Oil Additives...

I was doing some reading this evening. Thought you'd enjoy reading and getting some input into oil additives. I'm not sure what to think quite frankly, as everyone has an opinion, but I did want to post it for anyone who may enjoy the read:

http://www.carbibles.com/additives.html

Andy

IMO...snake oil. Oil companies spend Millions of $ in research and testing to make sure their oils work and don't decrease the life of the engine or whatever it's being put into. Don't you think that if there were a better way, the oil companies would market it themselves?

Re: RE: Oil Additives...

WillWagner said:

IMO...snake oil. Oil companies spend Millions of $ in research and testing to make sure their oils work and don't decrease the life of the engine or whatever it's being put into. Don't you think that if there were a better way, the oil companies would market it themselves?

Click to expand...

I simply could not agree more.

RE: Re: RE: Oil Additives...

Interesting point and one that I've pondered quite a bit. When you think of the top oil producing companies, each has it's own variant of what they think is the best product. Each are different in some respects. There are also differences, such as synthetics. Do I think there are products which can improve the "sticky" factor of oils to the internals...yes.

It was recommended to me to use Morey's...but I haven't and not sure I shall. I do think, though, that there are quite a few snake oils, but I also think there could be a few good products that do in fact work. I just don't have the track history to speak with any experience myself to know which one's would work.

I'm using Rotella in my deuce and really favor installing the FS2500 bypass system (or one very similar, such as Amsoil). I'll do that in the new year. I think that's a sensible addition and one that has some solid results (different concept of course).

Anyway, just wanted to hear what folks thought about additives.

In my younger days I believed in truth in advertising. Now, not at all. I never could get the claimed advantages of milage or power nor tell the difference in reduced wear with oil aditives. I do however use diesel fuel additives with noticable results. My latest additive choice is K100. I have not tried it in the deuce yet but get close to 75 miles extra per tank in my 2005 Cummins TD.

I have not read any studies on the product, just use it because it was recommended by a friend/supervisor of the local Highway Dept. If anybody knows a reason not to use it or has a better choice let me know.

Thanks Dave.

RE: Re: RE: Oil Additives...

A couple of thoughts-

Most of the big oil manufacturers do (or at least have at one time) have their own brand of shmutz to pour into the oil. They will absolutely not put their name on it however. The only way I've found to make the connection is to the manufacturers is with the MSDS. If you have a big name why would you keep it a secret?

If you really could improve your mileage that easily, the EPA would have already mandated a performance specification in there. Al gore would be endorsing the crap out of the stuff.

FTC has already forced manufacturers of every TYPE of addative (not necessarily every brand) on the market to back off of their advertising claims to what amounts to pretty much no claims. The rest are just waiting to say the wrong thing. No matter how you package it, kerosene is kerosene, fifty weight oil is fifty weight oil, zinc is zinc, and teflon is teflon. Remember that ALL FOUR of those items do have at least some lubricating ability and the contents of the bottle was not in your crankcase before you put it there. Therefore in all truth, adding them to your crankcase will provide "additional lubrication", even if it makes your oil less slippery.

RE: Re: RE: Oil Additives...

I'd say that a mileage gain would be welcome by everyone right...but the real value to me in is longevity of parts. I know there are practical things to do, such as bypass, pre-lube, spin-ons...those are all great additions with well known results. Anyway, good input so far

RE: Re: RE: Oil Additives...

The oil is all the same, it's pumped out of the ground the same way and refined the same way. The only difference is the additive package that the various companies put in it. Same thing with gas and diesel.

I had a Honda CR 500 that I used for road racing and I could run half the recommended fluid level in the trans. with synthetic as opposed to conventional ATF. It was per the engine builder I used. No failures. I wish I could figure out how to post the helmet cam video I shot. There is something not right about a dirt bike that can north of a "buck 40". Big fan of the synthetic stuff.

You can say what you want, but I swear by Lucis oil addtive. Have a 3406E cat with 1.1 million and not a rebuild yet with 6.25 mpg avg.

