(Part 2) Best oil & fluid additives according to redditors
We found 152 Reddit comments discussing the best oil & fluid additives. We ranked the 64 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
You can buy scented fuel additive in a variety of fragrances. I wouldn’t recommend using it but we tried this on a old engine and yes it works. The smell lingers for ages even after adding new fuel without the additive.
Allstar ALL78126 Grape Fuel Fragrance https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007ZQS28Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_hWZQCbVPGGMDS
250blazeitfaggot
https://www.amazon.com/STA-BIL-22284-Protection-Treatment-Stabilizer/dp/B00HEZFZEK
Buy your old man some of this, and insist it be added to every tank of gas. At the very least, it must be added every time the car is parked. If you buy it yourself, at least you get over old miser hump. Its not some new "Fancy shit" either. Sta-bil is what the car collectors use to protect their $1 million Ferraris. If the guy thinks you are full of shit, call 5 mechanics with him listening on speaker phone.
Though the best approach with stubborn people is to lead them into thinking its his idea to use it. You know, leave some ads out where he can find them, use some in your car and say how much better its running...whatever can lead him on. I mean the classic example of leading people is...if you want your friend to get you both a beer from your fridge, start talking about how awesome beer is, and how you just got some last night to drink...
And yes your old man is partly right, better a tank of spoiled gas than a rusted out tank because condensation and the fact residue would dry up and varnish everything, but that was before we started running cars on what is effectively bourbon. Now the bad gas issue is even worse. Which is double why he should be using ethanol remover and stabilizer with every fill up on a classic.
Sta-bil, while perhaps not cheap, should keep the car alive.
Always get the scheduled maintenance done that is recommended in the owner’s booklet. Typically, I’ll get my oil change done at the same time because it’s usually every 8,000km/5000 miles. Make sure the mechanic uses 100% synthetic, and not some 50/50 cheap alternative.
For that salt buildup, Krown protectant is worth it. Get that applied at least every second year. In Canada it’s about $130, so in the US it’s probably $75-90. If you’re doing Krown and planning to regularly get a car wash, DO NOT go for the carwash that sprays the underside of the car. This can rinse off the Krown protectant over time.
Since you’re at the 62K mile mark, you can start using Lukas oil stabilizer and Lukas injector cleaner . You wouldn’t need it if you’re under 50k miles, but once the engine gets older it starts to burn oil less efficiently;it’s normal. My mechanic swears by this stuff- and no he doesn’t sell it, he tells me to grab it at the local hardware/automotive supply store, so I know he’s honest.
There's always this stuff. I've never used it though.
It could be a few different things. What's your year/make/model?
Here's some common culprits, listed in order of likelihood.
A few years ago in my area in upstate New York they started selling non-ethanol premium, I use it in my motorcycle as well. More gas stations are selling it now but I’m not sure if it’s available in your area. If it’s not, I would definitely start using the non-ethanol Marine Grade Sta-Bil I mentioned above in your storage cans right now.
www.amazon.com/dp/B008Y2FVKU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_721oDb1SM96XC
I used to use Lucas Oil Upper Cylinder Lubricant for about a year. Seemed to make the idle better. Been without it for about 6 years now though, and I haven't noticed a difference besides the idle.
Oh no I knew it was you because it flags me when you post my username. I just thought it was funny someone thought what I said was cool enough to bear repeating.
Side note I personally have done all the services that can be done to a car to my own car (2010 Equinox with now roughly 80,000 miles on it) just because I wanted to know if they actually had any benefit. After induction cleaning (I did it at Ford with their method) I noticed that my gas mileage actually went down for about two full tanks of gas but when it rebounded I gained about two miles per gallon highway. (I lived about 20 minutes by highway from work so 90% of my driving was on the interstate). This data was confirmed by a fellow tech who also did his Nissan Altima at the same time. We both complained about it to each other and found it amusing that we had the same result.
Some dealerships swear by a company/product called BG who makes this stuff. The ones we used at the dealership actually came with a can of CF5 instead of 44k as the 44k is a stronger chemical for fuel cleaning and our BG rep said to use it for induction/fuel cleaning and the CF5 was for regular maintenance use but honestly both methods work. If you decide you want to use this stuff this funnel is made to fit the cans and makes pouring the 44k into the gas tank way easier. Also that price for them as a set is what we charged at the dealer which after tax came out to roughly 42 bucks. Buying them on Amazon individually seems to cost way more for some reason.
