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anyone use oil stabilizer?

LMHmedchem

Elite Explorer
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Year, Model & Trim Level
2002 Explorer XLT v8



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I'd stay away. Run oil and change it regularly, that's all you need. You could even run junk oil and filters if you change them every 3k.

Edit: Argh! You tricked me into going to Advances website! Ugh, they have the least user friendly website. I won't hold this against you...:D
 






I'd stay away. Run oil and change it regularly, that's all you need. You could even run junk oil and filters if you change them every 3k.

+1

I have a 2005 Explorer XLT. I change the oil every 3-4 thousand miles with Motorcraft oil filters, and 5W30 conventional motor oil.
 






pls don't, if your engine is almost dying and you want to be cheap for repairs pls do.
any good oil can do the job alone.
when my rack and pinion leaked, I used the lucas power steering fix, it worked for a while (2+ years) but eventually I need to replace it since the leak showed up again.

the demo below shows what it does which is equivalent to foaming (under and over fill conditions)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7eet8myjpc
 






Thanks for the replies. I only drive this truck 5-7k miles per year and I usually change the oil twice with good oil and filters.

So oil stabilizers are something you might use to extend the life of your engine a bit if it was on the way out? What kind of engine conditions might it help with? Bad rings or something similar?

Edit: Argh! You tricked me into going to Advances website! Ugh, they have the least user friendly website. I won't hold this against you...:D
I have an Advance Auto very close by, so I tend to go there if what I need isn't at Walmart. It used to be a Lappen's and I knew the owner, so I have been going to that store for decades. The website search seems to hardly work at all. Most of the time it is easier to search on google and look for the Advance Auto link that comes up. I also have to turn off Ghostery in order to get the shopping cart to work, which I don't like. The only other option around here is AutoZone and I don't have better luck with them most of the time. At least you can generally get a 30% off coupon with Advance.

LMHmedchem
 






speed up the dying process, initially you could hear the changes (because it changes the viscosity of oil) so there's that placebo that it's helping. i don't see any bad engine conditions that it will help, IMO it's a snake oil.
 






I used Lucas Oil once and it helped with my cold start rattle before I replaced the timing chains.
 












why did you replace the timing chain when it helped?

Because the timing chain guides in my engine where shot and needed to be replaced. It's a long, and painful dealership experience that I'd rather not revisit.
 






Because the timing chain guides in my engine where shot and needed to be replaced. It's a long, and painful dealership experience that I'd rather not revisit.

I suspect my 2005 XLT Explorer with 183k miles is having signs of timing chain issues. I have the cold start rattles, and can hear a faint rattle sometimes when driving and at intersections (especially next to a building or another vehicle to deflect the sound back at me)

My current thought is to wait for the chains to give out, and engine failure then have the entire engine replaced by Ford. I have heard replacing the timing chains on a working engine like mine is almost as expensive, so that's why I'm thinking on waiting for it to blow.

I talked to a trusted local shop (they had an Explorer identical to mine, color and all, in their parking lot with a blown engine due to timing chain failure, it had around 280k miles if I remember correctly) and they said change oil every 3-4k like I have been doing until it dies, then either get a new vehicle or have a new engine put in.

What do you think I should do? I love this vehicle so much, I would have no problem spending thousands on a new engine after the current one destroys itself. The transmission seems fine, everything else is good, body, etc. Sorry if this brings up any painful memories with your Ford dealership experience.
 












^ That's exactly what I buy (Valvoline) and from Wally World too.
 






Not to be too contrary.....

I have used Lucas products for over 20 yrs in every one of my vehicles....never a single problem from it. Matter of fact my Big Ford (semi truck) has 1.75 million miles on it and has used Lucas oil stabilizer and Shell Rotella oil the entire time.
Both my 4.6 Interceptors use Lucas (97 & 2001) with no problem,as well as various Farm vehicles...so go ahead and use it but do not expect miracles,its only an additive after all. When used in an engine thats in good shape it will slow down the internal wear and tear, it will not, repeat, will not revive a poorly maintained engine,gearbox, or rear! ANd never use more than 1 qt in a 5 qt vehicle. That comes from personal experience,hard lesson learned on a piece of farm equipt.
 






