My intention was not to bully, simply educate. We are having a debate here, I've presented factual data that explains why, from a formulation standpoint, using additives that claim to enhance performance, are more likely to negatively impact some characteristic or characteristics elsewhere in the product.
I think you are offended at this juncture and are looking to dismiss me by categorizing/labelling me and how I come across; essentially, you are jaded based on this interaction and are using that to broad-brush, define, and undermine my character because you don't like what I have to say. This is a technical forum, we discuss technical topics, I'm not making judgements of your character, commenting on your posting style nor making remarks about your communication skills and I would appreciate the same in return.
It's not a philosophy, it's a fact on blending that oils are fully formulated products with each component selected and the amount determined based on methodic testing with the final product tested to ensure it meets both the intended and required performance targets.
Most problems have nothing to do with the oil, it is almost universally mechanical issues with the equipment.
Just because an oil is fully formulated doesn't mean that it's a top-shelf formulation. Some oils are blended only to meet the basic bare bones requirement of the API approval process, which can be inadequate to prevent varnish, sludge and coking in more demanding applications. That doesn't mean the product isn't performing as intended, nor does it mean that you will improve the product by putting something else in it.
Think about this logically for a minute. You have say Supertech 5W-20 that's blended with cheap 4cSt base oils and 15% VII (just making up a formula here) and the cheapest cookie-cutter API SP additive package purchased from Lubrizol. It's a product formulated to a price point. In a higher power density application, this oil causes oil control ring coking. You add MOS2 to the oil thinking you are making it better. What part of the MOS2 additive is going to improve the quality of the base oil blend or reduce the Noack? What part will improve its TEOST score?
If you need a more robust oil for your application, you are best served by purchasing a better oil in the first place. Oils that use AN's and esters in their formulation are going to be able to keep things far cleaner, and even clean-up existing deposits, vs the oil above. Yes, you can use a cleaning additive like AutoRX or HPL Engine Cleaner, which I mentioned in my previous post, but it won't be as effective as just using a better oil out of the gate.
The fallacy here appears to be that you can turn a cheaply formulated oil into a better oil by dosing it with something, but if you understand how oils are formulated, you realize that this naive. This is what I was trying to explain in my previous post with regards to what I discussed with Dave at HPL on FM chemistry.
This has nothing to do with additives making an oil better, this is a strawman. Honda not properly testing their product and it fuel diluting like crazy isn't fixed with Lucas or MOS2. GM buggering up their timing chain design on their HF V6 isn't fixed by Motor Oil Saver or STP. These are engineering and design problems that are resolved through updated parts and designs. If the OLM is too optimistic for the approved lubricant, it should be revised. But it doesn't mean you can turn Kirkland into Mobil 1 0W-40 by putting an additive in it.
Yes, I cite Mobil 1 as an example of a brand that doesn't sell additives. Castrol is another. The list is extensive.
Many of the small blenders are looking for additional revenue streams. Don't you find it to be a bit of a paradox for a blender to sell a premium fully formulated product and then advertise that you can make said product better; "more premium" by spending more money? Lucas sells oils, but their business is based on the whole coven of wizards which are basically pure profit because they consist of cheap garbage sold at an obscene price with claims that would make a mythomaniac blush.
And of course we are talking about a spectrum here as well. HPL sells a concentrated ester product as a cleaner. This isn't to further improve their product, it's to help clean-up deposits left by cheap oils and poor maintenance practices. Valvoline and Mobil both sell "high mileage" oils with higher levels of seal conditioners to help people avoid or at least put-off expensive seal/gasket jobs. These are very specific things that don't interact with the rest of the oil's chemistry, they aren't impacting FM or AW chemistry for example, and, in the case of the HM oils, well, these are fully formulated products.
And that's fine, but subjects like these tend to produce extensive debate on this forum because we tend to like data, facts and figures. You might perceive that as excessive pedanticism, cynicism or even bullying, but that's not what it is and anything that would actually fall under the bullying category would result in a warning or even ban from the mods.
You seem to be confusing or conflating my commentary on specific additive claims with a disdain for additives in general and I had hoped to make it clear with the post you responded to that this is not my intention. There are additives where the efficacy is understood and the claims have merit. You just mentioned one of them with HPL's EC, which I also mentioned in the post you replied to. Lubeguard products are also generally looked on favourably, as their ester chemistry is understood to be effective for cleaning up deposits that can cause performance issues.
My criticism of FM additives was specific, as is my criticism of Lucas. There is a ton of nuance here that you appear to want to broad brush because it makes the conversation simpler. I'd greatly prefer if you tried to engage on the individual points in earnest, rather than labelling me and dismissing me as a pedant or curmudgeon.
But you can't gauge the performance of these products by how they feel on your fingers. That's why engine oils aren't developed or tested by the "finger test" either. That may be your experience, but that doesn't mean others can't see it as being inadequate or invalid in terms of qualifying performance, which is what was explained by both myself and
@RDY4WAR. There are numerous extensive testing protocols available that can be used to prove effectiveness and if that data doesn't exist, or the mechanism that is claimed doesn't pass scrutiny, then it shouldn't be surprising to get push-back on the topic, which is what you received here because your anecdote wasn't sufficient. It isn't necessary to get offended by that, the intention isn't to chastise or undermine you, simply let you know that this isn't enough, and if you have more data, we'd like to see or hear it.