While at Hershey this year, I came across the guy running the engine on a stand with no oil pan or valve cover. The engine had been running a while and an hour later when I walked by again, it was still running. He said that he puts the pan on every night and runs it for 30 minutes to get the lubrication back in but let’s it drain out over night.
I’m wondering if any one on this forum has used Petron Plus and what thoughts you might have.
Wayne
What do you hope to gain with such a product? Are you often damaging your oil pan and misplacing your valve covers? Or just thinking your current oil isn't good enough?
I’m thinking of lightening my car by removing the oil pan, oil and valve covers! That’s seems to be as silly a response as yours!
This product is supposed to help lubricate an engine at start up and allow it to run easier which results in less wear and better mileage. I am trying to find out if any one has actual experience using it and what their opinion is. From your answer, I get that you have not used it and have no real info on the subject but I thank you for your input anyway!
I'm pretty sure TJ meant that as a lighthearted comment.
Don't be so butt hurt. Having a sense of humor is part of a forum.
That is, unless I need to be wearing a Tuxedo while viewing the forum. ;)
I just took it as a silly comment. I’m actually trying to get some info on a product that caught my attention. How many times does one see an engine run all day with no oil in it? Looked pretty amazing to me! I’m surprised that moment one here has seen the display or have tried the product.
Never heard of it, so my engineer's antennae guided me to look up their website, and there's pretty pictures but no info? Must be the same type of guys that make "mystery" oil... Keep it a secret. See for yourself www.petronplusglobal.com
In cases like this, I suggest those asking, try it and report back with the "data", how it went?
The follow the herd mentality is what they feed on. Could even be an internet sales pitch of sorts to generate interest. "Hey, have U heard about so and so? So advanced, even we don't know what's in it." P.T. Barnum stuff. Makes it more difficult for legit products.
Fuel and oil additives are an enormous business, $B's /year, and if there was real user benefit, I think the SAE or manufacturers would recommend, not the additive sellers. Those entities don't endorse by policy. It all comes down to warranty/specs/design life to them.
We don't even get straight answers from the lube oil marketing guys, just hype, so go figure... "liquid" titanium, blue enzymes, et al. It all about extracting maximum money from the buyer and market share/brand loyalty.
Lube science is evolving just like everything else, and when they can make one without valve covers and oil pans, they'll do it, if it saves them, not you, money, but so far they still come with them. Industrial application is usually a more sane endeavor than consumerism.
Skeptical but benefit of the doubt, one of the reasons I don't endorse or attack any products. I do my own research if I'm curious and motivated. Caveat "America".
Wayne,
I remember as a 15year old kid seeing a Chevrolet 6 cylinder motor running (at an auto show of course) without oil pan or naturally oil and the exhibit folks spraying water (they said to make sure there was no oil) on the bottom end as it ran all day.
There was of course no load on the motor, but what ever the magic permalgumated fu fu dust they applied to the metal surfaces did in fact seem to be working. The question is why? A well put together motor treated well and serviced regularly (Oil and filter) in one of our Cadillacs (especially the high Nickle Iron blocks of the 429 through 368 era motors) is good for several hundred thousand miles, and ALL bearing and wearing surfaces were designed to perform (anti friction, friction, heat transfer and removal) with the original lubricants in mind. A major consideration might be the cost of the material itself if it is the sole lubricant and of course will need to be changed regularly, the miscibility with motor oil if it is a supplement, and what are the byproducts of it when it is burned in the combustion chamber?
Just some thoughts.
Greg Surfas
I have seen that booth at Hershey several times, always apparently with the same engine running. So this past Hershey I asked some questions, took some pictures as well as some videos of this engine running. All total, I must have been at the booth 20 minutes with the engine idling away. The engine was said to have come from a 1956 Chevy truck and had been used at Hershey for several years, logging a minimum 3,000 hours of run time. Of course they would not tell me what the secret ingredient was. They also told me that they run it with oil to keep it internally lubed, after hours as yachtflame noted. My unqualified guess is that the product is probably loaded with tackifiers, which cause the oil to "stick" to the internal components and not wear away easily. Running it without the pan would help a bit in heat dissipation as well as idling at no load. What else could it be? Still, an impressive display, though I often wondered what the "downside" might be when used in our Cadillacs as a daily oil? I know some oil is sold as storage oil to ease in start up after lengthy storage, but I seem to recall that the recommendation was to change that oil and not use it in place of regular oil. Attached are some shots I took of the booth set up and products they sold. Wish I knew how or if possible to compress the videos and post them of the engine running as well, as it was something to see. Clay/Lexi
For most of us I bet we change the oil every year with less than the usual 3000 miles between oil changes. For me even less mileage, way less. I have to wonder if it is a waste and it probably is over kill. I would say unless this is a daily driver that runs over 12,000 miles a year, why would you care?
This seems like something that most of us would never have to worry about. Why add a mystery product to your engine for no compelling reason.
Seems like another solution in search of a problem. Unless you really drive a lot, and to be honest if you do the car is not going to be a collectible for long.
Less wear ok, better mileage I do not care. A well tuned up, not worn out car will get good mileage.
I agree with George.
The best thing that they could ever design would be some sort of electric oil pricing system. Much like how you can juice up your fuel line with turning on an electric fuel pump to run fuel into the float bowl to make for a quicker start, it would be good to be able to circulate oil in an engine that hasn’t been started on weeks.
Quote from: 76eldo on January 01, 2020, 12:38:31 PM
I agree with George.
The best thing that they could ever design would be some sort of electric oil pricing system. Much like how you can juice up your fuel line with turning on an electric fuel pump to run fuel into the float bowl to make for a quicker start, it would be good to be able to circulate oil in an engine that hasn’t been started on weeks.
Now that gadget to circulate oil before a long dormant period would really extend the life of an engine. I would guarantee most of the wear we all get is when we make that first start in the spring after sitting for 4 months. That's why depending on the winter sometimes I can get that car out once or twice for a 30-40 minute drive on a dry road. Some winters I can and some I can not. That would shorten the sitting time for me to 8-10 weeks. But I cannot control the weather.
I think by shortening the sitting time the engine would have a betterr chance to be still coated with oil. I am not sure though how long is the point of no return. I have read synthetic oil will cling much longer than conventional oil. Anyone know how long an engine can sit with minimal loss of internal oil coating? Or if I am asking it correctly say after 4 weeks, there is no difference between 4 weeks and 26 weeks.
Engine pre-oilers for automobile engines have been around for quite some time and are readily available ---
https://www.jegs.com/i/Melling/689/MPL-101/10002/-1
https://www.holley.com/products/plumbing_an_fittings_and_hose/cooling_systems/oil_and_transmission_coolers/electric_oil_pump/parts/OP111ERL?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_MOSr4Hj5gIVjYbACh2wCg0yEAQYCiABEgJa3vD_BwE
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mor-23900?seid=srese1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_MOSr4Hj5gIVjYbACh2wCg0yEAQYAyABEgLImfD_BwE
Those of us with original cars would probably not want to compromise the car's originality by installing one and those that use their cars frequently don't really need one. Pre-oilers are/were used on large radial aircraft engines (such as the 1820 Wrights), we used them as part of the pre-start procedure every morning to protect the master rod bearing (and our jobs). The Wrights had an electric pump mounted on the firewall activated by a cockpit switch. Also used in race car engines, and by engine rebuilders. The more sophisticated (and quicker) way of pre-oiling a fresh engine or engine that has sat for a period of time than pulling the distributor and turning the oil pump with a tool attached to a drill motor.