Lucas Additive anyone tried?

[RBellah]

Has anyone used the regular Rotella 15-40 and added one quart of the Lucas additive? Curious did it made any difference?

 

[cerberusiam]

I would NEVER use Lucas oil additives in anything. That goes beyond tempting fate. Unless the formulation and performance has changed, no way.

 

[DeezelDood]

The widely circulated 2007 lab study bears this out. You can find it on TDR search. Personal preference abounds here so I'll hopefully avoid stepping on any toes. When I looked at fuel additives as ULSD was rolling out I researched TDR and many websites. Stanadyne Performance Formula was #1 and Power Service was #2. My truck sits around longer than it used to so I'm considering returning to Stanadyne PF (about $25 for 64 ounces, 250 gallons of treatment) with it's proven fuel quality improvers. For 6. 7 owners, I recall that Dodge/Cummis says not to use fuel additives.



14)Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant

Gas or diesel

HFRR 641, 5 microns worse than baseline (statistically insignificant

change)

427:1 ratio

7. 8 oz/tank

$2. 65/tank

 

[cerberusiam]

When I looked at fuel additives as ULSD was rolling out I researched TDR and many websites. Stanadyne Performance Formula was #1 and Power Service was #2.

The OP is asking about oil additives not fuel additives.

 

[CBari]

Cerberusiam, I don't use it, but refresh me why it so bad to use. I would think that with it's cult like following of Class 8 trucks, that if it was so bad that there would be grenaded engines everywhere. I don't mean anything negitive by my questions I just pleed ignorance to the subject.

 

[cerberusiam]

Cerberusiam, I don't use it, but refresh me why it so bad to use.

Just to confirm we are talking about the same thing here, it is oil and\or oil additives that I have bad luck with. The fuel additives seem to be on a par with the others and its more personal choice than anything.

With 2 different rear diffs, Ihave to rebuild them after the Lucas products in them for less than 10k. The first I wrote off as just excessive wear and age even though it looked good to start with. The second one got me looking for a second opinion because the weird wear patterns on the ring gear and bearings, fine pitting and flaking with a lack of metal in the drained oil. Took it to an acquaintance that was a drive train rebuilder. The first thing he asked was I running Lucas oil or additives.

The nearest we could figure is the oil was so busy trying to stay sticky and and coat the metal it forgot to stay cohesive. Literally whipped it self into a froth with lots of entrained air. Air doesn't make a good lube.

Never trusted the Lucas additives, or any that promotes the super sticky formulas, since. Did not want to test in on my engines to see what happened. Unless the performance and formualtion has changed, I would pass on it.

 

[pwerwagn]

I have a friend that runs lucas in his oil every change. His 03 has ~200K now with no problems. Not to say its good... but he hasnt had any bad YET. Ive put it in my motor a few times. Maybe 2 times. For no particular reason.

 

[mwilson]

First off, I do not dump anything into my engines oil pan unless it is from a container marked "Shell Rotella T 15/40". Nothing else goes in.



Not an additive kind of guy, the only exception being if an early cold snap is forecast and I don't feel that the fuel is cut enough yet from the suppliers I will use some Power Service as a prevention. I don't like to gel up, these Rams push hard on a cold morning.

But that is it.



However, I do need to say that I sell Lucas (some customers demand it so I stock it) and checked my sales history for a 365 day period. Believe it or not, I have sold 183 gallons of Lucas Oil Treatment in that time. The majority that buy it are running CAT 3406 B thru E series or the later C-15 engine. I know of no issues with the engines receiving the Lucas.

I do wonder where the mix for the big CATs is 9 gallons of motor oil and 1 gallon of Lucas per change that it may be thinned far more than being placed in a little differential unit where the mix might be 3 to 1??? Maybe that would explain the foaming/aeration???



Mike.

 

[DeezelDood]

The OP is asking about oil additives not fuel additives.

Ah, thx for the correction.

 

[pwerwagn]

I guess this also begs the question... why? These motors are known to run forever without additives. So what's really to gain?

 

[BGlidewell]

So what's really to gain?

the enemy of good is "better".

 

[CBari]

Cerb, yes I was refering to the oil additives. I know you can't be the only one who has had an issue with their additives. You see lots no never use their products post, just figured there had to be some more issues with it. Cerb, I think your theroy is sound, and also mwilson's theroy makes sense.

 

[cerberusiam]

As Mike pointed out the mixture differences may be the key. Also, a differential is an oil bath not a pressurized system. It is quite possible in a presurized system the aeration does not happen.

 

[RBellah]

Lucas oil additive states on the bottle that it makes the oil life last 50% Longer. It would be interesting if anyone has a test source other than the manufacture for these products to see if they really work. Lucas is expanding into the Racing markets and their name is getting bigger and its just a matter of time their will be a post for their 15-40 Diesel Oil as to its merits of quality.

 

[BIGNASTY]

I would NEVER use Lucas oil additives in anything. That goes beyond tempting fate. Unless the formulation and performance has changed, no way.

Would have to agree with Cerb on this. Knew a guy that put in at least a gallon of the oil additive to a 11 Gal system on a BIG TRUCK and he had more trouble with spun bearings than anyone in our TRUCKER CLICK. I dont like any lucas product like Barlow has so eloquently stated FISH OIL JMO

 

[rbattelle]

If Lucas oil additive were so great, why wouldn't one of the major oil manufacturerers buy them out and start using their formulation in their regular product?

I've seen the little Lucas demo units at the parts counter. I never could figure out why it would be a good idea to make oil stick to high temperature parts like glue. I want my oil to splash onto the part, provide a thin-film of lubirication, then flow OFF the part carrying heat away with it as fresh, cool oil flows in.

-Ryan

 

[amsoilman]

Aftermarket oil additives are not needed in ANY PROPERLY FORMULATED oil... ... ... PERIOD! All OIL Companies formulate their oils to SPECIFIC standards for SPECIFIC applications, and therefore do not need ANY aftermarket oil additives. These Oil Companies spend literary THOUSANDS of DOLLARS to get the the oils to pass specific tests for specific applications, like the CUMMINS SPEC. 20081 and the MACK EO-O Premium Plus, and many others. when you ADD ANY AFTERMARKET oil additive, this can UPSET the CHEMISTRY of the FULLY formulated oil, and can cause problems! There is NO OIL COMPANY that will tell you to ADD EXTRA oil additives! AMSOIL INC. for example will VOID their warranty if an aftermarket oil additive is found in their oils, which would be found by doing (UOA) Used engine oil analysis, in the event of a SUSPECTED OIL FAILURE. I'm sure other oil Companies would do the same, including "ROTELLA".
BOTTOM LINE... ... ... ... The only ones that benefits are the OIL ADDITIVE COMPANIES.

 

[Bob4x4]

The little gear oil demo has sold tons of additives and made Lucas rich enough to sponsor many racing venues. So keep buying it ... ... I like the entertainment but I see no reason to run itin my trucks.

 

[RBellah]

It would be informational if the TDR write up on oil could include some of these oils like LUCAS, AMSOIL, Royal Purple, Redline and see where they would rate.

 

[Bob4x4]

The only accurate way would be to spend a ton of money and do independent lab test to get unbiased results
In years past we had both LE and Amsoil reps at TDR events. Both company reps claimed to have the best diesel oils. The LE rep said he wouldn't use the Amsoil in anything. Lo and behold he went to work for Soil and reversed the the story