Oil additives

[sextrosgxp]

Wondering what your guy's feelings are on oil additives such as Slick 50? Do you recommend? If so, which one works best?

[CMNTMXR57]

I wouldn't.

[Arrowhead]

I pay a premium price for full synthetic motor that supposedly has any and all needed modifiers/additives already in it. I used to put STP in old smokers...............

[00Beast]

Don't. Spend $10 more on better oil, instead of on Slick 50 or whatever, especially on a dual cam motor like the N*. All that stuff does is thicken the oil up to make it seem like you have more pressure, instead of actually helping, and on a system that needs a lot of oil up top, you don't want to starve the cams for oil, especially when they're cold.

[dpnewfie]

I echo the statements already made here. Stay away from any sort of oil additive.

[CMNTMXR57]

I won't lie, I have used it in the past, namely Lucas. But typically, even your regular conventional motor oils have to meet manufacturer requirements (in the case of your car GM 6094M), much less any proven synthetic. As such, the oil itself has passed the necessary GM test requirements and SAE test requirements. If it does this, there is nothing you can accomplish by throwing in an additive, that you usually have to forego a quart of the real oil, in order to maintain the specified amount for your engine.

Meaning, if your engine requires 5 quarts of oil, and you want to put an additive in (usually a quart), that means you'd have 4 quarts of oil and 1 quart of this. That means you're giving up a quart of the tried, tested, and passed necessary lubricant for something that you think is doing good, but in reality hasn't passed any of GM's tests or SAE tests.

[sextrosgxp]

My concern and why I ask is I drive the car about once a week. On Fridays to work or weekend car shows so I thought extra protection at start up.

[vogie01]

This thread forced me to look into Lucas and what I found is not what I thought Lucas is all about. Bob the Oil Guy has a number of experiments that include video and pictures that show how it reacts to cold, heat, and general use. I don't think I will be using it in my snow blower let alone any of my cars.

The findings make sense to as I put some in the crank case of my old snow blower's auger propeller because the seals on it are bad and leak horribly. I had no desire to tear it apart, but now it makes a terrible noise when I engage the auger and propeller and it has not leaked any of it out.]

I did an oil and Lucas combo in it.

[repinS]

My concern and why I ask is I drive the car about once a week. On Fridays to work or weekend car shows so I thought extra protection at start up.

I would suggest at most, using a good synthetic that meets the GM 4718M high performance oil requirements. GM 6094M is the spec for standard oil. Personally, I use Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30, which is 4718 certified. Where I am, it usually is a bit cheaper and goes on sale more often than some of the other offerings on that list. This alone should take care of any "Severe" duty requirements your driving habits might bring.

Pick from the list here (note that it does date back to 2008, so the list is probably bigger by now) http://pangea.stanford.edu/~schmitt/car ... e_oils.pdf

[crash93ssei]

Lucas is great for a dying engine, ran a SBC for almost two years with a severe rod knock on 50/50 Lucas and oil with a severe rod knock before it finally let go at about 6,000 RPM

Other then that, I would never put Lucas in a good running engine with no major mechanical death issues.

[sextrosgxp]

Thanks. I'm using the best synthetic oil and filter out there. Pennzoil Platinum and either Mobil 1 or k&n filter. So I guess I'm doing all I can.

[CMNTMXR57]

Just to be clear, GM6094M covers synthetic oils too. It isn't just standard/conventional oils. GM4718M is obviously a tougher standard, which narrows the 6094M list down considerably, and is of course ALL synthetic.

