Friction Reducing Oil and Other-Type Additives
 

So, JanGeo swears by these it seems (correct me if I'm wrong) but I've never really heard much about this stuff other than oil additives and the like are bull. Are there any good links/arguments that'd get me to try the stuff in hopes of killing friction?

again, check out
 

again, check out www.bobistheoilguy.com plenty of info over there. For additives, they like Valvoline synthetic oil treatment and the Valvoline high mileage treatment, and thats even though they pretty much don't like reg valvo oil, some guys over there do extensive testing on used and unused oil to get thier info. And by the way, i use the VSOT and like it okay, hard to explain i guess.

I can't really remember any other additives besides the Lube Control (supposed to extend oil life, can't remember about friction modifyers) that really get talked about, they agree that Most additives are just rip offs, but some, Some are worth it

additives
 

All my cars died from rusting out, none from engine failures. They all got better mileage than when new, better than epa rating. 65Rambler 100+K 72-81, 80Rabbit 164k 81-93, 94Geo 90k 93-2005, 06Scion xB 2005-

I got a 15oz Slick 50 at Walmart for $11 - worth a shot? I used some slick50 grease on a heavy sliding pocket door and now it slides so easy that it bounces back open again. I uses Slick50 engine additive full strength on small motors for lube on my RC planes. I even use the grease on my gates sycronous belt drive on my electric scooter to get rid of the squeek. Can't wait to put some in the xB engine after the first oil change. Got the fuel low light coming on last night after 399.1 miles since filling up - it went out when I got on level road and came back on at 410 miles - scangauge says 44.4mpg average for the tank so far. Gas gauge is a little below 1/8 tank and I will be stuffing it full again this weekend and calibrate the scangauge. It is a 11.9 gallon tank and should have 1.5 to 2.5 gallons left in it when the low fuel light comes on.

can somebody please explain
 

can somebody please explain the numbers to me????

like what does 10W-30 mean?? Also I live where there is no winter and I currently use 10W-30, could I switch to a thinner oil and what numbers will that be?

Re: can somebody please explain
 

First of all, before I respond, I want to say that I am NOT a dealer in these products. I use Amsoil 0W-30 in my Saturn. According to the information on their site, they guarantee the 0W-30 to work in any engine that requires 10W-30 or lower in it.
Basically the numbers 10W etc reffer to the weight of the oil when cold and it's ability to flow. The other number, -30 etc., is the weight that the oil performs like when up to operating pressure and temperature. I would think that since you live where there is no winter that 0W-30 should do fine in your car. Maybe with that and some of their synthetic gear lube you might have an easier time hitting your 40+ mpg highway numbers?

Personally I'm going to go
 

Personally I'm going to go for 0w20 or 5w20, dunno yet though. Might try this slick50 stuff too.

Wussat?

Re: can somebody please explain
 

does synthetic gear lube mean tranny fluid???
I talked to some people and they highly recommend Matic D for transmission oil by nissan. Those people don't work for the dealer. Also the oil in the transmission is not the problem, I had checked and it's still new. The problem is either the torque converter or the clutchpacks. The transmission is not allowing me to get the 40mpgs. Most altima owners get 32-35mpg on the freeway and they don't have the aero crap or the pumped up tires.

About Amsoil, how much is it for a quart and how often YOU change it?

Quote:About Amsoil, how much
 

I'll have to look up the prices but I change my oil about twice a year. That was because their filters were reccomended to be changed every 12,000 miles or so. They have since came out with a filter that is gauranteed to last for a year. When I use my last oil filter I'll switch to the new kind. That should be about next October. The synthetic auto trans fluid may still benefit you. It is supposed to stand up to temperature better and also help things to not wear as quick.

Amsoil
 

The regular gear lube for manual transmissions is fantastic stuff - I used it in my wabbit - on 0 degree days I could not get out of first gear with the standard stuff - when I used the amsoil it was like a summer day shifting at 0 degrees out.

