Liqui Moly Ceratec

Because it doesn't. At least not in my experience using it on several vehicles.

Why would it?

How many times have you used Ceratec?
A lot of times is how many, I mean there are pics if you search my name all over this place..I'm probably the board-champion on Ceratec use ahhahaha...j/k of course. The oil is always a brownish color/not normal used oil color.

Why would it? It's the color of the head on a Guiness that's why. MoS2 does the same but a bit different w/r to color and shimmery-ness.
 
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A lot of times is how many, I mean there are pics if you search my name all over this place..I'm probably teh board-champion on Ceratec use ahhahaha. The oil is always a brownish color/not normal used oil color.

Why would it? It's the color of the head on a Guiness that's why. MoS2 does the same but a bit different w/r to color and shimmery-ness.

I've used Ceratec and it does look it's own unique kind of greasy Milk Of Magnesia color, I recall from similar discussions about different fluids that the color is not supposed to be a deciding factor in use but it does give a possible mixed fluids color to the oil.. @TiGeo I defer to your description of color, but, in talking myself out of using what I once thought was amazing and necessary, I agree with you, it surely does have an off-putting color.

MoS2 does as well, to a lesser degree. And the MoS2 is basically inferior to MoDTC - but that is a whole another topic.
 
I've used Ceratec and it does look it's own unique kind of greasy Milk Of Magnesia color, I recall from similar discussions about different fluids that the color is not supposed to be a deciding factor in use but it does give a possible mixed fluids color to the oil.. @TiGeo I defer to your description of color, but, in talking myself out of using what I once thought was amazing and necessary, I agree with you, it surely does have an off-putting color.

MoS2 does as well, to a lesser degree. And the MoS2 is basically inferior to MoDTC - but that is a whole another topic.
I've used in my Atlas once, the W8 once, and my Sportwagen once. I've used MoS2 in the Atlas once and the W8 and Sportwagen both multiple times. Should have taken some pics. Maybe his oil is v. dark (?) which negates that coffee w/creamer-like color?
 
A lot of times is how many, I mean there are pics if you search my name all over this place..I'm probably the board-champion on Ceratec use ahhahaha...j/k of course. The oil is always a brownish color/not normal used oil color.

Why would it? It's the color of the head on a Guiness that's why. MoS2 does the same but a bit different w/r to color and shimmery-ness.
Interesting.

I would have thought I would have seen something on the Smart as it’s a small sump.

Not unexpected in the S Class as it was a diesel.
 
Ok a couple things going on here. Look at the color of this stuff.




Now. About their marketing schtick, their "pitch" ... Sure does sound a lot like every zMax, Slick50, "There are too many to name" I've ever heard. Says it polished rough surfaces, fills low spots.. almost like it is giving the piston walls a good compounding ("knocks down high spots" and "low spots" are terms commonly used in professional detailing, recommending polish or compound etc.) Or, if anyone would remember.. Auto-Rx. ❗

Tried to find a video of how the oil looks AFTER being drained, with this stuff added in... Didn't seem to find one. I will say.. It may have a purpose, in that.. You can judge the intentions of the shop you take it to. If they ask you if you have been having symptoms of a bad Head Gasket when the oil drains.. Use your own intuition about if they mean it as a scam/scare tactic, or if they are genuinely concerned about your engine and oil. (The color of oil upon being drained after using this stuff is bizarre. Looks like a grease to me.)

Another thing.. I think some have used the MoS2 product before (which, upon further research, is actually inferior to the MoDTC in most motor oils) https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/question-what-is-molybdenums-real-role.362464/ and may be considering then stepping up to the Ceratec, which I don't think distinguishes itself from the Mos2 very well. There was one thread with EXCELLENT discussion of moly in PCMO.

Then there are those that insist it DOESN'T settle at the bottom of the oil pan.

I could go out and spend about $30 to make my gas engine oil fill look like Hazelnut coffee, Light and Sweet... @bigjl references a diesel motor and that's valid since diesel oil is apparently much dirtier so maybe the effect of color of product here would be nil.. So, question for all this, if it really is "filling in" cylinder walls, is that something we are calling safe?

For me, I'm trying to get off the additive train, as most people say they are a waste and unnecessary.. the Liqui Moly products are commonly called the "one exception" to everything on the shelf which is essentially a waste of money, and snake oils. Thus, Liqui Moly is held in higher regard than snake oils.. @TiGeo likes the products and his statements on the matter have me thinking about again using it somehow. I'm asking myself what it is actually doing, since I myself have always suffered from being too open to the power of suggestion. Marketing is an incredible thing.

I've used in my Atlas once, the W8 once, and my Sportwagen once. I've used MoS2 in the Atlas once and the W8 and Sportwagen both multiple times. Should have taken some pics. Maybe his oil is v. dark (?) which negates that coffee w/creamer-like color?
If we are referencing @bigjl It made more sense to me when he stated his S-class is a Diesel.

Put it in a clean or even moderately dark fill of a normal gas engine and it will mix with the oil and make it have a funky color, at least upon drain from the oil pan.. not 100% sure about on the dipstck. I've seen oil look clean on a dipstick and dirty when drained many times, not sure why that is, either.
 
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Ok a couple things going on here. Look at the color of this stuff.




