Mechanic In A Can Part 3 - The Bad, The Good And The Backwards Of Lucas Oil Stabilizer
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ธ.ค. 2023
- The Lucas Oil Gear Stack demonstration gizmo is probably the best known promotional item in all of automotive history, but there are two things wrong with it. First, it is based on a situation that does not exist inside any automotive engine, and secondly, it showcases a characteristic that is the exact opposite of how you want the oil in your engine to behave!
In spite of that, it's still a product we've found good use for and would recommend to others.
#cars #engines #oil #automobile #mechanic
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The Lucas display was just something to play with while I waited for the parts guy to figure out my parts aren't in stock.....and are on backorder.
COTD!
I try to spin it fast enough to fling the oil off the gears.
My buddy would hold it down while I spun it fast enough to foam the oil. That got the parts guy off the phone faster. 😊
Yup! Been there done that 😅
I am glad that I'm not the only one playing with the Lucas display!
It's an addiction.
Sometimes I go to the parts stores just to spin it.
Once the Lucas hit the shelves, packing noisy rear diffs with saw dust.... a thing of the past. Thanks, Lucas!
I remember hearing about the sawdust trick when I was a teenager from junk car dealers I did work for.
I remember my dad telling me when i was a kid, he bought a car from a shady lot once. Said it drove fine, until about 100 miles couple days later it wouldn't it stopped pulling on his way to work, turned out the dealer put sawdust in the trans. Grimey trick but it works for a temporary fix in an trans emergency situation.
I learned about the sawdust trick as a kid from
Danny Devito in Matilda . Lol
My Grandfather told us stories of finding banana peels in differentials, was a service station mechanic after WW2.
@@user-mu9wh9uz8e i think mythbusters might have covered that. I could be thinking of something else though.
I have used Lucas in my 2006 Freightliner with a Cat engine since it was new. It now has just over a million miles on it. I have the oil changed every month, about 10,000 miles. It still doesn’t burn any oil and it’s still ready to go anywhere in the US tomorrow morning. Great stuff. Use it in my cars and pu too.
I add a bottle on a new Detroit freightliner. They only change the oil every 50k if you’re lucky
Every 10k miles? Man l admire that! Price per change (45 quarts or more?) Has got to $200 even if you do it yourself. And @ 45 quarts how many quarts of Lucas do you add?
Keep on Truckin'
Brother!
@@richard7408 I have a great shop that I drop my truck off at when I come home. I can do some things on it myself. But I can't really bring it home to my neighborhood. The shop lets enough room for me to put 1/2 my gallon bottle in. I change the oil in my reefer about 3-4 times a year. I usually add a quart in it. (Thermoking) Lots of repairs over the years but she still runs strong. Twin turbo cat with a 13spd. it'll run with anything on the road. I try to take care of it. It's my paycheck & my second home. !!! Thanks
Is it the 4000? I used to be a reefer tech at my last job
@@snoopy5736 It’s a Utility trailer 3000R . It’s an 04 but I got it in 2010 and Utility refurbished it and put a whole new Thermoking unit on it. It’s an SB-190. Runs great. Better than me. I’m thinking this will be my last summer on the road. Time to spend more time at home working on my old Dodge and my old Chevy pu, and a fishing pole. Costing more and more on the road and my share isn’t going up as fast as everything else.
I've never used it in an engine, but I was a machinist for 40 years, the last 35 in the same shop. Most of our machines were over 30 years old, some, very much over. We used it in lathe headstocks, and mill gear boxes. They tended to run quieter. Did it reduce wear? Beats me, maybe over another 30 years, but I won't be around to find out.
Those are spinning like crazy at high temperatures either.
I use it in open differentials. And some experimental places
I've been a machinist since the early seventies, I've also used it in lathes and milling machines. One of my lathes is from the mid-1800's and really needs it.
Moe Larry and Curley were selling “ Brighto”. Each of the stooges thought the product were different things. Moe says “ you want to know what it’s for” “ It’s for sale”! I’ll never forget that.
The display is fun to play with while waiting your turn. My grandkids love it too.
Lucas oil stabilizer is an excellent product. Been using it for 20 years in every one of my vehicles. Mobile One + Lucas = looong life.
I've always used M1 with a small amt of Lucas also and never had an engine fail. My vehicles get sold when the body fails the motor and sometimes trans. Being religious about oil changes is likely more important than adding snake oils but I will continue to use a little.
I'd say he's full of shit that it doesn't help with dry starts, cold start a 98 Chevy 5.7 on 5w30 then add a qt of kucas and start it
Agree on M1+ Lucas. Time tested.
If you use a higher quality oil like amsoil signature series you do not need to add snake oils.
@mrglock2313 Mobile 1 and Lucas has never failed me once, but how can i argue with this logic. I'll use only amsoil from now on.
I discoved years ago that this exact bottle is my favourite motorcycle chain lube, as it is the most resistant to flying off at speed! Thanks for the tip on also using it as assembly lube.
