Oil Additives: Fact or Fiction?
We care deeply about pampering our engines. But of course we also sometimes dream away of miracle cures that allow us to bypass a block revision just like that.
Experts say that later additions to motor oil have little added value if an engine is simply in good condition. They assume that there is little to improve on the oil as offered by the renowned manufacturers. The approach of the additives is usually that they 'improve' the oil and thereby reduce friction. Only Yellow Miracle Oil and Xado, which is no longer available here, claim to work as 'metal treatment technology'.
That's why we started grouping the case
We came to the following distinction in types:
- Fluids based on mineral oils (with the associated standard additives plus PTFE. And PTFE is the generic name of the products for which DuPont has registered the brand name 'Teflon', PTFE is a 'plastic' with an extremely low coefficient of friction. A solid.
- Products consisting of this normal mineral oil with the standard additives plus zinc diakyldithiophosphate (or zinc diaryldithiophosphate), known as 'zinc' as an additional additive.
- Products that - as far as we could tell - are based on the best oils and additives plus some additives that are covered by secrecy. The relative newcomer Yellow Miracle Oil is also partly vegetable. Various tests have shown that this product is at least as effective as the other 'super juice' TSL, which has been known to be effective for some time.
- Products that mainly consist of solvents and cleaning agents.
Most commonly sold oil additives are currently those in which PTFE powder is mixed with regular, mineral or synthetic motor oil. In this segment, Slick 50 claims to be the biggest player
The PTFE is indicated by these suppliers as the only additional active ingredient. But the inventor of the product, the American chemical giant DuPont, once emphatically stated that: "Teflon is not a sensible oil additive or lubricant for internal combustion engines". The company therefore refused to resell Teflon as such.
When DuPont stopped supplying PTFE powder to the additive makers, some turned to other companies.
After a few lawsuits, DuPont had to admit that PTFE also had no clearly identifiable disadvantages when used in internal combustion engines. The company therefore had to resume the supply of PTFE powders to these manufacturers of additional lubricants. The makers immediately claimed that the judges had proven that their approach worked. While the verdict was actually only that the harmfulness of PTFE as an additive had not been proven.
When purchasing a PTFE-bearing additive, there is a very easy guideline in that case: if the packaging states that the product must first be shaken, the added PTFE particles apparently tend to sink to the bottom. And if they do that in the bottle, then they will probably do the same in a usually little used classic.
Because PTFE is a solid. The additive makers claim that it is precisely those solid particles that leave the protective layer on the metal treads. A conclusive scientific proof has not yet been given for this. But it seems instinctively that the PTFE that has to be deposited precisely at the places that are the most heavily loaded in the engine, must still easily settle at the quieter places in the block. Like in the oil canals. Even NASA tests pointed in that direction.
Contrary to the claim of some manufacturers. They say that their PTFE is so finely ground that it remains in solution and passes through all oil channels and filters. That sounds good and could be true. But then we have to hope that those manufacturers have taken into account that PTFE expands a lot when heated. Laboratory tests in America have proven that the growth of the PTFE particles in practice with some suppliers is so great that the particles apparently partially remained in the filters at engine operating temperature.
The newest panacea: zinc.
In recent years there has been a product that wants to compete with PTFE: zinc. Well, actually "zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate." The representatives of this trend claim much better results than their colleagues from the PTFE corner can deliver.
Zinc has been a component of common motor oils for many years. A percentage of 0,1 is usual for standard oils. With oil for higher taxes, this can amount to 0,2 volume percent.
Organic zinc compounds are used because they give better wear protection under high pressures. Think of engines that run at very high speeds and turbo compressors. That zinc only does its protective work when metallic contact occurs in the engine block. And that should never happen under normal circumstances.
Means containing 'zinc' are easy to recognize. There is a warning sticker on it because the 'zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate' can cause eye damage. Always wear goggles and gloves when working with liquids that can be harmful to health in any way. Also ensure good ventilation.
