Both of these are the oil additives that have been introduced by leading companies. But why use the additives, you ask? Well, there are multiple reasons for that.
The Engine oil is added to the engines to prevent the friction between the moving parts of the motor and hence, prevent the damage.
However, the long complex carbon chains when subjected to higher temperatures may prove to be a curse sometimes, giving the engine of your car sludge and the other harmful waste products. The additives are there to lessen the damage the apparently harmless oils might be doing to your vehicle’s engines.
Not only that, but ordinary oils also tend to lose their viscosity over time and that is what these products are here to help your engine with.
Let’s look at them.
The mastermind behind Marvel Mystery Oil, Burt Peirce was the first who came up with a mixture of petroleum products and some chemicals that not only cleaned the clogged jets but also maintained them. The revolutionary history lead to the establishment of Marvel Oils back in 1923. The company has since then been introducing the products that have proved to be of the best.
Lucas Oil Products, Inc. was however established back in 1989. The American company has never failed to amaze its consumers with the excellence of its products. How?
Let us get to know that.
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Upperparts of the cylinders need not be forgotten
The part of the cylinders that is above the piston rings mostly remains unlubricated when the engines are solely treated with the engine oils. When the additives are added to the oil, the upper parts of the cylinders are also lubricated and hence the wearing out of the engine is prevented in the parts that remain ‘untouched’ by the engine oils.
What is there in it?
Other than the mineral oil, there are several other components the Marvel Mystery Oil consists of. They are:
- Mineral spirits (10 to 30 percent)
- Tricresyl phosphate (0.1 to 1 percent)
- Ortho-dichlorobenzene (acts as softening and removing agent for contamination on metal surfaces)
- Paradichlorobenzene
Here, it is important to keep in mind that although Marvel Mystery Oil is a multifaceted oil, it is used as an additive itself. It may even be added to the oil your car is already running with and get several benefits you are about to come across.
The Lucas Motor Oil is basically an oil stabilizer that is 100 percent petroleum. It does not contain all the fancy products as mentioned above but that doesn’t mean it is not as good.
What good does it bring to the engine?
Prevention of the sludge build-up
The sludge comes as the by-product of the oxidation of the long chains of the carbon atoms the motor oil is made up of. The thick tarry material tends to deposit onto the parts of the engines and reduces its life as a whole.
There are two ways that can prevent the sludge from building up.
- Prevention of the sludge from forming
- Cleaning up of the sludge that has already been made.
The antioxidants present in the Marvel Mystery oil prevent the oxidation of the oil compounds from happening and hence reduces the build-up of sludge.
However, it has been reported that the Lucas oil has shown a better cleaning ability.
The engine likes the fuel thick
The more viscous the oil is, the more it lubricates the parts of the engine.
Better lubrication promises lesser friction and hence, lesser wear out.
The problem faced by most consumers is that the engine oil tends to thin down and lose its viscosity over time.
This is what the additives are here to prevent. The Marvel Mystery Oil promises to extend the life of the engine oils for months.
However, Lucas Oil has shown better results and has shown an increased viscosity in the engine oil that had developed a decreased viscosity over time.
Nobody likes the noise that much
As the parts of the engine work to make your vehicle move, they do produce energy that takes different forms. One form of it is noise.
Even in the presence of motor oils some engines tend to produce a lot of noise. That does not leave behind a good impression on the colleague you just gave life to, right?
The additives are here to solve the problem for you.
On comparing the two additives under discussion we realize that Marvel Mystery Oil does not do a great job in lowering the noise that is produced by the engines. However, Lucas Oil has, in this field, shown great advances too.
Engine Seals protection
As the oil works to prevent the wearing of the engine, it tends to give out waste products. The waste products then ultimately get deposited on the engine seals. This affects the action of the engine considerably. When the metal parts come in contact with moisture they may also end up developing rust on the surface.
Marvel Mystery Oil has shown great results in removing the rust from the parts of the engine of various vehicles.
But the Lucas Oil not only removes the rust from the engine but is also known to have great detergent qualities too.
Up for a smooth drive?
The oil additives, as work on removing the sludge, corrosion, and rust, make the performance of the engine a whole lot better. They make traveling easier.
The technology that has been used to formulate Lucas Oil works to lower the temperature of the engine oil. This further helps the oil in producing lesser friction, and hence results in a smooth drive.
Marvel Mystery Oil works by regulating the viscosity of the oil. Based on the opinion of the consumers, they have noticed a much smoother ride with Marvel Mystery Oil.
Which one is saving you more fuel?
In an experiment conducted with both the additives being used with the same engine oil and the same vehicle, Marvel Mystery Oil gave a higher fuel economy (about 8 percent) while that of Lucas Oil caused an increase of a 6 percent increase in the fuel economy. Lucas Oil claims to have a technology that makes the engine burn much less oil than it was burning before adding the additive.
The additives do save you quite some fuel per year. You just need to see what is best for your vehicle.
Microdamage in your engine
Lucas Oil can seal off the minor breaks and damage to your engine. This will not only increase the life of your engine but will also save you from the hassle of getting your car ‘checked’ over and over again. The magic of Lucas Oil is that it will manage the damage in your engine even before it becomes noticeable.
Marvel Mystery Oil has made no such claims in their favor.
You might need air fresheners in your car
One thing that is hardly talked about is the effects of keeping the additives in the trunk of your car. If you carry any of these additives with you, you might have to bear with a weird odor.
The Lucas Oil, however, might not smell as bad as the Marvel Mystery Oil.
They might play a role in saving the world
Guess we went a bit dramatic when we said that it will save the world. But at the end of the day, we all know that air pollution is a huge problem and it is why the world could end one day.
Well, well. You would not like it if your car plays a role in making it worse, wouldn’t you?
Though both the additives affect lowering the smoke produced by the vehicle, Lucas Oil has been known to give better results. That is because the sulfur content of Lucas Oil is much low than the sulfur content of Marvel Mystery Oil.
Caution
There is a predefined ratio in which you are supposed to mix the additive with the oil.
A little less, and it will be ineffective.
A little more, and it will harm your engine. (Note that Marvel Mystery Oil has much greater effects of overtreatment on the engine than does the Lucas Oil.)
While using Lucas Oil, you need to maintain the mix ratio of 3 ounces per 10 gallons of engine oil.
While for Marvel Mystery Oil, you need to have a mix ratio of 4 ounces per 10 gallons of engine oil.
Turns out, you need a little more of the Marvel Mystery Oil than the Lucas Oil to get to the desired concentration.
Price comparison:
This difference between the two might help you come to your decision.
Lucas Oil is expensive. It costs about 23 dollars per gallon.
However, Marvel Mystery Oil costs you about 15 dollars per gallon.