List of oils meeting GM6094M (bolding those on the 4718 list), but as you can see, MANY synthetics on this list;
76 Firebird LD Motor Oil 10W-30
76 High Performance Full Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
76 High Performance Motor Oil 10W-30
76 Super Synthetic Blend 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
76 Super Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-30, 10W-30
AC Delco 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
AC Delco Full Synthetic 5W-30
Advantage 5W-20 Synthetic Blend 5W-20
Advantage 5W-30 Synthetic Blend 5W-30
Agip 4-SYNT 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Agip Super 5W-30, 10W-30
Agip Super PC 5W-20
Amalie Imperial Turbo Formula 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Amalie Xcel Super Turbo 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Brad Penn Superior Fuel Efficient 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Cam2 International Super Pro Plus 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Cam2 International Synavex 5W-20, 5W-30
Castrol GTX 5W-30, 10W-30
Castrol SLX Professional 4718 5W-30
Castrol Syntec 5W-30, 10W-30
Castrol Syntec Blend 5W-30, 10W-30
Certified 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Chevron Supreme 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Chevron Supreme Synthetic 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
CITGO SUPERGARD 5W-20, 5W-30
CITGO SUPERGARD Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
Coastal 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Conoco Super All Season Synthetic Blend 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Conoco Syncon High Performance Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
Durablend Synthetic 5W-20, 5W-30
Eastern Premium 5W-30
ECO 5W-30
Esso Extra 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Esso Uniflo 5W-30, 10W-30
Exxon Superflo 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Formula Shell 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Formula Shell Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
Formula Shell Synthetic Blend 5W-30, 10W-30
GM Goodwrench 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
GM Goodwrench High Mileage 5W-30, 10W-30
GM Goodwrench Synthetic Blend 5W-30, 10W-30
Gulfpride Advanced Fuel Efficient 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
GulfTEC Synthetic Blend 10W-30
Hartland Supreme 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Kendall GT-1 Full Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
Kendall GT-1 High Performance Synthetic Blend 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Kendall GT-1 Ultimate Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-30, 10W-30
Lordco Semi-Synthetic Multigrade Motor Oil 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Lubriguard 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Mobil 1 0W-30, 5W-30, 10W-30
Mobil 1 Extended Performance 10W-30
Mobil 1 Truck & SUV 5W-30
Mobil Clean 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Mobil Clean 5000 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Mobil Clean 7500 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Mobil Clean High Mileage 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Mobil Super 1000 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Mobil Super 2000 5W-30, 10W-30
Mobil Super HP SM 5W-30
Mobil Super S SM 10W-30
Mobil Super Synt S SM 5W-30
Mohawk Multigrade Motor Oil 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
MotoMaster Formula 1 Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
Naviguard 5W-30
Northland MW Select 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Northland, Synergy Synthetic 5W-30
Oilzum Special 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Pennwood 5W-20, 5W-30
Pennzoil Motor Oil 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Pennzoil SUV, Truck and Minivan Synthetic Blend 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
PepBoys Proline 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Petro-Canada Arctic Synthetic 0W-30
Petro-Canada Maximum 5W-30, 10W-30
Petro-Canada Supreme 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Petro-Canada Synthetic 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Petro-Canada Synthetic Blend 5W-30
Petro-Canada XR4 5W-30, 10W-30
Petro-Canada XR4 Synthetic 0W-30, 5W-30
PetroChina Kunlun Tianrun 9000 5W-30
Phillips 66 TropArtic Full Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
Phillips 66 TropArtic Synthetic Blend 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Phillips 66 TropArtic Turbo Motor Oil 10W-30
Premium Choice 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Puratech Supreme Motor Oil 5W-30, 10W-30
Q HorsePower Full Synthetic 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Quaker State 4x4 & SUV Synthetic Blend 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Quaker State High-RPM Synthetic Blend 5W-30, 10W-30
Quaker State Peak Performance Motor Oil 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Rallye Turbo Approved 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Safety-Kleen America's Choice 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Safety-Kleen Performance Plus ZR 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Sam's 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Saturn 5W-30
Service Pro 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Shanghai Lizhong Jaguar 5W-30
Shanghai Tempo 9000-1 5W-30
Sinopec Great Wall Polar Star 5W-30
Sinopec Great Wall Ultra Gold S4 5W-30
Smitty's Supply Sureguard Advanced Formula 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Supra Tech 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Texaco Havoline 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Texaco Havoline Synthetic 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
TRIDEN Select Blend 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
US Oil 5W-30
Valvoline DuraBlend 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Valvoline Premium Conventional 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Valvoline SynPower 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Walmart Supertech 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Warren 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30
Wolf's Head 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30

List of oils meeting GM4718M (bolding those that cross reference above);
76 Super Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-30, 10W-30
AC Delco Full Synthetic 5W-30
Castrol SLX Professional 4718 5W-30
Chevron Supreme Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
CITGO SUPERGARD Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
Kendall GT-1 Ultimate Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-30, 10W-30
Mobil 1 0W-30, 5W-30, 10W-30
Northland, Synergy Synthetic 5W-30
Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
Q HorsePower 5W-30, 10W-30
Texaco Havoline Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30

We can argue up, down, left, and right over which oil to use. I have mine, you have yours, as long as it meets these standards (6094M at least), who gives a turkey. At the end of the day, NONE of us here will EVER push even a basic conventional oil past any of their design limitations or in excess of what either of these GM specifications requirements are. That is unless you tell me you run at 200mph for hours on end around Talladega daily! Or you have a nitro swilling "fuel car", running 4 second quarter miles over, and over again. Buy what fits your wallet and lets you sleep at ease each night.

[nos4blood70]

Can't speak for the N*, but the 3800 doesn't seem to give a hoot about what is lubricating it. I run synthetic because I like the longer intervals and overall it is less expensive.

[01bonneSC]

I've put Lucas in the last two oil changes. Napa premium oil. At 30%(about 5500mi) on the life indicator at the moment the oil still has a gold tint to it. So it does help keep the oil together, IMO.

Edit: have also been using NAPA Gold filters, really really like the results.