Even if you don’t run it all the way up a lift can still be super handy. Being able to get all 4 wheels up without needing to run around with a jack and stands can make a world of difference.
Sometimes even just bringing stuff like the brakes up to a comfortable level where you can sit on a stool and not be hunched over is really nice.
Same can apply to a motorcycle lift. Having the bike up at a comfortable level can make things much nicer to work with.
Exactly. Work smarter not harder. I guess Tony has his ways.
Problem with lifts they tend to get in the way of hanging out talking and bSing the congregation
@@askiiii4737 All talk ive heard that same excuse for years. If you get sore from working under a lift than dont raise it up so high.
Project Farms had proven that the Lucas Transmission Fix works under certain circumstances and I use it regularly in my transmissions and I get lot of life out of my transmissions with very little wear.
Same here . My 2006 Ram 1500 has 240k miles on original 4.7 V8 and automatic transmission
@@jamessharp9790a ram with that many miles with no transmission issues is a blessing. Back in my automotive work days if a dodge pulled up. It was always transmission issues, coils, radiator fan or cooling issue.
@@jamessharp9790 287 cubic inches.
I used the Lucas ATF conditioner after reading reviews and it works amazing. Feels like a new transmission… everything is so smooth and crisp now.
Yeah used it for my oil change in September still getting good mileage 3500 miles later if anything it’s increasing and I haven’t had to top off my oil at all
I never put Lucas in the oil, but I was glad I had a full can of Lucas transmission goo on a road trip from Florida to Minnesota, an the tranny started slipping just into Georgia, stopped at the first station off the interstate and let it Cool down, put the Lucas and a quart of some No name trans fluid and made the trip no problem... till I got back to Florida, many stops to Cool down, Made it home change the fluid and filter and another bottle of Lucas when I refilled it,No problems since it's been a few years now.👍
I did the same. Chevy Cobalt trans fluid was dark as heck and low in my girlsfriends car. Added Lucas, plus more tranny oil. Transmission at first before treatment would shift at all. Afterwards it came to life, ran great ten years later on, no transmission flush or damages. Great stuff.
I found that if I tore into an engine that I ran Lucas in, all the parts had a heavy coating of Lucas on them. No matter how long it sat. The coating itself was much thicker than the regular oil coating. So I think it does help prevent wear. I also use it as assembly lube too.
👍🏼
People on here saying the oil doesn't cool the engine if oil is too thick lolol
These are water cooled engines, not oil or air cooled engines lol 🤣
I swear. I would bet most these people commenting this nonsense couldn't even fix a dead lawn mower.
if you shake REALLY good it is a GREAT 2 stoke oil too i got a john deer string trimmer been doin it like that since i pulled it outta the scrap heap in town smokes a little but runs great and every time i have torn it down for service other than the cylinder walls having scores from the old rust everything looks brand new and it outperforms trimmers "twice" its size and 30 years newer the only down side is the carbon buildup in the exhaust which is the reason for the servicing in the first place .... never really a coating but more of an annoying a$$ film on everything making you drop stuff over and over but great for that purpose lol
@@therealjaysehI agree car engines are not air oil cooled i disgaree with this guy myself Lucas also works great in rear diff where the gears do say in oil
@@therealjayseh Tell me in great detail how the water cools your rod or main bearings in an engine?
I agree I am a huge Lucas fan. Sticks to bearings longer.
That Lucas stuff works also to coat motor parts before storing away. And it also works great when drilling thru steel to keep the drill bit cool.
i use it in my guns, diesel takes it right off for cleaning.
@@FedkaSlovanich trumptards and your guns. Always trying to compensate for shortcomings...
Good idea! Never thought to try it as a tapping fluid.
Years back my 1996 Dakota transmission was slipping badly (about undrivable) at 192000 miles, I tried Lucas transmission product and was able to make it to 200000 miles before it was useless. No hard acceleration but it drove well till I could find a newer Dakota.
I get your point that oil wouldn't climb up anything in an engine like in the display. I always thought it was just an example to show it stuck to the parts better than standard oil. Easier on start-ups and older high mileage stuff. And yes a very good assembly lube!
My thoughts as well...cheers...
Don't you want the opposite though? The oil should be the correct weight to be able to flow throu tight spots and lubricate everything, especially in cold starts.
@darkrulier yes you do. But Lucas being sorta sticky will leave a protective costing on those parts during start up when they maybe otherwise dry. Plus b is meant to help out higher mileage engines as well.
@@thedriver02 In my experience working on old envelope manufacturing machines, from printing presses to folders and cutters, some of them have sumps that supply chains and gears with oil. Before we ever rotate a used machine, we always drain the sumps, crack them open, and look for any damage. 10 out of 10 times a machine that has sat for years always still has a film of oil on all gears and chains.
