ulet, woi.. don't drag me into this. But since you did I'm going to comment..

I'm not a supporter of additives.

Guys - this guys transmission had a complete drain, ATF filter change and filled up with fresh oil. Initially the GB still had the delay problem, it only resolved itself the next day.

Usually a complete drain and ATF filter change fixes most of these GB problems la. And the fact that he used Castrol Dexron III 4L (meaning reputable brand and oil) makes it even better. I mean, it might just have been the oil that solved the problem.

I have my reservations regarding additives.

Also, regarding your uncles car that had some problems and you just adding the additive in, has it ever occurred to you that it might just be the additive changing the viscosity of the oil or something? I know Bluechem's engine oil cleaner does exactly that. It temporarily 'revives' dead engine oil to be more viscous allowing you to flush the oil more easily. In fact they even claim that you can even prolong the engine oil change for about 50km to 100km with the engine cleaner mixed into your oil. But ultimately it's temporary.

I'm thinking it's possibly the same in this particular situation. But I'm just guessing.

Well, if your uncle has been using the correct oil and is always filling at optimum levels, then I'd be surprised. But if he was always overfilling or underfilling without realising it then he'd slowly kill the gearbox hence the problems now. Lubeguard *probably* changed the viscosity level (I use this assumption very loosely) to cater for the higher wear and tear.

In my Myvi's case, I cooked the gearbox because I ran about 20km+ without any oil in it because the hose had cracked and leaked all my oil out. So I probably do have damage inside the gearbox hence my issues. Lubeguard may or may not fix my problem but I'm not willing to spend close to RM100 to find out. Good fully synthetic oil like those from Rockoil or Pennzoil seems to do the trick for me except the gear changes aren't as smooth as they used to be.

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Added on July 16, 2012, 8:17 pmYou are right and wrong at the same time.

The additives determine the viscosity, the amount of detergents, anti-acidity additives, heat suppressors and a few other small little things yes.. preventing it from degradation no.

There are a few grades of base oil, most engine oil brands these days use group 3 base oil which is the lowest quality that can be used for engine oils. Grade 4 and 5 are ester based oils and they are way superior in lifespan and heat transfer etc. Expensive oils like Motul (the ester based range) and Ravenol (I don't know the makeup of Torco and Liquimoly) use group 4 or 5 base oils hence their price.

It's kinda like comparing a car tinted with cheap tinting. It'll protect your interior from the UV and some IR. But put it side by side with Vkool Elite and it's a completely different thing although they both do the same thing. In most cases too Vkool Elite will outlast the el-cheapo tint because of the quality materials it's made from.

So you're right about you get what you pay for.

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Added on July 16, 2012, 8:20 pmOh and lastly - Torco is not API certified. 'Exceeding API certifications' and compliance to the certification requirements is not the same thing.

I wouldn't use an oil that hasn't been tested and certified otherwise they can claim the whole sky and earth, and no one would be the wiser.

This post has been edited by izso: Jul 16 2012, 08:21 PM

Well hey.. it's your money, your car, your choice and if there is one... your problem. I choose not to use unverifiable oils.

Amsoil makes very good oils and is API certified. Redline is certified. Motul is certified. Lucas is certified. Mainstream crap? Really? Are you going to debate this with me?

Vkool does have certification to prove its claims btw.

But ultimately like I said - your money, your choice, your problem.

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Added on July 17, 2012, 7:59 pmSigh.

Your choice and your money, but I have to point out companies like Mobil, Amsoil, etc didn't spend millions on R&D to be outsmarted by a <RM100 bottle of additives.

You want prevention? Change your oils more frequently and always change the filter. Don't overcook the gearbox either by going on track. That's prevention of mechanical failures, not adding some additive that may have some sort of chemical reaction with whatever fluids in your gearbox at god-knows what temperature at that point of time leaving behind something nasty.

Anyway, how long have you been using additives? 5 to 7 years down the road please do give me an update on how your gearbox is doing. My GB has been running on Proton SPIII and Mitsubishi Diaqueen SPIII for 8 years now and it's still going strong.

This post has been edited by izso: Jul 17 2012, 07:59 PM

Are we arguing? No ah. If arguing I'd be calling you names. LOL

(How the hell do you multiquote in LY?)

Engine flushes that can actually obtain TUV certification must have some sort of quality to their products because TUV is way more stringent than even API and the European certification (forgot what their called). Personally right now I'm still testing Bluechem's engine oil flush, it's TUV certified and so far so good. I've also used CRC engine flush and that's been serving me well for years too.

I personally have no issues with flushes as long as it's not alcohol based. It's additives that annoy me.

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Added on July 18, 2012, 7:44 pmDude, I'm not new to the car industry. There's no such thing as "JPJ certified" as you have pointed out.

I was talking about Vkool Elite's claims to be 99% UV blocking, 99% IR blocking, etc. They claim the world and they have the certification (tests by reputable companies) to prove their claims.

This post has been edited by izso: Jul 18 2012, 07:44 PM

sengasdf : Wow.. ceramic based additive for the engine? Uh.. dude, think about it. Engine oils have detergents to clean out sludge and contaminants in the engine, they have a shitload of other additives that does different things too but ultimately it's there to provide some heat dissipation and mainly lubrication for the car. Ceramic is a great friction preventer no doubt but it still has a shelf life. Having that sort of thing stuck to your internals and later stuck in your oil sump is just asking for trouble. If Ceramic was that great why wasn't any engine oil made with it? Unless you're physically bonding the block and internal parts with ceramic (ceramic coating), adding liquid ceramic isn't quite the same thing. It'll still eventually break down and the type of sludge left over will be "fantastic".

I'd just personally use a good oil and leave it at that.

As for good gearbox oil, what sort of ATF does the swift use? I'm sure you'll find a Motul or a Redline that suites your needs and those are pretty good stuff. A complete swap out of fluids + a new ATF filter will do wonders for you. And if you haven't already, get a ATF cooler.

note : this is purely my personal opinion. You are not obliged to agree and have the right to your own opinion as do I.

This post has been edited by izso: Jul 19 2012, 07:39 PM

http://www.lubegard.com/~/C-113/LUBEGARD+P...+ATF+Protectant

This is the one that ulet was specifically talking about.

Thanks to ulet I have got my grubby paws on a Asbro ATF additive and hopefully later a Lubeguard ATF platinum for comparison.

Now if I can find a sponsor to do a oil analysis I'd gladly feature that sponsor on a very popular website.

Any takers for a objective comparison for these additives?

Got someone offer to me FOC.. I take and do comparison objectively lor. If I can't get a UOA then will probably do other less-than-scientific-comparisons.

I got it from the Bluechem salesman, John Liew.

Try calling him : 017-8465666