miles of no MMO for lube hurt?
I know MMO is supposed to be gentle but every tank seems a little excessive. An engine can only be so clean and lubed right?
 
Some people feel no additives are needed, others think they help. You have to base a decision on data you gather. I'm from the camp that believes in preventative medicine. That is my opinion and nothing more. I started my Jeep on MMO at 300 miles, and other vehicles from around the same point in time, using MMO in the gas up until I sold them many years later.

As far as this question you asked QUOTE: "MMO is added and the fuel system is lubricated, would it not stay lubricated until the thin layer of lubricant is depleted?" The thin layer of lubricant is pretty much spent each time the plugs fire, which is why a UCL is best added each time you gas up. Opinions vary on that too. Gather data pro and con and make an informed decision based on that!
 
I use MMO in my lawn mowers and snowblowers. A cap full every tank. Easier starts and less carb maintenance. I have used it in my cars but prolly not consistently enough to do much good. P'raps a placebo effect, but the cars seemed to start easier.
 
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