Take from that what you will, but I think the whole chatter on startup thing isn't that big of a deal. The oil filling up all of the internals of an engine will definitely help cut down on that chatter, but I guarantee you there isn't a such thing as a dry start
solved the cold start timing chain rattle in my 2013 Ecoboost!!!
20% Lucas dropped C60 Detroit temps by 10° in Tx summer 5 units in 1999. Torn down multiple truck units and 6BT Cummins with clean internals, visible cross hatching and impressive bearing condition in high hour engines. I will accept some windage and sticky in work engines, hot rods are a different story. Enjoy your content just a different perspective.
Those Lucas oil displays are to keep young boys in the late 80s occupied while their father desperately hunts to replace the automatic trans from a 76 f250. Loved those things as a kid
It is worth a shot on a worn out engine. It does reduce oil consumption (sometimes) and it will quiet down a noisy engine (sometimes, for a while). I have also used it in old noisy diffs and it seems to help. It only delays the inevitable. -- If it is on the way to the salvage yard anyway, it might get you a few more miles.
Guy I worked for used it 50/50 with 15w40 in Mitsubishi powered gas forklifts that burned oil. No clue how they even started in the winter but it worked for drastically reducing oil smoke
If you put some lucas in to gear boxes axles engines it will prenent wearout for years ive used it for 20 years and swear by this stuff.
@@bigboreracing356Don't tell I don't know what i'm talking about. I've been a licenced mechanic for 39 years and i have used Lucas for years in both old and new engines. that stuff works further i'm the kind of guy that drives the same vehicle for 20 years i do so know what i'm talking about. the prof is in the longevity of my own vehicles. currently driving a 30 year old truck that has never had the engine apart. So you do you, your full of shite.
I like to use it in high mileage motors that tend to loose oil pressure a bit when hot, or if I'm going on a long road trip to help give the bearings more cushion. Once the motor is at operating temp its not as thick and I really don't think it causes any windage problems unless your using way too much, it has also helped with smoking motors by helping that oil rings seal better
It quieted valve lifters on my Ford 4.6, especially on cold startup. It also seems to make it run smoother on hot summer days when I push it a bit hard. I calculated fuel mileage back when I first started using it, and there was a small improvement for hwy driving.
I use Lucas oil stabilizer in my old cars, and my new car. I use it because I want to always have an oil film on all mechanical surfaces inside the engine at startup, and I do believe it helps with that. I think it helps keep the oil seals wet. I also believe it helps on things like timing chains and guides. I want all that stuff to be nice and slick so it wears less. I don’t use anywhere near a quart of it though per oil change. More like maybe half a pint per oil change. I’ll take all the help I can get keeping my engine a well oiled engine. I have used this stuff for many years now and I have put a lot of miles on my personal cars, I have never had any sort of internal mechanical issues with an engine so far in twenty years of driving and maintaining my own vehicles. Now look, that might just be because I kept good oil in all my cars, but I don’t think it hurt that I was using Lucas all those years.
I use their fuel treatment every once in a while too. I think it’s a good product as well. I especially like to use it in my lawn equipment gas. Works great for keeping CA gas usable for months at a time in a jerry can. I think it’s great for keeping fuel injectors spraying well. I think it also helps keep the valves and combustion chamber clean. The spark plugs in my cars always look clean when I take them out. Most times, my plugs are good enough to re-use. Is that due to the Lucas? I have no scientific evidence, but I will probably continue to use the product anyway😂
Its an amazing assembly lube!! I remember a tip from my mentor, he explained windage vaguely and told me to run the engine two quarts low if wanted to go a little quicker and it made a huge difference at the track, even helped me stay in my bracket a few times when the car wasn't running quite right.
That's very interesting!
I always thought the Lucas displays were designed to show consumers how their modified oil would ultimately cling in places standard weight oil would not, and then prevent cold start engine wear.
Works great in differentials for extreme hauling and towing applications. The gears in there work the same way.
If Lucas "clings", why is the top gear dry prior to cranking the handle? 🤔
@@xxxYYZxxx project farms testing showed after draining oil and running engine the engine with lucas failed after the other engine.
It reduces blowby and oil consumption, knocking, ticking. It works for its intended purpose. You can also go from 5w20 to 5w30, etc.
I buy it by the Gallon. Lawn mower blowing smoke? Add a little locas and see if it helps. Rebuilding dirt bike engine? Lucas is nice assembly lube. Doing towing and hauling? Add a little lucas in the differential.
It is a good product to have on hand.
@@xxxYYZxxxThe additive in the Lucas stabilizer is only a climbing additive, so I guess it's not really intended remain on a surface for an extended period.
@@mysticjedi6730 It doesn't have any additives though.
Lucas is a great American family success story, and makes excellent products!
Made them $$ too 👍👍👍
Ams is great oil
PT Barnum was a great American success also.
