What are Lucas Oil Stabilizer Problems? Does It Work in 2023? (May 2023)

Many people Lucas Oil Stabilizer Problems. There are those who swear by it and those who swear by it not. So what is really going on?

Does Lucas Oil Stabilizer actually work, or is it a slick marketing scheme? How does it work? Does synthetic oil benefit from it? Does Lucas Oil Stabilizer work? Can I use it?

As Lucas Oil Stabilizer is such a thick oil, it will delay the oil reaching vital parts of the engine
Oil stabilizers are not sold by brand name oil manufacturers
Lucas Oil Stabilizer seems to have invested more in marketing than actual real-world research, as they rely heavily on unsubstantiated claims rather than road-tested hard data

Table of Contents

Does Lucas Oil Stabilizer Work?

Many of the company’s claims have little to no evidence to back them up, but many people are adamant about this stuff.

It reminds me of a funny video I saw comparing women’s soaps, detergents, and body washes to men’s soaps. Women have creams and soaps for every part of their bodies.

You can even buy a four-step hair wash/cleansing thing that costs too much and smells like everything you want to sleep next to.

Men’s body wash is a combination of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, laundry detergent, toothpaste, and degreaser…

How Does Lucas Oil Stabilizer Work?

It is possible to design something to optimize engines that use both synthetic and conventional oil. The more you think about it, the more answers you come up with.

There is little to no technical information on Lucas Oil’s website. There are only claims without any evidence. Their website takes you back to 2004, when simple web video was all the rage.

I found the legal description of the oil stabilizer to be “Lubricating oils, petroleum, c>25, hydrotreated bright stock-based”.

Science Behind It: How Does It Work?

The material is very thick. At 212F (100C), the viscosity is 110, which is out of the ordinary for motor oil. In comparison, the viscosity of 5W-40 engine oil is 14-15 at 212F. A 10% increase in viscosity will give your engine oil a 20+. Now we’re talking about peanut butter babies.

The primary purpose of engine oil is to cool things down. It runs throughout the engine to make all of the parts in it as slippery as possible so they move back and forth extremely quickly.

Oil adds a (sometimes) microscopic layer of protection to metal parts, so they won’t burn up and stop working. The Lucas Oil Stabilizer is such a thick oil that it will delay the oil reaching vital engine components. This can lead to premature wear.

In the short term, older engines with oil leaks may benefit. Synthetic and less viscous oils tend to leak more when they encounter imperfections. Increasing the oil’s viscosity will temporarily reduce leaking and extend engine life, allowing you to get the repairs done.

If the rebuild price is too high, extending engine life temporarily can be a long-term solution. Theoretically, one can run the engine into the ground with this type of oil. It is up to the owner to decide.

Is Lucas Oil Stabilizer compatible with synthetic oil?

It is ideal to use synthetic oil. As the oil molecules are more uniform than mineral oil, it will lubricate the engine more effectively. It will also run thinner when starting compared to conventional oils.

As such, adding an oil stabilizer made from minerals will only make the engine run less efficiently. The viscosity will change, and in a normal engine running on optimum oil, this will not improve performance.

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What are the risks and benefits of Lucas Oil Stabilizer?

As a result of insufficient large-scale testing, there are not many data points to draw an honest conclusion. Many people are on both sides of the argument about whether this is snake oil or magic engine juice. Both positive and negative results have been documented.

Considering what we know from a scientific standpoint, we can conclude that the risks and benefits are minimal. Users have reported the following Lucas Oil Stabilizer problems:

Lower MPG
Increased engine wear
Harder cold starts
More frequent oil changes
Warranty voidance
Premature degradation of synthetic oil
No car manufacturer approves of it
No brand name oil manufacturer sells an oil stabilizer

In addition:

I have found these brands that sell oil stabilizers: Lucas, STP, Motion Plus, TriboTEX, Motor Medic, Slick 50, MotorKote, and Marvel Mystery Oil Enhancer, which I prefer.

Trust brands like Marvel Mystery Oil Enhancer, MotorKote, and Motor Medic? Do you prefer brands such as Valvoline, Mobil 1, and Shell? The comparison is clear to anyone.

Some have also reported benefits. Typically, they sound like:

Higher MPG
Longer engine life
Delay of complete engine failure
Temporary oil leak repair

Why are there some DIRECT contradictions between the two? The reported risks are based on sound engine mechanics and are science-based. However, the reported benefits are based on individual testimony.

Other than the delay of complete engine failure, it is common practice to use thicker oil on older engines to prolong their lives.

In a side-by-side comparison, none of the reported benefits have been proven. Instead, they are done on individual cases where owners could have done better without the oil stabilizer or would have been no different. They would never know because they only used the oil stabilizer consistently.

How Does Lucas Oil Stabilizer Work In Practice?

I am hesitant to make an exact one-size-fits-all conclusion. Any confidence in oil stabilizers is undermined by the lack of science and effective testing.

They claim to increase gas mileage and engine life. Many have reported lots of sludge in the engine and possible premature engine wear.

Every aspect of Boeing’s airplanes is tested. The 737 was introduced in 1978. It is the most popular plane in the world. In wind tunnels, they tested different shapes, jet placements, wing shapes, wingtips and even the point on the nose. This data helped them determine what works and what doesn’t.

Compare that to Lucas Oil Optimizer.

Statistical data does not play a significant role in determining whether or not it is worth it. The guys out of Corona, California don’t share any Lucas Oil Stabilizer test results with the public.

Due to the lack of concrete data, we can only conclude that the oil does not perform as promised. They make wonderful claims on their website.

Increase oil life at least 50% longer
Reduces oil consumption
Eliminates dry starts
Raises oil pressure
Increases power and miles per gallon

Here’s where I have a serious problem. In one bullet point, it is stated that it “raises oil pressure.”. Earlier in the paragraph they claim, “…allows motor oils to achieve a higher degree of lubricity, thus reducing oil consumption and operating temperatures.”.

That’s just not right. You can decrease engine temperatures by increasing lubrication, but the pressure would also decrease. Take the word of the University of Illinois instead of mine:

The average kinetic energy increases as the temperature increases … So as the temperature increases, the pressure must also increase. It is proportional to temperature.“

Therefore they claim the temperature will decrease, even though, in fact, the pressure can increase. Unless you have an engine that defies the laws of physics, this is incomprehensible.

I don’t want to throw away the baby with the bathwater. However, Lucas doesn’t inspire much confidence. They make baseless claims and some flat-out lies.

Lucia Oil Stabilizer seems to have put more effort into marketing than actual real-world research since they rely heavily on unsubstantiated claims rather than hard, road-tested data. In addition, the fact that no major conventional or petroleum oil retailer sells an oil stabilizer says something, while other additives are available.

Does Lucas Oil Stabilizer Actually Work?

The theory behind it may work, but the science behind it has not been proven. The best thing you can do is give it a try and see if it helps your problems! The 5-star rating on Amazon implies that many others have found it useful.