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Tag Archives: oil additives

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Oil Additives

Oil Additives – Our View

September 2, 2015 Andy 20 Comments

Oil additives have long been a controversial subject that haunts the oil and automobile industries, their respective stakeholders, and – perhaps most significantly – the consumer. Thanks to a fair amount of negativity toward oil additives, they have often been labeled as doing more harm than good.

Numerous studies have been published by oil companies, car makers, and oil standards organizations disputing the value of additives and exposing the so-called risks of additive usage in engine oils. There is so much speculation pervading the market, particularly in the Internet forums, that an automobile owner might become confused about whether it is necessary to use additives in their vehicle. This article attempts to regain some accurate context and clarity on this taboo subject.

Oil is a multi-billion dollar global industry. Two of the essential attributes of this industry are stiff competition and hectic infighting for the protection of vested interests. The engine oils these companies sell 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 very important because that’s what can give a company 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 longer engine life.

But – that all said – how eager are these oil companies to make the perfect oil? Do they make the best quality oil? The answer is undoubtedly a big ‘NO.’ Let’s see why this is so. First, the expression “best quality” is entirely relative. One oil might be suitable for a particular engine type 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 to get replaced by a more efficient substitute tomorrow. Therefore, there is nothing sacrosanct about the best quality oil. Second and most important, oil companies would never make the “ultimate” oil, even if it was theoretically possible. Why? 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 endeavor to make – the best quality oil. It’s in their business interest to promote marketing and strategic associations to earn more money rather than devote resources for quality optimization.

There are interesting examples of this. A well-known, worldwide oil manufacturer (renowned for their quality, fully synthetic oils) spends more on marketing than on research, development, and production put together! Another well-known petroleum supplier now owns the rights to Slick 50. Despite the many complaints and legal cases that have surfaced, and the brand has been notorious for tarnishing the oil additives market, this supplier purchased the rights to Slick 50 and continues to sell this product today. Why? Because it still makes money! For clarification, we do not endorse Slick 50 or recommend any PTFE-based additives for engine use.

The conglomerate of major oil manufacturers, standards institutions, and regulatory bodies have too much invested in the status quo (group III base stocks, decades-old ZDDP additives, etc.). And when you combine this with a market that is not yet demanding more modern (nano) additive technologies, many oil manufacturers have little interest in providing higher-quality lubricants. The latest base stocks (group IV PAOs, group V Esters, OSPs, higher performing additive pack ingredients, etc.) are currently reserved and used by the smaller boutique oil companies rather than the mainstream brands.

Stipulated specifications (ACEA, SAE, API, etc.) lead to many oils that are inferior by design. For example, improving the base stock or additive technology can result in oil that, although superior, is now “out of spec.” This includes full, mid and low-SAPS oils. Now consider the current ash measurement test. Not all sulphated ash is harmful to the DPF. Certain types of ash are beneficial and help diesel particulate filters catalyze carbons. The current ash test can only determine ash content and not differentiate between good and bad. This is a significant handicap to the engine oil quality for most diesel engines that require mid- to low-SAPS lubricants.

It’s not hard to accept that these oil companies make oil surpassing the basic quality specifications set by various accredited agencies. But it is not in their interests financially to far exceed these specifications even if given the freedom to do so. This means you are likely buying good oil that you can rely on for good performance and protection, but not necessarily the best oil for peak performance, protection, or deposit control. Deposit build-up is now a huge issue facing manufacturers and consumers, particularly on direct injection engines. Many oils are not good enough, and progress is hindered by having to abide by outdated specifications.

This naturally keeps one issue in focus – oil quality can be improved for optimizing performance, delivering peak output, reducing deposit formation in the engine, intake, EGR, and so on.

Engine oil has two main components – base stock and an additive package. The bulk of the oil – nearly 70 to 95 percent – comprises base fluid(s), with the rest being the additives. The additive chemicals add value to the positive qualities and minimize the impact of the negative attributes of the base stock. Base stocks are of two main types, petroleum and synthetic. Crude oil in its purified form is the petroleum base stock. Petroleum has been in use since the earliest development and application of lubricants to the moving parts of an engine. On the other hand, synthetic base stocks are made in the laboratory. Specific chemicals that correspond to different functions are used to meet performance requirements. Synthetic base stocks are thus very much use-specific. Although they came to be known in the 1900s, they started getting prominence in the automobile industry in the 1970s. Further information on oil composition can be found in our article, “What’s in Engine Oils?”

So, if additives are essentially in oil from the outset, why is there so much controversy in fortifying existing oil with additional additives? For one, oil companies are likely considering how profits would be affected by selling longer-lasting oils and realizing it’s not a good business decision. Second, some argue that additional additives would upset the carefully selected blend of existing additives.

In reality, selecting the appropriate constituents for the additives and their blending is very expensive. The end product would be costlier if the oil companies invested substantially to create better oils. Again, we return to the fact that oils only need to comply with the regulatory performance criteria in a given country. There is no general need for an oil company to spend money over-engineering an additive pack. Instead, this effort is saved for their more exclusive customers, like high-profile motor racing teams.

The car manufacturers create another blockage. They refuse to honor the warranty obligations if oils with additives are used in the engines manufactured by them. It’s profit that’s uppermost in everybody’s mind. When a car manufacturer makes an engine, they expect it to have a certain lifespan, on average. Their business is certainly compromised if they run longer than expected thanks to excellent engine oils charged with appropriate additives. So naturally, they would discard the idea of using such products that give engines a longer life than is needed.

