What is Lucas Oil Stabilizer?

[guest]

I know what it claims to be: extends oil life, eliminates dry starts, lengthens engine life, slows leaks, etc.

Lucas claims to climb gears better than conventional oil, as the little gear turn things you see in truck stops demonstrate.

What it appears to be is 50 weight oil, with maybe a little pancake syrup mixed in with it. I am happy to do anything that works, but I just can't figure out what it is about Lucas that makes it better than just using good oil. Stated differently, if Lucas has something in it that really does what it says it does, why doesn't Shell just pre-mix something like Lucas in with Rotella and make the same claims that Lucas makes.

Can anyone shed any light on this other than to say that you use it and your engine is still going strong?

It seems to me that the oil pressure increase you see with Lucas is simply a function of its obviously higher viscosity, but it also seems like the higher viscosity could affect the rate at which the oil flows through the smaller passages in the engine that cause the manufacturer to recommend 15W-40 in the first place rather than 50 weight, not to mention the fact that it could cause premature clogging of oil filters, especially high efficiency oil filters.

I really want to like this stuff, but I just need to understand what it is. What I keep coming back to is why don't Mobil and Shell put a Lucas-like substance in their oil if Lucas truly does all it says it will do?

 

[davekc]

I don't think it will be added to regular oils because of the cost factor.
It is endorsed by several engine manufacturers and doesn't void the warranty. Something to consider there with regards to it being to thick.
Its greatest advantage is to eliminate dry starts. Especially when it is cold. It takes awhile for the engine to distribute cold oil. The Lucas helps retain more in the upper cylinders and slows the breakdown of viscosity.
I am not aware of any other advantage other than that.





Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[LDB]

I'm afraid I don't have anything scientific to contribute. I'm just one of those I use it and like it and perceive a difference guys.

Leo Bricker, owner trucks 3034, 4958
OOIDA 677319
73's K5LDB
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator 1+ Years of Service
-----
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[bryan]

HI
Im with LDB on this one.It works.One reason the oil companies might not mix it into their oil is it's almost impossible to pour in extreme cold.Also it can plug up an engine that hasn't had regular sevices.I've torn down two 7.3 liter engines that had Lucas and Rotella T with soot control used in them.Very clean and very slick.One had 387,000 miles on it and the other had over 800,000 miles.Just don't over do it, to much Lucas can blow your seals and gaskets.

Also it keeps the oil from frothing.This is little air bubbles in your oil.If you see this on the dipstick or in the drain pan add lucas and change your oil sooner.

I also use it in the rear end as a 70/30 mix. 1.2 million miles on a rear end and the axle splines look like new.Eliminates almost all of the whine noise in a rear end.

 

[davekc]

Never used it in a rear end but all of our trucks use it in the main engines and generators.




Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[RichM]

I put it in thr transmission when the T Fluid is changed. I also use it in my car as that may sit for several weeks between starts. Some people put it in their lawn mowers.

 

[guest]

In looking at the different Lucas products, the Lucas hub oil seems like it would be especially good to use, since hub oil does not go through a filter (eliminating any filter clogging issue), hub seals seem to leak a lot (in which case the Lucas leak stopping would be helpful), and hub oil is easy to forget about and neglect and using Lucas might make neglected hub oil less likely to lead to premature bearing wear.

 

[The Gibster]

We also use Lucas and have had occassion to see it's benefits first hand, with a major oil leak . . .our dipstick tube split right at the engine inlet point and spewed oil all over. I noticed a drop in oil pressure pretty quickly but had enough to get safely off the road before we lost complete pressure and got the low pressure alarm. I attribute that to the viscosity and clingability of the lucas.

Does anyone know about adding other additives WITH Lucas?

Will it defeat the lubrication properties of the Lucas? I used to add ProLong to my 351 Windsor and have always been impressed with their commercial showing ProLong being added to a friction point on a metal wheel - the wheel could not be stopped with a friction lever after using the ProLong.

The Gibster

 

[rollnthunder]

I have worked with parts retail for along time before driving truck and we sold lucas products and i can tell you what the reps told us they dont recommend mixing with other products.Also a tip there gun cleaning oil works great on chrome to keep it from changing colors like on headers or in my case i used it on my harley pipes it sure does stink and smoke till it burns off but it some how treats it.The rep told me about this a customer had accidentaly droped a small amount on his nice new chrome headers and then when he put them on and started it the one spoted didnt blue.It took the guy about a week to finally figure out what he spilt on the headers.