Now. About their marketing schtick, their "pitch" ... Sure does sound a lot like every zMax, Slick50, "There are too many to name" I've ever heard. Says it polished rough surfaces, fills low spots.. almost like it is giving the piston walls a good compounding ("knocks down high spots" and "low spots" are terms commonly used in professional detailing, recommending polish or compound etc.) Or, if anyone would remember.. Auto-Rx. ❗

Tried to find a video of how the oil looks AFTER being drained, with this stuff added in... Didn't seem to find one. I will say.. It may have a purpose, in that.. You can judge the intentions of the shop you take it to. If they ask you if you have been having symptoms of a bad Head Gasket when the oil drains.. Use your own intuition about if they mean it as a scam/scare tactic, or if they are genuinely concerned about your engine and oil. (The color of oil upon being drained after using this stuff is bizarre. Looks like a grease to me.)

Another thing.. I think some have used the MoS2 product before (which, upon further research, is actually inferior to the MoDTC in most motor oils) https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/question-what-is-molybdenums-real-role.362464/ and may be considering then stepping up to the Ceratec, which I don't think distinguishes itself from the Mos2 very well. There was one thread with EXCELLENT discussion of moly in PCMO.

Then there are those that insist it DOESN'T settle at the bottom of the oil pan.

I could go out and spend about $30 to make my gas engine oil fill look like Hazelnut coffee, Light and Sweet... @bigjl references a diesel motor and that's valid since diesel oil is apparently much dirtier so maybe the effect of color of product here would be nil.. So, question for all this, if it really is "filling in" cylinder walls, is that something we are calling safe?

For me, I'm trying to get off the additive train, as most people say they are a waste and unnecessary.. the Liqui Moly products are commonly called the "one exception" to everything on the shelf which is essentially a waste of money, and snake oils. Thus, Liqui Moly is held in higher regard than snake oils.. @TiGeo likes the products and his statements on the matter have me thinking about again using it somehow. I'm asking myself what it is actually doing, since I myself have always suffered from being too open to the power of suggestion. Marketing is an incredible thing.


If we are referencing @bigjl It made more sense to me when he stated his S-class is a Diesel.

Put it in a clean or even moderately dark fill of a normal gas engine and it will mix with the oil and make it have a funky color, at least upon drain from the oil pan.. not 100% sure about on the dipstck. I've seen oil look clean on a dipstick and dirty when drained many times, not sure why that is, either.

Be careful what you say about that stuff here it could cause this thread to go another ten pages. ;)
 
One observation I can make is the oil when drained looks like it's full of particles.

It seemed to want to separate from the oil, so I mixed it in a half full oil bottle, shaking it up. I used a measuring cup and when I cleaned it with Oil Eater, part of the formula did not mix & clean out. Unusual, because Oil Eater eats ALL oil in my experience.

Another observation is after leaving my Buick parked for around 1.5 months (Apr 13-Jun 4 2022), when it started I heard valve lifter noise. This with Ceratec and Triax SRT 5w-30. Since then I drained and refilled with Triax (8-21-22), now have switched to Amsoil SS 0w-30 (10-21-22). The Amsoil had been in for 2 weeks before I parked it again, this time for 3 months (Nov 1 2022-Jan 31 2023). After charging the battery (yes I should have put a maintainer on it), it started with no tapping.

Purely anecdotal observation, but nevertheless, that engine has never had lifters tapping upon start-up. Whether or not that was caused by the Ceratec, or the Triax, or both combined, I'm not using either of them anymore.
 
One observation I can make is the oil when drained looks like it's full of particles.

It seemed to want to separate from the oil, so I mixed it in a half full oil bottle, shaking it up. I used a measuring cup and when I cleaned it with Oil Eater, part of the formula did not mix & clean out. Unusual, because Oil Eater eats ALL oil in my experience.

Another observation is after leaving my Buick parked for around 1.5 months (Apr 13-Jun 4 2022), when it started I heard valve lifter noise. This with Ceratec and Triax SRT 5w-30. Since then I drained and refilled with Triax (8-21-22), now have switched to Amsoil SS 0w-30 (10-21-22). The Amsoil had been in for 2 weeks before I parked it again, this time for 3 months (Nov 1 2022-Jan 31 2023). After charging the battery (yes I should have put a maintainer on it), it started with no tapping.

Purely anecdotal observation, but nevertheless, that engine has never had lifters tapping upon start-up. Whether or not that was caused by the Ceratec, or the Triax, or both combined, I'm not using either of them anymore.
It's interesting b/c many folks have noted that Ceratec quieted lifter tap (Mustang 5.0 folks).
 
It's interesting b/c many folks have noted that Ceratec quieted lifter tap (Mustang 5.0 folks).
Ya, I've seen that too, but that's when the engine is running. I guess it has had time to "fill in" the rough spots......

In my case it was a first start after sitting 1.5 months. Tapped a few seconds then quieted when the oil flowed in. Maybe that had nothing to do with the Ceratec, but more to do with the Triax I was using. It was an unscientific (anecdotal) observation. I don't remember if the engine was very hot when parked, allowing the thinner oil to drain out of the lifters. I know this last time before it sat for three months, I took it to the car wash, dried and covered it. Was still warm when I parked it. Started with no noise. If it wasn't for the battery being low, I would have "flood clear" cranked it to prime the system, so I would have never known, but I just needed it to start, and was expecting the noise but there was none.

I used it in my 402 BBC that has a notorious lifter tap around #2 cyl, it still taps. I drained it after a 2000 mile trip and flushed with 2 quarts of fresh oil before filling it with Amsoil as well.
 
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