Lucas Oil Stabilizer question

[SCWDP911]

Hey, I have been reviewing the archives and reading a lot of posts about the potential benefits seen from using this Lucas stabilizer oil additive. I wanted to post the question again to see if there was any new info about using it - mostly to clear up one of the things I read about it - something about aeration issues. Is this true? I have an 83 with stock 3.0 (aside from usual upgrades from a top end). I am using Castrol GTX 20W50 High Mileage oil (SM rated).

From what I have read so far here at the Pelican archives, a few guys that tried it out saw reduced engine op temps, and also said their engine was running "smoother". I am leary about the "engine running smoother" part, only because I think it tends to be relative and can be based on one person's opinion.

Just looking to clarify, mostly the aeration issue. My car has 10k on top end rebuild, 130K on the clock, and I live in the hot, humid south.

Thanks,
Shane

[sammyg2]

Of all the things that Lucas does well, marketting is what they do best.

[EarlyPorsche]

I think hot humid south is a great place to add some lucas on in.

[azasadny]

Check www.bobistheoilguy.com, I seem to recall some test results posted on his site that show excessive oil foaming (entrained air) caused by the Lucas supplement...

[SCWDP911]

bummer, that link does not work. I will google it...

[azasadny]

Sorry, it's http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

[SCWDP911]

Yeah, I found it... Thanks though. Looks like his experiment shows that it would not be the best idea to add it to our engines. Does anyone disagree or have a dissenting opinion?

[azasadny]

I've had good service from AMSOIL 20W50 and the Mahle oil filter. My engine temps dropped by 10 degrees after switching to the AMSOIL from Castrol 20W50. No new oil leaks, just same same few I had before...

[cgarr]

It looks homogenized, do you think its so sticky that the air is being held in and not released? You can do the same thing in a blender.

[emac]

Shane

Well here it goes-- I am not a chemist nor do I claim to know anything about the properties of oil. I do use Castrol 20W50, and just the past week I had to get my emissions test. To pass I always lean her out and retard the timing. The hottest my car ever gets is 180, by the time the test was over I was near 230. When I got home at idle my pressure was about 25psi. My brother rebuilt a 78 Trans Am and swears by Lucas, Having just changed my oil I figured what do I have to loose. I added just one qt. drove around for a while to cool her down after setting everything back to spec and all was well. When I started her up in the AM I noticed my pressure was about 15psi higher. I never have used anything other than oil in my car(s) but I can't find any fault with Lucas and will continue to use it.
Again just my 2c.

[EarlyPorsche]

That test on bobistheoilguy.com does not thing as there is no heat involved. Something as thick as lucas needs heat to thin out and not be so airy.

[Oh Haha]

I saw lower temps as well using Lucas. I run Castrol GTX 20W50 in the SC. I use it in our high mileage mini-van, too with 5W30 Castrol GTX. Snake oil or not, I did see a difference and would recommend it to friends. I have heard good things about Amsoil as well but haven't tried any.

[SCWDP911]

Well, I went through with my oil change today, and decided it probably would not hurt to use some of the Lucas "snake oil". I used 2 quarts with the rest of the fill being Castrol GTX 20W50. I have to say that I have been pretty careful about noticing the oil temps lately, because here in the south, it has been starting to heat up (my car came from SoCal). I can definitely notice a reduction in oil temp. Did it come from the fresh oil change, or the addition of the "snake oil" - heck, I don't know. I think EarlyPorsche is right in that Bob's test on his website is flawed for our application in that heat is not applied. I would like to see something similar to his setup, but with the proper amount of heat applied to the oil. I have the resources at work to mock something up for such a test, but really busy with the change in quarter upon us. I could try to do it after in July possibly, unless someone else wants to do it first. Maybe Charles Navarro could set it up...

Anyway, I am happy at this point with it in the car. Maybe on next oil change, I will have the oil analyzed for fun.

[SCWDP911]

Here is my followup:

I changed my oil a couple of weeks ago... I replaced 2 quarts of my Castrol GTX 20w50 with the Lucas Oil Stabilizer...

Well, it might be snake oil, but it DOES seem to work as far as reducing oil temps. My car is running a about a half a gradient lower than it was before (I have the stock SC oil temp gage with wide gradients and no large numbers)I am running barely over the 1st mark now and we have been having some HOT weather (90's). I drive the car every other day. Even sitting in town while driving, the temp does not go up as much.

I am still wanting to make a test platform similar to the Bob's test, but adding similar range of heat to see if it still causes any aeration or foaming.

Just thought I would give you my practical experience with the stuff. My humble unprofessional opinion is if it is NOT fomaing or aerating to the point of decreasing the effective area of contact between oil and bearing metal, and it DOES reduce oil temps, then why not use it?

[village idiot]

I have used it in my 90 Mustang 5.0 coupe that had some smoke on startup prior to using the Lucas product. After using it, I never saw smoke on startup again.

As for my SC, I put some in at my last oil change and oil loss has been reduced although I still get smoke on startup. I had a couple of small leaks as well but they seem to be diminished.

[cnavarro]

I think you would net the same effect with a heavier oil from the get go as you have seen with the Castrol GTX and Lucas product together. From my experience, GTX is thin for a 20w50 and adding some Lucas might be bringing it into say a 60 wt range.

I have previously posted that Castrol makes a BMW spec oil in a 10w60 and I use it exclusively in my old '72 Autobianchi (powered by fiat 903cc i4 watercooled) that previously was using about 1 quart of oil every 100mi and smoked horribly with any 20w50. When I switched from Valvoline VR1 to the Castrol TWS 10w60 (with some added EOS), the smoking stopped entirely, oil consumption stopped as well, and my fuel economy about doubled from 20mpg to about 40 mpg.

I would have never tried this oil in my fiat, but I ran it in my 912 race engine for about 200 mi to see if there were any appreciable increases in oil pressure or changes in oil temperatures over 15w40 and 20w50 viscosities and didn't want to throw the oil away since it was VERY expensive. I drained it and put the oil in the fiat since it needed an oil change. That was over a year and a half ago. I just recently changed the filter alone and topped off the oil and that was it.

The Lucas product, from as much as I can tell from a VOA, is just a very thick oil and has nothing in it additive wise.

[SCWDP911]

Thanks for that Charles... so essentuially, it is just mixing with whatever oil you have, increasing the overall viscosity?

[cnavarro]

Yup, the lucas just makes it thicker. Now here's the million dollar question... if the oil is thicker, why does it run cooler?

[sammyg2]

So, if I use lucas oil stabilizer and a cool collar, I can make ice cubes?
sorry, couldn't resist.