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LUCAS OIL ADDITIVE

David G

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I’ve read many post with guys swearing that the recommend 0-20 oil is best. However, I’m wondering if anyone here adds the LUCAS oil treatment to their gladiator. I’m skeptical of adding it as it will affect viscosity. But would like some feedback. The reason I’m even thinking about it is due to cold starts, as my Gladiator is used only 2-3 times per week… if that.
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Hootbro

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I see no upside to using it. It makes the viscosity go up and depletes the additive pack of the base oil used and takes out of the API spec range it was designed around.

Products like Lucas and STP kind of had their place before API SJ spec rolled out because additive packs were pretty weak to begin with. Nowadays, they have no place being mixed with any modern vehicle engine or oil.

Lake Speed Jr. has a pretty good video that is worth watching on Fuel and oil additives. He talks about Lucas around the 19:00 minute mark but the whole video is worth a watch.

 

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Supazuk

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the only place i use lucas is in my buggy's diffs and tcase if you get a crack in a housing or a case its easier to drive out, without extraction and usually the gears are still good after so there is the money saving
 

DanW

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I’ve read many post with guys swearing that the recommend 0-20 oil is best. However, I’m wondering if anyone here adds the LUCAS oil treatment to their gladiator. I’m skeptical of adding it as it will affect viscosity. But would like some feedback. The reason I’m even thinking about it is due to cold starts, as my Gladiator is used only 2-3 times per week… if that.
If it is the oil stabilizer, I'd run as far as possible from that stuff. It is HEAVY, almost in the range of a gear oil. If you feel you need something thicker, 5w30 will work fine.

I'm not even sure that the Lucas even has additives in it. IIRC, it is just thick base oil with little redeeming value unless you are trying to stretch a worn out oil burner a few hundred more miles.

My buddy has a 2012 JK and he puts a quart of that goo into his engine with 5 quarts of 5w20. I have no clue as to why. I'm betting on an early funeral for that one.
 

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ShadowsPapa

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If you use a good oil you do not need any additives or treatments.
And some actually reduce wear protection. Modern oils are formulated far better than oils some of us grew up with. You can seriously unbalance the oil's chemistry by throwing additives in. Will the engine blow up? No - but it's more risk than benefit - well, actually there isn't any benefit....
 

ShadowsPapa

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All I've ever run in any vehicle is what the manufacturer recommends, or if I can't get what AMC recommended in 1973, I go with the best modern replacement.
Same for my Jeeps over the years - either what's in the book, or, an equivalent.
I always run the viscosity recommended.
I must be doing ok - never had any engine failures in any car I've ever owned or built or bought.
I don't even add zinc/ZDDP crap to my older cars.
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