Should You Use Motor Oil Additives?

A Few Things To Consider When Using Motor Oil Additives

In our opinion and in most cases, using motor oil performance additive treatments is unnecessary. Instead, choosing the right motor oil for the application is the key. When you use a premium or higher quality motor oil, the necessary oil additives (anti-wear, friction modifiers) are already formulated into it. These highly engineered motor oils (e.g. RAVENOL) include the perfect level and formulation of additives for the best engine performance. Most motor oil additive treatments lay claim to doing what a premium or highly engineered motor oil already does. The right motor oil simply offers better performance qualities and benefits than a separate additive treatment.

The engine oil additives market is huge in the United States. Many consumers are driven to purchase motor oil that is priced low. Most of these oils have a low price because they are made with lower to medium quality base oils and additives. It might make sense to use a performance-enhancing engine oil additive with these types of oils.

When using lower quality oils, many choose to use an additive treatment to achieve better performance. Keep in mind that a vehicle's existing or underlying engine issues are often caused by the use of lower quality motor oil products and preventative maintenance neglect. If this is the case motor oil additive treatments can be added to slow down oil burning, minimize wear, or quiet engine noise. In most cases, this is just covering over or prolonging an obvious existing mechanical problem or internal engine damage.

On rare occasions, engine oil performance additives could be added if your past your vehicle's recommended oil change interval. This would be a rare situation when you would not have time to get your needed oil change. Typically, towards the end of an oil change interval, the engine oil has been depleted of key lubricating properties and additives. Keep in mind adding a performance additive treatment to your oil when your engine is in need of an oil change would get you out of a bind and give your engine some added protection until you have time to perform the needed oil change.

Why are engine oil performance additives not always required?

The most important step is to use a premium high-quality engine oil that has been engineered specifically for an application with special additives for optimal engine performance. Choosing an exact engine oil specification or quality level for your exact engine application is crucial. A motor oil additive treatment can be added when using lower-quality engine oils. Motor oil additives can also be used if your vehicle has an existing or underlying mechanical issue caused by poor service and neglect. Keep in mind most underlying engine mechanical issues (burning oil, excessive oil deposits, black sludge, and varnish) are likely caused by low-quality engine oils or the wrong type of oil being used for your engine application.

When using RAVENOL USVO and CleanSynto oils it is a different story. RAVENOL products are not driven by price, rather they are driven by quality. RAVENOL only uses select high-quality base oils along with a sophisticated additive package that is engineered to meet or exceed your vehicle's recommended oil specification.

Therefore, our recommendation is DON’T use oil additives in conjunction with RAVENOL USVO or CleanSynto products. These exceptional high-quality formulations don’t need anything added to them. Adding an oil cleaner or additive to RAVENOL USVO or CleanSynto products will change or alter the oil formulation from its original designed intent and would adversely affect the oil's ability to provide maximum performance.

Should engine oil cleaners or flushing treatment additives be used?

In most cases, oil additive cleaners are NOT required, especially in newer or low mileage engines. Engine cleaners should only be used after a physical inspection of the internal engine components has been confirmed.

How do you confirm if an engine oil cleaner and flushing treatment additive should be used? This can be done by removing the engine valve cover and inspecting the valve train area. If the valve train area is clean, it is likely the entire engine is clean and an engine oil flush or cleaning additive is not necessary. If the valve train has excessive oil deposits, black sludge, brown varnish, and oil breakdown, it is likely the entire engine is dirty and an engine oil flush and cleaning additive may be an option.

RAVENOL oils contain an advanced formulation and include the specific ratios of detergents, dispersants, and antioxidants to combat, absorb, and rid the engine of oil deposits, black sludge, and varnish. In most cases, engine oil flushing additives and treatments are not required while using RAVENOL CleanSynto and USVO oils. 

Many of our customers have reported that when changed from their current oil to RAVENOL CleanSynto and USVO oils they have greatly minimized oil deposit, black sludge, and varnish issues. This further emphasizes the importance of choosing a higher quality engine oil like RAVENOL that has incorporated into it, a comprehensive full spectrum additive formulation where no performance enhancing additives or flushing agents will be required.