Oil additives are crucial to an engine’s performance, as they improve the base motor oil and protect an engine’s metal components. Some are skeptical of oil additives, but when you select the right kind, they’re well worth the hype. The best oil additives are particularly effective at increasing the time between service intervals, enhancing an engine’s performance and improving a vehicle’s fuel economy.
Find out more about what engine oil additives do and explore the various kinds on the market. You’ll also learn about their benefits and some of the most effective additives available today.
What Do Engine Oil Additives Do?
Companies create engine oil additives from various chemical compounds designed to improve a base oil’s lubricant performance. One of these additives’ primary roles is to improve the existing oil’s properties with demulsifying agents, anti-foam agents, antioxidants and corrosion inhibitors. Oil additives also provide base oils with new properties — examples of these additives include detergents, tackiness agents, extreme pressure additives and metal deactivators. These oil additives also use viscosity index improvers and pour-point depressants to suppress potentially harmful base oil characteristics.
You can find engine oil additives made from various chemical compounds to deliver different results. For example, you might choose an engine oil additive designed for an older engine that prevents leaks and improves seals, while you can also find an engine oil additive made to help a diesel motor operate more cleanly. With all these different purposes, buyers can invest in engine oil additives created for their engine’s needs.
Engine oil is also essential to motor oil’s effectiveness. Without additives, motor oil can’t perform its main duties. While motor oil often comes with additives already in place, aftermarket engine oil additives can greatly increase a motor oil’s performance. The additives packaged with motor oil can degrade due to decomposition, oxidation, settling and filtration. Additionally, oil additives can absorb into the engine’s water, metal, acids and particles.
When your motor oil’s breaks down, your engine can experience greater wear and tear. This engine damage can result in oil sludge, breakdowns, overheating, rust, corrosion and reduced fuel economy. Since motor oil can break down quickly, aftermarket oil additives are critical. They can restore lost properties, protecting your engine over time and improving its performance.
Different Kinds of Engine Oil Additives
Buyers can find several types of engine oil additives for their motors. Various kinds of engine oil additives allow you to select a version designed to solve an issue you’re having or prevent common problems. For example, one purpose of an oil additive might be to clean engine components, while another might be to reduce foam from forming.
Below are some primary kinds of oil additives:
1. Rust and Corrosion Inhibitors
When left unchecked, motor oil can begin oxidizing more quickly and containing more acids, which can cause rust and corrosion in your engine. You can add rust and corrosion inhibitors to your engine to protect it from chemical breakdowns. These additives slow oxidation and neutralize dangerous acids. Manufacturers usually make these additives with a mix of calcium and barium sulfonate. This combination of additives forms protective layers on metal parts, preventing water from resting on the metal components and causing rust.
2. Antifoamants
When motor oil is left on its own, it can create air bubbles, leading to cavitation and oil pressure loss. The small air bubbles can also start foaming, with excess foam leading to corrosion due to a lack of proper engine lubrication. Since excess foam is dangerous to engines, antifoamants are a popular choice, as they prevent oil from foaming while it passes through the engine.
Antifoamants stop foam from forming by decreasing surface tension between engine oil and air bubbles. The decreased surface tension makes it easier for the air bubbles to pop before they start foaming. Preventing engine oil foam with antifoamants also helps prevent corrosion. If you use an antifoamant, ensure you use the appropriate amount of it, as excess use can actually lead to more air bubbles.
3. Detergents
Deposits tend to form in engines and cause rust. Manufacturers create detergents to clean the engine by getting rid of acids during oxidation and reducing oil impurities. They ensure impurities and oil deposits stay soluble, keeping them from forming in your vehicle’s engine and creating harmful oil sludge.
4. Anti-Wear Additives
Engine parts and components wear down over time due to decreasing motor oil lubrication and increased friction. Anti-wear additives protect these engine components from wear by creating a thin lubricating film over metal engine parts. This lubrication prevents engine seizure and other wear by reducing friction. Some manufacturers also design anti-wear additives that protect the engine from corrosion and slow down oxidation.
