The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Transmission oil Lucas???

OK...just saw a demonstration on oil additives in fact Lucas oil (its on the web) and is presented by a guy that is an oil specialist?? It shows the Lucas oil climbing gears at low speed but at operating speed of a transmission it actually turns to foam / air and thus non -lubricating. Where-as with 80/90 brand name at speed will not foam due to an anti-foaming agent which Lucas does not have?..... I have never used this Lucas product but many people have told me to add some to my 3 speed but after seeing the demo I don't think so.... Anyone else out there with doubts like me? According to this guy all oil additives are bunk! T/C Steve

I have been running 50 wt. full synthetic in my fuller transmissions for about 15 years. Some of my transmissions have been over 1,000,000 miles when I sold the trucks. Back in the 60's , 70's and 80's we put bearings in transmissions every 200,000 when we ran mineral oil. I have not been in a transmission since we went synthetic. Same goes for rears. We use 80w140 synthetic and haven't even had to go through a power divider. Oil additives may have had their place in the mineral oil day, but in my opinion they are not needed with synthetic oil and you could wind up putting in something that doesn't mix. Our engines are set at 1450 ft lbs of torque. Up to 2000 was rather common until fuel got so high. Transmissions and rears last over a million miles. What more would a person want.

YEP....it was Bob the oil guys site...I does foam up pretty bad is there a site by Lucas that disputes this test? I did not find anything directly from Lucas.....looks like Bob is correct??????T/C Steve

I put it in my 3 speed (49 Chevy) trans last year and either it works well or I am a much better gear shifter. I just put some in my differential last month.
I think the speeds those gears get up to in that demo are probably much faster than the ones turn in my driveline.

In the demonstration,are they running straight additive or is it a mix of additive and gear oil like it's meant to be used?
Speed

In this months issue of Auto Restorer in the Mechanic On duty section there is an article about oil additives and he pretty much says that they are snake oil and tells us why.

Lucas oil was founded by a truck driver and his wife not a petroleum chemists...kinda of like going to a house painter to have your kidney removed....shoemaker stick to thy lasts..?

I guess it boils down to opinions are like earwax, we all have some....?

T/C Steve

Steve,

Modern motor oils are crammed with additives. This is what makes them able to perform the tasks we ask them to. Without VI improver's, detergents and dispersant's, ash less compounds and whole lot more, our modern day engines wouldn't last 5 minutes.

There are enough goodies in most automotive lubricants to allow them to work hard and long. Many companies have convinced John Q Public that they need more goodies, or that more is better.

Some after market snake oils work and others merely inflate the manufactures bank account. About the only was to avoid being zoomed is to study up on what you're intending to buy.

That's my take on the snake oil snafu!

Stuart

I've read quite a bit and also sent in to their addressfor literature explaining the "test" when the address or number is on the product.
Its amazing what test they do and the claims they make over a 1000th improvement.
Its a fairly known fact that the oil/lubes you ordinarily buy for you vehicle contains the needed stuff.....you just need to MAINTAIN your vehicle. When damage is done there is no product on the market that will "fix" it. Some may help short term but mechanical stuff does reach its limit sooner or later.

On the other hand I deliver parts for a local Flaps store and a LOT of garages, and especially used car dealers use the Lucas. As mentioned above it may help...temporarily depending on driving habits ect.
AND the last "studing" I did shows what someone else said. Its to increase their bank account as the stuff you buy cost approximately 1/7, thats right, ONE SEVENTH of the cost you pay to make it.
To each his own!

BROTHERS....you have said a mouthful and I totally agree!

Huey P. Long said that there is always a suede shoe salesman that will sell you HY-percorlorum which is the best product on earth. Then another salesman comes along and sells LO-percorlorum and that's the best product on earth also.... What we got to do now is find out who is the better liar and buy from them. This makes us feel that all of our problems will disappear because we bought the correct Percorlorum!...... I think he would have made a a good president at least we all knew he was a crook....not like todays politicians or snake oil salesmen. T/C Steve

Love the pros and cons. I have no use for aftermarket additives. I would not put STP, Bardhal, EOS (even though it is highly recommended by my good friend, a pro mechanic), Wynn's and every thing else in my engine or gear box.
However after much research I am using Lucas in my gear box and diff and find it has worked wonders. Maybe I'm a sucker but it works for me.

I had the family car giving me shifting trouble. The auto-matic trans was having trouble with the O.drive. I added a qt. of the Lucas treatment and it cured all my trouble. I believe its one of the bset products money can buy. I now add it ot more of my vehicles I drive as a preventive measure.

I use Lucas oil additive occasionally, but not exactly sure why.

Used it in the rear hubs of a 54 GMC COE, along with some red grease, truck made it 3,000 miles being towed on it's own wheels, no heat or signs of problems, even with the nicely rust damaged rear wheel bearings. But it may have been fine with just grease?

I use the diesel fuel treatment sometimes, but don't know that it helps, just seems like it should for what they charge.....

I use it in the firetruck also... No problems and I'm happy with it.

Lucas works well with gears and worn engines.
I use it on both my rides in the tranny and rear.
Never got foaming like the test claims...

The only additives I like and use are Lucas and occasionally the notorious Marvel Mystery Oil in the fuel for the valves.

I use both Lucas motor and trans additives in my vehicle and have had mixed results. I was leaking burning a pint of oil every thousand miles or so then I added lucas now i don't burn a drop. The one thing I have noticed is my oil became dirty extremely quickly but I sure that is because Lucas sucked all the dirt from the engine and cleaned the system resulting in sooner oil change then usual. I also noticed that my fuel milage dropped about 1 mpg but I loose up to two mpg when my vehicle needs a oil change so I assume that isn't actually lost just need an oil change. So if your engine burns oil or leaks oil I would recommend it. I know a guy who runs it almost straight in a pickup with a cracked blocked and the thing doesn't leak. The transmission additive I put in because I was having troubles holding a 4th gear. My trans would always slip back to third. I put one full bottle in and it has helped it still slips but only when it has been run all day and the trans fluid is warm. So it does help and am I sure if I put another bottle in it would help a little more but I haven't done it yet. This is my own personal experience and this product was recomending to me by a mechanic for what is worth.

I don't want to run this thread into the ground but maybe this will help us all. I brought this subject up with an 81 year old mechanic (my uncle) he said back in the thrities in Montana where he lived there was two types of oil that the farmers knew it was either light oil or heavy oil (no weights in them days). They would come in with a bucket and ask for light oil my uncle would go to the pump place the bucket under the spigget and spin the handle with one hand with no effort to pump the oil from the barrel. Next guy would come in and ask for heavy oil same barrel same spiggot and my uncle would spin the pump handle with both hands real slow and give a few grunts and the farmer would say that heavy oil is sure stiff but it works well in my tractor. My uncle says its all in their heads not in the oil. If they think it works it does.....Good enough I say. T/C Steve

I use DEX6 in my auto transmissions and/or REDLINE oil. Use redline oil in everything else as well except high mileage motors that have not been run on synthetic throughout their life, and not for engine break in. Redline oil has been tested against every other major oil manufacturer (motor, trans, gear, etc) and proven to be the best. Lucas saved my power steering pump, and got me an extra 100 miles out of a 700R4.
The results of the Redline oil over royal purple and Amsoil in racing applications and the difference there is undeniable... dont mean to be a [censored] but i heavily disagree with "oil is oil" unless mayyybe your lubricating a door hinge in your house.

oh yeah, you more likely than not will never have a problem using stuff off the gas station shelf and same goes for me... but i use the best because i spent a lot of time and money on my motor, build my own transmission and if im going to put it in my motor i want it to earn its keep.