Oil Additives - Are They Useful?

There are different kinds of engine oil additives today, and a lot of TV ads for oil additives - especially at night are telling their product is the best. Now imagine that.. Oil companies spend millions of dollars each year to improve their formulas, and so are the automobile manufacturers. First, can you believe that there is a magic formula, and oil companies that spend millions of dollars to R&D for years laboring the best chemical engineers especially for that reason couldn't find that magic formula of manufacturers of oil additives found? Secondly, if oil additives really work and are not harmful to your engine, why automobile manufacturers put one bottle of additives to every car they produce? Thus, they could improve their engine's performance and reduce fuel consumption.. Third, none of that famous oil additives carry the name of the major oil companies.

Teflon

Some oil additives may seem working at the very beginning, but those which contain particles like Teflon may block the oil filter and the oil ways of your engine. DuPont Chemical Company, inventor of PTFE and holder of the trademarks of Teflon says "Teflon is not useful as an ingredient in oil additives or oils used for internal combustion engines".

Zinc

Another kind of engine oil additive is that the one containing zinc. Zinc is used as an anti-wear oil additive and useful when there is really a metal to metal contact in your engine, which should normally never occur under normal conditions. Every major brand engine oil already contains enough zinc, so why add more? More zinc doesn't give you more protection, it just prolongs the protection if the rate of metal-to-metal contact is abnormally high. Adding a can of zinc-reach oil additive will just work for forming deposits on your valves, and will cause spark plug fouling, believe me..

What Is The Relationship Between a Lubricant And Fuel Consumption?

The viscosity of an oil comes from the internal friction within the oil: the more viscous the oil, the more internal friction. By using a low viscosity oil (generally SAE 0W-30) in an engine, the losses caused by friction internal to the lubricant are reduced: the petrol consumption is therefore enhanced by a few percent. However caution should be used, this type of oil is not suitable for all engines.

Are Dirty Oils a Sign Of Engine Problems?

Dirty oil is not a sign of engine problems. In fact, it's a good sign. It means your oil is doing its job: picking up deposits and keeping them suspended so they can't collect on engine parts. When you change that dirty oil (and your oil filter), you remove the deposits.

How To Check The Engine Oil Level?

In order to get a correct reading of the oil levels, the engine should be slightly warmed. Check your oil on level ground. Wait at least 5 minutes after switching off the engine. Remove the dipstick. Wipe it. Replace and wait a few seconds before removing it again. Check the level with reference to the MIN and MAX marks. You should add oil if the level is below the MAX mark. Add the oil a little at a time. Recheck the level and repeat the operation until it reaches the MAX mark. But don't go above it! Replace the dipstick. Recheck your oil level about every 2000 km.

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