A virgin oil analysis shows the Lucas oil stabilizer to be not much more than a VERY heavy oil bastock. It will actually dilute an approved motor oils additive package. Yes it will show an indicated lower temp, that is because it inhibits heat transfer to the oil. The old STP (Blue bottle) is much the same, but at least that had some extreme pressure additives.
A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
I was driving my owner operated tractor trailer rig. I was driving through Roanoke Va and all of a sudden my 10 speed transmission started roaring. I crawled under the truck and the trans fluid pump was damaged and all 5 gallons of the fluid had been pumped out on the road and was completely empty. I had one gallon of trans fluid and one gallon of Lucus oil stabilizer. i put the in the trans and drove 500 miles to get home to Alabama. The roaring never got worse and the trans did not fail. That made me a believer in Lucas and I have been using 20% in every oil change ever since. Thanks for your video. It enlightened me a bit about oil inside an engine.
I'm sure UT is waiting to surprise us with his marble bathroom with gold toilet, crystal chandelier and silver bidet. Along with the usual garage sink covered with corroded 90 weight and decorated with rust, like all good shop sinks.
Don't forget a raunchy 1998 calendar.
The sink should also be dusted heavily with the microgrit from the hand soap.
I like my lift, save me a lot of back pain. No more lying on the job for me.
A QuickJack (tm) is the best of both worlds. Working on your back plus the advantage of allowing your arms to stretch out, and if you are older with progressive lenses, able to more easily keep your work within your glasses' focal range.
Uncle Tony I can remember the first time I saw this product. I was about 11 years old and I was with my dad at our local Advance Auto Parts Store. I saw this demo gear set with standard oil in one and Lucas in the other. Like others I spun the handles and noticed what the oil did and what the Lucas did and the first words out of my mouth were: That’s gonna cause drag..your gonna effectively slow the engine down. My dad told me to leave that thing alone. The sales person behind the counter kinda chuckled and said that’s not how it works. Being young I kept my mouth shut and left the thing alone.
It does NOT create drag when at engine temps.
The purpose of any lubricant is to provide the best protection on multiple fronts. In the most basic explanation, the key is to provide the highest shear strength (in this case, meaning the amount of force required to displace the lubricant) without causing too much resistance. A product like Lucas Oil Stablizer adds shear strength and increases resistance. So, depending on the application, it may or may not be a good thing to add. It is not, in and of itself, a bad product.
I've been with the company that makes bottles for Lucas Oil for nearly 20 years, so I'm quite thankful for them. It's a great company who employs many local people. Their southern Indiana plant is in the same industrial park as ours, less than a mile down the road. I've used many of their products and they seem to work well, but I'd be careful with the engine oil stop leak. It'll make old, hard seals get soft again and swell up, but it can also swell breather tube elbows and other things that you don't want to swell. Just gotta use it wisely. Thanks for another great video, Uncle Tony. Happy New Year to you!
I'm 32 and I've been running this stuff in all my cars since I was a teenager. The guy who taught me almost everything I know about carbs and engines when I was young told me it was good stuff and he used it in all of his engines. He said he'd seen it hide some awful noises and clearance issues. Things I can say about it myself are I see a worthwhile increase in oil pressure over a vehicles standard oil when replacing one quart of the oil change with one bottle of this. I also notice significantly less lifter noise in cars that have it when I use this. Between the way it increases oil pressure and the way it makes bad noises quieter I don't like to drive without it in most of my vehicles. I know this isn't the only way to thicken oil enough to increase oil pressure or reduce unwanted noise but it's the way I do it and it's been working for me so far. PS I've also used it as an assembly lube too.
Oil pressure is useless without flow…
@@aygwm LoL It's definitely flowing, otherwise it wouldn't make it to the top of the block and down the line to my oil pressure gauge. Can't have oil pressure without flowing oil to make the pressure. Not to mention the fact that I would have already had an oiling issue several years ago if it was ever going to happen.
@@aygwmstabilizer doesn’t stop oil pressure or flow. Putting half a bottle in just keeps everything lightly coated. After 6 months storage I can start up my Mopar and no rocket noise etc. it’s a lifesaver for cams and lifters as well these days.
@@aygwm do you really think it stays thick at 250° degrees? LMFAO 🤣
No it doesn't. It's all like water at that temp. Hydrostatic bearings float on oil film. The metal is not even touching each other, it's riding on oil film via Oil Pressure !!!!! 🤪
Years back my dad used to get an old push mower to cut a steep bank on our property. The mower would last about a year/ year and a 1/2 and then it would seize up. Then it was time for another cheap used push mower ! One day I decided to put a 1/2 mix of this stuff in the crank case and 'ta da' we could get over 2 years out of a mower before it gave up the ghost ! I have been using it ever since
40 years ago at trade school my teachers explained the the sticker was large to try to mask the fact that the ‘ Lucas ‘ sump was empty 😂
Good point.
Yeah because the oil is up in the moving parts where its useful.. its not doing anything of value sitting in the sump.