Automatic transmissions are another story but if Amsoil makes something for it - it should be good. If that Nissan has been run in warm weather all the time you may want to change the tranny oil.

Re: Amsoil
 

The tranny oil was changed 11K ago. My cousin screwed up the tranny by downshifting my auto at freeway speeds and putting it in N and back to D.

Unless it was at WOT
 

Unless the tranny was "Auto-Bombed" -- for example at highway speeds shifting to N, flooring it to redline, and shifting it back to D, then that may not have done it. Also, auto-trannies since the beginning of time have a limiter that prevents the transmission from shifting to 1st gear for example at 80 mph, even though you've shifted it down to "1". It will, shift into 1st once that safe speed is reached.

Side track: What drives me nuts is that new automatics don't have the selection of all the gears. It'll have like D, 4, and L. What about second gear -- one of the most important gears? Chryslers are the worst about this, you want 2nd at around 40 mph for engine braking, so you shift it to "L", then at about 25, the transmission lurches into 1st without warning...and besides you can't start out in 2nd gear in low-traction conditions. Soon, there'll be like D and nothing else. 95% of the public doesn't even know how or why those extra shifter settings are for. I randomly polled someone and they replied "That's like if you're in the mountains or something, right?" <sigh>

Compaq888 -- I think you're transmission was weak since it was a rental. The "final nail in the coffin" I was told by a transmission repair person is to change the transmission fluid on a high mileage tranny with problems. The old gunk is actually is holding the clutch packs together and whatnot. Maybe dumping some transmission conditioning fluid in there could help the problem. If you're stopped with the car in D, try holding the brake and give it some gas. If it shudders or revs easily, then you know that the clutch-packs are toast. Otherwise, a bad sensor that's not displaying a CEL could be at work here. Otherwise, what goes on inside an automatic transmission is a complete mystery to me.

RH77

Re: Unless it was at WOT
 

The tranny was put in N at freeway speeds and put back in D. I did the brake and gas thing and at 1000rpm the car starts to move.

I checked the transmission computer and it says everything is working fine.

Re: Unless it was at WOT
 

I don't think the N to D thing would've done much -- it sometimes hunts for the right gear, but unless considerable throttle was given, I doubt that was the cause. So what exactly is it doing? Will it not shift into a higher gear on the highway, or engage the torque-converter? (which is kind of a mini-shift or sliding sensation with about 500 rpms decrease). If it's just not shifting into a higher gear, you may have to do some further testing. This may require some very high-speed runs. Basically run the car to redline in D, on the gear that's not shifting -- if you hit the rev-limiter and it doesn't shift, it should figure out that there's a problem and give a check-engine code -- a word of caution, to get to redline in 3rd of 4th gear might require speeds upwards of 100+ mph -- so maybe take it to a track and do some quarter-miles.

The next idea I have is, have you spilled anything on your shift lever? My Integra had some cola spilled onto the lever and it got sticky. Basically one day, the lever was stuck between D4 and D3 and I didn't know it. When it does this the transmission sticks in 3rd gear, no matter what the speed. It wouldn't accelerate from a stop very easily, being in 3rd. I got a CEL, freaked out, and took it to the dealer. Basically they took apart the trim pieces around the shifter, cleaned the mechanism and made sure everything locked into place when selecting a gear (and gave me a sizable charge for the effort). You may want to do this first -- get in there and see if you're actually in the right notch, or if something is preventing you from lining it up properly. And be careful if you try the first option...

RH77

shifting
 

That should not bother the tranny shifting at high speed - the pump continues to operate and the engauging of the top speed clutch happens at high speed all the time if you floor it and accellerate. Neutral is just all the clutch bands released - there are no gears meshing in and out they mesh all the time. It would be a little hard on the top speed clutch if you dropped it in gear with the engine at idle going really fast but that is only a one time engaugement and should not distroy it unless it was pretty shot already. Filter check on the tranny and fuel pressure check in the tranny should tell the story - any wear comes out in the filter and oil. From what I hear they are easier to repair than manual transmissions.

