Are Oil Additives Really Worth It?
By
BRETT WINBERG - LUBETRAK
You have seen them, wondered about them, and yes, most of us have even bought them at one time or another.
Presently, there are many different kinds oil additive products on the market. Some really work wonders… others leave you wondering why you wasted your money.
Since we’re not in the business of promoting any one product, we will attempt to stay unbiased when talking about these products and their names however, we would like to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using aftermarket oil additives.
We have tested more than five major brands that we felt would meet or exceed the expectations of the additive. The following ASTM tests were done, such as:
- ASTM-D-4172 Four Ball Test/ Load test
- ASTM-D-2783 Load/Lbs, Min test
- ASTM-D-943 Oxidation Stability
- ASTM D92 Flash Point test
- ASTM D3233B Extreme Pressure properties (Falex pin and vee block method)
These tests were done to all additives and some of the results were amazing. We noticed a great potential when using an oil additive, such as:
- Decreased engine wear
- Extended bearing life
- Reduced corrosion build up
- 80% showed reduced heat
- Oxidation of the oil was lower
- Extended oil life (TBN tested higher in 50% of test)
- And in some cases reduced exhaust emissions
These tests really got our attention... After all, seeing is believing, and the improvements that most of the oil additives made in engine performance and wear reduction were quite impressive.
However, one thing we noticed is that some of the additives had ‘chlorinated paraffins’ in them. Paraffins are hazardous to the environment as well as the human body. Chlorine is a great lubricator and is an active ingredient in over 75% of most of today’s additives. While these work well, ask questions and do your research to find out if your additive has chlorine in it. If it does, ensure that it is a ‘chlorinated halogen’ or ‘hydrocarbon’, not paraffin.
Our conclusion… there are very few aftermarket additives that do what they state they will do. On the other hand, a very few great ones do even more than they claim. Do your homework first. You will find generally good results in the following extreme conditions, such as:
- Towing a heavy trailer
- City driving
- Dirty environment
- Excessive idling
In a future LubeTalk, we will discuss the results that some of the tested additives may have on seal life.
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