Has anyone tried the transmission additive made by Lucas? It makes some pretty wonderful claims. Just wondering if it is any good. My '95 jerks pretty hard in reverse when its cold.






'95 3.0 160K
'96 3.0 86K

 

check this out:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/images/lucas/lucas.htm

this talks about gear oils using the Lucas additive, but it may have the same effects on ATFs.

In general, you should be wary of claims for simple additives that sound miraculous. Some to watch out for are Slick 50, Duralube, or Prolong, whose claims seem to cross the line between automotive additives and male sexual enhancers.

 

i put lucas in my 95 Buick century tranny, it sealed up all leaks and made it shift perfectly, ive never tried it in my Aero

 

Looks more to me as an ad to sell Schaeffers brand of oil.

JaY

 

I used a bottle when I did a tranny filter change. I am not sure if it really helped, but I use Lucas oil and gas additives and I like them. Be aware of one thing, this stuff is thick. It may take quite some time to pour it down a trans. dipstick. I just poured it into the pan when I did the filter change and then put the remaining fluid down the dipstick.

 

I have had some luck with stopleak preparations but any additive to a transmission should be regarded very, very suspiciously. You can't ever get them out. Nothing will repair a burnt clutch or band and this is the usual problem.

Ken

 

how many miles on the ATF in the tranny now? was there a full 10 qt flush and change done last time with filter change.
we just had a tranny horror post of a member finding the filter mesh ate up and gone into the tranny from acid buildup in old wornout ATF
search Aero forum for full 10 qt gentle flush change and filter change. use a high quality Mercon such as Chevron or Valvoline Maxlife. if price is not a problem for hot climates and/or hvy duty towing use a full synthetic ATF such as Mobil 1 or Amsoil
put in a bottle of Lubeguard "Red"

solves more shift problems

I don't put anything into my auto trannys except the approved ATF and Lubeguard products. used by all the top auto tranny shops and the top gun techs in the business
last thing you want to do to an auto tranny is change the viscosity of the ATF

 

Would like to reopen this thread. Just bought a 90 F150 that has a number of issues, one being hesitation coming out of first gear & then a thunk. Sure would like to find an easy fix for it. All it's used for now is simple runs to Lowes, junk yard, trash heap. Not primary vehicle. If tranny will have to be rebuilt anyway is it such a bad idea to give the Lucas Stop Slip a try?

 

I'm not there, I haven't driven it and I'm just making some WILD guesses here....
First, do a transmission fluid and filter change. I'm guessing that the torque converter still has a drain plug on your make and model. I'd also check the accumulator piston springs. I've seen some broken springs that cause all kind of funny symptoms, including hesitation or thunks.
Once again....wild guesses.

 

Never have done a transmission fluid/filter change before & have no idea what accumulator piston springs are. Paid very little for this truck so what the heck. Purchased an original 90 Shop Manual (paid more for that than the truck) & with it supposedly even I can fix anything on this F150.
The girl that sold me the manual said so anyway.

 

I've used it and will again. But only as a means to gain a little time before doing a proper repair. It softens the seals and may slow or stop leaks for while, but it will start leaking again and even worse. It will smooth shifting, but still won't fix the real problem. Use accordingly.

 

Lucas additive is nothing more than a really thick mineral oil. Transmissions don't need thicker or thinner oil, they use an engineered fluid to do a specific task, and any modification to it will have adverse effects. Thicker oils will often mask the adverse effect, but they never fix them. The adverse effects may not be immediately apparent. Say for example you have cross leaking causing issues. The thicker oil may slow that leak down, but increase the torque converters operating temperature and slow the the flow down slightly in passages that were not leaking. It can reduce the flow to bearings too. The thicker oil can also suspend larger particles that would normally have settled to the bottom of the pan, but might still be small enough to get through the filter. This will increase wear on the valve body.

The best thing you can do for your trans is regular maintenance. Replace the fluid and filter at not more than 30,000 miles, 15,000 to 20,000 is better, with the properly recommended fluid, in our case Mercon V. Not a multitransmission formula like those sold at parts stores, get one that is specifically just Mercon V.

 

I agree with Khan...doing what he recommends (20k fluid replacement) meant my transmission lasted through 190,000 miles of hard use (towing trailers, hauling gravel etc). That's good service, IMHO. Stick with the tried and true, and use the Lucas only if you want to limp your tranny along to it's next rebuild.