Divorce, placebo or panacea: how effective are car additives really?
- April 27, 2023
- 0
Millions of different compounds that turn a dying engine into a rocket ship are on the shelves of every auto parts store. All warranties and proofs are on
Millions of different compounds that turn a dying engine into a rocket ship are on the shelves of every auto parts store. All warranties and proofs are on the label. Do they work or not? Will they do no harm? Is it worth believing ads and are there additives that are really effective and approved by the car manufacturer? The answers to these and other questions are contained in the material of the AvtoVzglyad portal.
Autochemistry is a hot topic. Always. On the one hand, miracles do not happen: if the engine needs repair, no composition will help. On the other hand, everyone wants to believe that one cheap bottle of liquid, filled somewhere independently, will be enough to solve a complex and expensive problem. So where’s the truth? First, the truth is in wine. In vino veritas, so to speak. And second, to confuse the soft with the warm and lump everyone together is a mediocre and short-sighted pursuit. Have to figure it out.
The best engine oil additive is new engine oil. Nothing more important, necessary and better for maintaining engine operation and extending engine life has not yet been invented. The more often the replacement, the longer the “drygatel” will work without surgery. In any manual, operating manual, it will be written in small letters that in case of severe operating conditions of the vehicle, the maintenance interval should be halved: if it is recommended to carry out maintenance every 10,000 km, then do it every five.
The only pity is that the wise engineers did not decipher the “difficult conditions”. A Russian in this sense sees swampy abyss, broken and flooded dirt roads, the severe cold of the north, but in fact we are talking about the bustle of the city, in which the engine wears out very quickly and constantly idles. And the oil burns out beforehand.
Another thing is the fuel system. The declared octane number of gasoline at Russian gas stations, unfortunately, does not always coincide with reality. Like, in fact, the freezing point of diesel fuel. Both one and the other parameter can be “brought to mind” with an additive, and for this the engine will only say “thank you”.
Russian fuel can be good, but washing tanks and fuel terminals at gas stations has not yet been taught everywhere: as a result, dirt gets on nozzles, clogs fuel lines and grilles, forcing the pump to work to the limit. It won’t last long in this mode. The solution is detergents, which, you see, are produced not only by specialized “chemists”, but also by car companies. And this is another calico.
By the way, about bees: in different years and in different countries, car manufacturers faced different difficulties, which were often solved with chemistry. For example, the VAG concern felt that something was wrong with the always clogged injectors of the fuel rail, and therefore released a special patented additive that allows you to clean the system without consequences.
Mitsubishi once “drank sorrow” with GDI engines – they were somewhat ahead of their time and were not ready for the rich gray domestic fuel. The solution was the Shumma brand combustion chamber cleaner, also known as decarbonization, which “came to court” so often that it immediately became an indispensable attribute of gas stations of various brands. At a relatively low price, “Noise” coped with the task, not tearing everything to shreds. Hey Dimexide!
The conclusion is quite simple: there are quite working and effective compositions, and there is a placebo, which affects only the well-being of the driver, but has nothing to do with the working activity of the units. There are, of course, downright destructive “mixes”, but they are more common on the Internet than on the shelf of a car shop. Therefore, evaluating this or that additive based on comments and reviews is just to get acquainted. An objective conclusion can only be drawn in one way: try. And certainly don’t lump everyone together: all felt-tip pens are different in taste and colour.
Photo: siempreauto.com
Photo: www.thompsonsales.com
Autochemistry is a hot topic. Always. On the one hand, miracles do not happen: if the engine needs repair, no composition will help. On the other hand, everyone wants to believe that one cheap bottle of liquid, filled somewhere independently, will be enough to solve a complex and expensive problem. So where’s the truth? First, the truth is in wine. In vino veritas, so to speak. And second, to confuse the soft with the warm and lump everyone together is a mediocre and short-sighted pursuit. Have to figure it out.
The best engine oil additive is new engine oil. Nothing more important, necessary and better for maintaining engine operation and extending engine life has not yet been invented. The more often the replacement, the longer the “drygatel” will work without surgery. In any manual, operating manual, it will be written in small letters that in case of severe operating conditions of the vehicle, the maintenance interval should be halved: if it is recommended to carry out maintenance every 10,000 km, then do it every five.
The only pity is that the wise engineers did not decipher the “difficult conditions”. A Russian in this sense sees swampy abyss, broken and flooded dirt roads, the severe cold of the north, but in fact we are talking about the bustle of the city, in which the engine wears out very quickly and constantly idles. And the oil burns out beforehand.
Another thing is the fuel system. The declared octane number of gasoline at Russian gas stations, unfortunately, does not always coincide with reality. Like, in fact, the freezing point of diesel fuel. Both one and the other parameter can be “brought to mind” with an additive, and for this the engine will only say “thank you”.
Russian fuel can be good, but washing tanks and fuel terminals at gas stations has not yet been taught everywhere: as a result, dirt gets on nozzles, clogs fuel lines and grilles, forcing the pump to work to the limit. It won’t last long in this mode. The solution is detergents, which, you see, are produced not only by specialized “chemists”, but also by car companies. And this is another calico.
By the way, about bees: in different years and in different countries, car manufacturers faced different difficulties, which were often solved with chemistry. For example, the VAG concern felt that something was wrong with the always clogged injectors of the fuel rail, and therefore released a special patented additive that allows you to clean the system without consequences.
Mitsubishi once “drank sorrow” with GDI engines – they were somewhat ahead of their time and were not ready for the rich gray domestic fuel. The solution was the Shumma brand combustion chamber cleaner, also known as decarbonization, which “came to court” so often that it immediately became an indispensable attribute of gas stations of various brands. At a relatively low price, “Noise” coped with the task, not tearing everything to shreds. Hey Dimexide!
The conclusion is quite simple: there are quite working and effective compositions, and there is a placebo, which affects only the well-being of the driver, but has nothing to do with the working activity of the units. There are, of course, downright destructive “mixes”, but they are more common on the Internet than on the shelf of a car shop. Therefore, evaluating this or that additive based on comments and reviews is just to get acquainted. An objective conclusion can only be drawn in one way: try. And certainly don’t lump everyone together: all felt-tip pens are different in taste and colour.
Source: Avto Vzglyad
Donald Salinas is an experienced automobile journalist and writer for Div Bracket. He brings his readers the latest news and developments from the world of automobiles, offering a unique and knowledgeable perspective on the latest trends and innovations in the automotive industry.
