8 replies to this topic

[liam1288]

hi guys, im not sure if it was me being silly but today i did an oil change for 20/50 millers classic oil and added stp oil adative (the thick gloopy stuff) though now im not sure if im being paranoid but it seems like theres a loss of drive... as in takes more to 'go'...

i was thinking maybe the oil and stp has made it very thick therefore harder for the gears to function? it seems fine and rolls freely with the clutch down though when up, it feels like the gears are slowing it down a bit too much...

im hoping it will slowly fade out as the oil and addative gets churned up but is this normal??

cheers

[Stiggytoo]

Probably wasn't a great idea to add it, but then again I don't see it making a huge difference. Was it the whole bottle? Might see a slight loss in power.

[liam1288]

yeah it was the whole bottle... just a bit strange really, i just fancied trying it out as i saw it when buying the oil and remembered an engine builder mentioned using it

[Stiggytoo]

Oh well - at least your gearbox will be happy.

[grumpy dad]

Hi 

this could turn it to a long thread

with those for and against

 

hear is how it is for me 

I have used it for meany years 

the reasons are 

about 20 years ago I put it in a old jag 

and after about 15 minutes the ticker went up

buy about 300 rpm and the oil presser buy about 10 psi

I think this is because there are friction reducers in it  

try this put some oil between a finger and a thumb 

and on the other set do the same with STP 

and rub together the one with STP on will rub for much longer 

before there is any friction 

also when i strip a motor down 

all the inside is slippery 

things like the timing case and the inside walls of the block

the way I get it in the motor is half fill the oil filter with STP

and half with oil that way you know it has got round 

all the rotating parts in a nice thick film 

 

so my advice is relax and in a few days you will notice the difference

 

now come on guys that say it is just snake oil 

give us your reasons  

[dklawson]

I had no idea you guys even had STP in the U.K.

 

OK... snake-oil.  Yes, that is the reputation STP has in the U.S.  I will not present detailed information here.  For those who want to know why, use Google and Wikipedia.  Suffice it to say that STP got into trouble several times over the years for making unsubstantiated claims about what their product(s) can do.

 

STP oil additive is still on the market.  I have used it but not necessarily for what you might use it for.  STP contains the pressure additive ZDDP which in the U.S. has been basically removed from most engine oils.  STP is an inexpensive way to add ZDDP back to your oil.  I do not wish to get into a discussion of ZDDP in this thread.  Again, the net has tons of information on ZDDP and  Google will provide you with many, many, many arguments about it... pro and con.

 

STP oil additive has also been used for years as an engine assembly lubricant.  It is thick and clings.  It has some high pressure additives as mentioned above and it is inexpensive.  However, there are better assembly lubes available designed specifically for the purpose.

 

They used to offer STP in a "red" bottle for 4-cylinder applications.  It is my understanding that they now only offer it in the "blue" bottle for larger engines and recommend using less than a full bottle for smaller engines.  I don't have a bottle to read so consider this is hearsay to be confirmed by the reader.

 

Since the Mini shares engine and gearbox oil, you can expect the following when you add STP to the oil.  The oil pressure will be a lot higher when the engine is cold and marginally higher when the engine is hot.  Starting may be a bit slower due to the thickness of the oil with the additive.  The gear lever may be a bit heavier and harder to shift when cold but about "normal" when the engine is up to temperature.  

 

I cannot think of any specific, negatives you might experience using STP apart from the slower engine cranking in cold weather.  However, it is not an engine rebuild in a bottle either.  Don't expect it to fix ills with your engine.

[midridge2]

We had STP in England certainly in the 60s.

Edited by midridge2, 04 January 2014 - 03:24 PM.

[jaydee]

STP is 70-80 fashion

Dont add anything to millers, it doesnt like to mixed, even with other oils.

The additive you put is only a viscosity enhance which is definately NOT what you need in winter months, maybe in summer, but i'd say save a few quids..

[midridge2]

I remember in 1968 I worked in a Honda dealers, the only models were the n360 and the s800, my tool box use to be covered in Stp stickers then.