NanoTech Lubricants Oil Additive Review

[Timothy.B]

I've got my sample here. Wondering, should I have them do a TBN or just do the regular analysis?

[YeuEmMaiMai]

got my '14 legacy at 19.5K miles 5 months ago.... never added anything to the engine oil and now at 25.5k miles my mixed mileage is 31mpg (calculated). The car runs smooth, idles smooth and accelerates just fine.

 

There absolutely no reason for me to add anything to the oil... over 32 years of driving and 11 cars and 620K miles of total driving experience, I have never had to add anything to the engine oil..

 

How you drive and maintain the car has the biggest impact on how long it will last outside of any major manufacturing defects.

[Perscitus]

I've got my sample here. Wondering, should I have them do a TBN or just do the regular analysis?

Up to you, if you want to extend your oil change/ drain intervals you can do it either a. once or b. every other or third oil change - depending on when you choose to increase the OCI.

 

Since I'm sticking with the same oil for now and I will be increasing the OCI to 9K now, I think I'll skip another TBN, so long as I stay ~9K for OCIs.

[seiyafan]

Where can I buy this online?

[Perscitus]

Where can I buy this online?

Potentially Grainger (online and/or in-store)... as Nanotech signed up for a vendor partnership.

Else, see my post a page or two back about emailing the owner directly. Small firm, old school ways both in terms of contact and payment.

[Timothy.B]

Received my oil sample analysis today. Looks good they said. Almost forgot to blur my info

 

Gonna extend the OCI to 8,000.

 

http://i.imgur.com/fjsPF6Ph.jpg

[Timothy.B]

Perscitus, have you and others that use this additive noticed a slow, continue gain in performance from bottle to bottle? I'm on #3 and although, yes it is cooler outside, it seems almost as if my car is still showing continuing performance from this. Wasn't sure if others have noticed the same.

[Humble Rumble]

Perscitus, have you and others that use this additive noticed a slow, continue gain in performance from bottle to bottle? I'm on #3 and although, yes it is cooler outside, it seems almost as if my car is still showing continuing performance from this. Wasn't sure if others have noticed the same.

 

Not that I have anywhere to comment as any sort of authority on this (being that I haven't used it) but I remember reading in the original post that the effect would compound from usage to usage, as more of the nano-bits would fill in the needed areas, so that seems like it could be a possible result from that.

[apexi]

I can assure you any increase in performance is from the cooler weather and not this snake oil...

[Ellesedil]

I can assure you any increase in performance is from the cooler weather and not this snake oil...

 

Citation needed.

[apexi]

Citation needed for performance increase, decreased engine wear, and whatever else this crap claims to do.

[cww516]

Uh, have ya read the thread and looked at the UOAs? For what it's worth, I'd probably agree that most of the gains are probably psychological (having absolutely no personal experience with the product or vehicles where it's been used), but greatly decreased (or eliminated) consumption of oil with no other variables changed is kinda hard to argue with.

[apexi]

These uoa's aren't all that impressive.. I only have one uoa that I can post right now, but tomorrow I can ask blackstone to email me my other uoa's.

 

You guys would get comparable, if not better uoa's with just a regular conventional motor oil.

 

There are other ways to try to reduce consumption and engine wear. If consumption is a problem, you can try switching to a low noack oil, or a thicker oil. If you're worried about wear, try switching to an oil with a higher HTHS. It's not worth debating really, you guys seem to like additives, I don't. If I were worried, I would spend more money on a fully formulated, more stout motor oil, like Red Line.

 

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/29836/aftermarket-oil-additives

 

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/28986/additives-improving-oil

[Perscitus]

No argument here apexi. All good suggestions, all true.

 

Keep in mind this particular 'additive' is more mechanical than chemical in nature. Unlike typical additives, it does not modify the chemical properties of the base oil, simply uses it as a carrying agent to reach internals.

 

The main reason (at least for me) for conducting post-additive 'after' UOAs and posting them here is to a. confirm the additive has had no short and long term adverse effect and/or caused more wear vs 'before' pre-additive UOAs b. see how thing fare with extended oil drain intervals.

 

Lower average engine oil temps vs before, and not an ounce of oil burned in between changes (even at 6-8K mile ranges) are the two main advantages I have experienced and clearly see in logs and oil use. Same base oil, filter and driving style.

[apexi]

I completely respect that. My car has 206k on it right now, and it has consumed oil since I bought it brand new. That is the one and only thing I think I don't like about my car. So if your car used to consume oil, and no longer does with nanotech, then I can't blame you for using it, and continuing to use it, I probably would too.