Been using that with each service on same motor for last 30 years and zero issues so far and I abuse that Cleveland block to an Inch of its life. Also used their stop leak for a windsor and she definitely works a treat
After some time away from the channel, I popped back in to see how you were doing. So, so great to see how much success you’re enjoying…it’s incredibly well-earned. Keep up the great work!
Not necessarily a 2-poster, those are accidents waiting to happen, but a storage lift or a second floor loft. This way you could stack two cars in the same corner, or fill the loft with.. Stuff. In a limited floor space environment, vertical space is the way to happiness.
If Anybody wants to donate a lift I will cook meals for a year .
a good lift begins with a good floor--steel reinforced thick concrete. but also UT's car would be leaking all over what's underneath :) I'd personally love to have lifts but i see when they go wrong, and like UT, working all day on my feet with my arms in the air i think would exhaust my "old body style" too.
@@alertgasper Most definitely. That's why you never install a 2-poster to an unknown floor i.e old garage.
@@alertgasper the installation instructions that came with my rotary lift says a minimum is 6 inches. Then the anchors have to be torqued to 150 lbs. Imagine my relief when they were all in a properly torqued. If just one slipped the fix was to Jack hammer the concrete and replace.
I'm partially disabled and cannot stand for long periods of time but still love my asymmetrical two post because I can still roll around underneath the car on a roller stool or creeper. It works for me.
I still get customers using that stuff with modern vvt engines. They bring it in with an engine knock and come to find out they use a quart of Lucas at every oil change. I had a guy recently using a similar product religiously in his 04 corvette. I didn't think about the oil being an issue on his car but I do now.
I've really come to admire this guy both for his vast knowledge, but also because I grew up in my pre-teens in the musclecar ear; these were the types of guys we admired and sought out to increase our knowledge of cars
I live right along side of the last traffic light on the edge of town, only a couple blocks from a 24/7 dinor.
I used to lay in bed at night listening to two engines reving as they prepare to use the traffic signal as a Christmas tree to drag race each other
On particularly gnarly sounding warm-ups I'd bail out of bed to catch a glimpse of the cars as they passed by from my window.
The local speed shop was also a short distance away.
Ahhhh ... the good old days !
Thanks Tony, it's good to know that there are individuals around that understood how it was back then. You are the kind of guy we looked up to.
"Ramchargers" were my favorite race team.
I use Lucas power steering stop leak in my late 1950s and 1960s mopar's with power steering.. I just add a bottle to the power steering pump and it will slightly firm up the over-assisted steering.
I run Lucas synthetic 85w-140 full synthetic gear oil in the 1:3.5 overdrive transmissions on our blueberry harvester hydraulic pump drives; those italian-made units use straight cut iron gears and cook regular oil black in no time. Lucas' synth oil is the only product that survives the heat.
It also works great in extreme cold conditions.
Have you ever tried any Amsoil lubricants?
I buy their MP metal protectant spray by the case, and use it on our fuel and propane delivery trucks. Two coats protects our big fire extinguishers from road salt all winter...
I know a guy that had an old three blade batwing three point tractor mount mower that cooked the gearlube in the angle drive gearboxes in short order and was hard on bearings. He put the AMSOIL Severe Gear 75W140 gear lube in them and never had to open them up again.
The old straight 30 weight and 40 weight Shell Rotella we ran in our 2 stroke diesels back in the day was sticky like Lucas . I think it actually made those engines run to hot as it didnt drain quickly to repeat the cycle
Most Class7/Class 8 truck engines have a series of gears like the Lucas package advertises. They don't oil from the bottom, but they do turn however many billions of revolutions it takes to move a truck over a million miles. Just about every Owner Operator truck driver I've ever known uses Lucas.
Tony, I had a leak in my power steering unit. Went through two bottles of Lucas power steering leak fix to no avail. Then I purchased AT 205 and poured 1/4 of the bottle into the power steering pump. Not only did the front seal stop leaking but it stopped the leak in the gearbox too.
AT 205 is a very effective product in my experience.
Timing chains and gears would directly benefit from Lucas especially if you are running all gear drive in the front. Thats one senario that it would "climb" but it definitly helps out engines with MDS where oil consumption has been shown to be an issue. Also with Gen2 and 3 Hemi engines and their much more horizontaly designed lifters because of cam location where oil alone doesn't adequately cover all surfaces resulting in premature wear. I think you might be familiar with that issue Uncle Tony.
I remember turning those cranks more than once when I used to see them in Pep Boys
Every time I watch your videos I learn something.... thank you uncle Tony happy holidays
The builders are already digging the hole for the commode. lol
Lots of trees...
At our old service station, we just peed in the sink and gave it a Comet flush.
Real simple a man can go to the bathroom in the woods it's part of being a man and not a sissy. It is nice to work outside under natural light when the weather is nice, way better than the building. And last I like to thank Tony for keeping it real and not working on those unobtainium projects that none of us could afford in three lifetimes.
