51 replies to this topic

[Crito]

Couldn't find a topic on this here, but there were a couple threads about products like Royal Purple in this forum, so I believe this is the right place for it. Anywho...

So I know a lot of people think additives are snake oil. And I'm inclined to agree that the most expensive ones are a complete waste of money, some of them being nothing more than colored mineral oil. Others with Teflon in them might actually clog up your motor and do more harm than good over the long-run. But I've also found a few that I really like. Here's my list, feel free to add yours.

Lucas Trans Fix: Makes the bands swell, thickens the fluid and stops leaks. If you're getting clunking sounds and slipping, a bottle of this might save you from having to rebuild the tranny, for a while anyways. The automatic in my old Bronco was hard shifting and this made the problem go away for 30,000 miles. Eliminated the slipping problem with the GM automatic in my S80 too. I've never used it in a manual/stick shift though.

Bar's Rear Main Seal Repair: Contains esters commonly used as plasticizers, the stuff you lose when seals and gaskets get stiff and brittle. Also contains a fairly strong detergent though, so I'd recommend using it when you're down a quart before an oil change, not for a whole change cycle.

STP Oil Treatment: Thickens the oil and has a bunch of zinc in it. I sometimes put one of these in when I'm little low as it restores viscosity, especially in the hot summer months.

Gunk Motor Flush: If your motor is really sludged up, this will definitely strip it clean. Follow the instructions though and leave the drain plug out for a while to remove as much residue as possible, or do the next oil change sooner than usual. You don't want to leave any of that stuff in there.

My problem with products like Seafoam is all the smoke they produce. I'm afraid all that soot will clog up the little holes in my O2 sensors and the catalytic converter, which would be an expensive mistake. I'm sure it's great at cleaning deposits out of the combustion chamber but a good gas -- Shell V-Power and Amaco/BP Invigorate are my favs -- does that too, granted much more gradually. I'm also wary of fuel injector cleaning products for the same reason. I hardly ever put anything in my gas, occasionally a little Marvel Mystery Oil if my plugs feel dirty, but that's about it.

[waldendan]

BG products all the way (yes I drank the Kool-Aid)

[Naughty33W]

my favorite add-in is lucas motorsports 3X octane booster - you can FEEL the difference

[ozzimark]

Just unbolt the downpipe before running the seafoam

[Dave 54]

waldendan, on 21 November 2009 - 12:14 PM, said:

BG products all the way

+1, been using there stuff for a long time

[Crito]

Back in the day there was a product I used that you poured straight into the carb. I forget the name now, but it worked really well and smoked up the whole neighborhood in the process. Actually saved a Subaru I had after someone poured a bottle of soda pop in the tank -- I had already drained the tank obviously but having run the motor a even little before that had mucked everything up. That was before oxygen sensors and catalytic converters though.

Anywho, the Marvel Mystery Oil might just be the placebo effect but seems like my car starts a little quicker after using it. When I notice it taking longer than usual I pour some in the tank. Might go from like 7 turns before it catches to 5 or something like that. I never use it in my oil though.

[Crito]

A good thread about the zinc in STP Oil Treatment:
http://board.moparts...&fpart=all&vc=1

Including one from the Interweb famous "Bob the oil guy" forum:
http://www.bobistheo...=476445&fpart=1

Note they also say it'll turn 10W-30 into 10W-40 so maybe that's why it seems to help in high mileage vehicles. Like I said before, I really only use it in the summer when I'm down about half a quart. Hate having half a bottle of oil in the car and the summer heat seems to break down the viscosity so for under $2 I think it's a pretty good deal.

[Crito]

Turns out zinc damages catalytic converters, which is why ZDDP is being phased out of engine oils.

Quote

The zinc bonds to the metal catalyst beads inside the converter, which undermines their purpose.

SOURCE: http://www.mustangmo..._oil/index.html



I've heard molybdenum has similar antiwear properties so might give a "moly" additive a try. There are even some German motor oils that come with it in the bottle.

[Jaxx]

used motor flush 1 time. I can't remember what car it was though. basically "meh."

However, I've used seafoam 2 or 3 times, and while it might not be doing anything, i enjoy the smoke show.

[v4lve]

I don't think i've ever used an oil additive, makes me nervous As for Gas, I've used seafoam - definitely had better results via intake though

[socal850tuner]

Lucas oil powersteering fluid/additive. cured my noisy steering within the first drive.

[Che'_Moderator]

Crito, on 07 January 2010 - 03:27 AM, said:

Turns out zinc damages catalytic converters, which is why ZDDP is being phased out of engine oils.

Its a little misleading. A healthy converter will have no problem handing ZPPD as zinc has a melting point low enough not to be an issue. The bad rap is more a function of EPA fears. MMT and PTFE are still very common and pose a much larger risk of clogging a converter.

[Boglin]

waldendan, on 21 November 2009 - 12:14 PM, said:

BG products all the way (yes I drank the Kool-Aid)

BG MOA is the greatest IMO, my T5 has 320,000kms and still putting down 13's in the 1/4 and the engines never been apart!

[TurboedVolvo]

Toulene.



Gofast Juice.

[L8 APEKS]

[gotboost]

Can't say that it was necessarily the additive that did it, but my dad bought a brand new BMW 318i back in 1984 that made it to 550k on the original motor. Both he and I ran Dura Lube in it every oil change from like 1993 or so to 2002. I inherited the car as my first car back in 1998, and I can say that the car even at 500k, which is when I got it, still ran really strong. It probably would have made it to 650-700k on that original motor I'd imagine had I not loaned the car to my brother one weekend who got rear ended by an F150, thus killing the little bimmer. Still 550k miles is amazing for a BMW. I haven't really used it in any of my Volvos, due mainly to the fact that I run synthetic oil, which I think is good enough.

[Wagoneer855]

it's called a few liters of 108octane into a tank of 94.

[Fudge_Brownie]

http://volvospeed.co...e_boosters.html This seems relevant.

[L8 APEKS]

Due to the price of Toluene, I have a new favorite which I just purchased:



Toluene was $54 out the door.

The Methanol was $21.

(per 5 gal drum)

[ryan850-t5]

where did you get the 5 gal drum?