Nulon oil additive?

[BenzBoy]

Many years ago I used to use Nulon E20 in my Lancia HiFi engine and had no problems with it. Did it do any good? Hard to say because that engine was bullet proof despite being an ex-works race motor - I got over 100,000 kms from it and it's still in use today as a rally car.
Since then I have used only recommended oils in every thing but a discussion started me thinking. Bruce D whom you met at Ant's GTC says his Rover 3500 engine is tappety at start up if left for a few weeks. Since he started adding Nulon E20 it starts quietly even after a month of standing unused.
What does the Brains Trust think?
Regards,
Brian

 

[Helmet]

In any modern engine using synthetic oils any additive is a waist of money, in fact most car manufacturers and oil producers prohibit their use.
With regards older engine I don't believe an additive can fix something that is worn out. Just my 2 cents .

 

[Styria]

I have used additives in days gone past, although like yourself I have never been certain as to the benefits gained therefrom. However, I can relate a story to an additive called ProMa. I lent a Rover 2000 to a friend, and that car had a leaking clutch master cylinder. When I got the car back from him, I asked him if he had any REAL problems with that component. No, was his reply - I added ProMa which, I can confirm, stopped the leak. Apparently, that additive contained Copper or Bronze, and that material filled up the score marks in the bore.

Bruce's Rover V8 engine - clearly a problem with worn hydraulic lifters and worn rocker shafts. The last named in particular can be troublesome with a "higher" mileage engine. In addition, the oil pump located externally at the front of the engine can suffer from oil "pick-up", but there is, or used to be, a conversion to more substantial oil pump gears which helped considerably in maintaining oil pressure. Those Rover V8 engines would also exhibit more wear in the main bearings of the crankshaft, whereas the slipper bearings were fool proof. BenzBoy, what is his oil pressure like on hot idle ? Does the oil light come on ? The pressure should be not less than 20lbs.squin., and the oil light comes on at seven pounds per square inch. Regards. Styria

 

[BenzBoy]

Pressure is all within normal - it's simply the nosy tappets on start up after it's been sitting. And the Nulon has changed that.
We expect noisy tappets at start up on an R-R V8 that has been sitting. That's fairly normal.
A am 100% with Helmet - no chemical can repair worn metal but I am simply curious about how effective the Nulon might be in leaving behind a coat of oil/Teflon that sticks to the surfaces of bearings etc.
Regards,
Brian

 

[sean sherry]

My first thought on the Rover's noise was , do they have hydraulic Tappets.
In my days with a Buick Dealership ( N.Y. ) in the early sixties , a clattering tappet was a cold problem. The Factory backed cure was a can of STP. A thick goo of an additive that was advertised as a fix for oil burning. It worked on the Tappets. A permanent cure ? I don't know , but it got the cars out of Warranty.

 

[CraigS]

The selling point of E20 is P.T.F.E, or in layman's terms, teflon coating. There is some logic to this, as regular mineral and synthetic oil draw down to the sump after prolonged storage and there is nothing to protect tappets and/or cams in the event of a cold start. The teflon coating remains on the wear components, but the question is for how long. I do see benefit in using this type of additive for cars that tend to sit for prolonged periods, however equally effective can be to turn the car over without the ignition until oil pressure is reached and then start.

 

[BenzBoy]

The selling point of E20 is P.T.F.E, or in layman's terms, teflon coating. There is some logic to this, as regular mineral and synthetic oil draw down to the sump after prolonged storage and there is nothing to protect tappets and/or cams in the event of a cold start. The teflon coating remains on the wear components, but the question is for how long. I do see benefit in using this type of additive for cars that tend to sit for prolonged periods, however equally effective can be to turn the car over without the ignition until oil pressure is reached and then start.

That certainly fits in with my observations Craig.
Regards,
Brian

 

[c107]

I've never used an engine oil additive, but I do use the nulon manual transmission additive in my DS and it does seem to provide slightly better shifts, especially when cold.

 

[sean sherry]

A Gear box additive that did work , a can of Bardahl.
Again, back in the Olden Days with late 50's Ford Mk 11 Zephers 3 speed Manuals. When cold the 1-2 shift was neigh impossible. The Baulk Rings as they were then called , did just that.
All the Ford fixes did not work. We at the coal face, the Dealer, tipped in the Bardahl, a hot knife through Butter result.