Does anyone recomend using oil additives such as Lucas products (there seem to be a multitude of others) in there engines or differentials? They all claim to work,
could there be any harm in using them?

 

Absolutely useless. In fact, additives usually do not adhere with the original oil molecules and actually seperate and breakdown your oil faster. It is the worst gimmick in the auto industry and the biggest waste of money. FYI, all oil contains detergent packages in them when you buy it. Is is the the different amounts of detergents that make each brand of oil unique and all new oils lubricate your motor better as technology gets better. You have to change oil because the molecules breakdown under heat and pressure over time, nothing you add to it can prevent this from happening. Synthetics are actually slicker and have smaller molecules and can also be prone to showing small leaks in older / worn out motors since the smaller molecules can squeeze by rings easier than the "fatter" or larger molecules of conventional oil.

Hope that some of that helps to answer your question.

 

Although I don't know much about Lucas products, I'm generally not a fan of oil additives.

I've seen people run other additives that say they are safe for wet clutches, that ended up with slipping/ruined clutches.

There was also the Slick-50 thing...

Anyway, personally I'd go with a quality brand oil that meets API SG or higher JASO MA, synthetic if you want a bit more protection. That's likely what the team of engineers who designed and built the engine specified.


If a person has a lawn mower that smokes a bit and was trying to put off changing the rings until winter, a bit of STP will reduce oil burning and smoke.

Other than that, I don't mess with additives.

 

Thanks for the good advice!!

 

Read my oil comments here: http://forums.atvconnection.co...tid/8/threadid/540208


The problem with "additives" is you usually will not be able to find out what is in them. Many contain "friction modifiers" that are a no-no in a wet clutch engine, and other contain things like ZDDP which is already found in a API SG motorcycle oil anyway.

Save your money on additives, and just buy a very high quality synthetic oil to start with!!!