Rick
Registered Member
Do you guys use any oil & tranny additives. Which ones and what do you think about the prolong stuff
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
Additives?
- Thread starter Rick
- Start date
BowtieBlazer
Diesel Powered
MarvelMystery Oil at every oil change....I add a qt in place of a qt of oil and keep an extra quart of oil in my truck for any top offs needed. I am a freak when it comes to oilchanges on time and whatnot. I like keeping my new engines as healthy as possible especially since I started them off in their new lives. Hope to get 250,000+ out of my two 350's before a rebuild. As far as I can tell the marvelmystery oil does what it claims to. The few times I have torn into my engine to upgrade things, all the internals are spotless and look good as new. I am impressed with the stuff and will continue using it.
BTW it looks like coolaid and smells sweet, Any one know if or how it helps human internals? /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif
BTW it looks like coolaid and smells sweet, Any one know if or how it helps human internals? /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif
I used the prolong as well as every other additive you can find on the market.
I can't recall all of them but I used the prolong complete system and it brought down the temps in everything and it drives a little smoother now.
What it does is smoothing and hardening of the metal surface so less friction and less abrasion = less heat and smoother running.
If you have any questions on any other additive ask me. you remind me of names and I give you my experience. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
I can't recall all of them but I used the prolong complete system and it brought down the temps in everything and it drives a little smoother now.
What it does is smoothing and hardening of the metal surface so less friction and less abrasion = less heat and smoother running.
If you have any questions on any other additive ask me. you remind me of names and I give you my experience. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
Rick
Registered Member
For older engines how about engine restore
caryhenry
Registered Member
what about lucas oil tranny additive?
Engine restore is a great product, I have resurected about 50 engines with that product, it really seals scratches and restores compression. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
Lucas oil is not one that I have tried because so many I know tried it and couldn't tell me anything that convinced me of trying it. Maybe I will try it just to have covered everything /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Lucas oil is not one that I have tried because so many I know tried it and couldn't tell me anything that convinced me of trying it. Maybe I will try it just to have covered everything /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
heavy4x4
1/2 ton status
I've used engine restore a couple of times. OK, I guess, not a big noticeable difference.
Now I use a quart of Slick 50 every oil change. Adds to the price of my oil change...but I like to know I'm prolonging the life of my engine.
Now I use a quart of Slick 50 every oil change. Adds to the price of my oil change...but I like to know I'm prolonging the life of my engine.
Well with restore, the before was a thick cloud of white smoke constant, and the after was a very light puff if any at hard acceleration.
Slick 50 is good for preventive maintenance, same as prolong, and the both work, but if the engine is smoking they can't do anything.
I also bought a product from JCW, it's some pellets and an additive for the oil. the pellets go in the cylinder through the spark plug hole, they also work good on worn engines. I can't remember the name of the product but I think I have one more left I can check it out.
There some products out there that work some that are not worth the trouble.
The best I have used was something I can't find here, it's a magnetic oil from Castrol, it was great, it stuck to the moving parts, and you could start an engine cold, after sitting for 4 months and spin freely like it was lubed instantly.
Slick 50 is good for preventive maintenance, same as prolong, and the both work, but if the engine is smoking they can't do anything.
I also bought a product from JCW, it's some pellets and an additive for the oil. the pellets go in the cylinder through the spark plug hole, they also work good on worn engines. I can't remember the name of the product but I think I have one more left I can check it out.
There some products out there that work some that are not worth the trouble.
The best I have used was something I can't find here, it's a magnetic oil from Castrol, it was great, it stuck to the moving parts, and you could start an engine cold, after sitting for 4 months and spin freely like it was lubed instantly.
Shaggy
3/4 ton status
<font color="green"> I don't like any of the "miracle cures" like prolong or slick 50. Marvel is great if you have a sticky lifter or something, but even that at every oil change is way overkill, it'snot what it's intended for. It's a detergent to clean out deposits. Would you run injector cleaner in every tank of gas? Just not neccessary.
I am a fan of just using a high quality oil, synthetic if the engine is low mileage, and changing it often. I broke the engine in my truck in on regular Kendall oil, switched to Mobil 1 at 7000 miles and change it about every 2000 miles. I realize that that is alot, but the engine spends a lot of time wrapped out on the dunes. If the oil looks good I'll put it right back in the engine for another 1000.
Slick 50 is the worst, it's a total scam IMHO. I've seen reports that it will actually kill your engine faster than without it. PTFE apparantly does not like getting as hot as it gets in an engine and starts to congeal.
