Wynns additives.

[pompei]

Just been looking on their website. They do loads of petrol, diesel and oil additives and cleaners. Is this snake oil, or do they do any good?

 

http://www.wynns.uk.com/

[HMC]

I used some engine flush before an oil change to cure a sticky hydraulic tappet on my old merc 200te. Seemed to do the job. Or maybe it was the fresh oil and the italian tune up I gave it just afterwards?

[ashmicro]

The Hydraulic Lifter Shiz seems to work, although a half pint of ATF in the engine oil does the same thing.

 

While were on the subject, my mate has started stocking a whole range of stuff from a firm called Granville - it's all shit. The oil is crap, the polish is no good and their "super glue" isn't sticky.

[DSdriver]

I went to a sales demo for an Australian oil additive company once (it might have been Wynns but it was in about 1970 so memory is a bit vague). Most of these oil additives are molybdenum based and the demo was very convincing, showing how a coating of molybdenum will protect metal to metal in friction situations. However, if it is great stuff why isn't it in all oils?

[Rocket88]

Many moons ago, a friend of mine had a Renault 16 with a slightly vocal bottom end. He wanted to sell it, so I suggested lobbing some Wynns in it, and getting rid quick. I got a phone call the next day, saying it wouldn't turn over. I discovered that he drained out ALL of the oil, and poured 14 [yes 14!] tins of the aforementioned into it. Needless to say, it was now totally constipated, and the poor old battery never stood a chance!

[stormee]

The hydraulic lifter fluid worked very well in my Passat (2.2 5-pot injection) in combination with an oil change. Lifters totally silent after addition, give it a try! Still have a can waiting for use in my 24V BMW but that just won't rattle (fingers crossed).

[MikeKnight]

If you really want to clean the oilways prior to an oil change, use Forte Motor Flush instead.

 

Far superior. Can rarely be found in the shops. Go go gadget eBay.

[pompei]

As DSdriver says, why isn't the additive ingredient put in the oil by the manufacturers?

[Morgan84]

Some car handbooks state that using oil additives is not reccomended - no idea why though

[Vin]

As a youngster, when I lived in Cottingham, near Hull (so you'll know it Pompei/Andy...) my best mate Graham from next door, had an Uncle Adrian who was a sales rep for Wynns...as a result everyone on our street had Wynns stickers on our go-carts, Raleigh Boxers, Raleigh Grifters, Gresham Flyers etc.

 

Graham's uncle Adrian appeared in the cage on TISWAS one Saturday morning and got gunged or whatever they did. It was exciting at the time...

[Betaphile]

As DSdriver says, why isn't the additive ingredient put in the oil by the manufacturers?

 

They are. Any oil you buy off the shelf has a whole raft of additives already in it, it's not "just oil".

[cobblers]

I would never use a "long term" oil additive - After speaking to people who design oils and the additive packs that come already in them, even a very slight change in the mixture of the additives can have massive knock-on effects and they really have already put a lot of work into them.

 

Short term stuff like engine flush works great though - I've used wynnes engine flush stuff to clear sticky tappets a few times. Here's a couple of videos:

 

1.9 VW transporter engine after an oil change and a 45 minute run, still tapping its bag off:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UrLkZzNtfQ

 

 

Same engine after pouring a bottle of Wynnes flush in and about 30 minutes fast idling:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRu1laddApk

[Mike D]

I'll +1 on Cobblers engine flush, he recommended it to me when my bug was knocking its ass off with a plethora of sticky tappets - a swift half hour of fast idle with the flush added sorted it perfectly oil drop and fresh popped in and its been fine since

[DSdriver]

Confused... I thought tappets rattled because they were loose... or are you on about new-fangled hydraulic ones?

[Mike D]

It's a Mexican Bug with the late ACD code hydraulic tappet engine

[DSdriver]

Oh I see, you have to forgive me, I am stuck in a nineteen-seventies time warp.

[Ross_K]

Some car handbooks state that using oil additives is not reccomended - no idea why though

 

Perhaps because random morons do shit like this??

 

Many moons ago, a friend of mine had a Renault 16 with a slightly vocal bottom end. He wanted to sell it, so I suggested lobbing some Wynns in it, and getting rid quick. I got a phone call the next day, saying it wouldn't turn over. I discovered that he drained out ALL of the oil, and poured 14 [yes 14!] tins of the aforementioned into it. Needless to say, it was now totally constipated, and the poor old battery never stood a chance!

[ashmicro]

^^ or the bloke I know who lobbed TWO LITRES of Slick 50 in his Uno, which was already on the max for oil. It wasn't long in coming back out again, via numerous gaskets.

[cms206]

...

 

[dollywobbler]

...

 

 

Something by that name does actually exist you know. In Australia.

[Mike D]

You can get that over here too DW

[wuvvum]

You can add me to the list of people who've successfully used the Wynn's valve treatment stuff to quieten a sticky lifter - in my case on the Stagea. I'm pretty sure some of the additives you can buy are 100% pure oil of python though - especially the fuel additives which are supposed to give you an extra 10mpg or whatever.

[MikeKnight]

the fuel additives which are supposed to give you an extra 10mpg or whatever.

 

Those are pure snake oil, though if you have a fairly modern car with a knock sensor and the additive is an octane booster then you do get a little more MPG out of it. But not worth the price paid.

 

Things like Redex are still extremely useful for cleaning the fuel lines/tank and for spraying into plug holes and/or your carbs to clean out all the coke and shite that's built up. I used it on the Triumph and got a wonderful black cloud as all the caked-on shite vanished.

[jonny69]

A couple of people I know have recommended Slick 50 in the oil to prolong the life of knackered engines and one has run the engine with no oil in it (split the sump) and it survived. I stuck some in the Anglia last oil change because the bottom end knocks like hell when you start it and it definitely reduced the amount it breathes when you go up a hill. I can't comment on whether it works long time, I just wanted to prolong its life for another month or so until I've got somewhere to pull the engine out again.

 

Physically, the stuff is just very very slippery feeling oil if you rub it between your fingers. It's probably the same as using a semi or fully synthetic oil, but I haven't seen a fully synthetic 20W50.

[Parky]

Pretty sure Opie Oils do a synth 20/50