5. Viscosity Modifiers
Sometimes referred to as viscosity index improvers, viscosity modifiers are some of the most effective engine oil additives, as they positively impact the oil’s viscosity index. This viscosity index refers to how much the oil’s viscosity varies during operation. During engine operations, the oil’s viscosity changes as the motor heats and cools it.
When your motor viscosity fluctuates frequently, the oil won’t flow easily in cold temperatures and will be too thin in high temperatures. Viscosity modifiers prevent these negative effects from occurring by regulating the oil’s viscosity. Regardless of the temperature, these oil additives keep your motor oil in the ideal viscosity range.
6. Dispersants
Dispersants suspend your engine oil’s solid particles to prevent sludge and deposition. By suspending the solid particles, these potentially harmful impurities can’t attach to the metal components. Companies design them to keep your engine oil at the right viscosity for optimal performance, no matter the temperature.
Do Engine Oil Additives Work?
The right engine oil additive can do wonders for your motor. Engine oil additives are known for the many benefits they provide for motors by improving their performance. They’re especially effective for older engines, as these motors are more susceptible to wear and tear. Of course, an engine oil additive’s quality can change based on the brand. When you search for an oil additive, find a brand that extensively tests its products and has proof of its additives’ advantages.
Benefits of Engine Oil Additives
Many people turn to engine oil additives for several reasons. They may want to better protect their engine and increase their fuel economy or reduce noise and return lost compression. Whatever the reason they’re used for, engine oil additives provide various benefits for engines, helping them last longer and deliver better performance.
Check out some of the following top benefits of engine oil additives:
- Extend service intervals: When you use engine oil additives in your engine, you can extend the time between oil changes. Oil additives provide extra engine protection, keeping it operating at peak condition for longer. Additionally, aftermarket oil additives help replace lost essential additives in motor oil, lengthening the motor oil’s life span. As a result, you can go longer between service intervals, saving time and money.
- Protect the engine: One of the main reasons to use engine oil additives is to protect engines from wear and tear. Most engine damage occurs at startup. When you use oil additives, your engine’s components and parts have enough lubrication to avoid any cold or dry starts. A top oil additive product can ensure your engine has a smooth start for months due to the way it forms a protective seal over key components.
- Lower engine heat: When engine oil foams due to a lack of additives, the oil can’t properly keep the operating temperature at safe levels and dissipate heat. Motor oil additives reduce this foam, decreasing engine friction and lowering the heat. By reducing the engine temperature, these additives can potentially boost your motor’s life.
- Increase fuel economy: Greater friction in your engine can lead to increased fuel energy consumption. By adding oil additives to your motor, you can reduce friction by better lubricating its parts. This friction reduction can improve your fuel economy, helping you get more mileage from your gas.
- Return lost compression: Since high-quality oil additives can coat valve guides and cylinder rings, engines with additives receive better sealing. This improved sealing helps restore any lost compression. When you restore your engine’s compression, you’ll see enhanced torque and horsepower.
- Stabilize engine oil: Engine oil needs an appropriate level of viscosity to function properly, and a lack of additives can worsen a motor oil’s viscosity index. Adding motor oil additives can help stabilize the oil by bringing the viscosity index back to proper levels. This stabilized viscosity improves a vehicle’s performance in any type of weather and protects the engine from thermal breakdown.
- Reduce noise: Since the best oil additives increase lubrication, they make it easier for your engine to absorb mechanical shocks. This enhanced lubrication helps your engine operate more quietly. If you have a vehicle with lots of mileage or an older model, the engine likely makes a great deal of noise during operation. Engine oil additives lower this noise and make your drive more comfortable.
Try Hot Shot’s Secret’s Engine Oil Additives Today
With all the exceptional products Hot Shot’s Secret offers for engines, you’re likely interested in making a purchase. Alongside our high-quality products, we also offer buyers a money-back guarantee and free shipping for orders over $49 in the United States. Since our products are backed by science and extensive testing, we’re confident they’ll meet our customers’ expectations.
Take a moment to review our oil additives above. If you have any questions or need help picking the right engine oil additive, please feel free to contact us.