Opinion of Lucas trans. additive?

I am using Lucas motor oil additive in the motor oil. It was highly
recommended to me as an alternative to those teflon-based additives.
I was also told that the transmission additive is good for the tranny
as well. Is it worth the $$$ to use the tranny additive as well?

 

I strongly recommend against using additives of any type. If they were
really beneficial, the better oils would come with them already. Independent
tests I've seen have shown detrimental effects of many of them, additives in
the oil can cause foaming and clog oil passageways, and in gearboxes they
can cause foaming which starves parts of lubrication. Just use a quality
synthetic fluid and change it at reasonable intervals.

 

Depends on what you are after. The AW in my '85 765T has a front seal leak,
and I don't intend to remove and reinstall the tranny to address that. The
car was hit by an intoxicated driver (while it was in a parking lot and he
was trying to drive down the street!) and is damaged beyond economic repair,
so it is on the "keep it running for now" list. Lucas additive has reduced
the leak about 80% and smoothed the shifting slightly. The stuff looks like
Dexron colored honey, or maybe a little thicker.

I wouldn't recommend it for a tranny that is working okay and isn't leaking.

Mike

 

Specifically how does it improve the performance of a product that
itself is highly engineered and full of additives to accomplish a
variety of tasks. Said another way what motor oil problems does it
solve.

Only if you have a wish to be separated from your money.

 

Dunno about the oil additive (never tried it) but the transmission additive
reduces leakage from seals that I would replace if it were worth the effort.
I would expect about the same from the oil additive.

Mike

 

Good point. The original poster was apparently buying additives
because they seemed like a good idea and not trying to solve any
problem. I've used those seal expanding chemicals in a couple of
older cars to delay the inevitable. Indeed one mechanic helped me get
an additional 50,000 out of the fuel injection pump of a 240 diesel by
adding power steering leak fixer to the fuel. It worked.

 

Good point. The original poster was apparently buying additives
because they seemed like a good idea and not trying to solve any
problem. I've used those seal expanding chemicals in a couple of
older cars to delay the inevitable. Indeed one mechanic helped me get
an additional 50,000 out of the fuel injection pump of a 240 diesel by
adding power steering leak fixer to the fuel. It worked.

 

Over in the Camry newsgroup, this additive is recommended, because
the automatic transmission used by Toyota in the '90's has some design
issues that benefit from the Lucas stuff. (I'm going to start using it
myself, in our Camry wagon.) Having said that, the AW automatic Volvo
used in the '80's and '90's probably doesn't need it if the seals don't
weep. I don't know about the Dreaded ZF automatic...

 

Are there any studies over on the Camry newsgroup that would show the
Lucas Mystery Liquid offers any improvement over using only the highly
refined automatic transmission fluid designed for the car?