The use of oil additives has long been a controversial subject haunting the oil and automobile industries, respective stakeholders and not least the consumer. A fair amount of negativity has been associated with additives, and they have often been labelled as doing more harm than good.
Numerous studies have been published, either by oil companies or by car makers or even by scientific bodies, claiming and countering benefits, and exposing the so-called risks of additive usage in engine oils. There is so much of ‘expose’ pervading the market, particularly in the Internet forums, that an automobile owner, as the ultimate end user, may become totally confused about whether or not it is necessary to use additives with oil for their vehicle. This article is an attempt to regain some accurate context and clarity on this taboo subject.
Oil is a multi-billion dollar global industry. Two of the most important attributes of this industry are stiff competition and hectic infighting for protection of vested interests. Engine oils that these companies market conform to various international specifications like SAE and API. The main motive with which these companies operate is obviously profit. However, it’s not a profit at any cost situation. The quality of the product is also something very important for these oil companies. It’s this quality that can give them an edge in capturing and retaining a sizeable market share. So, most oil companies invariably try to market good quality engine oil that optimizes performance and ensures higher engine life.
But, the most important question is – how sincere are these oil companies in making really good oil? Do they make the best quality oil? The answer is certainly a big NO. Let’s see why this is so. First, the expression “best quality” is completely relative. One oil may be good for a particular type of engine and not so good for another. Moreover, there is no such end-goal specification, only set regulatory standards.
Research is unfolding new possibilities almost every day. In this highly dynamic situation, it is quite possible for an oil brand that is an excellent quality today, get replaced by a more efficient substitute tomorrow. Therefore, there is nothing sacrosanct about best quality oil. Second and most important, oil companies would never make the “ultimate” oil, even if it was theoretically possible, because that runs counter to their business interests. Optimum quality oil can mean more shelf-life and less replacement and this will obviously make their markets take a beating. It is, therefore, a natural conclusion that oil companies do not make, rather do not endeavour to make, the best quality oil. Rather, it’s in their business interest to promote marketing and strategic associations to earn more money, than devoting resources for quality optimization.
There are interesting examples on this. A very well known worldwide oil manufacturer (renowned for their quality fully synthetic oils) spend more on marketing than they do on R&D and production put together! Another well know petroleum supplier in the UK owns the rights to Slick 50 and despite the many complaints and legal cases that have surfaced and the brand having been notorious in tarnishing the oil additive market in general, this supplier purchased the rights to Slick 50 and continue to sell this product today. Why? Because it still makes money! For clarification, we do not endorse Slick 50 or recommend any PTFE or similar based oil additives.
So, it’s not at all hard to accept that these oil companies make oil that surpasses the basic quality specifications set by various accredited agencies but it is not in their interests financially, to far exceed these specifications. This means, what you buy is likely to be a good oil that you can rely on for good performance and protection, and obviously not best oil for peak performance. The old age adage “you get what you pay for” applies here.
This naturally keeps one issue strongly in the focus – oil quality can be improved for optimizing performance and delivering peak output.
Basically, engine oil has two main components-basestock and an additive package. The bulk of the oil constituting nearly 70-95% is made up of base fluid with the rest being the additives. The additive chemicals add value to the positive qualities and minimize impacts of the negative qualities of the basestock. Basestocks are of two main types, petroleum and synthetic. Crude oil in its purified form is the petroleum basestock. They have been in use since the earliest development and application of lubricants to moving parts of an engine. Synthetic basestocks, on the other hand, are made in the laboratory with specific chemicals corresponding to different functions that the lubricant is required to perform. Synthetic basestocks are thus very much use-specific. Although they came to be known in the 1900’s, they started getting prominence in automobile industry in the 1970’s. Further information on the composite of oil can be found in our article – What’s in Engine Oils.
So, if additives are essentially in oil from the outset, then why is there so much of controversy in fortifying existing oil further with additional additives? For one reason, a part of it is created by the oil companies to further their business interests. An excuse they commonly use is that further additives would upset the carefully selected blend of existing additives.
The reality is that selecting the appropriate constituents for the additives and their blending is a very expensive affair. If the oil companies are to invest substantially to create these facilities, the end product would be costlier. Again, we return to the fact that oils only need to comply with the regulatory performance criteria for it given country. There is no need to go over engineer an additive pack. Instead, this is saved for their more exclusive customers like high profile motor racing teams.
Another blockage is created by the car manufacturers. They refuse to honour the warranty obligations if oils with additives are used in the engines manufactured by them. It’s business that’s uppermost in everybody’s mind. Car manufacturers make engines with some engine life in mind. If they run longer than expected, thanks to excellent engine oils charged with appropriate additives, their business is certainly compromised. So, naturally, they would discard the idea of using such products that give engines a longer than necessary life.
Furthermore, there are unscrupulous individuals in the market place that insist on selling additives that claim ultimate protection or unrealistic MPG gains. This is unfortunate as it has somehow resulted in the unreasonable deduction by some misinformed public, usually self claimed “experts” that frequent the internet forums, that if additives were any good then manufactures would include them in their oil. Well, the answer is they do, but usually in small (lower cost) quantities meaning that many oils can be improved further.
From all this heat, one thing emerges firmly. Additives do have a positive role in enhancing engine oil quality, and only intensive research from credible companies with limited vested interests can show ways and means to improve engine oil quality, and reveal more cost effective solutions to improve engine performance and longer engine life.
Our advice is to do your research before considering putting an additive in with your engine oil. Check the ethical standing of that company; search the internet for feedback. Alternatively you can contact us if you have a query concerning any particular oil additive.
The FuelTechExperts Team