Re: Unless it was at WOT
 

I didn't spill anything. I press the gas harder and it doesn't accelarate as fast. Sometimes it winds out, like revving more before shifting. Sometimes the shift is hard or too soft.

shifting
 

Always better to back off the gas a little when you want it to shift - remember there are hydralic clutches that have to release one planetary gear set and engauge another and the motor is still trying to spin faster when you heit the next gear. So if you have it floored let up about half on the pedal when you want it to shift and it should shift faster and smoother with less stress on the clutches. It's been a while since I pushed an automatic.

I don't push it. My cousin
 

I don't push it. My cousin messed it up. Yeah sometimes I do that method.

When cold...
 

When it's cold, my car shifts hard unless I lift the throttle when it's going to shift -- especially 3-4. Sometimes I can catch it, but they have a mind of their own and it's one heckuva jolt.

Anymore I do the lift-method almost all the time to get into a higher gear sooner. Anytime I drive the TL (most weekends), I use the manu-matic 100% of the time. You have to lift or the torque of telling it to shift when accelerating would certainly kill it over time.

RH77

Friction Reducing Oil and Other-Type Additives
 

I also use Amsoil products and have for years. I change my oil every 30,000 miles and my filters every 10,000. I love the stuff. I have also treated all of my vehicles with Xcel Plus engine treatment. From all of the research I have read and from my personal experience, this is the best friction reducer on the market. Quick example - Lost all of the oil in my crankcase and didn't know it. Drove my Mazda 626 for 600+ miles with no oil at all. Didn't hurt the car one bit!! This made me a believer in Xcel Plus.

no oil
 

Are you for real - you didn't notice an oil light on? Sounds like I need to look at Xcel Plus - are you going 30,000 miles between oil changes and changing the filter at 10k to keep it clean? I heard that if you get a bypass filter that filters down to .5 - 1 micron it slowly cleans the oil like new and you just add some fortifiers and run it for a long time. Sounds like a great way to reduce waste oil.

no oil
 

To avoid a long story: The oil light wasn't working. Yes, I change the filter to keep it clean. I am considering Amsoil's bypass filter system or Frantz'sbypass system so I never have to change my oil. My wife's Chryler Town & Country van has 220,000 miles on it and I have only changed the oil every 30,000 since we bought it with 40,000 miles on it.
I had a honda Accord with 286,000 miles on it when I gave it away and saw the woman that I gave it to still driving it 3 years later. I also had a Mazda 626 that had over 230,000 on it. All were serviced the same way.

yeow
 

Yeow that's a lot of miles - around here it takes half an hour to get to the highway - really kills the ability to put on some mileage. The two main roads off the island keep getting their speed limits lowered and more traffic lights. What they need is a highway through the center of the island with limited access but they stopped it from going in to prevent land damage by runoff to protect the water shead.

Sorry to be OT, but where
 

Sorry to be OT, but where can Amsoil products [filters, oil, etc] be purchased? I think I'm going to start using this stuff, but don't know if it is an online only thing or if some retail outfits carry it. You can PM me to keep this thread from going OT if you'd like...

wher to buy Amsoil
 

https://www.ultimatesyntheticoil.com/

Found it
 

Well I went digging in my front office and just where I left it many years ago I found my quart can of Slick50 Gear treatment - back then it was the original formular - can has a 1980 date on it. Still smells ok, of course I sealed it pretty good with tape but there is a white coating on the bottom of the can - the stuff did settle if let sit long enough . . . guess the next warm day I take out some gear oil and add some Slick50 Gear lube and see what happens. This way I treat the tranny first and get to drive a few more miles - about 1500 before I change the engine oil and treat that also.

Man there has been a lot of law suits against these makers of oil additives over the years . . . I had no idea it was this bad but then again I saw a lot of advertizing on Motor Week or some such garage show touting all the best stuff to buy and ZMax was right in there.

https://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/legal/index.html