Some light reading -
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/9607/slick.htm
http://skepdic.com/slick50.html
http://www.vtr.org/maintain/oil-additives.html
http://realbig.com/detomaso/1998-09/720.html
http://www.technilube.com/sections/test/add_main.html
I've never seen actual proof that any of these additives work, the only people that say they work are the companies and the people that buy them (who cannot prove that they work as they are advertised to). All of the additives are a waste of money.
</font color>
I am a fan of just using a high quality oil, synthetic if the engine is low mileage, and changing it often. I broke the engine in my truck in on regular Kendall oil, switched to Mobil 1 at 7000 miles and change it about every 2000 miles. I realize that that is alot, but the engine spends a lot of time wrapped out on the dunes. If the oil looks good I'll put it right back in the engine for another 1000.
Slick 50 is the worst, it's a total scam IMHO. I've seen reports that it will actually kill your engine faster than without it. PTFE apparantly does not like getting as hot as it gets in an engine and starts to congeal.
Some light reading -
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/9607/slick.htm
http://skepdic.com/slick50.html
http://www.vtr.org/maintain/oil-additives.html
http://realbig.com/detomaso/1998-09/720.html
http://www.technilube.com/sections/test/add_main.html
I've never seen actual proof that any of these additives work, the only people that say they work are the companies and the people that buy them (who cannot prove that they work as they are advertised to). All of the additives are a waste of money.
</font color>
PTFE has proven to be bad I know I have tried many with PTFE, but my understanding was that slick 50 wasn't PTFE based, they said so on the box /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
The ones that work good are prolong, nad the likes because they work on the surface of the metal and harden it.
The ones that work good are prolong, nad the likes because they work on the surface of the metal and harden it.
Shaggy
3/4 ton status
<font color="green"> Prolong has been debunked as well. Do some research, don't beleive the advertisements. Brigg's & Stratton did a test on Prolong, ran 2 indentical engines direct from the assembly line, broke them in for 20 hours with oil and additive in one of them, then drained the oil from both and ran them for another 20 hours. Both engines continued to run, when disassembled both had significant crankshaft damage, but the one that had the Prolong in it also had major bore damage. Actually had worse wear than the one without the Prolong.
there are really only 3 things that are used as additives - a Zinc compound, PTFE, and chlorine. Zinc works great if the engine gets starved for oil but it's part of the normal additive package in motor oil anyways, more zinc won't help a normal engine. Racing motor oils or oils for turbo engines sometimes have more zinc, but that's becaus ethey can benefit from them due to higher RPM's, either in the turbo or the engine. PTFE, well, the links I listed above say alot about that so I won't go into it. Basically they clog filters and don't actually stick where they might do some good. Even Dupont says that Teflon is not proven to do anything, the only reason that they don't straight out say that it isn't good to put PTFE in an engine is because the additive manufacturers sued them for saying ti a few years back. Chlorine, which is what is in Prolong, is one of the worst. It doesn't harden the metal, it's just a good pressure agent. Here's a link about a test Amsoil did on Prolong -
http://kozmik.guelph.on.ca/gtdproject/fluids/amsoil_prolong_article.htm
there are really only 3 things that are used as additives - a Zinc compound, PTFE, and chlorine. Zinc works great if the engine gets starved for oil but it's part of the normal additive package in motor oil anyways, more zinc won't help a normal engine. Racing motor oils or oils for turbo engines sometimes have more zinc, but that's becaus ethey can benefit from them due to higher RPM's, either in the turbo or the engine. PTFE, well, the links I listed above say alot about that so I won't go into it. Basically they clog filters and don't actually stick where they might do some good. Even Dupont says that Teflon is not proven to do anything, the only reason that they don't straight out say that it isn't good to put PTFE in an engine is because the additive manufacturers sued them for saying ti a few years back. Chlorine, which is what is in Prolong, is one of the worst. It doesn't harden the metal, it's just a good pressure agent. Here's a link about a test Amsoil did on Prolong -
http://kozmik.guelph.on.ca/gtdproject/fluids/amsoil_prolong_article.htm
Thunder
3/4 ton status
If you want to read more on the oil additive issue Go Here:federal trade commision search
Type oil additives in the search box there is tons of info on the many diferent brands there.
I agree that the ones that have clorine in them are not good. Would you pour Clorox in your engine?Although Clorine is very slippery it is also corrosive. It will eat up soft metal(bearings).
I do however use an oil additive its called Tufoil
clickytufoil.com
I have been using it for over ten years. I have a 93 Pontiac Bonneville that has had Tufoil in it sence almost new. it has 130000 miles on it now and still runs like new. It uses no oil is very quiet and runs great. I did oil changes around every 3- 5K miles.
I also use it in my K5 and boat. My boat is a 1985 and never been rebuilt. In every engine it has improved the way it ran and helped a little with fuel milage.
I aint saying this stuff is the best for every vehicle but it works for me. If it didn't i would not use it .
