Lucas Oil Additive

[mikerich1972]

I've never used Lucas additives. 

But, I highly recommend Marvel's Mystery oil! I added about a half quart at my last oil change to clean up some occasionally plugging cam followers. It worked great for that; within a week, no more "missing" cylinders due to a clogged intake follower.

What I didn't expect was that the Marvel's would also soften a leaking rear main oil seal and the leaking valve seals!!! What this means is that the engine's leakage and oil burning have both reduced to reasonable levels for a 391,000 mile engine. (Under a half quart burned per hundred miles)

I've used Marvel's on my air tools for years, but never suspected it would soften and renew old oil seals!

[65ShelbyClone]

What are opinions on Lucas Oil Additive?
A local mechanic suggested this for our 1978 Pinto.
He also suggested HEET for gas tank.
? Thoughts?

All the Lucas oil conditioner does is increase the viscosity like STP or Motor Honey. I don't know why your mechanic would recommend that. Proper oil doesn't need additives and can actually be negatively affected by them.

HEET is just alcohol intended to absorb moisture in gasoline and allow it to stay suspended so it doesn't freeze or cause running problems. The yellow bottle is straight methanol and the red one is isopropyl alcohol and some kind of petroleum additive. Again, I don't know why a Phoenix area mechanic would recommend fuel line antifreeze/drier.
Sea Foam was mentioned; it is effectively a small amount of rubbing alcohol suspended in naptha. It doesn't do anything for the engine, it has no effect on the ethanol in fuel, and certainly is not a fuel stabilizer. The ethanol in pump gas already does more of whatever cleaning effect the isopropanol in Sea Foam might have.

Most of the universal "fix-all" additives on a parts store shelf don't work as advertised. A few do, though, like Sta-Bil and Royal Purple Max Boost.
The safety data sheet (SDS) for these products usually provides a good idea of what the major components are.

[rob289c]

Yep, I always put a little in my 2-Stroke mixture too for preventative medicine. 

[dga57]

My daughter-in-law had a 2006 Cadillac DTS between the years 2013 and 2020.  The first year, the check engine light came on and a scan revealed a catalytic converter problem.  The local mechanic who serviced her car said he did not believe there was anything wrong with the catalytic converter and suggested dumping a can of Seafoam in the gas tank.  We did, and drove it about fifty miles, at which point the light went out and stayed out for about 12 months.  When it happened the second time, she took it to the same mechanic, got the same suggestion, we repeated the treatment, and it solved the problem.  From that point on, we skipped the mechanic and simply poured a can of Seafoam in the gas tank as soon as the check engine light appeared.  We did this successfully until she sold it and bought a new Jeep Cherokee in 2020.  She shared this info with the purchaser and, while I don't know whether they followed this regimen or not, I do know that the car is still on the road.  I would call that a win!

Dwayne

[rob289c]

I always use a can of Seafoam Transmission Conditioner when I do the tranny fluid and filter change on my Impala.  It and many others from the era before and after my 2008 model have a condition where when you take off it doesn't move right away, then catches and "slams" into gear.  You have to get on the throttle gingerly when taking off.  Anyway, I think the Seafoam Trans Conditioner seems to help as I have close to 300k on it now and this condition has been happening since before 30k.

[davidpinto]

WE SELL LOTS OF SEA FOAM AT THE PARTS STORE WHERE I WORK.I USE IT TO TREAT ETHANOL GAS IN ALL MY CARS .SELL LOTS OF LUCAS PRODUCTS ALSO.

[rob289c]

I have heard only good thinks about Lucas products, although I have never used them.  Which product are you looking at using?

The only "snake oil" products I have used are Sea Foam in various vehicle fuel systems with good results, and Marvel Mystery Oil, ironically in a Pinto in 1986.  I have "cured" skipping/missing/stalling issues with Sea Foam in 1990's fuel injected vehicles.  I was pleasantly surprised how well it worked.  The Marvel Mystery Oil story is that my '77 Pinto sat for 6 months while I was out on a Navy deployment.  When I got back I got it started but it had a slight knock in the engine.  I drove it from the long term parking lot directly to the Navy Exchange, bought a can of Marvel Mystery Oil, dumped it in the crank case, then drove it.  In 5 miles or less, the knock went away, and I drove the car for two more years.  I don't know if it would have quieted down just by driving it, but it feel the Mystery Oil helped. 

[caravan3921]

What are opinions on Lucas Oil Additive?
A local mechanic suggested this for our 1978 Pinto.
He also suggested HEET for gas tank.
? Thoughts?