additives

I own a 1969 280SL that I love dearly. I am also very glad that I found this site and plan to visit daily.

My questions concerns engine additives. Do products like STP Fuel Injector Cleaner really improve performance, clean the injectors and is it safe to use? My car performs well and I was thinking of this as a preventive maintenance issue.

My other question also has to do with engine additives. I have an oil leak which I have not been able to find. I lose about 1/2 qt every 500 miles. There is always a small puddle under the car, but the leak is minor and I can stay on top of it. They sell a product made by CD2 called Stop Oil Leak, which you add to your engine oil and your leak goes away in 1,000 miles!! I am more concerned if such an additive is a bad idea to introduce to the engine than whether it really can stop the leak. By the way, I have 140,000 miles on the motor.

Thanks

Blackdoggies

[gmask]

Originally posted by blackdoggies
They sell a product made by CD2 called Stop Oil Leak, which you add to your engine oil and your leak goes away in 1,000 miles!! I am more concerned if such an additive is a bad idea to introduce to the engine than whether it really can stop the leak. By the way, I have 140,000 miles on the motor.

I don't think that stop will stop an external leak.. I've tried several of these type of additives and they don't really seem to do much. They claim that it can reduce smoking due to worn parts but I haven't seen it work on either of the cars I've tried it with. I've tried several other products as well with no noticeble effect.

A car with that many miles on it is going to leak some oil and it does not sound like you should be too worried about 1/2qt every 500 miles... I might be wrong but I think that much loss is expected for a car that old with that many miles.

One of my cars leaks alot and I'm goign to try a UV dye in the system to see if I can at least locate where the leaks is.. fixing it is another issue all toghether.

Keep in mind these kinds of products, if they work, do so by causing great risk to your engine. In order to plug a hole something solid has to build up around the edges of the hole until its closed. While this is ok if you have a leak at your oil pan gasket, this product is not selective and will likely plug up many other small holes that oils goes through. Like the holes in your engine that keep bearing journals lubed. You're best to find the leak and fix it, its usually not that expensive.


Mark

PS:
Nothing that comes in a bottle that says, "improves power and performance" has ever replaced good maintenance and repair.
Thats my $0.02

[Aaron]

Are you positive that you are LEAKING 1/2 quart in 500 miles rather than BURNING it? Remember, these M130 engines are notorious for oil consumption, and 1/2 qt. in 500 miles isn't really unusual.

[Douglas Broome]

In all my years of owning a variety of Mercedes I have never heard anyone knowledgable extoll the benefits of aftermarket oil addatives. Quite the contrary. Cause more harm than good; sometimes catastrophic. The best advice is to change oil frequently with a good quality oil.

[bill4247]

I had a similar cylinder head gasket leak that stopped almost completely when I switched from Mobil 1 5W-30 to Chevron Delo 400 15W-40. I think you might try a nonsynthetic and/or a more viscous oil before an additive.