Furthermore, unscrupulous individuals in the marketplace insist on selling additives that claim ultimate protection or unrealistic gains in miles per gallon. This is unfortunate as it has somehow resulted in the unreasonable deduction by some misinformed people – usually self-claimed “experts” that frequent the Internet forums – that if additives were any good, manufacturers would include them in their oil. The answer is they do, but usually in small (lower cost) quantities that leave much room for improvement.

From all this heat, one thing emerges: additives have a positive role in enhancing engine oil quality. And only intensive research by credible companies with limited vested interests can improve engine oil quality and find more cost-effective ways to improve engine performance and increase engine life.

Our advice is to do your research before considering putting an additive in with your engine oil. Check the ethical standing of the manufacturer and search the Internet for product reviews. We also welcome you to contact us directly if you require a recommendation for your particular vehicle or application. In some cases, and depending on your requirements, your chosen oil may not need fortifying.

oil additives
Fuel Addtives, Fuel Saving, Fuel System Cleaning, Heating Oil Additives

Do Fuel and Oil Additives Really Work?

May 30, 2013 Andy 19 Comments

Firstly, we need to understand what is meant by “work” as there are conflicting ideas and interpretations. Some would consider “work” to improve performance or increase mpg, whereas others would consider “work” to clean the fuel system, restore fuel injector efficiency or reduce friction. Others would consider a product to have “worked” if it resolved an underlying problem, such as resolving engine hesitation, restoring lost performance, or reducing excessive emissions.

So which is correct? Firstly you need to understand how additives work and what they really do:

Fuel additives directly deliver one or more of the following:

1. Clean the fuel system and restore injector efficiency
2. Remove combustion deposits
3. Help clean emissions control system components
4. Lubricate the fuel system and combustion area
5. Protect against chemical or biological contamination
6. Preserve fuel and offer cold weather protection
7. Improve the quality of combustion (catalyst)
8. And so on.

The above direct actions then may or may not result in:
1. Increase in power and torque
2. Increase in fuel economy
3. Smoother running engine
4. Smoother idle
5. Reduced exhaust emissions
6. Less mechanical vibration or noise
7. And so on.

Can you see the difference? The point I am making here is that an increase in performance or mpg is typically the resultant benefit of cleaning a fuel system, engine or reducing friction. They should not always be considered as the direct aims of fuel or oil additives. The usual goal of additives is to rid the fuel system and combustion area of deposits and, thus, from these actions, restore any lost performance or MPG. Further combustion modification (catalysts) can then improve MPG further.

We often see the expectations with additives mismanaged. If a vehicle were achieving an expected and realistic 50 mpg, one would then be disappointed to discover when they purchased and used a fuel cleaner that the MPG didn’t improve if they had purchased the cleaner to improve MPG. There has to be a degradation of fuel economy in the first place. To improve MPG up and above what the engine is designed to deliver on standard pump fuel, you need to use additives designed to improve combustion and thus maximize the energy output of the base fuel, not a cleaner.

Therefore, to resolve any confusion, most fuel additive cleaners do not directly increase economy or performance. Modern detergents remove debilitating deposits and thus restore fuel system and combustion efficiency. This may or may not increase fuel economy or engine performance. It depends on what you started with. Highly quality additives with effective fuel catalyst technology can then marginally increase MPG over standard figures, depending on the quality of base fuel being used.

Symptoms can also be mechanically related. A user may inadvertently use a cleaner or additive to resolve what is, in fact a mechanical or electrical issue. This is not necessarily bad as additives can be used as a low-cost process of elimination. However, when using additives to resolve problems, it is important to understand the symptoms and, thus the probability of these symptoms being resolved through “chemical” means. Additives are not mechanics in a can.

Furthermore, a successful cleaning cycle does not automatically result in a smoother, more performant, or more economical engine. Different engine designs respond to deposits in different ways.

Many cleaners (not all) work by restoring performance and MPG. Time and time again, we see customers purchasing one-shot cleaners to improve MPG on an engine running well and achieving the expected MPG with the hope that it would magically improve fuel economy. Now, if you purchased the cleaner to maintain a clean system, then this is valid. Still, we see the expectations of many customers mismanaged when it comes to what they were expecting versus what they should reasonably expect versus what products really do and how this translates into discernible improvements to their vehicle.

The best advice we can give is for you to understand your requirements and goals concerning fuel, fuel additives, and lubricants. Don’t purchase additives on a whim or hope they may fortuitously effect some change, as this is a surefire way to disappointment. Work out what you are trying to achieve: rectify a running issue, protect the fuel system or engine, maintain a clean running system to prevent future problems, reduce wear, increase power, improve fuel economy, improve fuel quality, or many of these combined, etc. Then complete your own research or consult with a professional to match the correct products for your needs with an understanding of what the products actually do and how this translates into measurable results for you.

To summarise, there are legitimate circumstances when additives offer genuine benefits (when chosen correctly and matched to actual requirements) and other times when they become a waste of money. They become a waste of money when users misunderstand what they are actually buying versus what they are trying to achieve.

In the follow-up article, we are going to break this down further by revealing why results can be so inconsistent when using additives so that you can make an informed decision as to whether your vehicle will benefit or not from their use. We will also reveal some pitfalls, the concept of Negative versus Positive Gain, and testing protocols so that you, a consumer, mechanic or fleet operator, etc., can accurately measure your MPG improvements.

If you require any expert advice or help, please don’t hesitate to contact us, and a member of my team or I will be pleased to help.

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