You know, I'd really hate to hate to sh*t in a pit in the woods, like an animal. I would probably rent a porta potty while the build finishes.
I got a 20x20 garage with 12 workshop lights still could be brighter, I enjoy wrenching on a beautiful day. I have the quickjacks, they're alright the moment you need to raise and lower the car more than once, for various reasons. Quickjack support is terrible, for such a basic product its sad.
Tony does keep it real. Those cars run great and not extravagant money spent.
Agreed. Like stupid, ridiculous lifter Porches and crap like that.
Your exactly right on every point Tony. On the other hand Lucas products work extremely well, I would not use them on a vehicle that does not need them but If your car leaks, burn, rattles, ticks, knocks it will probably help and buy you some time. I have been using oil treatment in oil burning cars, some for almost 10 years 100k it will over time clean out a engine and help free the stuck rings well worth it.
I have a spare one of those displays under my counter at work right now lol
I put oil thickener in my 86 f150 and it caused the distributor gear to shear off. It happened twice. Then I went to regular old oil and it never happed again. Some things are better the way they where
I have found one specific application where it works great and thats inside the transmission of the 83-88 tercel wagons. The oil certainly has to climb the gears to make it to the input shaft bearings and with these cars getting old and seals not being as good and an influx of people who never check their oil, this stuff helps. It adds a film to the parts that protects them even when you're a little low on oil. The downside is that it smells terrible when combined with gear oil and that film that protects the parts is a PAIN to remove when you finally crack one open. But it does work.
Also for a worn engine with low oil pressure, itll bring it up quite a bit but thats probably just the thickness.
Use Lucas all the time.
It's great for cold startup.
I'll live with the windage it creates at normal RPM.
If you're racing probably not what you want but for a grocery getter it's good stuff.
Use to work at an oil change place and a guy would come in with a brand new Silverado and a bottle of Lucas, he'd tell me to put the whole bottle in it and fill whatever it was that was left (i forget now), with oil. I thought he was nuts but it worked. The first time he showed up I was like "The whole bottle, you want me to put the whole bottle in? Are you sure" lol
NHRA Sponsors it
@@MaliciousSRT1999-2007 Gen 3 SBC (LS) whole bottle of Lucas then 5 quarts Valvoline, Castrol, Amsoil (they are 6 quart pans) Stay the hell away from penzoil, quaker, mobil1.
@@shadowopsairman1583 LS, yes, this was in 2003 IIRC
I have used Lucas Trans Fix & Power Steering stop leak to great effect on multiple vehicles. Both personal & customer vehicles. I use Lucas fuel treatment/upper cylinder lubricant at every fill on all my vehicles. Always.
I've seen lucas "fix" tapping lifters a few times. Also, theres an expediter called everything apax that gets like 750k miles out of his gassers and he uses it. I don't use it, thats just what I've seen.
Totally agree on the "oil cling" angle, but...Lucas in an old/worn beater (that you really don't give an f about) can sometimes gloss over the otherwise less than pristine assemblage....ymmv
Use it in ol shooters,
Seems to help smooth, quiet,
And slow leaks. Use Barr stop
Leak in coolant and it works fast
and well. Buy Lucas in gallon jugs
It saves $$.
Now me I've used this for a long time now and in everything i own cause it helps bearings and oil pressure readings but also so when my heavy foot is in it alot it won't spun a bearing or anything else . I've used this on many vehicle's that customers bring in that have a slipping transmission or engine that has alot miles that is either knocking or smoking or bad oil leaks from say the rear main seal .
As a shade tree poor i swear by lucas products run it in all 3 systems defiantly helps old stuff.
I saw a demonstration of the Lucas gear turning prop. The guy spun each side as fast as he could. The Lucas treated side had so many tiny bubbles in it, it looked like foam. The regular oil side was normal- no bubbles. This turned me off to this product. I have since seen the gear train spun by a drill motor causing the foam up. The regular oil side was always fine.
Many years ago I had a 30 hp Evirude outboard. I used slick 50 2 stroke engine additive. It meant to add it to the gas oil mixture. After two or three tank fulls of fuel, I noticed the engine running smother. It was a tiller engine so, my hand was always on it. I think it might have added one or two HP to the engine.
Again, great nuggets of wisdom! We used STP for engines we store for decades. I will try Lucas now. We found white lithium grease would separate and not cover well when stored.
When I first played with that display I felt something wasn’t right about it. That was 20 years ago never understood why I felt it wasn’t right so thanks for explaining it
I played with that display many times over the years and never bought a bottle of that stuff ever.
I think some of the additives were far more useful 40-50 years ago than they are now. Today's pols are so much better, they generally don't need anything else. I have been a huge fan of Marvel Mystery oil for a very long time. Used to...anytime I bought a used car with any miles on it, I would ad some Marvel to the crankcase and clean the sludge out of the engine. A couple of oil changes after using Marvel and they were much cleaner inside. But I would be wary of using anything else in newer engines.
