Video on oil and gas additives

[MikeB]

Lake Speed, Jr. on additives:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAGT5inQScE

Fans of Seafoam and other magic elixirs, get ready to be let down.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by MikeB

Lake Speed, Jr. on additives:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAGT5inQScE

Fans of Seafoam and other magic elixirs, get ready to be let down.

Personally, all I've ever used was injector cleaner, good to know that's a good idea, but really then, I need to use it more often.

Every time I hear someone say you have to add zinc to oil I cringe. Not because it's necessarily wrong, but I decided against it, 71 402.

That's the second of two study's I've see with the message don't add to engine oil. The first praises Mobil 1 5-30 full synthetic, so that's all my Chevy gets.

Funny, I noticed my engine wasn't quite purring as remembered, after my first oil change from original Valvoline Durablend 20-50 to Mobil 1.
The engine loved that Durablend incidentally, but they make it differently now, so I moved on.

Anyway, dollars to donuts the engine anomaly was because the Mobil and remnants of DB was less than a desirable mix. I only ran the truck in that state a few miles at most, due the truck underwent a restoration. Since then the oils been changed two more times over an entire 250-300 miles (cough). The engine seems real happy to me.

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

Personally, all I've ever used was injector cleaner, good to know that's a good idea...

Every time I hear someone say you have to add zinc to oil I cringe.

Same here. I've used Chevron Techron fuel system cleaner a few times. But I've always thought adding additives to motor oil that already has an additive package was not a good idea. The tests in the video showed it was worse than I thought! The only one I've ever used was Comp Cams #159 break-in lube, but lately I've used only Driven break-in oil along with their HVL assembly oil.

Just remembered that I also used STP on a few occasions on high mileage engines when I was in my teens and twenties. I forget what the video said about it.

[Steeveedee]

I see that he used various oils and various additives, but did not use every oil with every additive. I suspect that the problems aren't as big as he makes them out to be. I'm definitely not equipped to prove him wrong, but I'd take this video with a grain of salt.

[1970cstblazer]

I use Seafoam as a fuel detergent only, in gas AND Diesel engines. It has worked in those situations on several engines.

[Getter-Done]

Originally Posted by 1970cstblazer

I use Seafoam as a fuel detergent only, in gas AND Diesel engines. It has worked in those situations on several engines.

That what I use it for also.

I have had great results.

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

I see that he used various oils and various additives, but did not use every oil with every additive.

If an additive adds, let's say, 100 ppm calcium to a test oil, then we can expect it would add that amount to virtually any oil.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by MikeB

If an additive adds, let's say, 100 ppm calcium to a test oil, then we can expect it would add that amount to virtually any oil.

True enough. But at the end, he was talking about other oils and different additives, not base oil. Some of those oils have their own additive packages which other additives could drive the numbers above factory spec. I only ever have added STP in my truck, mainly due to the age of the engine. I'm rethinking that, based on what this guy reported in his results.

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

True enough. But at the end, he was talking about other oils and different additives, not base oil.

Have to say I went back and looked at the presentation again, and it was a little confusing. But I've known about him from his days with Driven, and what he learned about oils at Joe Gibbs Racing. I exchanged some e-mails with him back then regarding several subjects, including what to do and not do when breaking-in an engine.

I haven't researched it, but I expect Pennzoil. Mobil 1, etc. would say the same thing about oil additives.

[MikeB]

Found this on a Porsche forum discussing cylinder bore scoring. At the minimum, please read the comments in purple text. None of the comments below this line are mine.

The motor oil manufacturers each employ dozens of engineers, tribologists (the science of wear, friction and lubrication), chemists, and lab technicians. They have fabulous research and testing laboratories with everything from scanning electron microscopes to engine dynos. They compete against each other, and collaborate with the engine manufacturers to ensure compatibility of the oil to the manufacturers' specifications. The engineers and scientists go to technical conferences and keep up with any new research. They optimize their additive package based on data from computer design-of-experiment computer programs and extensive testing. The additive package and the base oil are blended with parts per million accuracy. Porsche and all reputable car companies publish specifications for fluids including the motor oil.

Is it reasonable to believe that dumping in a bottle of unknown chemistry helps? At best you are wasting your money. More likely you are doing harm. The new additive might have compounds that are not compatible with what is already in the oil. For sure, the carefully designed additive blend is upset.

Some bullets:

• I worked for DuPont in the 1980s and read about this in their employee newsletter: DuPont sold Teflon(R) to an additive company, but became concerned. DuPont commissioned an independent engine laboratory to test the additive against the same motor oil with no additive. After seeing the results, DuPont issued a cease and desist order to the additive company, forbidding them to use their Teflon brand name. Without shame, the company changed the name from "Slick 50 with Teflon", to "Slick 50 with TFE", and continued to sell a product they knew was harmful. They purchased the TFE from a different supplier.
  
• Also in the 1980s, the Federal Trade Commission sued all of the oil additive companies under truth in advertising laws. Notice you do not see their ads anymore?Instead the direct-market to dealer shops and independent repair shops. If your dealer or mechanic try to sell you an oil additive, they are either ignorant or unscrupulous.
• For as long as I can remember, Mercedes owner's manuals contain language stating that the engine warranty is void if an aftermarket oil additive is detected in the oil of a warranty-claim engine. Mercedes knows this from experience. I looked for similar language in my 997 manual, and was dismayed that Porsche does not have similar language.
• All of the reputable motor oil suppliers recommend against using an additive. They also know better.
• Notice these additives "improve" any oil, regardless of the existing additive package? It would be far more interesting if they would publish what is lacking in a reputable oil, and some data showing an improvement.

Do your own research from objective sources. If you want more ZDDP or molybdenum disulphide, find a reputable oil with higher concentrations in their blend. Then rest easy knowing you are getting a proven additive package.

[R.O.B.]

Loved the video. He even states that oil additive bad, while fuel additive is good.

Back in the day, I had some 3M reps come in to talk about their new product, fuel injector cleaner. What I specifically remembered is they said they tested every product on the market. And the only one to make a significant difference is Chevron with Techron. So they copied their formula. Since then, I've only used the Techron, and I've gotten cars over 200k miles with no fuel pump, or injector issues the entire life of the car.