Going out on a limb with a new article...

[macarose]

Hi folks. Hope all is well.

My name is Steve Lang and I have pretty much been a contributor and lurker here at BITOG for the last five or so years. A few of you may know me for my articles about the car business and the walking cartoons I get to deal with at the auto auctions. If you don't, well, let's just say that what the used car business lacks in ambience, it more than makes up for in ambulance.

Long story short, I wrote an article that got released yesterday on Yahoo. It primarily focuses on the aftermarket oil additive industry and the issues that come with blindly putting an unproven product with your crankcase oil. I have been a fervent believer in always giving your car the best oils it can possibly have for the long haul, and as someone who finances older cars and liquidates quite a lot of newer ones, I see the daily difference between those who do so, and those who blindly put aftermarket products due to their unrealistic guarantees.

https://www.yahoo.com/autos/bottled-magic-or-snake-oil-the-truth-about-118805206027.html

This is the article. The audience is typically less knowledgeable than the BITOG community, so I tried to make it as simple and useful as possible for everyday folks. The bottle we designed is also... well... unique.

If you have a moment today feel free to read it. If you're really tired, just look at the bottle.

All the best!

Steve Lang

 

[Shagger]

You had me at "Blinker Fluid"! - Herpetalogical! Muffler Juice! well done!

 

[MolaKule]

I would suggest asking the Mods to move this to the OTC and Third Part Oil Additives forum.

 

[Trajan]

I like it.

 

[Astro14]

Too bad Malfunction Prone (AKA GHT...) wasn't here to comment...I think he bought every single "miracle in a can" product available...but to my recollection, not one of them made a difference in his failing vehicles...

 

[Trajan]

Originally Posted By: MolaKule
I would suggest asking the Mods to move this to the OTC and Third Part Oil Additives forum.


That will go over like a lead ballon there

 

[typ901]

TTAC is not the same without your writing Steve!

 

[philipp10]

On a general basis, I agree with this article. Most if not all additives are just "hope in a bottle" and basically useless. Might that extend to "brands" of oil? Or brands of ATF? Lots of marketing dollars spent to convince me that Valvoline is better than Supertech or Mobil 1 is better than Fleet Farms house brand, Resolute. Just saying.

Some of the posters here seem convinced that "brand A" is better than "brand B" but where is the evidence? I don't eblieve it's there. There is always some pretty funny lines from BITGO'rs that I love such as "Use with confidence" or "you can't go wrong with brand X"....lol

 

[Shagger]

As a guy who used Slick 50 back in the day, I have to agree with EVERYTHING that is said in your article, my last car lasted 338,500 miles with regular 7500 mile synthetic oil changes. Regular maintenance is dull and boring, but not having a car payment for 15 years is anything but!

 

[philipp10]

Here is a guy that believes in additives. He puts in a quart of 2 stroke motor oil in each tank. Then adds 1/2 quart of toluene/xylene or acetone also. Claims improvements in gas mileage. You cannot honestly check your gas mileage to that level of precision without doing it in a lab....lol

"My Chevy tanks are 100 litres. I add a quart bottle prior to filling up on an empty tank.
So 100-1 however I don't suggest running that stiff right off the bat. I found it best to start small and record fuel consumption then increasing dosage until no more positive effects are noted.
My charger is best at 1/2 a quart at empty fill up. I think it's 19 gallons.
That being said the newest vehicle I'm doing this with is my charger which is an 06. My c3 is an 01 and 2 1999 silverados.
I've been using this ratio in one of the silverados for in excess of 100000kms,truck now has 290k on the odo. Original catalyst,original O2 sensors and no cel's on.
And I get better than EPA rated fuel consumption in everything. Even my high mile trucks get better than 20mpg on the highway.
There's also 1/2 quart of toluene/xylene or acetone mixed into my fuel.
If starting from scratch I'd go with an ounce per 5 gallons and increase from there."