[Ellesedil]

I only really had a problem with the aggressive/rude posts that added absolutely nothing to the topic. For what it's worth, I'm not using any additive.

[apexi]

Oh really, you read my links above and didn't learn anything? You already knew all of this?

 

 

Link 1

 

"What are the advantages and disadvantages of adding additives to a finished oil product?"

 

The question of whether to add additives to finished oil products has been debated for decades. Comprehensive testing has been performed to support claims on both sides. One truth that has been proven is that if quality high-performance lubricants are selected in the beginning, further additization will provide very little, if any, benefit. Of course, identifying quality high-performance lubricants can be challenging at times.

 

Lubricants typically are formulated with a variety of additives and base oil properties that are carefully set in equilibrium. Any slight manipulation in this formulation has the potential to be harmful. Keep in mind that more additive is not always better. The old saying, “If a little bit of something is good, then more of the same is better,” is not necessarily true when using oil additives. As more additive is blended into the oil, sometimes no benefit is gained, and at times the performance actually deteriorates. In other cases, the performance of the additive doesn’t improve, but the duration of service improves.

 

Increasing the percentage of a certain additive may improve one property of an oil while at the same time degrade another. When the specified concentrations of additives become unbalanced, overall oil quality can be affected. Some additives compete with each other for the same space on a metal surface. If a high concentration of an anti-wear agent is added to the oil, the corrosion inhibitor may become less effective. The result may be an increase in corrosion-related problems.

 

Oil companies already spend millions of dollars perfecting the requirements for their product varieties. Users should spend less time trying to decide how to effectively blend their own further-additized product and focus more on selecting a lubricant that is already on the market to meet the intended goal.

 

While some used or in-service lubricants have had success with additization, especially in large volumes, in general this should be handled by those who are experienced with lubricant blending and only after extensive testing of the resultant lubricant.

 

Remember, there is a lot of chemistry occurring in most of the oils that are used to lubricate equipment. They are complicated mixtures of chemicals that are in balance with one another and need to be respected. It is for these reasons that the mixing of different oils and adding additional additives should be avoided.

 

 

Link 2

 

We’ve always heard that increasing the percentage of a certain additive can improve one property of an oil while at the same time degrade another. Is this true?

 

The old saying, “If a little bit of something is good, then more of the same is better,” is not necessarily true when using oil additives.

 

Anti-wear additives and extreme-pressure agents form a large group of chemical additives that carry out their function of protecting wear surfaces during boundary lubrication by forming a protective film or barrier on the wear surfaces. As long as the hydrodynamic oil film is maintained between the wear surfaces, boundary lubrication will not occur and these “boundary lubrication” additives will not be required to perform their function. When the oil film does break down and asperity contact is made under high loads or high temperatures, these boundary lubrication additives provide the frictional stress, rather than the wear surfaces themselves.

 

When the specified concentrations of additives become unbalanced, overall oil quality can be affected.

 

Some additives compete with each other for the same space on a wear surface. If a high concentration of a special anti‑wear agent is suddenly added to the oil, the corrosion inhibitor may become ineffective. The result may only be an increase in corrosion-related problems.

 

When a higher than normal concentration of detergent/dispersant additive is used in an existing oil, the dispersant can hold the anti‑wear agents or extreme-pressure additives in suspension and actually prevent them from forming their intended wear-reducing film on the surface of parts. The result may be an increase in wear.

 

A lubricity additive and an anti‑wear/extreme-pressure additive are often used together in the formulation of lubricating oils. The lubricity agent assists the anti‑wear/extreme-pressure agent when both are used in the correct concentrations. However, when used at higher concentrations, the lubricity additive can actually interfere with the ability of the other boundary lubrication additives to prevent scuffing of wear surfaces at high loads.

 

During the blending process, the surface tension of any oil is strongly affected by the addition of such additives as detergents and extreme-pressure agents. As a result, anti‑foam agents are often required to break down the air bubbles that form beneath the surface of the oil and would otherwise remain trapped.

 

The addition of some special extreme-pressure additives can unbalance the anti‑foam additive concentrations, and the result may only be an increase in oil foaming, which can in turn cause a decrease in effective lubrication.

 

 

 

 

You knew that switching to a lower noack oil could reduce consumption?

 

You know what I hate? People who know absolutely nothing about motor oil, and motor oil chemistry blindly suggesting that people use a product that could do more harm than good.

 

Excuse me for stepping in to expressing my opinion, and trying to provide some facts.

