Lots of it at the local Big Lots. The Red, 4-cyl. stuff they don't seem to make anymore. I haven't bought any as I doubt I have a use for it. But dam, am I tempted.
Last edited:
Found STP Oil Treatment (Red Bottle)
- Thread starter Nickdfresh
- Start date
- Status
I never understood it. The bottle doesn't really market the product right, neither of the STP oil products....
When it sits next to Restore, zMax, Lucas Oil Stabilizer, Bars Leaks and that other "No Smoke" additive, I'd think the general public would go after the Bars Leaks, "No Smoke", or "Restore" additive depending on their needs/circumstance....
My local WM only sells the blue bottle....which if I recall is for 6+ cylinders? Only ever seen the 4 cylinder formula on STP' site.
But it has me curious, I'd think the proportion of 6+ cylinder to 4 cylinder vehicles on the roads today would be a lot less (meaning, there is likely more 4 cylinder vehicles, than 6+ cylinder vehicles).
But I've read STP Oil Treatment in general is simply an oil thickener
And [censored], I believe it! I shook up that bottle (like a salt shaker...lol) and it would NOT shake up....like it was a thick syrup lol...
When it sits next to Restore, zMax, Lucas Oil Stabilizer, Bars Leaks and that other "No Smoke" additive, I'd think the general public would go after the Bars Leaks, "No Smoke", or "Restore" additive depending on their needs/circumstance....
My local WM only sells the blue bottle....which if I recall is for 6+ cylinders? Only ever seen the 4 cylinder formula on STP' site.
But it has me curious, I'd think the proportion of 6+ cylinder to 4 cylinder vehicles on the roads today would be a lot less (meaning, there is likely more 4 cylinder vehicles, than 6+ cylinder vehicles).
But I've read STP Oil Treatment in general is simply an oil thickener
And [censored], I believe it! I shook up that bottle (like a salt shaker...lol) and it would NOT shake up....like it was a thick syrup lol...The 'appeal' of the Red Bottle STP stuff is that it is much, much thinner than the Blue bottle stuff, so it doesn't thicken up your oil with gobs of VII's.
There is a VOA of the Red bottle stuff done by Tall Paul many years ago in the VOA section - it's not bad stuff at all. I used to be able to buy it up here in Canada and add it to my Honda Civic...but I haven't seen it in a decade or more - only the Blue bottle stuff.
There is a VOA of the Red bottle stuff done by Tall Paul many years ago in the VOA section - it's not bad stuff at all. I used to be able to buy it up here in Canada and add it to my Honda Civic...but I haven't seen it in a decade or more - only the Blue bottle stuff.
STP 4-Cyl oil treatment, red bottle?! That stuff has a lot of Zinc in it, as I recall, and is NOT just a thickener. In fact, it used to be thinner than the stuff in the blue bottles.
OK, my guilty confession- back before I ever heard of BITOG, I used to use the STP 4-cyl, in doses of ~3 oz, in my old Volvo(1966 120 series), along with 20w50 Valvoline or Castrol oil. I owned that car for many years, did the same type driving in it for several years running, & it became my laboratory. That little bit of STP 4-cyl cut oil consumption by half- and I got 4 oil changes from a single bottle!
More than 3 oz didn't help any- I tried. When I finally sold it in fall of 97, I told the buyer about that- & he actually paid attention enough to write it down.
EDIT: Aha- see addyguy's post above! It *is* thinner, & Does have good stuff in it. I'm not crazy after all! (well, maybe I am, but you can't use my comments on STP 4-cyl to prove it.) If it's cheap, pick up a few bottles. Heck, I may ck out BL next time I'm in Longview.
OK, my guilty confession- back before I ever heard of BITOG, I used to use the STP 4-cyl, in doses of ~3 oz, in my old Volvo(1966 120 series), along with 20w50 Valvoline or Castrol oil. I owned that car for many years, did the same type driving in it for several years running, & it became my laboratory. That little bit of STP 4-cyl cut oil consumption by half- and I got 4 oil changes from a single bottle!
EDIT: Aha- see addyguy's post above! It *is* thinner, & Does have good stuff in it. I'm not crazy after all! (well, maybe I am, but you can't use my comments on STP 4-cyl to prove it.)
If it's cheap, pick up a few bottles. Heck, I may ck out BL next time I'm in Longview.
Last edited by a moderator:
That stuff used to be alot more popular than it is now.. Every gearhead with a muscle car used it back in the day.
I think it is suppose to coat the parts and create a slippery enviroment and prevent wear. I can tell you my Dad used to buy it by the steel gallon cans and use it in everything, without any bad results. This was back when it came in steel type round qt cans too. He would lay it on the engine and let it get hot then dump it in while the engine was running. You would hear a brief smoothing out. I always had in my mind that it probably settled out in the bottom of the engine and never really had the zest for it like him, although I drained alot of his oil and never saw a thick blob come out, so it must have stayed mixed. He would dump a full gallon in the Silver 92 Detriot diesels, they had a 10 gallon sump, 9 gallons of 40wt and 1 gallon of STP, hows that for a thick mix in PA winters.
Bump! To go with the other thread and discussion on blue bottle STP. The last of the Red STP is at Big Lots...
- Status