Tony - I would love to know your feelings on Slick 50.
The main ingredient in Marvel is white spirit; Slick 50 is the biggest con-job out; definitely doesn't work.
That is precisely what I use the stuff for also. Some 20 years ago an old motorcycle racer told me that it worked really well as assembly lube, and it's definitely easier to find than any other assembly lube, so I've used it for that purpose ever since.
Almost 25 years ago I bought an old beat up '83 Dodge truck with a (hydraulic lifter) slant six that was destined for the junkyard. The oil looked like black paint when I bought it, and the lifters were clattering loudly. Changed the oil and it was still clattering loudly, even after driving it for a while so I added a bottle of STP oil treatment, and it finally got quiet. About 2000 miles later the oil was looking black again, so I changed it, forgetting about the added STP last time, and the loud lifter clatter came back, so I've just been adding the STP ever since and it has been a daily driver ever since without any other issues. Engine runs perfect and smooth, and only loses about a half quart between 3000-mile oil changes, no smoke... Anyway, as long as it's not in a max effort racing engine I think it can help older high mileage worn out engines by improving ring seal and helping with other excessively worn clearances... I've seen where others have used an additive that is thinner like Marvel, or Seafoam and almost seized their engines because they didn't read the directions and just dumped it in the engine and left it in there for months at a time while daily driving. I'm curious if you think something like Lucas or STP might be helpful for a scenario like in the new Hemi engines where they don't get enough oil to the lifters, could it possibly help keep the new Hemi lifters from self-destructing?... Anyway, I really enjoy your videos and wanted to thank you for posting them.
It helped quiet a loose chain in my car on those cold starts in the morning and slows down oil burning for my other but yeah I always use way less than recommended as I worry about that sticky oil problem. I’m saving up to swap the engine anyways and when this stuff gets warm/hot it really doesn’t feel that sticky compared to when it’s cold. I’m no expert but it seems to help my little car keep driving until I get around to swapping out that engine.
I never use the Lucas stabilizer in the engine. I use it in the differentials, manual transmissions and gear driven transfer cases. It works for these.
Thanks for dispelling the myth of Lucas Mucus. There was a competitor oil company who, many years ago, did a demo of how much worse oil foams at high speed with Lucas “stabilizer” than without. Take with a grain of salt because they WERE a competitor… but the demo was pretty compelling. Oils have antifoaming additives, and Lucas defeats that function.
I had a Mercury Sable that had a malfunctioning over boosted power steering, added their power steering treatment and it immediately started working normally, great stuff.
I've been using lucas transmission stop slip as assembly lube for a long time now because it had the same color and consistency of permatex 81950 assembly lube so I figured it's probably close to the same stuff, never ever had a problem and you get 10 times as much for the same price.
I'm finally vindicated!! Lol! Thanks Tony!! I remember that display when it came out, got into a fist fight with a "friend" in high school over what you just said lol. Keep up the good work Tony and congrats on the new digs!
Who won the fight?
Asking for a friend
Thanks for the video. I have been contemplating using oil stabilizer. This helped me make my decision that I was already leaning towards.
i love you tony, you are more mechanic than most
Can you do a video on leaded/unleaded gas? Specifically running today's unleaded gas in engines designed for leaded fuels? There's a lot of controversy surrounding this and I'd love to hear your take. For the record, I run pump gas in all my classics. I use a bottle of Lucas upper cylinder lube every now and then because I feel it helps prolong the life of fuel pump diaphragms and accelerator pump diaphragms that could be affected by the ethanol in the fuel. Anyway, love your channel and id like to meet you someday. I'm in Nashville.
My type of mechanic UT! I'm not comfortable with a lift and love working outside when the weather is good! 😉
I agree love to work on my back on concrete I don't get cramped up and outside in the sun the new shop looks great.
I like the way you do things and you keep it simple no bs just a good mechanic, I have worked on some old crap ,the Lucas works very well ,but it's a last ditch effort just to keep from wetting plugs ,but it won't flow cold causes even more damage.
I’ve always used lubriplate for assembling engines and have never had one problem
Can't say for sure but I think it helped in keeping the timing chain and tensioners from wearing on my xterra 5w30 was too thin
The obvious solution is to use 10w-40. Don't try to out-engineer the engineers.
Great topic Uncle Tony👍
God Bless you..
I'm 45 and I can't stand working on the ground anymore.
Everything hurts, and getting up or down involves a plan these days😅
Loved the shop tour, best off luck brother
I always thought you could use it as Assembly lube cause it had that same snotty feel to it.
You can. I do, and it works fine. I wouldn't use it to install a flat tappet cam, but on lower end bearings, and roller stuff it works fine. I wouldn't use it if you're putting the engine together, and it's going to sit for a while before starting it up.
So did STP, which would stick the exhaust valves rock solid.
