Why do people use lucas "oil stabilizer"?

You missed the fact that it was cummins recommendation based on samples. Also you are using politicians math, there was s 5 gallons per service not annually. That by my math 15k was actually a bit cheaper than 20k check your figures. Yes I can tell by the smell of the blow by if the oil needs changed. Also if I cant get the soot off my fingers then I would like to know what the inside looks like. I don't want to argue but 100 + trucks is enough evidence for me. You may get by with it once or twice but sooner or later you'll let the knock out, once it's out you can't put it back.

 

No, wasn't using politicians math. I thought you were saying that going to 20,000 mile OCI's you were using an extra gallon of oil for make up compared to what you didn't use on a 15,000 mile interval. I must have misread that one.

but the soot issue is interesting. I can always get the soot off my fingers because my bypass filter gets it out of the oil. Only a small residual amount of soot is in the oil at any time, regardless of length of oil change intervals. If the TBN package and viscosity would hold up long enough, I could go to 300,000 miles and have the same level of soot in the engine as I did at 10,000 miles. regardless of length of time oil stays in my engine, the soot level never gets above .3 to .5.

Well, anyway, it is whatever someone is comfortable with. Even though there is not one engine manufacturer that is not recommending a base line of 25,000 miles or more nowadays for oil changes. Yep, even on Cat C-15's per the official maintenance manual. Cummins went, a long time ago, to a 25,000 mile or more recommendation, and Detroit, with the DD15 is on somewhere near a 50,000 mile OCI. This is the same thing with standard autos anymore. No OEM is recommending a 3,000 mile oil change anymore on a car or pickup. Even on the Detroit Series 60 they upped the recommendation from 15,000 to 25,000. All of these recommendations are not based on end user sampling reports. But either way, oil sampling is the only sure way to know.

I know several folks to take their oil changes, regularly, out to 60,000 or more with no problems using bypass and oil sampling. Just chatted the other day with a guy from out east about that. I had a look at his oil sample reports. On the last one, he was at just under 50,000 miles on the oil and it was looking almost as good as it did at 10,000 miles on the oil. And that was on a C-15 Cat that had been turned up considerably and had over a million miles on it. From the analysis on the reports, I would have no doubt that engine is going to go a long ways yet before it ever needs opened up for anything. He has not done rods or mains or anything to that engine. And he regularly pulls buckets with gross up to 110,000 lb in the hills of W. VA and such.

 

My Volvo D13 takes 9 gal of oil including 3xfuel filters; i'm running a mixture 1 gal of synthetic Lucas+8 gal of synthetic oil Rotela or Mobil1 "turbo diesel truck' ,both 5w40.Cold starts here in Canada are killing motors,synthetic oils are better. I buy the oil mostly in sale for aprox 20$/gal from Meijer in Anderson ,Indiana, Wal Mart,"Rural King". Years ago was way more expenssive, i couldn't aford it. Synthetic Lucas is priced aprox 40$/gal in truck stops, i buy it for almost half price online, here http://www.buylucasoil.com/viewitem.asp?itemid=10131C, . I reached 1 million miles last month, original motor,compressor, turbo;
Did Lucas or synthetic oils help? I don't know what to say, but one thing i know for sure; If you watch car racing, Nascar, Formula 1, this engines pushed to the limits would puke smoke and rings after first lap on petroleum based oils .

 

If cold starts are a problem, you don't need Lucas, you need an Espar. Problem solved.

 

Yeah, I solved the cold start issue a long time ago. I have an oil pan heater along with a standard block heater. My oil is nice and warm on the coldest day startup. Both are hooked together at the standard plug under the driver's door. The oil pan heater idea is one I picked up in Alaska years ago. Pretty reasonable on price too, considering the benefits.

Anyone with an APU or gen set (or access to shore power) that runs bone chilling cold areas could easily run a pan heater. They only use 500w to power them. You take out one of the drain plugs at the bottom side of the pan and fit the heater right in. Wolverine Heaters sells these for around $180. My last truck had one, and the truck I have now has one. Haven't had my current truck thru a winter yet, but my last one would start on a -30F day just like it was in August. Oil pressure right up on the gauge like a warm summer's day. But for extra measure, I am running synthetic oil in my truck also.... no Lucas.

http://www.wolverineheater.com/product-p/iph-500.htm

 

I use Lucas when I need to add oil, which is about 3-4 times every 30k. In actuality there were a total of 3 gallons with 1 gallon or regular. Also so it around the end of my oil change interval. The guy who owned it before me didn’t do crap for maintenance. Quite frankly my oil gets rather running as I’m in the severe duty range around 5.1 mpg. Whenever I notice it getting black or a little smelly I add a gallon of Lucas, or when it starts burning up faster. Or oil pressure drops to 50psi at idle or so. I always make sure my oil pressure is at 60 psi. I don’t see a problem with it. Sure more sludge but just don’t add it on the first go buy and judge your oil as you pull it out. You really shouldn’t be getting sludge at 200 degrees oil temp. At least I don’t think. Prove me wrong.

 

I think this is the best response. Now if anyone can tell me
How much is too much lol.

 

Placebo effect. Makes you feel good about the money you could have used to buy a case of beer instead.

 

Haha. Not denying that. Figured I’d give it a go. I hear a lot of bad and from the scientific results doesn’t seem viable.

 

I've tried it in my pickup a few times. Didn't really notice much difference. Lifters still clacked about the same, oil pressure on the gauge came up maybe a bit.