Addatives, work, the only thing that is not true is how long it will last in your engine, a one time treatment is not true, but as for adding treatments, I got a quart of the first stuff that penitrated the walls and they said u could run it with no oil, well it was from a customer from Rutgers that was doing a study on, it . so i used at the oil change, now my work trucks were old and leaked, and i was young with better things to do than check my oil, so i ran it dry,dont know how long, the job i was doing was 40 minutes one way highway, I thru a rod , hole in the block, it was still running being young and so its still running lets keep going, it went to work 3 more times dying on the third trip back at highway speeds, I do believe the addative worked, it was just like a later commercial, but for real, oil companies are not the only people in business and are not interested in controlling all other products, there are to many, as for all kinds of racing and the smart people that are coming up with things, it is impossible to say they are all peddaling snake oil, I have 30 years of all kinds of rigs, and many kinds of oil have extended the life of many a truck/jeep engine, lucas is a good one for sure. there are others. Randy

I should say i dont use anything unless there is a problem that i feel a different oil can help me with, i run synthetic in everything but the big trucks, thats more than they will ever need, and have had some old jeeps that were so worn out i would run straight 50wt in it, and got another couple of years out of em, as for just dumping them in for no reason, that i agree on is a waste,but when there old and worn, there are some that help. randy

I'v ran "Dura-lube" in some of my cars and trucks and found an imediate difference in idle, vibration and overall running. It smoothed out, noticeably, was more quiet and just ran better it seemed. They make this Dura-lube for deisels and I'v thought of useing it. I never intend to run low or out of oil, thats just bad judgment, but I'd like to get some responces as to if anyone has used this and how it fared, and 1-2 or three quarts as the Deuce is about three times the capacity of an automotive moters oil pan.

Ok, let me put in my 2 cents worth! I have a repair shop and I use BG Products and love them if you are not familiar look them up. Yesterday I used a compression restorer for diesels and in 30 minutes my truck smoothed out (5 ton) and ran great. Oil pressure was better, and so was the idle. They sell a gas treatment and oil additive after the change or you can buy a kit and run a fuel injector cleaning, you have to have the equipment and it is expensive (I have it) yet didn't do it because these basic products made it run great, my deuce also responded very well too, and usually I never notice much difference and I do this for a living. Trust me I use this stuff daily and it is no Bu*lsh*t gimeck! Try it! especially the bearing additives.

I don't know about big diesel engines, but I'll tell you that Slick 50 is AMAZING in average vehicles. I used to own an Isuzu & put in a quart of Slick 50 right after a good break-in, about 13k miles. I tore the engine apart at 160K miles because of a cylinder head problem. The crank bearings, cylinders, rings, & other moving/oiled parts looked basically new. I couldn't believe it. Literally, if I hadn't had recurring head problems that ultimately made me dump the car, the engine would have easily seen 300k+ miles. I dumped a quart of Slick 50 in it every 50k miles for a total of about 4 quarts over the life of the vehicle.

In fact, I just picked up another quart today for my January oil change in the Deuce. I'll probably go grab another one b/c I just found out today the darned truck takes 22 QUARTS for an oil change!

Synthetic additives can SIGNIFICANTLY reduce problems with your turbo b/c they are designed to kick in with the higher heat. And they significantly reduce "zero oil" wear & tear at startup.

If you can afford it, run synthetic oil as well. You won't regret it.

i use duralube got 421000 on my geo 3100 hrs on my little tractor 60 hp almost 3000 hrs on my woodmizer saw mill works for me thanks

A friend of mine used to work for Citgo Petroleum here in Lake Charles (30+years). One day we were driving by their tanker refueling station and I noticed several different tankers at the dock, Exxon, Mobil, Shell, etc.. I asked him what a different companies tanker truck was doing at Citgo. He laughed and proceeded to tell me the following:

No matter what refinery you get the fuel at, the base is the same. The only difference is the additives each company uses. The dock master hands the truck driver a container of the applicable additive and adds it to the tanker before they fill the tanker. Or in some cases the refinery already has the additive mixed and waiting in a small storage tank. Do you really think that Exxon or any other company is gonna ship gas or diesel 200 or more miles when there is a refinery 100 or more miles closer?

He went on to say the same about the oil that is refined, synthetic included. All of the oils come as a base and the applicable companies add their own additives.

I believe that there is no 'right' or 'wrong' additive, just use the oil with additives you feel best in trusting. If you cannot find the additive that you want in a national brand, use whatever aftermarket brand you wish.

Just my