Solvents and cleaning agents
We often find these resources in the older generations of oil additives. They don't leave a nice layer, they just remove dirt. The famous Wynn's friction Proofing, for example, consists of 83% kerosene. Other brands consist partly of naphthalene, xylene, acetone or isopropanol. These are carcinogenic substances with a risk of eye contact and inhalation.
However, if the dosage is too large, they will not only remove the dirt, but also the lubricating oil layer.
A cautious conclusion
The engines of our classics are at least 25 years young. In the meantime, lubrication systems including filtering, materials and tolerances have improved to such an extent that the comparison between an Opel Rekord 1900 cc pushrod engine and a three-cylinder 1000 cc turbo of 220 hp simply cannot be made.
But perhaps that is precisely the reason why there are quite a few classic drivers who swear by this type of product from their own experience. And why not? From our own experience we have noticed clearly noticeable and measurable results after adding Yellow Miracle Oil and TSL
Known for the TV commercials…
Engine manufacturer Briggs & Stratton was unwittingly the supplier of some of those demo engines from the TV spots from quite some time ago. Those commercials where an American accent so often says “FANTASTIC!” and “INCREDIBLE!!!!” was called. They became curious and did the same experiment under laboratory conditions. It turned out that the engine that had been treated with the product 'X' did indeed run without oil for quite some time. Just like the engine that also ran dry without a panacea ever added. Later measurements showed that both engines had suffered considerably from the experiment.
After reading the article with accompanying reactions, I come to a special conclusion.
The article speaks positively about Yellow Miracle Oil and TSL twice, see below:
But perhaps that is precisely the reason why there are quite a few classic drivers who swear by this type of product from their own experience. And why not? From our own experience we have noticed clearly noticeable and measurable results after adding Yellow Miracle Oil and TSL
Products that - as far as we could tell - are based on the best oils and additives plus some additives that are covered by secrecy. The relative newcomer Yellow Miracle Oil is also partly vegetable. Various tests have shown that this product is at least as effective as the other 'super juice' TSL, which has been known to be effective for some time.
Why am I not reading any comments from anyone who has tried this? According to the article, clear brand and measurable results have been achieved from our own experience. Has there been resistance to 'Miracle juices' because many unproven promises are also sold by competitors?
Greetings from beautiful Friesland
Now 140.000 km driven with the original 2CV block. Had stood still for 18 years. Often has to work hard with only 602 cc, especially in the mountains. Always used standard 15W40 from the well-known brands. Never additives. Always change once a year or every 1 km.
Still runs like a charm.
Bingo!
You can also spoil the block of your classic motorcycle or car too much. From my own practice; i bought a new Honda CB1972 in a 350. I wanted this filled with Castrol GTX because I thought that was the best, right? I always found a few small granules in the hollow drain plug during oil changes. Strange. 2 years later it saw the engine block of my now ex motorcycle lying apart at the dealer.
It turned out that the plastic camshaft chain tensioner wheel had completely crumbled. Commentary from Honda Netherlands; is due to the much too aggressive Castrol oil ……
With my then Beetle from 1950 with a block of 1951 the following. In that year of manufacture, VW had decided to install a plastic camshaft sprocket for a quieter run. Helped of course
nothing, it was still noisy. At the time, that engine was still filled with undoped Shell Rotella. Then dipped oil was used and that oil started to eat up that camshaft sprocket, resulting in considerable damage.
About thirty years ago we visited Shell Pernis with our VW club and a lecture was given there about motor oil. Afterwards there was an informal dinner and a high-pitched Shell who sat at our table said that we could safely use oil from the hardware store with those old beetles, because even that oil is of better quality than the oil that Shell made in the 50s. years. I myself have been using branded oil in the right viscosity for years in all my means of transport without adding anything. My conclusion, if those additives are so good, why don't the oil manufacturers develop them themselves and mix them in their own product?
