Mr Whippy
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| posted on 13/8/14 at 06:43 AM |
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Engine additives – do they work? Well apparently some do…yes
Hi
I was really interested in stripping this engine down, it’s one of my spare Bluebird engines which I’d decided to give treat to an new set of gaskets.
It’s covered 60k, mostly running on Asda’s finest (these cars don’t run well on high end fuels). I’ve owned the car it was in from 27k and it had very
full dealer service history so I decided at the start when I got it to use Redex in every tank and used Wynn’s flushing oil when changing the oil out.
Question was, was it all worth it? Or was I just using snake oil…?
Well if this isn’t the cleanest engine I’ve ever seen, really couldn’t believe the condition of the combustion chambers, where’s all the carbon? A
wipe with an oily cloth and they are done! I’ve just recently done my Landy’s head and was virtually chiselling the stuff of! Even the exhaust valves
just needed a wipe with the cloth. As for the rest of the engine, the flushing oil seems to have totally prevented any varnish appearing and the parts
just look all shiny like new.
Tbh very well impressed, yes it must have cost quite a bit in Redex but I think it’s better to prevent wear than to fix it afterwards so will be
sticking to using it along with the flushing oil.
Cheers
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 13/8/14 at 06:53 AM |
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The odd bump in the combustion chamber incase you were wondering is for when the heads are twin sparks for the Jap market. Also the pistons are shaped
for 16 valves where as mine just has 8.
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r1_pete
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| posted on 13/8/14 at 07:04 AM |
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I think its also down to the finer tolerances and build quality of the Japanese stuff at the time, my Mrs' Lexus IS300 never seems to dirty the
Oil, it always comes out just a shade darker than when it went in, so I'd guess that engine will be in similar condition inside.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 13/8/14 at 07:24 AM |
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More down to using synthetic oil than anything else.
Varnish and sludge on engine parts is a breakdown product of over heated oil, synthetic oil breaks down at a much higher temper than mineral oil so
deposits virtually no sludge.
Synthetic oils also acts as solvents breaking down deposits. In contrast all mineral oils depend on detergent dispersant additives which stop working
after a few thousand miles.
[Edited on 13/8/14 by britishtrident]
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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Slimy38
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| posted on 13/8/14 at 08:00 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by r1_pete
I think its also down to the finer tolerances and build quality of the Japanese stuff at the time, my Mrs' Lexus IS300 never seems to dirty the
Oil, it always comes out just a shade darker than when it went in, so I'd guess that engine will be in similar condition inside.
I was wondering how much of that was down to the engine itself. My wife's Almera does the same with it's oil, I'd be tempted to
leave it in for longer if it wasn't for the cam chain needing fresh oil. The previous Astra that we had was the complete opposite, it would be
black in a few hundred miles and gritty by the time it came to change it. And I always use an average quality semi synthetic, usually Halfords own or
similar.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 13/8/14 at 08:08 AM |
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I use magnatec 20/40 in these engines
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v8kid
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| posted on 13/8/14 at 08:42 AM |
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Still on subject but at a slight tangent my 200k mile Honda runs on mainly additives with less oil :0
Since 150k miles the valve seals have been leaking and in an effort to avoid a top end rebuild I have been adding ever increasing amounts of additive
at each oil change to soften seals/build new seals/snake oil whatever.
Upshot is it uses oil and smokes like a steam train at start up without additives but with additives sails through the MOT with a clean bill and not a
trace of smoke or oil consumption between oil changes. Takes half a dozen assorted snake oil remedies to do it however.
Would it do the engine any harm? Who cares at 200k? Been doing it for last 50k with great results and have now got to the stage where I'm bored
with the car and just hoping the blessed thing will break to give me an excuse to get a different car 
Oil is NOT synthetic but IS the cheapest crap ASDA sells.
Cheers!
You'd be surprised how quickly the sales people at B&Q try and assist you after ignoring you for the past 15 minutes when you try and start a
chainsaw
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 13/8/14 at 10:21 AM |
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I think your well due taking the cylinder head off and giving it a clean up. With it burning oil the valves will be heavily encrusted and not sealing
right, you’ll probably find it’s much more responsive once done and lot more fun. If it’s not burning oil once hot and still going through the MOT’s
then the bottom end should be fine so plenty of life in the car yet. I’d buy as full set of new valves, take the head to a machine shop to get the
seats and new valves lapped in (can be hard work on hardened valves doing it yourself).
Well worth it and you’ll be a lot happier with the car once done
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v8kid
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| posted on 13/8/14 at 12:39 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
I think your well due taking the cylinder head off and giving it a clean up. With it burning oil the valves will be heavily encrusted and not sealing
right, you’ll probably find it’s much more responsive once done and lot more fun. If it’s not burning oil once hot and still going through the MOT’s
then the bottom end should be fine so plenty of life in the car yet. I’d buy as full set of new valves, take the head to a machine shop to get the
seats and new valves lapped in (can be hard work on hardened valves doing it yourself).
Well worth it and you’ll be a lot happier with the car once done
That would cost twice what I paid for it
Its only a utility chuck waggon - "Chuck stuff in and go". First law of bangereconomics says never, never do a proper repair when a bodge
will get you going for free.
Ta for the advice though
Cheers!
You'd be surprised how quickly the sales people at B&Q try and assist you after ignoring you for the past 15 minutes when you try and start a
chainsaw
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Paul Turner
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| posted on 13/8/14 at 12:54 PM |
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Crikey, do any of those last shape Bluebirds still exist. Ours was an early 89 car and died in early 96 with no compression on 1 cylinder and abundant
rust on most panels, only done 90,000 miles.
No amount of snake oil would have fixed that one.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 14/8/14 at 06:06 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul Turner
Crikey, do any of those last shape Bluebirds still exist. Ours was an early 89 car and died in early 96 with no compression on 1 cylinder and abundant
rust on most panels, only done 90,000 miles.
No amount of snake oil would have fixed that one.
Plently do and now the uncared for dross have been scrapped the only ones you see up for sale are all in great condition but the price has started to
rise now that their rare. Mines is a 89 too, great cars and just do their job with no useless frills and it's a daily driver.
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