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Who runs additives in their Engine oil?

BKDespain

BKDespain

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I generally run zmax, lucas stabilizer, and duralube in mine. I'm not sure if its a good idea to run duralube from what I have been reading. Hopefully someone on here with some expertise will chime in. I run either Rotella syn 5w-40 or Schaeffers 7000 series semi syn 15w-40 Schaeffers full syn 5w-40.

What do you guys think about additives? Worth the money? Duralube bad for the Duramax? Zmax and lucas? Lets see what you all think....:thumbsup::grouphug:
 
Bud, What do you think about Duralube? I know zmax is excellent stuff and lucas is too. Who else runs these?
 
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No additives for me either. All of the premium oils have a good additive package already in them that makes it a waste of money to put more in.
Regular oil and filter changes are best. Different story of course if you have a sick motor but then you have bigger troubles anyway...
I do use some STP in older gas motors around the farm.
Ashton (Wrecker) will probably check in on this one too. He's our regular Oil Geek!:D
 
Z-max doesn't do shit. Save your money on those additives and buy Amsoil. It has everything you need already in it. Wonder who could hook you up with some??? :lol:
 
Generally oil "Improvement Additives" fall into 3 categories.

1. Viscosity improvers- Products like STP Oil Treatment, Motor Honey, etc. They contain long chain hydrocarbons that raise the kinematic viscosity of the lubricant, thereby temporarily reducing blowby and smoking. They also tend to quiet a loud engine with slop in the valvetrain. A mechanic in a bottle.

2. Chlorinated additives- Products like Dura-Lube, Militec, Prolong, etc. These additives have high concentrations of chlorine and can create hydrochloric acid in internal combustion engines, rapidly reducing the TBN (Total Base Number) of your engine oil which can affect non-metallic surfaces and ultimately metal surfaces, causing internal corrosion, pitting, etc. Most use an extremely cheap Group I base stock carrier oil with a high paraffin content, and can significantly contribute to deposit formation. They use Chlorides because they are slippery, anyone ever seen Chlorox used in a burnout pit?

3. Solid Film or Colloidal additives- Products such as Slick 50, T-Plus, Restore, etc. contain teflon/ptfe, molybdenum, or graphite. These add solids to the oil system, again usually with a cheap low quality Group I base stock carrier oil, which adhere to metal surfaces, theoretically inducing a burnishing process (you've seen real burnishing causing the wear lines on the race of a wheelbearing after use, it deforms the surface of the metal due to pressure and sliding action). Unfortunately, these solids stick to each other as much as anything else, forming larger solids, clogging filters, and possibly blocking oil galleries.
Solids may also dam up around bearings, reducing oil flow. Teflon/PTFE can react with some metals such as aluminum and magnesium at high temperature, causing ugliness in turbo applications.


I won't use, nor will I recommend any of my customers/friends use anything but oil in the oil pan. The only thing besides oil that belongs in the oil pan is the flush solution during an oil system flush, IMHO.

I know this can be an emotional subject, I am not calling anyone stupid, misinformed, unattractive or anything else. This is my position on oil additives.
 
I've used quite a bit of STP oil treatment in the past, and still do today. It is a great mechanic in a bottle if you've got one with slighly low oil pressure or a lifter tick. I've used it quite a bit to get people by until they can afford to go in and actually fix the problem rather than half ass it. I know using an additive is just a band-aid, but if you use it as one it is fine. As for additives on a regular basis, I say use a quality oil in the first place and don't bother with the additives.
 
I've tried motor kote, with relatively disappointing results. Actually, no observed results whatsoever on fuel mileage. I am not sure where it fits in with Wrecker's classifications of modifiers. My guess would be #2, but that would only be because it's not thick like those in the #1 category, and the manufacture claims it has no solids like #3.

The best thing that I have done, so far with regard to mileage, is a cat-back exhaust. I have gained nearly 3.5 mpg, that is if I can keep my right foot out of it. It breathes a whole lot better now.
 
Well...looks like I will be getting some motor flush and getting rid of the duralube I put in and going with good oil.. Thanks. No more bs additives for the dmax or yukon!
 
Well...looks like I will be getting some motor flush
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When a flush is needed - which in my opinion is pretty rarely, and certainly shouldn't need one yet in your '07.

I've motor flushed some car engines, have had to do more on boat engines due to water in oil problems. Motor flush does a great job of getting emulsified water/oil out of the system, also will dissolve light sludge. But, you're running the engine with stuff that is thinning everything out, not lubricating much. I heat up the engine first, then add the flush, then run 5-8 minutes at idle, drain and re-fill with new oil, then do another oil change within a short time. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm very cautious with motor flush.

Hope this wasn't too off topic, just thought I'd comment.
 
Dave01 said:
When a flush is needed - which in my opinion is pretty rarely, and certainly shouldn't need one yet in your '07.

I've motor flushed some car engines, have had to do more on boat engines due to water in oil problems. Motor flush does a great job of getting emulsified water/oil out of the system, also will dissolve light sludge. But, you're running the engine with stuff that is thinning everything out, not lubricating much. I heat up the engine first, then add the flush, then run 5-8 minutes at idle, drain and re-fill with new oil, then do another oil change within a short time. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm very cautious with motor flush.

Hope this wasn't too off topic, just thought I'd comment.
Click to expand...

No, Thanks for the input. I thought twice about flushing it. I decided against it. Just oil and filter.
 
How long does that crap stay in the motor and contaminate new oil? A few oil changes? I hope it doesn't at all. I changed the oil with schaeffers and amsoil. Didn't have enough of either oil so combined the 2 and left the filter on. Only had 140 miles on the oil and filter. That was an expensive waste of oil! BS!
 
BKDespain said:
How long does that crap stay in the motor and contaminate new oil? A few oil changes? I hope it doesn't at all. I changed the oil with schaeffers and amsoil. Didn't have enough of either oil so combined the 2 and left the filter on. Only had 140 miles on the oil and filter. That was an expensive waste of oil! BS!
Click to expand...
I don't think I would lose any sleep over it. I would decide on my prefered oil then change it and filter at regualr intervals and be done with it. I fall into the camp that today's oils need no additives and that a good quality oil will do all you need it to. If you go with a synthetic, i.e. Amsoil, it will protect your engine from now on. Same can be said with a good dino oil, i.e. Rotella. I do believe that syn is better and offers more, having said that, I think these engines will run for a long period of time with regular maintanance regardless of whether syn or dino is used.

Also, big huge hunks of iron and steel rotating at thousands of RPMs for long periods of time is not going to be fatally damaged by adding some additive for a period of 140 miles. My opinion of course.

BKDespain said:
...That was an expensive waste of oil! BS!
Click to expand...
The education was worth the price of admission...:thumbsup:
 
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