[Ellesedil]

Oh really, you read my links above and didn't learn anything? You already knew all of this?

 

What? Chill out man. I was referring to this:

 

I can assure you any increase in performance is from the cooler weather and not this snake oil...

 

Citation needed for performance increase, decreased engine wear, and whatever else this crap claims to do.

 

These comments were completely unnecessary. If you had just provided the information you did initially, ie: just provide the facts that you (eventually) did, that would have been useful. I wasn't saying or even insinuating anything else.

 

And again, I'm not actually using any additive product. I was merely responding to the tone of your initial posts.

[Timothy.B]

I see where Apexi is going with this. The additive could potentially keep other detergents and such that are already in the oil from doing their job. That's why we're also doing samples ever so often to see the effects. Positive or negative. Also a note to my Blackstone results. I spent a large portion of my time tuning during that oil change so the outcome of the results are much better than I expected.

 

It takes first hand experience to see how this stuff works. I don't believe it's psychological in any way. Like how you are with your car, when you feel a new vibration or noise, you're immediately aware of it. The same goes with how the engine is running. If there was a small increase or decrease in power, you're gonna notice it.

 

Results that I've seen myself:

 

Quieter, Smoother Idle (from a short distance I can't even hear the thing running)

Engine revs more freely. Especially rev-match downshifts.

Increase MPG (I gained about 1MPG on average)

Oil Consumption (I'm not down to zero consumption but at 1800 miles I lost about a 1/4 of a quart. I used to lose about double that. I'm still using 5w30, not the 5w40 Perscitus uses.)

 

Maybe you guys haven't seen the testimonials used in all sorts of engines (generators, diesel tractors and semi trucks) complete with before and after results.

http://www.nanotechlubricantsinc.com/Testimonials.html

 

There's lots of reports of much easier starting in sub-freezing temps.

[fredrik94087]

I just like the fact that in apexi's quote, I read the word "equilibrium".

[M3Man]

I found an article that might be of some help here.

 

http://www.drivenracingoil.com/news/dro/training-center/articles/can-nanotechnology-make-faster/

 

Key paragraph: Studies have shown that motor oils using a nano-diamond additive package actually do help cut friction at first, but over time the friction comes right back greater than before. This is because the nano diamonds act as a lapping compound. In a new engine they serve to knock off the rough edges quickly, which helps to reduce friction. But the nano diamonds never stop grinding away at the material, and you wind up with advanced engine wear in a very short time. Also, that wear produces extra metal particles which get caught in the oil and will wind up causing damage throughout the engine.

[Perscitus]

Thanks for sharing M3Man. I remember reading this article 2-3 years ago.

 

Haven't seen this scenario play out with the particular additive we are using here, but its food for thought and something to consider for anyone on the fence.

It would also be good to get the opinion of Michael M from Nanotech on the article and how that contrasts with his particular product.

At this point, this thread is so old (nearly 5 years) I almost think we shouldn't bump it up anymore.

Perhaps it can be closed (GTEASER, other mods/admins?).

 

Most LGT members who were ever interested have either decided to:

-try it during/after the GB, used it once or twice, saw no adverse effects but also no reason to continue to use it

-try it during/after the GB, continue to use it to this day

-never tried it, have no intentions of trying it and/or any other additives

 

My first hand experience to date:

2010 3.6R with 40K miles with the additive, 70K+ on the odo - no advanced engine wear, almost none to speak of based on OSAs.

No perceived friction increase at 2, 4, 6K miles into each oil change.

 

2015 WRX with 20K miles with the additive, 20K on the odo - no advanced engine wear, internals and turbo in great shape

(leak-down and compression test performed at 15K as part of SoA recall).

 

2003 Toyota Corolla with 30K miles with the additive, 150K on the odo - no issues.

 

2007 Peugeot 307 turbo diesel - 20K miles with the additive, 100K on the odo - no issues.

[M3Man]

Actually, it may be a good idea to leave the thread active. I was watching football on tv this weekend and saw an ad for this or a similar product. This thread has tons of good information for people like me who are just becoming aware of the nano possibility. Nothing like 4 years of experience to help us decide. I would love to hear from others who were in on the group buy as to whether they think its been worth it, long term, and if they still use it.

 

My LGT needs an oil change every 3750, and uses at least a quart to get that far. I'd love to remedy that, but at an extra $40 per oil change, I'm not sure its a smart investment. I'd like to hear from others as to whether it changed their oil consumption.

[seiyafan]

What oil do you use?

[M3Man]

I use Castrol, full synthetic, 5w-30.