Location: West Bloomfield, Michigan (just north of Detroit)
Posts: 96
More on Oil Change.... What about Lucas Oil additive
Very lively dicsussion about motor oil. Thank you
Forgot to add with my oil change post.... What about adding a quart of Lucas (brand) Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer? It's supposed to protect against thermal breakdown, extend oil life by 50%, good for high milage engines, ect.
Recommended use is one quart with every 4 quarts (most domestic cars) However my 1998 e-320 uses 8.5 quarts total.
Just throwing this out for opinions on oil additives.
Forgot to add with my oil change post.... What about adding a quart of Lucas (brand) Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer? It's supposed to protect against thermal breakdown, extend oil life by 50%, good for high milage engines, ect.
Recommended use is one quart with every 4 quarts (most domestic cars) However my 1998 e-320 uses 8.5 quarts total.
Just throwing this out for opinions on oil additives.
filter and mobil1 has shown no significant breakdown up to 20000 miles so why add anything?No.
ohlord
Paul,don't mess with perfection!
However change the trans fluid and filter,that is one thing Mercedes even admits they got wrong.Use mb fluid.......
Another theory that always cracks me up. It's not as though Lucas is a new product. Mercedes engineers knew about Lucas and they created an oil specification for their engines. It is a special base pack, that's part of why only a few oils meet the MB spec (and part of why 0W30, 5W30 and 10W30, all those easily found and better priced at Costco don't meet the spec, they don't have the base pack). We don't know exactly what is in the base pack, maybe it's a combo of Lucas, STP, CD-2, Rislone and Motor Magic. (I suspect not...)
But I do suspect that if they thought Lucas was the thing, they would have either incorporated it into the base pack or suggest/recommend it's usage.
Yet another reason I'm sure to buy MB spec oil. That way you know you are getting the base spec identified by MB to protect and lubricate their engines.
Just my .02.
If you want to experiment, try Royal Purple. That's the one some people vehemently support -- and they aren't distributors like Amsoil folk. I have actually considered running it through on one oil change to see if the claims of improved performance, better mileage and the like prove true. I can't imagine it would do much damage in 5-10 thousand miles, and if in 5 there was no improvement anywhere, I can just change it out early. Still mulling it over at this point.
Take care and enjoy the ride,
Greg
__________________ If the only prayer you say in your life is thank you, that would suffice. Meister Eckhart
When you learn from your own mistakes, that's experience.
When you learn from the mistakes of others, that's wisdom.
When you fail to learn from any mistakes, that's government.
My rule of thumb is that if the product doesn't have the API/SAE "donut" on the label on the back of the bottle, I wouldn't put it in my engine. I'm referring to the small circle on the back of your oil bottle that has the oil grade/viscosity information in it.
I'd maybe consider an oil additive if I had an engine with huge compression/oil burning problems and I was trying to stretch out its life a little bit, because it wouldn't matter what the additive did to a motor that is already shot. Otherwise I'm not interested in additives at all.
Theoretically in motor oil the additives play big role. The basic oil (still sold as compressor oil) has no additives and used in combustion engine would fast got heavily polluted with byproduct. Detergent added to oil allows washing out the carbon deposits from the engine parts and carrying them to the filter.
With lack of detergents the internal parts would get black quite fast. I've got my license when the market used SC grade oils and remember what I could see after pulling the valve covers.
Unfortunately all the detergents and other additives burn out, or age, therefore at some point the oil need to be replaced. With good filtration system and resupplying the correct additives the oil could stay in the engine for its whole life, but private owner has no economical way to monitor that, that's why replacement of the oil make economical sense.
I have manual for commercial Detroit engine from 1970 and with oil testing and filter change they allow oil to run in the engine for ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES. Again, that was in era when oils had SC-SD grade.
So having no way to monitor what is happening to the oil, the best way is to stay away from "snake oil" and follow the manufacturer recommendation.
One note from my mechanical education and following experience is adding molybdenum to the oil. This substance is know for several hundred years as lowering friction between metals. Lot of greases have it added.
Years ago I was commuting 54 miles daily on the same road and at the same speeds. My VW was averaging steady 32 mpg. After adding molybdenum additive my mileage went up to 36 mpg.
Location: West Bloomfield, Michigan (just north of Detroit)
Posts: 96
Good info on oil additives.
Looks like the additives are a last resort for high milage vehicles, on vehicles where regular oil changes (using the proper oil) were not made, resulting in pre-mature engine wear and failure. Additives (Motor Honey, ect.) may be the only alternative in which the cost of repairs exceed the value of what the vehicle is worth (blue book value).
Sounds like rule of thumb is to change oil in according to milage with the recommended oil. In my case it's Mobil 1 0w-40.
And I did change out the trans fluid and filter (at 99,000 miles). I also drained the torque converter too. Put in 7 quarts of MB fluid @$14 qt. at stealership. When I bought the fluid, the MB counter man said it was a "lifetime fill" so no need to change (ever). But change the fluid I did anyways.
This begs to ask the question.... What is the definition of "Lifetime" According to the MB dealership lifetime (to them) means 4 years or 50,000 miles, which ever comes first. (Then you are on your own)
But it's really no different then our own human condition. Some people may live to 90+ years old... that was their lifetime. Perhaps good genes, good living habits (maintenance) or just plain lucky.
Others may catch a disease and die at 18, 20 or 30 years old. That was their lifetime.
In short, What I will do is change the fluids with the proper fluids at the common sense intervals.
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