Oil Additives

[twiget]

Lately the local auto parts store has been pushing an oil additive (dont remember the name) that is supposed to lower opperating temps, reduce oil consumption, and improve hp.

There is a little demo on display that you can play with. It's a series of 3 gears, with a crank on the top one. You turn the crank and the bottom gear is half submerged in untreated oil. The second one is the same way, only the bottom gear is in treated oil. The treated oil does cover the gears better, but what happens in a 350hp motor when the opperating temp is 220+ and the compression ratio is 10.8:1?

Anyone have any experience with additives like this?

Jason

 

[Tuna]

If the oil you buy is so bad that it needs additives, why do you buy it?

If the oil that we can buy is so bad that they need additives, why don't the companies that make the oil (Mobil 1, Pennzoil, etc.) put those additives in them in the first place and charge us more for them?

If the oil that comes in our motors is so bad that it needs additives, why does GM put it in there?

If the oil...... - you get the idea.

You could say that I don't buy additives for the oil in my motors.

 

[Eagle85C4]

It is called Lucas Brand...I use the injector cleaner, the tranny additive and have had great results. I have talked with folks about the oil additive and they swear by it...have not tried it yet...

 

[CVT4ME]

Could it be Amsoil you are thinking of? I have seen a similiar demo with the little handle and gear demo.

CVT4ME

 

[twiget]

Could it be Amsoil you are thinking of? I have seen a similiar demo with the little handle and gear demo.

CVT4ME

I gotta go back to the auto parts store to dump some oil. I'll be sure to check and remember the name of the stuff.

Tuna,

Much of what you said, I've heard before. If additives were so great, how come GM dosent put them in from the factory...

GM also says the ZF-6 tranny does not need regualr oil changes, and we all know that is a crock. The tranny manufacturer recommends changing the oil every few thousand miles.

I tend to take GM (and all manufactureres) reccomendations with a grain of salt. I put much more faith in the people on this forum who have had real life experiences with the stuff out there

My .02.

Jason

 

[GYSGT]

Mobil 1

Syntetic oil does what all those additives claim to do. Use Mobil 1 !!!

 

[twiget]

It is called Lucas Brand...I use the injector cleaner, the tranny additive and have had great results. I have talked with folks about the oil additive and they swear by it...have not tried it yet...

Yep, Lucas is the stuff at the auto parts store.

Jason

 

[CFour]

There is usually no need for such stuff as long as you use the proper Mobil 1 oil and change it every 3K miles.

 

[Eagle85C4]

Well out here where I live it is farm country... and when the good ole boys find something that works they stick with it. Most of the fellers that come into the local True value use the Lucas brand in the trucks, cars and tractors. Their equipment has to stay runnin or you don't get the stuff into or out of the field. And if it is good enough to keep their vehicles running through the abuse they take then it is good enough for me. Most say it is good insurance.
I have not tried it...but after the tranny rebuild and fixing the leaky rear seal I am going to.

 

[twiget]

Well out here where I live it is farm country... and when the good ole boys find something that works they stick with it. Most of the fellers that come into the local True value use the Lucas brand in the trucks, cars and tractors. Their equipment has to stay runnin or you don't get the stuff into or out of the field. And if it is good enough to keep their vehicles running through the abuse they take then it is good enough for me. Most say it is good insurance.
I have not tried it...but after the tranny rebuild and fixing the leaky rear seal I am going to.

Sounds like they mostly use dino oil, how's it react with fully synthetic oil's like Mobil 1?

Jason

 

[Eagle85C4]

That I do not know...but you can bet I will ask around and asertain an answer for you...

 

[phxraptor]

Lately the local auto parts store has been pushing an oil additive (dont remember the name) that is supposed to lower opperating temps, reduce oil consumption, and improve hp.

There is a little demo on display that you can play with. It's a series of 3 gears, with a crank on the top one. You turn the crank and the bottom gear is half submerged in untreated oil. The second one is the same way, only the bottom gear is in treated oil. The treated oil does cover the gears better, but what happens in a 350hp motor when the opperating temp is 220+ and the compression ratio is 10.8:1?

Anyone have any experience with additives like this?

