To Add Lucas or Not to Add Lucas

If you need to add oil stabilizers you need better oil

 

I would of never in my wildest dream think of using gear oil for an additive and thickener in the oil. Never. Always believed they would eat up the soft metals(bearings).

 

It's a free country, we're all allowed to believe whatever we like, as you have and do.

My "belief" is supported by data.

This statement: "In normal operation, the sulfur/phosphorous additive forms a black sacrificial coating on the gears and anything it touches with a little pressure and temperature. As the gears turn, instead of wearing, the sacrificial coating of additives is peeled off or worn off. This is normal and acceptable in all steel gears. But when one or more of the surfaces is brass or another soft metal, the sacrificial coating is stronger than the base metal, and instead of just peeling off, it takes with it a few microns of brass that it is bound to" comes from this http://www.widman.biz/uploads/Transaxle_oil.pdf research explanation, and explains why your belief is true for GL-5 oil, but incorrect about GL-4.

I have sent Lucas to an independent lab for analysis, so I know what it is and is not in it.
I do & have for >750k miles added one gallon of Sta-Lube API/GL-4 85W90 (product number SL24239) in every oil change w/ Rotella, pulling >150,000lbs GVW. I purchased & began to perform a bearing roll at 600k, and after dropping the first pair of rod caps, pulled and inspected two mains. The rods measured 0.0005" of wear and the mains were 0.0012" of wear. I reinstalled and torqued all the caps and the new bearings are still in the boxes on my parts shelf.
Now, I have also shimmed my oil pump to run ~45psi oil pressure instead of OEM mid 30's, at operating temps as well.

 

All I know is I used a gallon of Lucas in a 2000 model w900 I use to own. Engine ran until teardown at 1.3 million. Still had cross hatches in liners and bearings look very good. Was it the lucas? I don't know. I don't use it anymore. Can't justify the cost.

 

i like the climbing characteristics it gives the oil,in regards to gear train and the likes. i do not think it extends engine life.

i credit my 5 micron oil filters and 15K drain intervals for that.

 

Ran Lucas in a 2000 isx I had that came from a fleet that had horrible maintenance ( 35k drains and lots of idle time) I got it with 550k on it and cut the drains back to 20k with Lucas .
Lost a head gasket at 800k and the tech remarked how clean the engine was inside compared to the former owners trucks that were full of deposits .
That engine went to a million miles before an inframe .

 

Now that I read that link, a transmission has synchros, I'm referring to a heavy duty RTO 15613 to be exact, now , would a GL 4 be recommended ? That link you put up refer mostly about cars, corviar, transaxles and so on. My eatons 402 are running GL-5.

 

Lucas is pure garbage... Get educated on exactly what it is and you will be shocked

 

Check out what Lucas did for the folks at the Southern Nationals. WRDW.com