Had a Silverado that made it past 600k miles using Lucas products. My mom had a Camry with over 300k miles that was leaking oil and transmission fluid. Lucas sealed both back up and it went 50k more miles.
I add some to the differentials on ATVs. It helps keep mud and dirt from coming past the seals.
I like the Lucas Lucas Anti-Squawk/Anti-Shudder additive, For GM Posi rear ends. Sometimes they click and shudder almost like a locker. I had an exclusive Corvette shop recommend it to me. The Lucas additive has always cleared up that issue for me.
Lucas trans additive is legit for dex/merc transmissions. I've seen it bring back gears and reverse on more than one occasion. It's not a permanent solution, but it works.
Great for transfer cases that call for atf too
That device has been at truck stop shops since the beginning of time. I always thought that it seemed like they were comparing gear oil to motor oil- a lot of people swear by that stuff though. Not me.
Finally, somebody who understands basic frickin’ science! I’ve been saying this for years about these types of products. I tell customers, every day, use a quality oil, with the correct viscosity, a good filter & change it regularly. Great vid, Uncle T.👍👍
I can say that I’d have ever considered adding Lucas to an engine. I have added it to differentials and maybe manual transmissions. I couldn’t honestly say whether there was actually any benefit of not.
We mix it into used hydraulic oil to make bar and chain oil. Also have a disc mower that leaks gear oil, this stuff slows it down. I could see a small amount added to old clapped out diesel engine may quiet it. Maybe tapping fluid. Maybe bolt carrier group lube. Anywhere you need a good sticky oil, it is a great product.
I've always put "00" grease in leaking mower (bush hog) gearboxes. Works great, doesn't seem to hurt it
@@stevenanthony9774I use the stp oil treat meant for leaky gear boxes. Essentially the same as Lucas but half the price. I hate dropping money on the ground🤦🏻♂️
Great rundown on engine oiling…
I was wondering what should I buy for assembly Lube. Perfect Timing. I already have a bottle of this. Great Video.
I could see using it in a gearbox, like a manual transmission or rear end, maybe.
An entire series could be done on additives.
Lucas, and Morey's down here, is good for gear sets, as in a manual box. Not good for slipper bearings, thin oil under pressure goes there.
I use Morey's as assembly lube too. I did thank Kiwi on behalf of his homeland for giving us that.
Moreys does wonders to old engines with sticky lifters.
I worked for a Goodyear tire and service center 83-85. We had cases of the oil stabilizer and the same gear set up one with the oil stabilizer and one with motor oil. But But it was Morey’s oil stabilizer . Same exact bottle same exact display. Now I just did and internet search Moreys is still in business but a completely different bottle and different layout.
When I worked in a machine shop, we used Lucas for assembly lube.
Love this stuff. 2010 Ram 1500 4.7 220k nothing but a water pump! I run tha quart of stabilizer every 4-5 oil changes. Sounds as healthy as any new truck.
I have a 2002 Dakota with the 4.7 and 296k on the clock. Have never used Lucas.
I used to use Lucas and STP mixed 1:1 as assembly lube. Can't say it was the best, but I never had anything wipe out on initial startup, including some rat nasty builds with serious cams and flat lifters.
I used STP oil treatment and 30 weight engine oil mixed 50/50 as an assembly lube until I discovered 105 Lubriplate.
Serious cams? Like a 7/8 race cam?
I like molybdenum for assembly
@@funone8716 Not that radical. More like 11/16...45/64 max.🤣🤣🤣
For reference, I'm about Tony's age. As a teenager, the first time I saw that Lucas display I had to play with it. After about 10 seconds my thoughts were "I wonder how bad that's going to gum up my engine?" I've never thought about using it but after seeing this video I'm glad to know it does have a use and is an American business.
I've heard Scotty Kilmer say to not use this on modern engines where tolerances are tight and especially if it has variable valve timing. Use the weight the manufacturer says. You can really harm one of those engines by not using the right weight of oil, he says.
And he’s 100% correct too.
Yeah I’d believe that as the VVT is using oil pressure to adjust timing
He’s right. Though the engine will compensate the VVT for the thicker oil via the VVT sensors, it’s not a good idea to do so. You will do more harm than good, especially in new engines requiring G6 0wt oils. Bar none the BEST thing you could ever do for your engine health & life is to change your oil more often.
scotty kilmer doesn't know what he's saying
I've used lucas at a 5% mix instead of the 20 they recommend. Engine is a Detroit 60 truck engine. Doesn't need for any benefits they claim but these solid lifter engines clatter alot and seems to quiet them down. Sounds better on the ear meter. Haven't seen any negative side effects yet at the low percentage rate I'm using.
If it’s a pre emissions one won’t hurt nothing. I’d be nervous to use it in anything with a DPF because modern oil is meant to be low ash to prevent plugging dpfs and who knows how Lucas effects that
Been running it on my fathers series 60 Detroits since the early 2000’s and have had wonderful results as well. But then again we did oil changes and PM’s at religious intervals