Jason

Oil additives,Vettes don't need no stinkin additives:bash SNAKE OIL

 

[c4cruiser]

I remember seeing a display like that years ago. Can't remember thename but it wasn't Lucas. As I recall this one had two cranks that operated something like a egg beater. The one with just motor oil simply sprayed oil everywhere in the container. The oil in the other one with the additive would climb the gear teeth as you turned the crank. I remember that the one with the additive was harder to turn and I thought that this may rob horsepower because of that.

I think that sort of stuff is pretty much snake oil in modern car engines. Heavy-duty equipment like implements or heavy trucks may be a different story.

Stay with Mobil 1 and change it around 3k miles or so. USe a good filter like Mobil 1 or K&N or AC Delco (no Fram!!). I wouldn't worry too much about oil temps. I've seen oil temps with my 92 on track days approaching 265-280 degrees and no problems.

 

[RedRagTop]

The gear machine I saw up here was for Slick-50. I change oil before 5000km and just did tranny oil, filter, gasket so should be OK for a couple years. I don't trust Mechanic-in-a-can crap and feel no urge to dump additives in. I think they void warranties too...

 

[Hib Halverson]

If you are using the type of oil specified for your Corvette, you don't need any oil additive, Lucas or otherwise. Those little clear plastic gear cases with the additive inside are great for sucking in people waiting at the counters of autoparts stores, but...do you think the conditions inside your engine are the same as inside a lexan display contaning plastic gears?

Not.

Bottom line, use a 10W30 oil (synthetic required for 92 or later) change it at the manufacturer's recommnended interval and you don't need an additive.

GM also says the ZF-6 tranny does not need regular oil changes, and we all know that is a crock.

Well, t's a crock...but then it's not. GM service manual recomendations are based on a period of time of warranty. ZFs in normal driving cycles can live without an oil change for the period the warranty was in force. But the catch is....what happens after the warranty expires or what happens in a abnormal duty cycle? Bottom line: if you use the recomended lubricant (a 5W30 engine oil sold by GM) or other low. vis. GL4 gear lubricant (such as Mobil 1 or Red Line MTL) change the oil at about 36,000 miles. An exception is if you insist on using the Castrol 10W60 synthetic that the wizards at ZF insist is ok. Testing done by at least one of the ZF overhaul facilities in the U.S. indicates that the obscenely expensive Castrol, has a very limited life. Based on my discussion of this with ZF overhaul expert, ZR51 Performance in AZ, if you use Castrol 10W60, change it every 10,000 miles.

The tranny manufacturer recommends changing the oil every few thousand miles.

The above is wrong. I suggest that AC administrators, whom I hold to a higher level of fact checking, need to be more sure of the accuracy of their statements.

ZF Industries, the "tranny manufacturer" does not specify a lubricant change interval of "every few thousand miles", in fact, ZF Industries specifies no change interval at all for the S6-40, only the type of lubricant to be used.

Again, with the exception of those using Castrol 10W60, change the lube in a ZF about every 36,000 miles. Do that and the trans will outlive the car.

Oh yeah...what do I use in my two ZFs? Red Line Light Shockproof gear lubricant.

 

[RedRagTop]

Bit off track here but would like opinion from one of more-in-the-know fellas regarding something; I have a 90 Z71 with a 350 that, like my vette, stipulates 5W30 all the time. Z is up there in miles and if I put 10W30 it helps keep the oil pressure up a bit, summer use only. Will this affect the engine adversely if used only in the hot season? How about with the vette?
Is this a:nono or a

 

[twiget]

I've got a hair over 88,300 miles on my GS and I've been using Mobil 1's 10w-30 for the last few oil changes. I havent had any problems with it.

Jason

 

[Michel73]

Do any of you use or know anything about Valvoline SynPower Full Synthetic Oil? Or is Mobil 1 the best to use :confused
Oh, this is for a 30 year old 350.

Thanks - Michel

 

[JohnZ]

Engine oil additives are a crock - all they do for you is lighten your wallet and give you a warm, fuzzy feeling, while it fattens the wallets of the "snake-oil" marketers and pays for their infomercials. All the additives your engine needs are blended into the oil you buy that meets API standards noted in your owner's manual, and that additive package deteriorates over time as it does its job; all your engine cares about is that it gets reasonably fresh, clean oil. Change your oil and filter regularly and don't worry about it.