Type oil additives in the search box there is tons of info on the many diferent brands there.
I agree that the ones that have clorine in them are not good. Would you pour Clorox in your engine?Although Clorine is very slippery it is also corrosive. It will eat up soft metal(bearings).
I do however use an oil additive its called Tufoil
clickytufoil.com
I have been using it for over ten years. I have a 93 Pontiac Bonneville that has had Tufoil in it sence almost new. it has 130000 miles on it now and still runs like new. It uses no oil is very quiet and runs great. I did oil changes around every 3- 5K miles.
I also use it in my K5 and boat. My boat is a 1985 and never been rebuilt. In every engine it has improved the way it ran and helped a little with fuel milage.
I aint saying this stuff is the best for every vehicle but it works for me. If it didn't i would not use it .
fortcollinsram
1/2 ton status
IMHO, additives really only "band-aid" a problem...For instance, the "Stop Smoke" that is available to limit smoking from worn piston rings or bad valve seals...Personally, I do not use additive to try to fix problems...I do, however us the additives to clean things up....For instance, I use BG products to clean my fuel system and to clear carbon out of the engine...This stuff works very well...
Chris
Chris
Shaggy
3/4 ton status
<font color="green"> Thunder - I would hope that any well maintained engine that gets the oil changed every 3-5000 miles would still run great and burn very little or no oil at 130,000 miles. If the stuff works for you, then that's great, but I still think that it's just another company trying to take your money. Tufoil is "a super-suspension of micro-miniature PTFE particles and soluble molybdenum, permanently suspended in oil." They say that that the teflon particles are so small that they can't get trapped in filters or anything, but I just don't see the point in putting something in the engine that it really doesn't need. All of the additives have the same basic ingredients, marketed differently and to different markets.
If I told you that a freind of mine has a '93 Ford Explorer that has 375,000 miles on it and has never had the engine rebuilt, you'd probably want to know the secret. Here it is - the oil was changed religiously every 3,000 miles. That along with regular maintenance will make any engine last plenty long, IHMO. (As a sidenote, the engine is getting a bit tired at this point and starting to burn some oil, but with almost 400,000 miles, that's pretty much to be expected.) A list of other cars in my own family with the mileage, all of which have never seen an additive, just regular oil changes -
1989 Chevy C1500 - 180,000 miles, stock bottom end, top end was changed to trickflow heads and Edelbrock intake at about 100,000miles, still no oil consumption. Runs perfect.
1993 Ford Crown Vic - 175,000 miles, no oil consumption, bone stock engine, never been apart. Ran perfect when sold last year.
My first car - 1977 Toyota Corona (20R motor) - sold at
150,000 miles, never rebuilt, ran like new after a minor tuneup. No oil consumption to speak of.
Then there's a good freind of mine's '92 K1500 - 220,000 miles, never been rebuilt, runs like a top. It consumes about half a quart an oil change, but he isn't real good about changing his oil every 3000 either, he goes as long as 6000 sometimes.
Anyways, no offense intended, if adding the stuff makes you feel better than more power to you. My point is that the various additives on the market are really not neccessary, all that's required is regular maintenance with a quality oil.
Sorry about my rants in this thread, I didn't intend to go off on it like this, I just hate to see people throw money away on this stuff when all of the facts say that it's bogus.
</font color>
If I told you that a freind of mine has a '93 Ford Explorer that has 375,000 miles on it and has never had the engine rebuilt, you'd probably want to know the secret. Here it is - the oil was changed religiously every 3,000 miles. That along with regular maintenance will make any engine last plenty long, IHMO. (As a sidenote, the engine is getting a bit tired at this point and starting to burn some oil, but with almost 400,000 miles, that's pretty much to be expected.) A list of other cars in my own family with the mileage, all of which have never seen an additive, just regular oil changes -
1989 Chevy C1500 - 180,000 miles, stock bottom end, top end was changed to trickflow heads and Edelbrock intake at about 100,000miles, still no oil consumption. Runs perfect.
1993 Ford Crown Vic - 175,000 miles, no oil consumption, bone stock engine, never been apart. Ran perfect when sold last year.
My first car - 1977 Toyota Corona (20R motor) - sold at
150,000 miles, never rebuilt, ran like new after a minor tuneup. No oil consumption to speak of.
Then there's a good freind of mine's '92 K1500 - 220,000 miles, never been rebuilt, runs like a top. It consumes about half a quart an oil change, but he isn't real good about changing his oil every 3000 either, he goes as long as 6000 sometimes.
Anyways, no offense intended, if adding the stuff makes you feel better than more power to you. My point is that the various additives on the market are really not neccessary, all that's required is regular maintenance with a quality oil.