Point of me telling you this is that what we did was use that red can (EPR) BEFORE we changed your oil and ran at idle for 10-15 minutes then drained the oil and replaced the filter. We added the Cf5 (or in the linked instance the 44k which actually works better) to the fuel system and when we refilled the oil in the engine we added the MOA(Blue can) to the engine oil accounting for the capacity difference in oil (it's 11 ounces of MOA which is roughly 0.3 quarts which really only matters for finicky shit like Fords 1.6 Ecoboost garbage). When done by us at the dealership and continued on a maintenance program BG actually warranties the engine against break down. They also have chemicals for all other liquids like brake fluid and trans and coolant and the like. My father used it in his F150 and his trans went out and they covered the replacement cost which was something like 2500 or so USD. Anywho long ass story short those chemicals I still use every oil change cycle in my own car and while I don't really notice and major performance difference I have noticed that that my engine runs very smooth and when I watch the data on my diagnostic tablet (Snap On Solus for those who are curious) everything is running damn near perfect still after 6 years and 80,000 miles and I still have factory everything inside the engine (including spark plugs!) except oil, coolant, and air filters and the like. You know shit you're supposed to change from time to time.
Basically a lot of shit they offer I think is straight up bullshit (like getting coolant, brake fluid, and trans fluid swapped out way too often/too soon) but the BG oil change additive shit and the induction cleaning maybe every 30-40k or so depending on how you drive is something I do to my own car and if I do it to mine then I guess you can trust that I'm not selling you snake oil. Also fact check your dumbass service advisor. I had one who was notorious for selling power steering flushes on cars that don't fucking have hydraulic power steering! Dafuq yo? I've also had one that had this little old lady getting a fucking induction service with EVERY oil change. Worlds cleanest fuel induction system. We finally caught her because the lady came to another advisor and asked why we didn't recommend the "flush thingy".
Yes indeed. I use twice the normal amount of Stabil fuel stabilizer and the gas is good for two years. I then use the gas in my vehicles with no issues at all. I've been doing this for over 10 years now and it is a system that works very well.
I had it changed, not flushed. But after adding some redline and a bottle of this, never shifted better https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DKV5H8?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details
Someone I trust said to use Liqui Moly Jectron after I had problems with sparkplugs and coils getting build up. I'm under warranty so the dealership replaced them but he said to use the Jectron to keep it from happening again.
I second this. Try using this B3C Fuel Solutions 2-024-1 Mechanic In A Bottle 24 oz. Bottle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CHS25OW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_NDjGzbDH7J2EK
LOWEST price on DEF per 55 Gal and FREE 2 Day Delivery... Amazon prime is amazing!
https://www.amazon.com/Sinopec-DEF-Diesel-Exhaust-Fluid/dp/B01JZXWBYK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505496371&sr=8-1&keywords=def+55+gallon+drum
We use a product from BG at my dealership to help prolong engine life on 1zz, 1nz (fe/fxe), and the 2az’s. This stuff works wonders! You’ll need to do two oil changes though, on the first you’ll add the red can and the remainder oil and start it and get to normal operation temp (do not rev or drive, let idle) then drain fully and add the blue can with remainder oil. If possible, go for a 30-50 mile straight drive.
Thing 2: Your combustion system sounds like it could probably be cleaned.
To grossly oversimplify internal combustion engines, here’s a quick rundown of how they work: Gas gets spritzed into the combustion chamber (this is the part with cylinders and pistons) while fresh, outside air gets sucked in and filtered (this is the part they mean when they say intake manifold). The fuel spritz is controlled by the aptly-named fuel injection and increases when you put your foot down on the pedal. At the same time, the amount of air that comes in is controlled by the throttle body assembly, which opens and closes based on your acceleration. More pedal = more gas and more air. The air and the gas combine and the spark plug fires, igniting the mixture. Tiny explosion forces the piston upward in the cylinder with force, which moves crankshaft, which in turn moves all the other things and ta-daaa! You can go places in your car! More pedal, more gas, more air, more tiny booms, you go zoom! Very fun.
The problem is that modern gas isn’t 100% pure, and it leaves a residue when it ignites. It’s a black carbon deposit that’s almost identical to the soot that collects on the side of a glass candle except there’s way more of it, it’s way stickier and it’s made from the restless ghosts of all those dead dinosaurs you burn up every day to get to work. This residue probably has a real name but I’ve only ever heard it called carb, as in, “the engine is all carbed up so run a bottle of gum-out through it.”
