Oil Additives

[tdlmomowers]

Which oil additive is preferred by most of you guys, Seafoam or Marvel Mystery Oil?

[Patrick L.]

I'm a fan of Sea-foam, but, not in oil. I'm not a fan of oil additives. If there is a specific problem that needs correction then that would determine what to use. As a youngster the early hydraulic lifters weren't what they are now and neither was the oil. It was common to add a couple qts of ATF until they quieted down.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Preferred?

1. I think if one drops the oil pan & removes the valve cover to clean out non-detergent oil sludge, (if any), & replenishes oil with a name brand oil specified by current auto manufacturers; and/or,

2. If one has a new rebuild or a cleaned Model A or Model B engine with good compression & tight fitting rings; and,

3. If one changes oil on a regular basis,

4. Then Marvel Mystery Oil & Sea-Foam are not really necessary unless one has some other unique engine problem.

[V4F]

sea foam is for carburetor not oil (cleans carbon). MM will thin your oil way to much . add a little to gas for cleaning valves etc .
I use an oil that has all the ZDDP you need . no additives in my oil . I do use water wetter in my radiator ...........

[Tom Wesenberg]

Years ago I put a can of Sea-Foam in the oil to quiet my stuck hydraulic lifters in 1 1981 Olds I just bought. Before I drove the 5 miles back home the lifters were operating like new and quiet as could be. I like Sea Foam for gas storage and in the oil for specific problems like stuck lifters.

[billwill]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I/m 77 years old when I was young ATF was the winner 65 cents a Quart Good Luck to all.

[Drive Shaft Dave]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Years ago I put a can of Sea-Foam in the oil to quiet my stuck hydraulic lifters in 1 1981 Olds I just bought. Before I drove the 5 miles back home the lifters were operating like new and quiet as could be. I like Sea Foam for gas storage and in the oil for specific problems like stuck lifters.

I agree with Tom , Ihave used this stuff back in the late sixtie's with good sucess, squirting down the pushrod of the offending lifter with Seafoam does a world of good , getting the product in to the lifter itself helps big time. I used to have a can of this stuff from about the early fiftie's that said it was made for Swanberge / Scheefe Buick, as the Buick engine at that time had a problem with hydraulic lifter's.

[machine girl]

a zinc additive is needed if your using modern oils that do not contain zinc (zinc helps prevent cam lobe ware in motors with solid lifters

[TerryH]

I think it has been pretty well decided by most that Model A engines do not fall in this category, as pressures are very low. The zinc has been gone long enough that a rash of problems would have surfaced by now.

[machine girl]

Terry, you may be right but now with 80-100 hp motors better safe than sorry.

[Purdy Swoft]

Zinc sure doesn't hurt but.... Model A's have a forged camshaft instead of a cast camshaft like some later models. Cast camshafts are the ones that really need zinc

[Patrick L.]

If anyone is really concerned about zinc content just use a diesel oil.

[Franchise_24]

Does anyone still add lead to their gas every now and then?

[Kurt in NJ]

Adding additives to some oils will make them worse ---the chemical compositions can clash, different compounds have been added to take the place of zinc in some oils, adding zinc to them can make the oil loose the benefits of either compound.

If you look at this post and it will take a while you will learn a lot about oil, later on in this post or other of this persons posts there are tests done on oil---after additives are added, many show a LOSS in oil performance.
http://speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30483

[TerryH]

Sorry, I was talking about stock or mildly warmed up A's, such a HC head. I have seen no recent written confirmation that damage is actually happening to our Model A's, and have to assume it would be a huge topic here if it was. But to each his own if you are concerned!
Terry

[Purdy Swoft]

I just run Walmart brand 20w50 high detergent in my model A's with higher compression warmed up engines. With old worn engines I add a product called restore and it stops smoking and raises compression after a while, just as claimed. I add a can of restore with every oil change with old worn engines that haven't been overhauled or rebuilt. They have Restore at Walmart and many other stores in the oil section. Restore is sold in differeent size cans foe 4,6, and 8 cylinder engines. I'm not tring to sell the product, it just works for me.

[jerry shook]

Mmo is a great engine cleaner add to oil and run a few miles before changing oil. Add 5 to 6 oz ever time you gas up. Works great.

[1crosscut]

Originally Posted by Franchise_24

Does anyone still add lead to their gas every now and then?

Don't need to add a lead replacement to the A's as they were built prior to lead being added to gasoline.
Dave

[steve s]

Originally Posted by Kurt in NJ

Adding additives to some oils will make them worse ---the chemical compositions can clash, different compounds have been added to take the place of zinc in some oils, adding zinc to them can make the oil loose the benefits of either compound.

If you look at this post and it will take a while you will learn a lot about oil, later on in this post or other of this persons posts there are tests done on oil---after additives are added, many show a LOSS in oil performance.
http://speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30483

I agree with Kurt. Adding anything to oil necessarily means that at the very least you have diluted the oil and the additive package that smart cookies in the manufacturers' test labs have decided work best.

[Paul from Maine]

Originally Posted by Franchise_24

Does anyone still add lead to their gas every now and then?

No need. No lead in the gas back in the Twenties.