Sorry about my rants in this thread, I didn't intend to go off on it like this, I just hate to see people throw money away on this stuff when all of the facts say that it's bogus.
</font color>
Bubba Ray Boudreaux
1 ton status
Don't trust him just because he's a big name, but David Vizard apparently endorses one here: http://www.motortecmag.com/archives/2001/mar/MAR01-01/MAR010102.html
Just reading a bit of it, he talks about chlorinated paraffins and Prolong, etc., so at least there is some info in there that is useful, even if you don't trust the results.
I'm not buying into the additive stuff myself, but thats another story. At least he is a highly respected name, and appears to thoroughly test.
I did hear/read that Mobil 1 (synthetic) changed their formula, and that its not quite as good as it used to be, and that started to make me wonder if the other makers of oil, synthetic or not, have started to "cut corners" to reduce cost.
Can you not trust ANYTHING anymore? I mean in the case of Mobil 1, you have arguably the best oil out there, and you change the formulation to something that isn't as good?
Just reading a bit of it, he talks about chlorinated paraffins and Prolong, etc., so at least there is some info in there that is useful, even if you don't trust the results.
I'm not buying into the additive stuff myself, but thats another story. At least he is a highly respected name, and appears to thoroughly test.
I did hear/read that Mobil 1 (synthetic) changed their formula, and that its not quite as good as it used to be, and that started to make me wonder if the other makers of oil, synthetic or not, have started to "cut corners" to reduce cost.
Can you not trust ANYTHING anymore? I mean in the case of Mobil 1, you have arguably the best oil out there, and you change the formulation to something that isn't as good?
I agree that most manufacturers start with a good product then when they get the market they start cutting corners, but as far as band aid fixes, yes I sometime use them when I have a tired engine in a car that needs to stay on the road for a few other months and then get retired because they are not worth the money or time to be rebuilt. The other additives I tried because I am a curious guy I like to test things and since I always have half a dozen cars available to test on I do it.
I agree that a well maintained car with regular quality oil changes is best, but I never buy new and I usually get an abused engine, so I have to deal with it.
You can't tell me that all band aid fixes are not worth it. I had a 350 SB that had freeze pluggs rusted and leaking, actually gushing so I used the cheapest aluminum based radiator leak fixer and I ran the engine another 3 years up to 200k miles, and still to the day, no problems, no oil consumption, I use synthetic castrol 10w40 and I change it at 10k.
Another engine that had a blown head gasket, and the water went into the oil and a bearing slipped and the engine seized. I turned the engine backwards, the bearing slipped back into it's place, I flushed the engine, put radiator fix in it ran it 30 min, then drained the oil and replaced with fresh oil, ran it for a year with restore in it. It cost me all in all $30, and it gave me another 50k before it started using 2 qts at 3000 miles oil change intervals.
so I sold it for parts.
/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
I agree that a well maintained car with regular quality oil changes is best, but I never buy new and I usually get an abused engine, so I have to deal with it.
You can't tell me that all band aid fixes are not worth it. I had a 350 SB that had freeze pluggs rusted and leaking, actually gushing so I used the cheapest aluminum based radiator leak fixer and I ran the engine another 3 years up to 200k miles, and still to the day, no problems, no oil consumption, I use synthetic castrol 10w40 and I change it at 10k.
Another engine that had a blown head gasket, and the water went into the oil and a bearing slipped and the engine seized. I turned the engine backwards, the bearing slipped back into it's place, I flushed the engine, put radiator fix in it ran it 30 min, then drained the oil and replaced with fresh oil, ran it for a year with restore in it. It cost me all in all $30, and it gave me another 50k before it started using 2 qts at 3000 miles oil change intervals.
so I sold it for parts.
/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
McD Blzr
Registered Member
The only additive I've used occasionaly is Marvel. My BMW is at 380k and the Blazer at 135k. No smoke, minimal loss of compression, all run great. The Burb is only at 80k, so it still isn't broken in. All I've done is maintain well and change the oil every 3,500 miles. Now, with the recycling stations everywhere, this is a total no hassle.
Spend the money for the additives on more oil changes.
Spend the money for the additives on more oil changes.
No additives... Just Valvoline Extended Life, even though I'm only at about 80K miles on the replaced motor. Its just runs smoother. Gas additives are ALWAYS STP stuff. I dont beleive any of the additives REALLY work. Of course I'm not going to try them in my truck either! I work for my stuff, I'm not going to rebuild a motor because I dumped in a $10 bottle of STUFF. I tried the restore stuff on my 83 Dodge Ram Prospector with a 318 and ended up messing up the head because it up the compression so much it blew a head gasket, so I guess it does restore compression! Maybe to much.... Never again, not my CHEVY's! Good luck. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
