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4 Best Oil Additives for Engine Knock

The engine is meant to function smoothly, transitioning from one point of the four-stroke cycle to another. Any deterrent to normal functioning can have drastic effects on its performance and ultimately its lifespan. Engine knocking is one such deterrent.

This is how knocking occurs in the engine:

Fuel burns unevenly within the engine’s cylinders, causing the normal wave pattern to happen unevenly and sparks forming at the wrong periods within the cycle. These pre-mature detonations of the fuel/air mixture create an annoying “ping” sound known as the knock. It is important to note that these knocks can damage the engine components.

The cause of your engine knock could be either one of these three factors:

  • A faulty spark plug
  • Low-quality fuel, or
  • Presence of carbon deposits on the cylinder walls.

If you have stayed long before replacing your spark plug, you may only have to replace it for your problem to go away.

What is low-quality fuel?

This refers to the octane rating of the fuel that you use. If it is too low, you are at risk of engine knocking. This is because lower octane rated fuels tend to ignite at lower pressures, which means they will probably ignite prematurely in high compression engines. If this is the case, it may be time to invest in an octane booster additive.

They say prevention is better than cure.

Why wait for the knocking to occur when you can completely avoid it? Using additives that will thicken the oil in your engine to help remove the carbon deposits can effectively do that.

Let’s take a look at some of the best oil additives that can get rid of engine knocking caused by using a low octane rated fuel or build-up of carbon deposits.

Best Oil Additive for Knocking Engine Reviews​

Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer

Quick Specs
  • Rating: 5.0 / 5
  • Brand: Lucas
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No additive can eliminate dry starts and protect any type of engine form the effects of friction, heat, and wear quite like Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer. Being a 100% petroleum product, it allows motor oils a higher degree of lubricity which reduces oil consumption and operating temperatures.

A good feature of this product is that it can comfortably blend with all other automotive lubricants, whether synthetic, mineral, or traditional, to provide the best protection to your engine.

Use Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer in old and worn engines to stop the effects of old age. It is great for preventing thermal breakdowns within the engine. This product is sure to stop your engine knocking problem.

Pros

  • Increases oil life
  • Reduces oil consumption
  • Eliminates dry starts
  • Raises oil pressure
  • Increases power and miles per gallon

Cons

  • None

Klotz Octane Booster

Quick Specs
  • Rating: 4.8 / 5
  • Brand: Klotz
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Do you want to raise the octane rating of gasoline in your engine while at the same time avoiding engine damaging detonation, spark knock, pre-ignition, and pinging brought about by low octane gasoline? Look no further than Klotz Octane Booster.

It contains tetraethyl lead and MMT which are great anti-knock agents and this makes it one of the best oil additives for knocking engines. Klotz Octane Booster maximizes performance and power by modifying the burn speed and flashpoint of gasoline to create a stable combustion chamber flame front. It also stabilizes oxygenated gasoline to prevent lean-out conditions.

Pros

  • Increases lubricity via tetraethyl
  • It can work in a variety of engines
  • Absorbs moisture to reduce chances of damage by rust
  • Has MMT which is environment-friendly
  •  Is a great option for racing cars

Cons

  • Quite expensive
  • Not safe for newer engines

Lucas Octane Boost

Quick Specs
  • Rating: 4.4 / 5
  • Brand: Lucas
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This additive primarily contains MMT, which is a great anti-knocking agent. The MMT also makes the fuel denser and burn slightly longer than usual, thus giving your engine added torque that cannot be achieved with just a higher octane rating.

The manufacturers of this product claim that it can provide up to three times more boost than other brands. It is also perfectly safe for turbos, oxygen sensors, and catalytic converters. In high compression engines, Lucas Octane Boost can raise the MPG.

Pros

  • Can be used on different engine types
  • It has a high oil to additive ratio. This makes it a great bang for the buck

Cons

  • No cons

104+ is a company with a lot of experience. Their products have been fine-tuned to give out the best qualities to their consumers (cars mainly). 104+ Octane Boost is no different.

More of a fuel injector cleaner than anything else, it can give a marginal boost in power, improve fuel economy due to some carbon build-up fighting properties, and even reduce knocks, pings and throttle hesitation.

Pros

  • Can work in many engine types
  • Can work for ethanol blends too
  • Highly affordable
  • Contains MMT

Cons

  • It does not raise the octane level entirely

Conclusion

When you experience engine knocking, you should first be aware of what the cause may be before you embark on investing in additives. It is more important to note that you should work on any engine problem earlier on lest it becomes a major hazard that can lead to total engine failure.

Find the additive that works best for you. These additives have other additional advantages beyond preventing engine knocking. Just because they are categorized as the best oil additives for engine knocking does not mean that’s all they can do. Try them out and find one that matches your needs.

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