What happens when this shit gets left behind is that it collects on your throttle body plate, which then can get stuck and not open and close appropriately. It can also collect on the little zappy ends of your spark plugs, which means they don’t fire as efficiently. Now without the right air/gas mix, and without the right booms, you no go zoom. And then, your engine is less efficient at burning the fuel in the first place, which means more uncombusted sediment and shit gets left behind and the whole thing becomes exponentially worse. The main sign of all of this is starting your car cold and, while still in park, seeing if your RPM needle bounces as the engine lopes, like Womp...Womp...Womp. If you feel like you need to punch the gas a little to keep it from stalling, that’s a sure sign.
But it doesn’t have to be that bad to need cleaning, and I generally believe that every car that’s not new could use it. Your fuel efficiency will improve and the smell your boyfriend smelled should go away. Shops call this service a fuel system clean, pre-combustion service or an ignition clean, but basically it’s any service that cleans your throttle body, combustion chamber, mass air flow and O2 sensors. You can have it done, or you can run several treatments through your gas tank to approximate this. I like this one but you can get Seafoam or Marvel Mystery Oil at any auto parts store, too. Cleaningvthe fuel injectors and valves that way and changing out your spark plugs should improve things a bit.
Pro tip: if you have any parts replaced, always have them show you the old part and the new one after it’s installed, if it’s visible. This is an easy way to discourage the most blatant fraudulent deception (charging for new parts not installed), though some shops will find other ways. If they tell you something else is wrong, make them show you. Ask to see the OBD codes. In my experience (being a woman) this causes no problems when you feign curiosity, like “ooh, can I see what that looks like?”
Oh, and, one more thing. If you have the belt/tensioner done and your AC doesn’t immediately blow cold again, have them check the relay/fuse. There’s a fuse box under the hood (in addition to the one by your steering wheel) with a fuse that controls the compressor; if it tried to kick in but your belt wasn’t running it, it could have blown that fuse. It’s a bit frustrating at first when you think you did all you could to fix it but it still doesn’t work and then you remember the fuse. Went through that on my husband’s car.
I know it’s a lot of information but I hope you feel better prepared. The not knowing what’s wrong or what could go wrong with my car is really anxiety-inducing for me, so I hope I’ve helped clear some of that for you.
Let me know how it goes, please!
Buy this
https://www.amazon.com/Scepter-Resistant-Closures-5-Gallon-Military/dp/B000MT94TC
+
https://www.amazon.com/EZ-Pour-Gas-Can-Replacement-Spout/dp/B06WRRXG1X
+
https://www.amazon.com/STA-BIL-22207-Fuel-Stabilizer-oz/dp/B000JJHNAW
Try to rotate as frequently as you can with ethanol free gas. I wouldn't recommend you let it go longer than 2 years, but I'm currently burning up some 2014 era gas and my toyota is giving me no complaints. I am running 50/50 fresh/old though.
If you are overdue then get an addtive llike the prolong one.
https://www.amazon.com/Prolong-Super-Lubricants-PSL15000-Transmission/dp/B001DKV5H8
Pri-D includes both and it's ~$33 and is good for 512 gallons. As I understand you can re-treat multiple times without problems.
Seems like those Gen 1 cruzes had a lot of engineering problems with them. Have a 2015 Cruze L myself; had a "slight" bit of the same problem, but it was just a loose gasket that easily fixed by adding some of this, https://www.amazon.com/Bars-1150-Cooling-System-Repair/dp/B00753MZWG/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=bars+stop+leak&qid=1555949124&s=gateway&sr=8-16
​
I would give it a try. If it doesn't work, you are going to likely bring it to a chevy dealership.
http://www.amazon.com/PRI-Fuel-Stabilizer-Gasoline-Economy/dp/B005JP16TA
I use two in my 00 toyota sienna.
http://www.amazon.com/BG-44K-Fuel-System-Cleaner/dp/B00DDVU6EI
http://www.amazon.com/MOA-Part-110-Engine-Supplement/dp/B00FX6N7DI/ref=pd_sim_auto_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0DG7P6AQQ4C24AMTHVK7
Early on I had a gelled up engine, low oil pressure issue I used the BG cleaner and removed the oil pan to finish the cleaning. Its been pretty good!