Subject: How to Choose the Right Oil Additive?

tonefrel

New member
Joined
Jul 3, 2018
Location
Bleiburg
TDI
jetta
[FONT=&quot]I have been trying to ensure that my car is as super powered as it can be. That isn’t always easy – but I know that it is possible. How can I find the right oil additive that actually makes somewhat of a difference for what I want to be able to do? Are there options that are affordable and can I get them easily? Thanks for your help! [/FONT]
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
Use the correct oil and forget about using oil additives. Best thing you can do. What exactly does "as super powered as it can be" mean?
 

n1das

TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2002
Location
Nashua, NH, USA
TDI
2014 BMW 535xd ///M-Sport, 2012 BMW X5 Xdrive35d, former 3x TDI owner
[FONT=&quot]I have been trying to ensure that my car is as super powered as it can be. That isn’t always easy – but I know that it is possible. How can I find the right oil additive that actually makes somewhat of a difference for what I want to be able to do? Are there options that are affordable and can I get them easily? Thanks for your help! [/FONT]
OUCH! My eyes hurt from the bold font.

What will an oil additive do for the engine that a high quality diesel rated synthetic oil which your car requires cannot do? :confused:

The only thing that should ever be added to the high quality diesel rated synthetic oil in your TDI is MORE high quality diesel rated synthetic oil, to top the oil level off if necessary.

Simply use the correct synthetic oil that your TDI requires. There is no issue with "switching to synthetic" oil because the car came from the factory already filled with synthetic oil. Just use the correct oil and change it every 10k miles by the book.

Good luck and Welcome to TDIclub. :cool:
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
The only thing that should ever be added to the high quality diesel rated synthetic oil in your TDI is MORE high quality diesel rated synthetic oil, to top the oil level off if necessary.
Careful. someone might interpret that to mean if 4 quarts are good, 4 more quarts is even better because it will double your protection. :D
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
[FONT=&quot]I have been trying to ensure that my car is as super powered as it can be. That isn’t always easy – but I know that it is possible. How can I find the right oil additive that actually makes somewhat of a difference for what I want to be able to do? Are there options that are affordable and can I get them easily? Thanks for your help! [/FONT]
This is the only oil additive I've ever used, and I noticed no improvements when I used it. Nothing wrong with it though.

 

GoFaster

Moderator at Large
Joined
Jun 16, 1999
Location
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
"The right oil additive" is "none".

Just use the right oil to begin with. Since the original poster does not specify which model year or engine, that cannot be answered with the information on hand.
 

AMGE36

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2016
Location
Canada
TDI
Looking for Passat TDI
Use German Engine Synthetic Oils or French
Never mix any additives to boost engine oil no way to go.
Use nanotechnology to treat engine metal only once a 50.000 km
Not use those magic engine oils like 5W50 or 10W60
Use only 5W30 or 0W30.
Worn engines burning every viscosities without any difference.
Tick oil damaging engines - very slow flow
Racing engines are built for extreme use big oil gallery and extream heat what allowed for use of very tick engine oils.
The engine needs a very fast flow of the oil to cool down and lubricating moving parts.
 

CleverUserName

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Location
NorCal
TDI
2014 OZ Cruze CTD & 2010 JSW 6MT & 2017 GMC Canyon CCLB ATX 2.8 Duramax
Use German Engine Synthetic Oils or French
Never mix any additives to boost engine oil no way to go.
Use nanotechnology to treat engine metal only once a 50.000 km
Not use those magic engine oils like 5W50 or 10W60
Use only 5W30 or 0W30.
Worn engines burning every viscosities without any difference.
Tick oil damaging engines - very slow flow
Racing engines are built for extreme use big oil gallery and extream heat what allowed for use of very tick engine oils.
The engine needs a very fast flow of the oil to cool down and lubricating moving parts.
Not true. I see this nonsense all the time.

Racing engines use thin oils now to minimize friction. NASCAR is all 20wt due to very tight tolerances.

At mild ambient temperatures there is a negligible difference between a synthetic 10w30 and 0w30. Oils with a low winter rating don’t have any advantage until the ambient temp gets lower than 0F. If it’s liquid and pumpable at a given temperature they will both flow at the same volume. 5w and 0w also have undesirable characteristics like higher volatility and are susceptible to viscosity loss due to shearing. A 10w30 will not have any of these undesirable properties.

Older engines, air cooled or extreme use need thicker oils. If you have a a 20 year old car or motorcycle specced with a xw40 or xw50 use it as they have looser tolerances or higher thermal loads and need thicker oil.

Many great oils made in America. Some mediocre oils made in Germany (liqui-moly) and France. Redline, Amsoil, TGMO and RLI are all American and they arguable make the best stuff out there....

As far as additives go:

I believe dry lubricants like Mos2 found in LM2009 do help with cold and dry starts. After an oil film is established this effect is negligible.

LM ceratec was proven to reduce friction when added to conventional 10w30 in a small gasoline engine.

Prolong, Bestline and other Chlorinated paraffins have been proven to work in providing a durable anti-wear coating on engines, however there is also evidence that these products can become corrosive and damage an engine if left in the sump for too long.
 

