Engine treatments?

[Rob52]

Any thoughts on engine treatments? Pro's or Con's of any PTFE additives? Not familiar with diesel engines and oil additives!
Is synthetic oil suffice? or petroleum oil best?
All my vehicles were treated with Slick 50 and have not had one problem, engine related, outside of a water pump after 120 and 160k miles. Some techs I know from GM and American Axle swear by it!
Thanks guys! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[DK35vince]

I'm no oil expert, but personally I would just run a good diesel engine rated oil and skip adding any additives.
Slick 50 never impressed me and I will not run it in my machines.
Just my opinion..

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I'm also not an expert, and I am in total agreement with Vince. I might even go one step further and say that in my tractors I only use what the manufacturer recommends, so I actually go my Kubota dealer and buy oil from him for the B2910 and I actually go to my New Holland dealer and buy oil from him for the TC24D. I guess my logic is they can't argue with my choice if ever there is a problem! I've never used any oil additive in a diesel engine. Now as for FUEL treatments, using an injector cleaner is not a silly thing to do, but I don't think it is needed in all your fuel, I probably use a small bottle of it every year.

 

[cowboydoc]

Vince is 100% right. We have never run any engine treatements and have tens of thousands of hours on numerous tractors. Slick 50 has been shown by numerous studies to just be snake oil. DON'T use it in a diesel. I wouldn't bother with synthetic either. In diesels it's important to change the oil regularly due to the soot and loss of anti-foaming properties over time. Unless you have an aftermarket filtration system for extended oil changes synthetic is a waste of time. Get Rotella or Delo diesel engine oil and change per mfg. recommendations and the tractor will probably outlast you.

 

[Bird]

Rob, I agree with the other guys, and even feel a little stronger about it. I know much has changed in the years since my Dad owned service stations and an auto parts store, but we sold those additives to anyone who wanted them (stocked quite a variety to brands), but also told them we did not use them and did not recommend them. Some of them can actually cause harm to your engine, and none that I've ever known of do any good, with the only exception being if you have an engine that's already developed a lot of sludge, sticking hydraulic lifters, etc. then some of them can help to clean out the engine and free lifters. Automatic transmission fluid will do that just as well as the so called "additives". I think, even today, you'll find new car manuals specifically recommending against using additives in the oil. So . . ., I not only do not use them, but I wouldn't buy a used vehicle if I knew the prior owner had used them.

And since I'm no engineer, I'm sure you realize I'm just telling you my opinion. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Rob52]

Thanks for your opinion guys! Not having much time around diesel engines, I wasn't too sure. I'm pretty sure just keeping it maintained and clean it'll outlast me as per you said!
Thanks again!
Happy Holidays /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[rockyridgefarm]

I work in a Dodge Dealership. Both Cummins and MB recommend Stanadyne Fuel additive. On older diesels, adding motor oil to the fuel (I think a quart to a tankful) is in order due to decreased lube in the fuel, but this isn't an issue with the new engines. Deere also has two fuel additives that get extremely high marks. Any info that I have looked at ranks Deere fluids, filters and all as great products, not just cheap knockoffs with a pricey logo...

The big issue is what the dealer wants. He is the first one calling the shots in warranty matters and may be the one making an offer at trade time...

 

[RalphVa]

Any oil additives that Exxon Research tested during my career of 30 years were not recommeded by our research guys. These included Slick 50, by the way.

Mercedes has recommended Chevron Techron diesel fuel addition, and I can personnally recommend it. Twice in the 190,000 mile life of our 1983 Benz so far, it has developed a constant speed ping. This ping was eliminated in both cases by one dose of Techron. The second time this occurred, it was due to diesel that was in the tank for 4 1/2 years. It got a little bit dark.

Ralph

 

[yellowsocks93]

The only additive I use is Sea Foam in the motor oil and fuel of my cars. It stopped my older car from burning oil. I will add Farm Oil fuel stabalizer to the 990 and 5320 if they have been sitting. Sea Foam works well for gas motors and you can use it in farm machinery too but I never have had the need to do so.

Oh yeah forgot to mention before I rebuilt the motor in my 318 I tried Justice Bros smoke stop for the **** of it and it was thick as molasses and clogged the funnel somewhat. It did not do anything but make a gummy mess in the motor which I had to clean out of the oil sump.

 

[JeffSpencer]

Sea foam is a great product. I use it in my boat motors...