Changing Oil
thanks for backing me up! but you should have responded to the dissenter instead of to me.
-s-
Back to the story....I'm talking about the Engine restore that comes in a silver can. It's isn't an oil thickener, it's not even thick. It's looks like dark blue ATF fluid. I don't know any way to describe the results except it runs smoother and I never have hesitation problems or anything like that.
Mercedes is modern on the electronics of the engine but intil they come up with some special kind of rubber I don't see how this can hurt anything. Again, I've used if for a long time and have never had any mechanical problems with any engine I've ever had. My 89 Mercedes with 177,000 miles ran like new until the day I totalled it.
By "modern" I am talking about the whole engine from the electronics to the material to the assembly. Modern engines are made with materials that do not wear out as fast and offer less friction and therefore less heat. Because of this, they can be assembled to tighter tolerances without fear of a meltdown. Piston to wall clearances are tighter which helps seal the combuston chamber and prevent blowby. Ring lands are now higher up on the piston, closer to the extememe combustion heat and pressure without fear of meltdown.
Also, the electronics help achieve the cleanest and most complete burn of the the fuel. What is left in the combustion chamber is nearly all combustion byproduct and not unburnt fuel which will wash oil off of the rings and scuff piston walls.
What does this have to do with the oil? Combustion gasses are acidic and any that sneak by the rings will raise the acid level of the oil until it eats your bearings and not protect them. Unburnt fuel will dilute oil and make it a less effiective lubricant and more like a solvent. Modern oils are designed to complment the modern engine. Mobil 1 and synthetics are designed to protect the modern engine even better. How else do you think car manufacturers are extending oil change intervals? It is a combination of modern engine technology and modern oil technology.
Enough about the use of the word "modern"
PTFE is a solid that collects in oil passageways and elsewhere in the engine. It also acts as an abrasive to parts that have established wear patterns.
Zinc's shock absorbing benefits are of little use in street engines unless you plan on running yours so hard you risk metal to metal contact daily (ie. pistons kissing valves).
Solvents that disolve sludge are possibly beneficial to high mileage engines as an occasional cleaner but they can also disolve seals and rubber parts. Overuse can thin oil and cause parts to wear faster by removing the protective oil layer in between them.
Thickeners can separate and restric oil flow to critical engine parts especially on cold startup. They are usually made up of the same stocks and aditives as conventional motor oil, only in more concentrated form. If you are looking for more protection from oil additive breakdown, switch to a better oil and change it more often to remove the dirt as well.
Seal, leak or blowby reducers are only masking a larger engine problem. Use them only if you are too lazy to fix the problem. Beware, while they may stop you engine from leaking or doing so other undersirable thing, the underlying problem still exists and is getting worse. when you fianly get around to a rebuild, it will probably cost more.
Any additive package that improves one aspect of your engine's output is probably causing problems elsewhere. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Caveat emptor!
Greg
My $.03 - Since I am a former go-kart, road and drag racer as well as a former mechanic on a few teams, my opinion counts for a little more
New dino oils and synthetics have additive packages built in, and none require additional junk to be poured into your crankcase. They are money wasters, and why waste money and take a chance on wrecking something so well designed and manufactured as a Mercedes engine?