Maybe they want to keep the product flow high. I always use the cheapest, mineral oil for my classics. Change every 2000 km/annually. Has been going well for ages
If you are going to use special additives to avoid a block overhaul, you are actually miles too late, my advice: check and change the oil on time and rather earlier
and before you start the race against the clock let it idle for a minute
this is the only way to keep your classic
away from the dreaded overhaul
as a human classic, you also start quietly and do not run out of bed and fly, so you also remain deprived of a
valve and pump overhaul 😉🤗
Amen!
I myself have very bad experiences with Slick 50.
Done in my Harley 80 in the late 1340s. Result? Initially positive. Heats up less and revs more easily. But…. massive block damage during holiday in France, including big end bearings resulting in expensive revision.
Rode? Several oil channels turned out to be completely clogged with destructive consequences. I was told that slick 50 (then?) also had additives that would have a cleaning effect. A little too apparently. Was a wise lesson. Never again for me since then any oil additive. Now owned 10 engines and 30 years later with good brand oil and a lot of km without any problem. Totally unnecessary stuff in my eyes.
Oil duct infarcts. Apparently, 'solid', 'floating' substances in additives are not such a good idea
What are 'volume percentages' again?
This remains an eternal discussion, but I believe that if you use a good classic oil and do the oil changes properly, so a little more often, then you do not need any additives. Classic oil is mineral oil to which additives have already been added that our classics need.
I would like to refer to an oil test for classics that the German Autozeitung (from 9-12-2022) has carried out, just Google Oldie-Öle im Test.
There you will find a good list of oils where only 2 were really junk, most of them are simply very suitable for our pets.
I once had a representative from Bardahl visit me at my workplace. The best man claimed that in WWII American planes flew around with their miracle juices in the oil. The story goes that if they were shot on the oil side, they could still land safely with those e juices. Whether this is true, of course, cannot be verified. It was a nice story, yes
I am afraid of heights. So that is of no use to me.
classics need zinc Millers oil is one of the few mineral oils that still has zinc in the oil.
I myself use Valvoline 20W 50 with Rislone as Miller's oil is not available here (Philippines).
The zinc content (ZDDP) has also been drastically reduced in classic 20W50 oil due to legislation from 2011.
The lubricating sulfur was extracted from the diesel, the lubricating tetraethyl lead from petrol, etc…
In short, oils and fuels no longer have the same lubricating properties as the classics (50+) are designed for. Not to mention the harmful ethanol addition in gasolines.
Keeping classics alive in the long term is an ambition in itself, which is why I do not want to experiment with deficiencies in liquids and therefore supplement what has been left out in the recent past.
But luckily everyone is still allowed to have an opinion about it and do what he/she/it thinks is best.
It's also great that we even have readers in the Philippines. Are you being a little careful there?!
Speaking of miracle juices, I also have a story that fits in that vein, that someone might be able to do something with! Before I came to the Netherlands, I worked for 7 years in the development of gas turbines and jet engines, also responsible. for maintenance of the USA Vietnam helicopters Bell UH1D with us, of which the O-rings between the hot construction parts had to be smeared with a special (expensive) grease from the USA, against deformation/overheating. Then had that fat examined, which was just vegetable fat (Palmin)!! prevents ….. result, war in the tent! Later in NL I also used that in my Wankel engine between the Rotor chambers and never had problems with cooling water leakage again, that is to say the use of this can also be used successfully on that type of surface at your own discretion.
Own insight without knowledge and experience destroys more than you love. With your background knowledge and experience you can take a 'guess' a bit easier than I would dare!
We call this 'placebo effect'; as long as you as a user think it works and you feel good about it...just use it.
I'm more like: oil lubricates fine by itself.
That seems to me too. Don't make things more difficult than they already are. What was oil needed for again? Oh yes: lubricate between metal parts and dissipate heat. The right oil just does that. Especially with normal use. For extreme use, extreme products are suitable: