Are there any additives, of any kind, for any problem, that you'd actually recommend? I mean, apart from snake oil, which we all know is jesus in a bottle.

I searched the archives but didn't find a recent discussion so I thought I would ask, see if anything new has come on the market that people like and trust.

My two engines are great. I'd like them to stay that way. Beyond reg maintenance, I was wondering if there was anything else I could do to keep them happy. Particularly since I haven't always owned them and only trust one of the POs out of 5 POs between them. They could have some built up stuff in there.

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1983 300TD 240k Thistle Green Auto (Euro) [sold]
1984 300D 240k Petrol Green Auto
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"You know, times are changing. Ladies can do stuff now and you're going to have to learn how to deal with it."
"What? Were you saying something? Look, I don't speak Spanish."

Star tron diesel fuel additive helps greatly in larger diesel fuel cells to mitigate H2O and fungal issues. Canola oil added to diesel makes your 617-9XX quiet in as little as 5% quantities. It helps with lubricity issues but those are not quantifiable in most cases.

The chemtool injector cleaner works well, also any cetane booster that doesn't contain alcohol.

Other than that just change the oil often.

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

I've used Diesel Kleen, BG244, Diesel Purge, and MMO. They all work pretty well, you can run MMO in the fuel but I've put it in the oil like it specifies.

I would be careful using these with newer engines, can cause problems if you overdo it.

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

I've used Auto RX in my engine oil for 4 of my vehicles over the last decade. The stuff is one of the only additives that I believe works. Check out the Bobistheoilguy forums to see testimonials in the hundreds. Unlike solvents, this stuff slowly dissolves sludge and buildup in the engine and around the seals to help stop leaks and free up the internals.

My OM617 had medium dancing cap oil blow by. I was not severe but not mild. After just 2000 miles of mostly highway driving with ARX in the oil and a bottle of Stanadyne diesel additive, the cap doesn't dance at all.

Each of my engines have loved ARX but the result in my OM617 W123 300d is by far the best.

I have used the fungus killer stuff sold in qts at truck stops a few times, just to be safe and the German Lubri-Moly (or such) for the injectors, but can't say I noticed any difference.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

Don't know how far north "deep left field" is but during cooler months
Diesel Clean (White bottle) helps noticeably.

I like Powerservice for diesel additives, used it for years and no pump leaks or failures on any extended family car (2 million+ miles) and usually sparkling clean fuel injectors whenever removed for inspection/service. It is easy to find and reasonably cheap. Most fuel conditioners have the same product inside, meaning same content on the warning labels for first aid-Xylene, petroleum distallates or spirits, naptha, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene are the most common. I run double or more doses all the time, engines seem to love it and stay healthy. Avoid alcohol.

For oil, I would suggest an oil cleaner like Seafoam engine treatment at oil change time, seems to do wonders but it could just be me! Diesels rarely have oil issues internally, the fuel is a good cleaner itself and keeps things tidy. Seafoam is a great carbon cleaner, I have used it in dirty cylinder head intake ports and they shined up instantly with that stuff. Really strong product, I wouldn't hesitate to believe what is claims to do.

I have also had really good luck using Trans Tune by seafoam in the automatics, it has resurrected some non moving cars after several flushes and this product to clean it out. I have used it as a "tune up in a can" also for the transmission and it always makes a difference with shifting. It really cleans out stuff and can be added to the p/s system before changing that fluid too.

One product I have not understood or witnessed great results is Lucas stuff, the engine oil additive is sure thick but still burns in worn engines, the power steering stop leak has done nothing (that AT Reseal worked wonders on afterwards), the transmission saver did not save any...at least not European cars! It also made the p/s pump howl in protest with their product present, it most bubble/aerate too easily.

I have used Star*Tron and Power Service in the fuel. Never anything in the oil.

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-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

I am looking to try Kreen on my 190E, lots of great reviews on Bobistheoilguy. It's similar to MMO but much more aggressive. I'll share my results once I've used it.

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

I have a good friend who has been driving diesels more than 70 years, he swears by Howe's Diesel Treat for anti-gel. I use Howes &/or Power Service for anti-gel with very good results. When available, I use a 30-70% mix of D1 & D2 w/anti-gel for the multiple 2MW gensets (emergency power) that I maintain. (Our winters get cold, sometimes subzero for several days.) In over 400 emergency starts, I've never had a no-start (of any sort) in the Cats (3516s) and no fuel related no-starts in the V-16 Mits (the starter lubricant has frozen twice in the Mits). I've had a few gelling issues in untreated, non winter blend fueled engines (Benzs, Cummins, Detroit Diesels) that were subject to the same winter conditions. On lost cause engines I'll try a mix of ATF (Dex 3) with D2 or Kero to try and clean up injector patterns. I'm not a big fan of lubrication additives. Haven't used anything in oil since Andy Granitelli was with STP. (Back then I used STP as an assembly lube, now not at all.)

Wow. This is a wonderful amount of information! Thanks.

To my shame I didn't even realize that you could add stuff in the winter that would help prevent gelling.

For the last two years I've parked the cars on the non-hydrant side of the street throughout winter because they don't tow for snow clearing on that side and I want them off salt. They clear the hydrant side, but never tow to clear the other side. Anyway, I did try starting the sedan, I think, at one point in February. It was -12ｺC (10.4ｺF). The car turned over, ran rough for two heartbeats and stopped. Do you think an additive would've prevented that? I felt awful and didn't try starting him again until it was much warmer in March. The other issue was that the door locks froze in January and February. It was a very cold winter in CT.

If I could run the cars on biodiesel I would and I think I'll try to switch to a blend soon (or at least dump in canola while it's warm). I've used StarTron and been very happy with it. Always change oil with AMSoil. And I'll look into Seafoam too.

It sounds like Power Service has more fans though than anything else. So I think that's something I'm definitely interested in trying.

As for the trans, the wagon has smoother shifts than the sedan but both shift firmly, and everything I've read says that's better than the oppsoite. The sedan used to give a serious kick in the pants when the engine was cold but the indie made adjustments to the shift points after a trans flush and filter change didn't soften the shifts. Anyway, I've noticed that although the shifts are still quite firm for the first 30 minutes and you can feel them, after much longer drives the shifts get much smoother. Is that because heat is causing the internal seals to swell and allowing the trans to shift the way it was intended to? I know all transmissions give out eventually, but I'd like to do anything I can to reverse the natural processes of aging or prolong its vitality.

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1983 300TD 240k Thistle Green Auto (Euro) [sold]
1984 300D 240k Petrol Green Auto
覧覧覧覧覧覧覧覧覧
"You know, times are changing. Ladies can do stuff now and you're going to have to learn how to deal with it."
"What? Were you saying something? Look, I don't speak Spanish."

I use howes lubricator for winter gelling, but only occasionally on a benz. Used lubricity additive from the same people all the time on my old diesel vw, but rarely in the benzes. Great secondary use is slicking back the hair for the classic greaser look

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

I have used some diesel purge in one of my other diesel cars - MPG increased by around 10% and felt much better. I have added some neat to the fuel filter when I changed it but will run some through the system at some point.

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UK spec Mercedes W210 E300 Turbodiesel wagon - OM606.962 with 722.6 transmission - rust free!

I either use MMO or a quart of new veggie oil,in fuel tank.Helps mileage.

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran