thanks Kane for the informative web page. link here

That's pretty impressive. I can see marketing Slick to the standard American or Japanese oil eating end of life cycle engine owner but not good for an already well functioning engine, esp. a totally non-oil consuming engine like mine (even if 16 years old!!)

My engine in 3000 miles didn't use a drop of oil. And yet I was suckered to buy a 4 qt package with qt. of Slick 50 because the price of synthetic oil was So High and the same additives seemed to be in Slick as in the synthetics. I shoulda just let the mechanic put his 4 qts of generic oil in. Btw, It's unique, perhaps, that Volvos have a perfectly 4 qt. fill at least in my case. 4 qts in and it lines up perfectly on the dip stick at full mark. I remember my Toyota was either 3 and a half or 4 and a half .. and if someone mechanic put the whole last quart in it was likely the seals would blow out and oil consumption would increase. That happened towards the end of it's life... the engine is still fine but used about a quarter of quart per thousand miles..not bad, but nothing like this Volvo which never moves from it's Full mark.

I suspect Slick maybe jazzing up my engine a little with clogging of micro gaps in rings perhaps ... thus why people love the stuff... In reading the article it seems that Slick and it's "teflon" additives isn't all bad, but likely to increase oxidization (rust).... which here in the northeast is the main killer of cars. Something I want to avoid. Although most Volvos (and Toyotas) here die of external decay, not engine destruction. Which is a real battle against rust of the frame and body.

I think I'll redo the oil when I go back to the mechanic's and have him change my car into it's new snow tires. It'll give him a chuckle, only cost about 30 bucks and we'll all feel better. I don't think this'll give my car major consequences and if I change the oil soon it'll help flush out the system better than it's been in awhile. I am now suspicious of synthethic oils too though as they market teflon in their oil too I've heard. Perhaps Paul can weigh in on that detail. His oil probably doesn't and the Mechanic didn't say anthing wrong with synthetic oils .. just that they might not be worth it for older cars and that older cars should at least be checked up on every 3000 miles anyway so having an oil change then benefits the car in more ways than just oiling it. He gave a demonstration of all the things he checks (radiator, battery, fan belts and I was impressed at what a deal 30 bucks is when going to a trusted mechanic....

The reason I am not psyched about changing my own oil: no cost benefits. (oil and filter of good quality costs almost the costs of having the mechanic do it if the time is included, and costs of discarding the used oil is included...) the only benefit is that I can do it whenever without leaving a car at a shop or going to a quicklub place where they'd with low wage employees like in other cars (like the Toyota) overfill the engine with oil.

Ah ha! Paul, you have data? I am having the old 'Synthetic oil' vs 'Slick-50' arguement with a guy at my university who claims to know about cars and engines, he reckons it's the miracle cure for all that ails a car! So he'll be an engineer when he graduates, so will I, and I'm finishing first ;)

Rubbish! I tell him, I've had it in my car and promptly flushed it out when I saw the condition of it after only a 1000 miles! Now I run synthetics alround, and it gives me everything the Slick-50 claimed but didn't deliver, and more.

I say it's not up to the job... he quotes me a chemical formula for what's in it... I still think it's crap... And so the debate rages on :) (all friendly you understand) :) So Paul, some data would be nice, please ;) And what's this about law suits? I'm already smiling just thinking about dropping that one in over a lunchtime beer ;)

Cheers,

The mechanic didn't like it either but we did it anyway...... so you're saying I better change the oil pronto again???

Slick 50 replaces one quart of oil with a lighter colored fluid. It is doubtful that it is the ruination of many engines or is it??? There is a "limited" warrantee with the Slick. The mechanic just chuckled and will give no warrantees although he didn't think it'd be a big deal as so many others love the stuff. (He likes Volvos btw and once owned an 1800ES and said pretty much what patrick of Montreal said about 'em... just a 120 or 140 with sportscar look...) I guess we could use my old Volvo as a guinnea pig.. but it'll be the last time I waste money on additives..... If there is the slightest loss of fluid (in the last 3000 I didn't use a drop of oil on my 160,000 plus beater) I'll drop the oil plug real quick. But it's raining and I'll live dangerously for now. I check the oil religiously every fill up.

I note that the Cartalk guys aren't too impressed either with any additives. Although "Mystery Oil" did my old Toyota pretty good.

This mechanic who I trust said Synthetic Oils are great for new cars but "like giving candy to a baby" for old cars. Not worth the extra expense in his opinion. I am not considering buying synthetic oils unless I decide to only change oil every 10,000 miles or so.

the Mechanic may have sold me some Cooper snow tires next visit... and tightened fan hub nuts which he thought were a little loose... so it wasn't totally a success on my part.. (could've lost a radiator he said...)

otherwise, batterie's good, rust is undercontrol and he says the nonworking O/D which hardly I ever need is getting voltage but maybe is fuse related or switch in stick non functioning. Checked differential and so forth.... and says he'd do that with any oil change .. so it's worth having a local regular mechanic... (like a doctor or dentist...) as his cost for labor, filter and oil was about the same as doing it yourself... and I wouldn't have been tempted by 'Slick'>>>>

i am sure doing it yourself is worth the hassle.... (but if it breaks on the weekend,,, there's no alternative.)