I was in Pep Boys tonight and came across the "Lucas Oil Stabilizer" display - it's got a bunch of gears that you can turn with a little handle. The bottom gear on the left is partially submerged in regular oil, the right gear in oil with the Lucas additive. When you spin the gears, you can see that the Lucas oil forms a pretty substantial "web" between the moving gears. Needless to say, the plain oil doesn't (that's the purpose of the display, right?). At any rate, is the Lucas stuff any good? If it truly works as well as it does on those neat little gears, then it would make for less-harsh cold starts.

Any experience with this product?

XXL

 

Ive seen that display. It looks to me like the old STP additive, primarlily VI improver to "thicken" the oil. Not good for cold starts, can't flow at low temperatures. Extra VI improver is not a good thing. It will stay in the "snake oil" category for me until proven otherwise.

Jim

 

Think about how much harder it is to turn the gears in the Lucas oil. That robs power and fuel economy. This kind of additive would be more for engines that are burning oil and have problems.

I would guess the additive is really a "bandaid" for engines in trouble. All the auto makers and many engine makers have run millions of miles of tests, and their recommendation is use the correct oil. Most do not recommend snake oils of any sort.

Just my opinion.

Jim Henderson

 

>Think about how much harder it is to turn the gears in the
>Lucas oil. That robs power and fuel economy. This kind of
>additive would be more for engines that are burning oil and
>have problems.
>
>I would guess the additive is really a "bandaid" for engines
>in trouble. All the auto makers and many engine makers have
>run millions of miles of tests, and their recommendation is
>use the correct oil. Most do not recommend snake oils of any
>sort.
>
>Just my opinion.
>
>Jim Henderson


Band-Aid. I agree with Jim.

 

I'll avoid it. BUT - I can't guarantee I won't fiddle with the display any more

XXL

 

BigMatt,

I feel your pain!! That display just screams, "Come crank me!!" I don't know how many times I've spun those little gears waiting for my turn at the checkout.

Randy

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-Dec-02 AT 09:44 PM (EST)]>I'll avoid it. BUT - I can't guarantee I won't fiddle with
>the display any more
>
>XXL

Yeah, I'd "fiddle" w/ the display (gears) too - I guess that's what makes us "guy's" - but I'd avoid it (the "product") too - in fact, after reading the posts here, I'd TRY to resist the 'temptation' to 'play w/ it' too - unless I really had time (was waiting in the store for something), and then only for 'educational' purposes - to help disuade myself that this product would be of benefit to me.

Actually there are two vehicles in my family that, well, one burns some oil, the other leaks a bit (100+K `96 Honda Accord "burns", `98 Subaru Forester started leaking around 50,000) MIGHT benefit from a product of this sort - in the summer-time, but I'd TEND to stick w/ a "known" brand like, say, an STP or a Bardhal (sp?) to "band-aid" `em. So far I've just used a bit heavier weight. Used to think the "Racers Edge" HAD to be good, when I used it (summers - many moon ago), then I learned that those "racers" were tearing-down (re-buiding?) those engines after each race, not to mention, taching, what, 7, 8, 9000 RPM? I don't think I ever tached much over 6000 driving around the No.VA/Wash. D.C. area or the mountains of VA. - I certainly wasn't tearin-down after each "Drag" or every 500 miles!

PS The "cynic" in me (oh and he's in there - deep!) says, in general, "Snake-Oil", though I'm sure these products have they're place/purpose/application - but again I'd say it's a band-aid, and who's to say that "display" isn't rigged - the "other" oil could be "watered" down somehow.

Step-dad's `82 Chev. 1-ton stake-body dually - (15,000 MILES!!! - almost exclusively on an 850-acre farm for 20 yrs) was never very well maintained (if we'ren't broke, they didn't fix it) has a nice little "tickticktick" (valve? lifter?), and he might benefit from something like this, when hauling in the heat - but I'm happy to report the two Fords, mine and daughter's (`99 Ranger 3.0, 4x4 w/66,000 and her `97 "Es-quirt" 2.0 (?) w/ about 80K - both automatics) ARE TIGHT!

Thanks for readin' - sorry for any verbosity or extra-curricular jibberjabber haha . . .

Glenn . . .

 

>Thanks for readin' - sorry for any verbosity or
>extra-curricular jibberjabber haha . . .
>
>Glenn . . .

C'mon Glenn - that's what we do best!!



XXL

 

I liked the one next to the gear display - the one with the little hand mixers in the oil. I don't remember the products name, but one side, when it spins, the oil really climbs those beaters. I was really impressed, until I realized that it was whipping air into the oil to make it "climb" like that. Not really what I want happening around my crankshaft. And I don't want "aerated" oil being delivered to my main bearings...but that's just me.

 

First I was wondering if anyone hasactually used this product?
My father is a truck driver he put 1 quart of lucas oil into cummins 855cid 350hp diesel engine this engine would normaly over rev itself .After adding the lucas the engine would now not over rev.
This engine also did not smoke as much as it used to with just one quart! These engines have a oil capacity of 8 to 10 gallons.
The mechnics that work on the truck wondered where the dramatic increse in power came from....Lucas
My grandfather has a 1978 Dodge pick-up with a 318 with 156,000 miles on it. On a hot restart it would smoke for 10 to 15 seconds .
With 1 quart of lucas the engine nolonger smokes. My uncle is a mechnic of some 16 years he uses lucas in his vehicles and his customers cars . Try this product! I use it in my 1975 f-100 ,360cid
,and my 1988 f-150,300cid-155k

 

Lucas is some really good stuff. I run it, both in the engine and tranny. When I install my new axles, they will both get Lucas. I have talked to people in campgrounds before with really quite generators, and they run Lucas in them. Just because Kyle Petty never drove around with Lucas on the side of a car, doesn't mean it isn't well known, and respected. Do you really think he used STP? I don't.

Jared

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 19-Dec-02 AT 10:58 AM (EST)]I prefer fiddling with the K&N air filter display. Its the one where there is a ball being sucked thru a tube. Something about a ball being sucked thru a tube puts a grin on my face

 

 

Oh yeah, that one too! I fiddle with the filters so I can control how high the ball goes up the tube. Something about getting that ball EXACTLY where I want it to be!! Yessss- I am the master!! I am in control of the ball!!! I am in control of the universe!! I am.... Sorry, I kinda get carried away sometimes- I think I'd better go to my happy place now.

Randy

 

Sooo, You guys think Lucas products are snake oil, well guess what, You all are wrong. It sure ain't the crap STP is or was! First of all do Your homework on their products! The heavy duty equipment users, including trucks, know how well thes products work! There is only one post that is accurate, about the Cummins diesel. If, You guys want to find snake oil products, look no furthur than Amsoil, they have their share. Lucas has a whole line of products that are worth every cent paid for them. If, they work great in diesels, and heavy equipment, they should do wonders for the light duty trucks, and cars. I am surprised at how many FTE web site users, are uninformed concerning lubricants, and their uses in heavy duty applications. They work great in the light duty trucks! Check it out guys, I am not trying to be a smart ***.