20IndigoBlue02

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 22, 2001
Location
Was North NJ, now SoCal
TDI
2002 Golf TDI-- deceased
Not true. I see this nonsense all the time.

Racing engines use thin oils now to minimize friction. NASCAR is all 20wt due to very tight tolerances.

At mild ambient temperatures there is a negligible difference between a synthetic 10w30 and 0w30. Oils with a low winter rating don’t have any advantage until the ambient temp gets lower than 0F. If it’s liquid and pumpable at a given temperature they will both flow at the same volume. 5w and 0w also have undesirable characteristics like higher volatility and are susceptible to viscosity loss due to shearing. A 10w30 will not have any of these undesirable properties.

Older engines, air cooled or extreme use need thicker oils. If you have a a 20 year old car or motorcycle specced with a xw40 or xw50 use it as they have looser tolerances or higher thermal loads and need thicker oil.

Many great oils made in America. Some mediocre oils made in Germany (liqui-moly) and France. Redline, Amsoil, TGMO and RLI are all American and they arguable make the best stuff out there....

As far as additives go:

I believe dry lubricants like Mos2 found in LM2009 do help with cold and dry starts. After an oil film is established this effect is negligible.

LM ceratec was proven to reduce friction when added to conventional 10w30 in a small gasoline engine.

Prolong, Bestline and other Chlorinated paraffins have been proven to work in providing a durable anti-wear coating on engines, however there is also evidence that these products can become corrosive and damage an engine if left in the sump for too long.
Thin oil reduces pumping losses compared to thicker oils.

Racing engines are not subject to emissions control devices, like street cars, so their additives will get higher concentrations of things like ZDDP and other anti-wear additives.
 

CleverUserName

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Location
NorCal
TDI
2014 OZ Cruze CTD & 2010 JSW 6MT & 2017 GMC Canyon CCLB ATX 2.8 Duramax
Thin oil reduces pumping losses compared to thicker oils.

Racing engines are not subject to emissions control devices, like street cars, so their additives will get higher concentrations of things like ZDDP and other anti-wear additives.
The primary power gains that come from using thinner oil comes from a reduction of oil induced drag on the rotating engine components. Secondary power gains come from reductions in pumping and friction losses.

With tight bearing tolerances and effective oil cooling means 20wt oils are fine as long as they are changed frequently enough before fuel dilution and shearing can reduce the Viscosity below the minimum to provide adequate engine protection.

Racing oils use high AW and AF additives and very little detergents. Not suitable for use on a street vehicle unless they are changed at very short intervals.
 

biodieselboy

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2018
Location
San Diego, CA
TDI
2014 Golf TDI, 2003 Golf TDI
This is the only oil additive I've ever used, and I noticed no improvements when I used it. Nothing wrong with it though.
I use this as well, it is absolutely the best additive out there for reducing wear on all moving mechanical components lubricated by engine oil.
 

CleverUserName

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Location
NorCal
TDI
2014 OZ Cruze CTD & 2010 JSW 6MT & 2017 GMC Canyon CCLB ATX 2.8 Duramax
I use this as well, it is absolutely the best additive out there for reducing wear on all moving mechanical components lubricated by engine oil.
What evidence do you have to support this claim?
 

Jetta_Pilot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Location
West Hill, Ont.
TDI
2015 Passat Highline TDI Candy White (SEL Premium) long gone 2002 Jetta TDI
Actually if you read your VW owners manual, VW discourages the use of engine oil additives.

LiquiMoly HAS to be good! The advertising says so !
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
He is new. Just posted about all the additives he uses and recommends everyone else use so their fuel pumps don't wear out. I guess he uses an additive or two in every fluid in the car. I am waiting for the muffler bearing additive next! ;)
 

CleverUserName

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Location
NorCal
TDI
2014 OZ Cruze CTD & 2010 JSW 6MT & 2017 GMC Canyon CCLB ATX 2.8 Duramax
I believe LM 2009 does help with cold and dry starts. MoS2 is a proven dry lubricant and has been around for a century. However after the oil film is established it does very little if anything.

My question was aimed mostly at the claim that this was the “Best” additive by Mr. Biodieselboy.
 

miltoncf

Spammer
Joined
Jan 14, 2009
Location
arizona
TDI
ALH jetta wagon
Actually if you read your VW owners manual, VW discourages the use of engine oil additives.
which is why I just use high-mileage synthetics meeting/exceeding the recommended ACEA rating. The OP might want to do likewise to ameliorate the effects of pushing up demand for power. And shouldn't the LM 2009 be only a one-time treatment?
 

CleverUserName

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Location
NorCal
TDI
2014 OZ Cruze CTD & 2010 JSW 6MT & 2017 GMC Canyon CCLB ATX 2.8 Duramax
which is why I just use high-mileage synthetics meeting/exceeding the recommended ACEA rating. The OP might want to do likewise to ameliorate the effects of pushing up demand for power. And shouldn't the LM 2009 be only a one-time treatment?
The LM 2009 is a solid MoS2 held in an oil suspension. When you drain the old oil an equivalent ratio of the 2009 will also be removed. Example, if 95% of the oil gets removed in an oil change then 95% of the additive will also be gone.

It needs to be added at every oil change, however it’s very cheap. I’ve gotten bottles for $6 or less on sale.
 
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