Glossary / General

additives

16 Episode Mentions

Too Afraid to Ask

They’re extra ingredients you can add to your car’s oil or gas that help keep the engine clean and running smoother.

Technical Definition

Additives are chemicals mixed into engine oil or fuel to improve performance, reduce wear, or clean components. They can include detergents, lubricants, and metal conditioners.

Hear It Discussed

"Is there any value to the additives that they sell at the service station that you just pour in?"
#2638: Melissa Strikes Back The Best of Car Talk 07:26

"They're asking us on the show a lot how to fix that, and there's additives and [406.9s] things you can put in there, but really, to fix that, and you've got such low miles."
Under The Hood Your Live Car Questions Answered Now Under The Hood show 06:40

"...we then turn that into a base oil, and then we we blend in, you know, the very best additives to combine with that based dox."
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - Classic Car Doctor - September 19, 2015 - Hour 2 Ron Ananian The Car Doctor 30:20