I was wonder is it a good idea or not to put oil additives in a new or high mileage engine for added protection. If you think it is a good idea what additive would you recommend? I remember back in the 60s and part of the 70s it seemed like everyone was using STP then they started to say it gums up the engine. Soon you couldn't find STP. What would your thoughts be on the use of additives??
Does your owner's manual call for additives? NO. Use what is recommended for your car. Make sure the oil meets the S ratings that is required. No other additives are needed, or should be used.
If you use a quality oil and change at recommended intervals, then additives would be a waste of money....what additive would you use that was not already included in the oil.. This is more of a concern when using cheap gas and adding fuel injector cleaners....high quality gas does not need additional additives... I would be most concerned with your cooling system, the corrosion additives deplete and must be replenished by draining and refilling with fresh 50/50 mix at least every two years...the damage to radiators, heater cores and aluminum parts of your engine can be extensive and expensive...just look on this site all the questions asked about replacement of such which could have been avoided with proper maintenance...
If you really want the truth, I have owned 2 vehicle that I seldomly changed the oil. Maybe in 10k miles increments, never ever added any type of oil additives or any other type of additives. 1993 Cavalier, had 175k miles on it & it finally dies not from oil issue related but was in a wreck, broke the top of the radiator. I continued to drive it but had to add coolant every day. One day I didn't add coolant & it overheated & took out the engine. But it was still running strong, no noises from the engine at all. 1994 Chevy G-20 conversion Van that had almost 145k miles & same on it, I did sell it due to having brake issues but is also ran strong. Changed the oil maybe every 10-12k miles, no additives ever I think all those additives are just snake oil in a bottle like the old western days but if you think about it, all the additives can do is soften the seals f possible to try to prolong their lives. But plain ole oil does the rest with lubrication. Additives cannot do anything to increased in clearances from worn out parts or from abuse. So it is really a waste. some like Lucas claim you can run the engine longer without oil but if you change your oil at regular intervals, whats the point of adding Lucas or the other crap ?????
I still find STP. And a hooey of other products. A high mileage engine don't need protection anymore. There is nothing to protect. It is on the worn out stage. You will notice this by the oil leaking as the cork or rubber gaskets was not meant to hold back compression pressure>which is escaping past the rings and entering the crankcase and valve cover. You may also notice a blue haze coming out of the tailpipe. That is an oil burner. An additive you may want to use is calledNo Burn" which hides the blues your car is now puffing. You need a motor job or another engine with less miles on it. You may want to try the additive that slows down oil leaks or up the viscoscity of the oil. Instead of 5W20, maybe straight30 weight. 20/50W is for motorcycles, not cars. so leave it alone. If you are still smoking to beat the band with 30W, then the motor is >Hatched<
Engine oil additives are excellent to use when: - your car is old with really high miles and nearing the inevitable...scrap yard! - your at that stage that experimenting with oil additives in your car doesn't bother you as you are planning to get a new(er) vehicle in the near future. - trying to fix a tick or oil consumption problem in the good ol' piece of crap because the $10.00 additive sure as hell is a lot cheaper than the mechanics hourly rate. Basically you don't need to use any additives with your engine oil, especially in newer vehicles, as oils these days already contain additives to keep your engine running tip top shape. The only thing you need to do is regularly maintain your car by having its oil change done at the scheduled intervals according to your owners manual. Most, if not all makes specifically state in the owners manual not to use any additives or flushes with the oil. Although, when my work van (200,000+ km) had a nasty lifter tick the my mechanic at that time would add a bottle of Lucas oil stabilizer with the oil change which made the engine whisper quiet and run like new. That routine lasted for another 100,000 km's before i sent it to the scrap yard.