 

[OneEyeJack]

Originally Posted By: philipp10
Here is a guy that believes in additives. He puts in a quart of 2 stroke motor oil in each tank. Then adds 1/2 quart of toluene/xylene or acetone also. Claims improvements in gas mileage. You cannot honestly check your gas mileage to that level of precision without doing it in a lab....lol

"My Chevy tanks are 100 litres. I add a quart bottle prior to filling up on an empty tank.
So 100-1 however I don't suggest running that stiff right off the bat. I found it best to start small and record fuel consumption then increasing dosage until no more positive effects are noted.
My charger is best at 1/2 a quart at empty fill up. I think it's 19 gallons.
That being said the newest vehicle I'm doing this with is my charger which is an 06. My c3 is an 01 and 2 1999 silverados.
I've been using this ratio in one of the silverados for in excess of 100000kms,truck now has 290k on the odo. Original catalyst,original O2 sensors and no cel's on.
And I get better than EPA rated fuel consumption in everything. Even my high mile trucks get better than 20mpg on the highway.
There's also 1/2 quart of toluene/xylene or acetone mixed into my fuel.
If starting from scratch I'd go with an ounce per 5 gallons and increase from there."


How much higher is your cost per mile with all this stuff?

 

[fdcg27]

I can't entirely agree with what you've written.
There are at least a few oil additives that are the real deal, although they should be used only in an attempt to solve a known problem, or at least a good surmise supported with experience and knowledge.
In an engine with high oil consumption likely due to stuck rings, I'd try Berryman's or Kreen based upon the favorable experiences of respected members here.
These may be strong solvents, but if used properly should cause only minimal marginal wear. Part of the secret of these products is that the solvents flash off quickly in a running engine anyway. They don't stay in solution in the oil long enough to do any real harm.
If I had sticky hyraulic lifters, I'd give Rislone a shot based upon the same favorable experience reported by other members.
There are a few additives that you will find on the shelves in a real shop, the above three being good examples.
You'll find many cans of additives that do nothing other than lighten one's wallet in the auto section of any retail store, but there are also a few that will perform as advertised.
Berryman's is even dirt cheap.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Gasp! The blasphemy!
Dozens of Marvel Miracle Mystery fluid fans are gnashing their teeth figuring out how to defend their favorite snake oil product.

 

[pitzel]

Well written, to the point, and technically accurate.

 

[fdcg27]

This is the real issue.
I've been playing around with UCL fuel adds on the beater '02 Accord for a bit now.
I've found one that seems to show a measurable improvement in fuel economy, although I won't have a real answer until I've driven at least five thousand miles using it.
This is for a car for which I have an existing database of fuel consumption for a little over 20K.
Now, to break even at the price we most recently paid for fuel, I'd have to see an improvement in fuel economy of about 4%, which seems like an unlikely stretch.
Even if you can gain some small but real improvement in fuel economy with a fuel add, cost per mile might still be higher than it would be sans additive.
Of course, the required proportional gain would be lower at a higher fuel price, so maybe I'm just gathering information for future use or maybe I'm just having a little relatively inexpensive fun.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

OP: There's a BMW dealership in my metro area that has for years sold a particular engine oil additive and it ain't LiquiMoly

 

[KGMtech]

Great read and PSA!

 

[philipp10]

I highly doubt there is anything that will give you 1%, much less 4%. If there was, it would be big news as any gain would be considered huge to the cafe imposed standards. I find it difficult to believe you could ever measure down to such levels without a proper lab as opposed to a daily driver. Too many variables, weather, condition of car as well as driving style.

 

[fdcg27]

This has nothing at all to do with CAFE.
The EPA fuel economy numbers are derived from the EPA emissions test driving cycles.
These tests are highly standardized, as they must be from a legislative/CFR viewpoint, including the fuel used.
It need not be said that no fuel additives are allowed.
I wrote that 4% would be an unlikely stretch, but 1-2% is well within the range of possibility.
WRT measurement, if you have a good long-term baseline for fuel condumption of any given vehicle as you use it, you can certainly see even a 1% improvement in fuel economy.
All of the variables wash out over enough miles.
That's why I wrote that I woundn't have a good answer for a number of thousands of miles.

 

[philipp10]

how does it not have to do with CAFE? Automakers are scrapping for anything to raise mpg's. I suppose maybe if an additive is not allowed? Or that cost wise it does not make sense. And of course, the emissions issues.