Happy New Year everyone!
I have a question about an oil treatment that's gotten alot of hype lately called PROLONG. It's endorsed by Al Unser, Smokey Yunick and Kenny Bernstein. They claim that it adds protection to the engine oil, trans. fluid etc. Anyone use this? Is it just another slick ad campaign to get you to spend your money and make you believe it's doing something it's not? I'd appreciate hearing your comments.
Thanks,
Rich

My opinion on any kind of additive is that they are a waste of money and don't work like the advertisers claim they do. They are all made to be some kind of miracle fix for a problem that is mechanical and cannot be repaired or masked with chemicals. That is my $.02, for what it's worth (FWIW).

Did you know that GM GoodWrench oil has ingredients that puts all these additive based oils to shame.

Mark

The only additive I have ever used is Wynns Friction Proofing can't seem to find it any more.But it would stop a hacksaw from cutting.put it in an engine that was really tight and you could hear the RPMs come up.I have also used OES from GM but that was because I was a GM mechanic what else could you use.No proof it did any good...FRED

but they drove a viper 90 mph with no oil.
don't you believe in truth in advertising??
just kidding but i have to admit it looks interesting. is there a new chemical out there that spawned this new breed? i think slick 50 may have been the first and it's been around a long time??? i'd like a straight answer to this as well.

thanks john

All that stuff, just snake oil salesmen. Fix your problem. I said to myself, I would not ansewer anymore posts, but could not resist this one.

[This message has been edited by RobertD (edited 01-01-99).]

Fred that's EOS.

Mark

I use Slick 50 in my motorhome and feel that if it does provide extra protection on cold start up it would be very beneficial in an engine that sits without running for extended periods. I don't know if it really works, but I think it's a good idea for an application like that.

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I understand that Consumer Reports debunked this claim. They ran 2 similar tests and their engines failed after 5 miles of driving and 13 minutes! Sept. 98 issue.

As for the Slick 50, I know of 2 persons who swore this was the best stuff since sliced bread. Both of their trucks died with engine problems (worn bearings and rings)with less than 100,000 miles on them and they were fanatic about maintanence, one was gas pipeline welder and the other a mechanic.

There is no sustitute for quality lubricants and maintanence.

If it sounds too good to be true it probably is!

[This message has been edited by elcamino (edited 01-03-99).]

COPO Hey man its been years since I worked for a GM dealer a lot of things have changed like memory,and cars...FRED

Just a few weeks ago, the Federal Trade Commission made agreements with Splitfire (the spark plug people) and Quaker State (Slick 50) to limit their advertising claims. Seems neither could backup what they had stated for years http://www.chevelles.com/forum/frown.gif. Remember if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't.
And if these additives were really that good, the auto manufacturers would have bought them out and stored the formulas in warehouses with all the 75 MPG carburators and million mile tires that we know they have.

A friend of mine's Dad is a GM mechanic and is convinced that Slick 50 caused the premature death of my friend's Geo Metro from excessive blowby.

I have used Slick 50 in a few of my (non-Chevelle) cars for several years with no problems, though.

I get a magazine called Grassroots Motorsports and they did some dyno testing with some of the oil additives and found that this stuff called Royal Purple was the only stuff that increased horsepower.

FWIW

I read a technical paper years ago that explained how motor oils are formulated with a proper balance of ingredients for wear, acid, dirt, heat,and etc..Lots of research goes into these formulations, and additives simply upset this balance thus improving one at the expense of others.
The conclusion was that in a healthy internal combustion engine, with any modern oil, changing your oil is THE ONLY critical factor.
I once drained a lawnmower engine and ran it at full throttle hoping to see it "blow up". It ran till it ran out of gas and never blew up - BUT never moved again , something was stuck or welded.
Makes me doubt those engine tests, HOWEVER those prolong ads tempted me too !!Any other info ??

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