Oil additives?

[AdamG]

And yet another high mileage related question.

 

I'm not a big additive user

(though they are found in my 72 Javelin which I bought after it sat for 5 yrs in a field and my Dads 70 Lemans which had bad rope gaskets and leaks oil)

but with this 2000 Sierra w/84k miles, I am seriously considering buying some for the engine.

 

What kind are good and which should I stear clear of?

 

I already know I hate: Prolong and Duralube.

 

Lucas and Restore seems to actualy work.

 

What say you?

[snoman]

And yet another high mileage related question.

 

I'm not a big additive user

(though they are found in my 72 Javelin which I bought after it sat for 5 yrs in a field and my Dads 70 Lemans which had bad rope gaskets and leaks oil)

but with this 2000 Sierra w/84k miles, I am seriously considering buying some for the engine.

 

What kind are good and which should I stear clear of?

 

I already know I hate: Prolong and Duralube.

 

Lucas and Restore seems to actualy work.

 

What say you?

I have never used either . I have used Mobil One in my 89 4x4 Suburban since new, it has 170K on it and runs like new with no leaks or consumption to speak of. I also put well over 200,000 on a Toyota with it with like results.

[AdamG]

The informationI found this article from 1992.

Its in a cached web page so some of you might have a problem viewing it.

Its very detailed and very damning of the whole additives concept.

Check it out:

[snoman]

The informationI found this article from 1992.

Its in a cached web page so some of you might have a problem viewing it.

Its very detailed and very damning of the whole additives concept.

Check it out:

I had no trouble loading it with Mozzila FireFox and a broad band conection, click and it was there!. I will read it later on but I have never really believed in additives anyway except for solvents to free sticky lifters and such.

[Roger]

I've tried many of them, I'm sad to say. Actually saw an increase of MPG with prolong, but got off it as soon as I heard about the leaky seals. Tried Zmax with the knocking Dodge Ram I had-Saw no kind of improvement.

 

However there is one additive I've used for atleast 15 years and have never had problems with and that is Tufoil. When I was about to get rid of my 98 Dodge (The lemon lawyer had just sent in the demand letter to dodge) and I had close to 40K on it, I put tufoil in and away went the knocking and pinging (Drove the Ram for about 5k more before dodge bought it back).

 

At 10K, I started using tufoil in my silverado.

[snoman]

On a side note I have a 18 HP Onan Air Cooled motor in a JD garden tractor with 1400 hours on it without rebuild, I use a bit a STP/Motor honey knock offs in it with each oil change. Its keep oil consumpton down to about a ounce or so an hour (about half of want it is without it) and with no visable smoke. Another trick I have learned, if you have a old manual tranny that the syncronizers are getting weak, throw in a can of STP/Motor honey and it will noticably improve their operation.

[RyanZ71]

The only type of additive I will use in my Vehicles is Chevron Techron Fuel Injection cleaner, and that's it, no oil additives.

[Bish]

I used Restore on an old girlfriends beater about 15 years ago. Four banger jap engine had no power and blew plenty of smoke. Significantly reduced smoking and seemed to drive much better. I saw 10K on that vehicle before I dumped her.

 

As a last resort, I would consider using it again but only if the other option was replace/rebuild.

[Southerntoys]

I will never add an oil additive to my engine oil again!! My story starts with a Fram Premium Black oil filter found at Walmart. The wife had installed for two oil changes before the Nissan Max started to knock from the Variable cam sprocket. After we had to spend over 3K to replace the sprocket & timing chain. The conclusion that the mechanic and I came up with is that the PTFE placed in the filter ether starved the sprocket from oil or plugged the tiny port from receiving oil. Since then I have received training in oil analysis from my company. When the subject of oil additives came up, I informed the class of my story and received a 3000+ dollar laugh on my benefit. What we learned is that the oil companies spend 100 of 1000 of dollars on research on their oil packages(detergents,anti-ware componds, ect.) and to fool with there research by placing additives in there product will lead to problems. It might not happen right away but will show up sooner or later. There might be some benifit from oil flushes but never load the engine with them in the oil. But for oil additives use them at your own risk, and if you run into problems don't try to recover your loss from the manufactor of the product!! They make claims about there products without testing on every combinitions out there. If you use a product on an engine thats on its way out, and it shows improvement then good for you, but there might be another explanation why it stop smoking. But remember the engine is on its way out, with or without the additive. Just change the oil & filter as prescribed by the manufacture and you will get well over 150,000 miles from todays engines without problems.

[snoman]

I will never add an oil additive to my engine oil again!! My story starts with a Fram Premium Black oil filter found at Walmart. The wife had installed for two oil changes before the Nissan Max started to knock from the Variable cam sprocket. After we had to spend over 3K   to replace the sprocket & timing chain. The conclusion that the mechanic and I came up with is that the PTFE placed in the filter ether starved the sprocket from oil or plugged the tiny port from receiving oil. Since then I have received training in oil analysis from my company. When the subject of oil additives came up, I informed the class of my story and received a 3000+ dollar  laugh on my benefit. What we learned is that the oil companies spend 100 of 1000 of dollars on research on their oil packages(detergents,anti-ware componds, ect.) and to fool with there research by placing additives in there product will lead to problems. It might not happen right away but will show up sooner or later. There might be some benifit from oil flushes but never load the engine with them in the oil. But for oil additives use them at your own risk, and if you run into problems don't try to recover your loss from the manufactor of the product!! They make claims about there products without testing on every combinitions out there. If you use a product on an engine thats on its way out, and it shows improvement then good for you, but there might be another explanation why it stop smoking. But remember the engine is on its way out, with or without the additive. Just change the oil & filter as prescribed by the manufacture and you will get well over 150,000 miles from todays engines without problems.

THis sounds like the Black oil with graphite in it that they market 15 to 20 years ago, I forgot all about it. I tried it in a older cars engine and I was not pleased with it. I would not now use any engine additive that add particles of anything to crankcase lube.

[Kamyoon]

I tried Lucas and Retore, plus a couple of other oil additives to see if I can cure the knocking problem in my 2000 sierra...None had any impact at all...

 

It still knocks.... and it still runs as good as ever...

[jhm]

Nothing is needed and nothing should be added to the oil specified in your owners manual. No such thing as "mechanic in a can". There used to be a "janitor in the drum" but I think they went out of busines.

[snoman]

The old STP/Motor honey does help older worn engines some and is good for 5 to 10 psi boost in oil pressure with worn bearings

[97whitez71]

Sea Foam Consumer Info

Sea Foam Gas Motor TuneUp

 

At around 100,000 my truck had a slight cold start knock. Put Sea Foam in with fresh oil change and at 116,000 miles, no knock since. Just something else to consider.