I have used Lucas products for over 20 yrs in every one of my vehicles....never a single problem from it. Matter of fact my Big Ford (semi truck) has 1.75 million miles on it and has used Lucas oil stabilizer and Shell Rotella oil the entire time.
Both my 4.6 Interceptors use Lucas (97 & 2001) with no problem,as well as various Farm vehicles...so go ahead and use it but do not expect miracles,its only an additive after all. When used in an engine thats in good shape it will slow down the internal wear and tear, it will not, repeat, will not revive a poorly maintained engine,gearbox, or rear! ANd never use more than 1 qt in a 5 qt vehicle. That comes from personal experience,hard lesson learned on a piece of farm equipt.

agreed but what's missing in today's major oil that you need an additive for? and what's inside lucas that you think it slows down the wear and tear? do you think without the additive the engine will still last the same way?
 






Lucas

What is missing in todays oil....nothing....for todays engines. If you run older equiptment, some of the new additive pakages refiners used to meet newer standards actually can cause problems. Take for instance my 16 yr old Cummins n14 14 liter commercial automotive diesel, and a current generation ISX of similar displacement and HP rating. The machining and build tolerances are worlds apart, with the newer engine having much closer tolerances and different operational parameters. What the additive I use does for my equiptment is it makes the reformulated oils more digestable (so to speak)for the engines older architecture. I also use it as assembly lube and for the initial break in after a rebuild to prevent scoring due to particulates that the regular oil fails to pick up.
 






Lucas pt2

agreed but what's missing in today's major oil that you need an additive for? and what's inside lucas that you think it slows down the wear and tear? do you think without the additive the engine will still last the same way?

As to the second and third points you made...Forrest Lucas developed this product while he owned a trucking co. in the Mojave area of California, where the oils he was using were breaking down quickly and causing parts failures prematurely. It is basically the same additives larger commercial refiners use in the oil,but a bit more concentrated. I have noticed that things like timing components and rocker arm shafts last longer when using this than when I didn't. So the only evidence I have is empirical( from my own experience). As far as will the engine last longer,I believe so. Last year did rods and mains on my Cummins and after 829,000 miles they were just starting to show their age. The last engine that Lucas was not used in, went about 700k and the bearings were much worse shape. So yes I believe it does help extend the life of certain components. I also use a quart in each of my smaller fords at each oil change and have had similar results. Two 4.6 Crown vics , no problems so far,and they are both well over 250k mileage.
 






Anyone remember Prolong or worse MotorUp???

I like Lucas for actual oils (gear oil mainly) but not additives. I do not believe in additives, just use a quality product in the first place.
 






Anyone remember Prolong or worse MotorUp???

I like Lucas for actual oils (gear oil mainly) but not additives. I do not believe in additives, just use a quality product in the first place.

I once cleaned out a fan using brake clean or something. Stand up ocilating fan.
What I did was remove the grease out of the bearing and the fan no longer rotated.

I sprayed some WD40 in it and got a couple hours use. Don't recall everything else I used, but after two hours, the fan stopped.

Finally, I sprayed some Prolong lubricant in it. The fan would run for two days before stopping. Don't know about the oil, but sure wish I could still get the spray lubricant.
 






I once cleaned out a fan using brake clean or something. Stand up ocilating fan.
What I did was remove the grease out of the bearing and the fan no longer rotated.

I sprayed some WD40 in it and got a couple hours use. Don't recall everything else I used, but after two hours, the fan stopped.

Finally, I sprayed some Prolong lubricant in it. The fan would run for two days before stopping. Don't know about the oil, but sure wish I could still get the spray lubricant.

You try Silicone Lube spray?
 



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Yep, everything on the shelf. Only Prolong worked.
 






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