Snake Oil, Mouse Milk, Whiffle Dust ---oil additives

[Nodzed]

https://www.fleetowner.com/equipment/feature/oil_additives_pour_1108

Good read this, I was particularly interested in the trade off between cleaning additives and wear additives already added to oils as I always add a cleaning additive before dropping the oil at change time. Maybe we should not be doing this as it removes the anti wear coating the oils have deposited, its a thought?

 

[Ianmc]

I remain totally unconvinced about any value whatsoever in using additives.

 

[5harp3y]

I remain totally unconvinced about any value whatsoever in using additives.

I'm in the same boat, if you are using premium lubricants why do you need additives

 

[t-tony]

I agree on additives but I believe a good quality flush is beneficial. That is simply based on cars which we see regularly at work and have done since before and after using Forte stuff.

Tony.

 

[Robert Wiles]

It seems to me that there is a lot of hokum written oil additives. I worked in the engine reconditioning business as an engineering student back in the days of Duckhams 20/50. Without doubt lubricants have improved immeasurably in the intervening 40 years, as has engine component machining precision, but I would still contend that the the rules that applied then, i.e use good quality oil, change the oil and filter more regularly than the manufacturer recommends and use a flushing oil every now and again, are still valid in these days of synthetic oils that seem to be graded by manufacturer and then almost by engine number.

 

[Jack Ratt]

I always used to put Slick 50 into my cars but haven't used it for a while. I was musing about putting it into my black zed that has recently undergone a bit of a top end refurb, but haven't done it yet.

Some people are sceptical about the worth of some additives and may be modern oils are up to the job. However, it's not in the oil companies or engine manufacturers interests for our car engines to last for ever, so I would still consider using additives, like cleaning agents or extra lubricating agents.

 

[Stevo7682]

I'm on the fence with oil additives my skoda is on variable servicing ( reset 2ys 20k ) due to my highish annual mileage never do the 2 yr never makes 20k usually about 18.5k
Gets the correct grade of vw long life oil has went 286k without an oil additive and the engine is mint .
Only time it's been opened up was when I had the rocker cover off to replace the injector wiring loom and the engine was clean looking inside so I'd probably lean towards the side of correct service regime should keep internal deposits to a minimum.
Now if you start talking fuel cleaners I would sit the other way and I think there are some good products out there that over a period of time will clean the fuel lines injector and therefore in turn reduce the deposit on piston crown and exhaust valves etc .
Because now after ripping apart 2 m44 engines in the last few weeks the main built up engine deposit were on the air fuel side ie valves piston crown etc inside the rocker box / sump very little.
So there you go that's my tuppence worth

 

[Robert Wiles]

I'm on the fence with oil additives my skoda is on variable servicing ( reset 2ys 20k ) due to my highish annual mileage never do the 2 yr never makes 20k usually about 18.5k
Gets the correct grade of vw long life oil has went 286k without an oil additive and the engine is mint .
Only time it's been opened up was when I had the rocker cover off to replace the injector wiring loom and the engine was clean looking inside so I'd probably lean towards the side of correct service regime should keep internal deposits to a minimum.
Now if you start talking fuel cleaners I would sit the other way and I think there are some good products out there that over a period of time will clean the fuel lines injector and therefore in turn reduce the deposit on piston crown and exhaust valves etc .
Because now after ripping apart 2 m44 engines in the last few weeks the main built up engine deposit were on the air fuel side ie valves piston crown etc inside the rocker box / sump very little.
So there you go that's my tuppence worth View attachment 84407

There is a growing problem with carbon build up on the back of the inlet valves on direct injected petrol engines. Back in the day when the fuel was injected into the inlet port, there was some degree of cleaning of the inlet valve as the petrol (i.e. solvent) mixture passed over the valve which helped reduce the build up of oil based carbon deposits. With direct injection this has disappeared and there are now lots of relatively low mileage engines that are being strangled by carbon build up on the back of the inlet valves. Unfortunately fuel system cleaners won't have any effect as the fuel mixture goes directly into the cylinder. I don't know if there are any oil additives that may reduce carbon build up, but again, my view would to be change the oil regularly and give the car a regular 'Italian tune up'....

 

[5harp3y]

Fuel injector cleaner is also a funny one.

Especially as petrol is really good a cleaning things itself

 

[Synclare]

Re Roberts comments on inlet valve carbon build up, engine shops I believe are removing manifolds and blasting the valves with crushed walnut to remove deposits.

 

[Ianmc]

Re Roberts comments on inlet valve carbon build up, engine shops I believe are removing manifolds and blasting the valves with crushed walnut to remove deposits.

Seems like a nice little earner!

 

[Nodzed]

Some interesting points / opinions guys, I'm with @t-tony though, I still like the idea of a flush at oil change times??

 

[Dennis in Colorado]

Interesting topic.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Oh for the good old days of de-coking cars every six months or so. Doesn't seem to be any need for it these days, and that must surely be down to oil and petrol being better than they used to be. Or not. Probably can't get the gasket sets any more, anyway.

 

[t-tony]

Oh for the good old days of de-coking cars every six months or so. Doesn't seem to be any need for it these days, and that must surely be down to oil and petrol being better than they used to be. Or not. Probably can't get the gasket sets any more, anyway.

Sorry Mick, I can't get nostalgic about scraping bloody carbon off valve stems and out of head ports. That stuff bloody stank.
And, trying to scrub it out of your fingers before going out on the pull, Nightmare,

Tony.

 

[Jack Ratt]

What was you pullin' Tone?

 

[t-tony]

What was you pullin' Tone?

Back then I wasn't awfully bothered ..............................

Tony.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

"going out on the pull", eh? Hope there's no feminists around.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

But at least you could get an engine to bits in them far-off days without having to spend hundreds on a new set of headbolts and cambelts and the like. Nostalgia ain't what it used to be.

 

[Robert Wiles]

But at least you could get an engine to bits in them far-off days without having to spend hundreds on a new set of headbolts and cambelts and the like. Nostalgia ain't what it used to be.

Memory Lane. Longest road in the world. And it keeps getting longer.....