Lucas oil stabilizer in a hydraulic system?

[nikonNUT]

Hey guys,
Got one that baffled me. Had a customer come in with a roll back wrecker cylinder that needed rebuilt ("Works great, just blew a seal."). Cool, we can fix you up! They they ask what kind of oil they should be running. I suggest AW46 or AW68 unless it's red and then it's running ATF. They say it is red but the guy they bought if from said to put Lucas Oil stablizer in they system. "He did what now? That doesn't sound right... Pumps don't like thick oil." They tell me that it doesn't seem to have much power. I just shook my head and told them we would get the cylinder repacked. My question for the mechanics. Will Lucas soften hydraulic seals or cause other issues? I can't image that a pump wants to see extra thick oil. We aren't talking about 60PSI in a crank case. The seals we (and everybody else uses) are rated for 5000 to 6000 PSI spike and 3500PSI continuous. The ONLY thing I have ever recommended in a hydraulic system is CAT 1U-9891. It's a low friction additive that eliminates stick-slip and the "moan" that is associated with said stick-slip. What say y'all? Did they fuck up adding Lucas or will everything be hunky dory? I am at a loss information wise.

edited to add : Not some Lucas... STRAIGHT Lucas!

 

[Bradu]

So you're saying they the system is filled with mainly Lucas additive?

 

[Hobo Hilton]

I run Lucas products. I have repaired many hudraulic systems in plant equipment and heavy equipment (CAT, etc).
"Depending on the hydraulic system", I see no issue with running Lucas as an additive.
It will help on a system that experiences "foaming". That is a topic for another time.
It is a good product and I don't see anything in it that would destroy seals, hoses or pump vanes.
JMHO

Universal Hydraulic & Transmission Fluid – Lucas Oil Products, Inc. – Keep That Engine Alive!

www.lucasoil.com

 

[Maggot]

I dont know about the Lucas but the crap they sell with molybenum will damn sure soften them and make them leak like a sieve.

 

[whatsupdoc]

Isn't Lucas Oil stabilizer an engine oil additive?

Sounds odd, we used Telus32 in most our hydraulic equipment.

 

[alpine44]

Lucas is a brand that sells many products.
Lucas Oil Stabilizer is definitely the wrong product for a hydraulic system. It even say's on the can/bottle "Keep that ENGINE alive".
Lucas also makes hydraulic products.

 

[n2ishun]

Not uncommon to add *some* (like 1/4 ounce per gallon) of brake fluid to soften seals.
I've seen it up front and center stop leaking power steering gearboxes MANY times.
Considering the gearbox can easily cost $1000 on an older vehicle that's only worth $4-5k it's a no brainer.

If the shaft in a hydr. ram is all scratched up, something to thicken the oil might help, but use a reasonable amount.
I've also seen adding a small amount of STP (the thick as shit additive) to silence the old Ford power steering pumps, works a treat.
The old Ford pumps were notorious for whining......if any of you guys can remember that far back ?

The other standard thing was adding coarse ground black pepper to a coolant system that had a few pinhole leaks in the radiator.
Doesn't clog the system at all....it eventually gets to the leaking area and just plugs the hole, works better than any over the counter leak stop.

 

[nikonNUT]

So you're saying they the system is filled with mainly Lucas additive?

I'd say at least 95%. Pulled the cylinder down and thought it was empty. Took about a minute for that honey like stuff to start draining out.

I run Lucas products. I have repaired many hudraulic systems in plant equipment and heavy equipment (CAT, etc).
"Depending on the hydraulic system", I see no issue with running Lucas as an additive.
It will help on a system that experiences "foaming". That is a topic for another time.
It is a good product and I don't see anything in it that would destroy seals, hoses or pump vanes.
JMHO

Universal Hydraulic & Transmission Fluid – Lucas Oil Products, Inc. – Keep That Engine Alive!

www.lucasoil.com

UDT is good (for the necessary application) and I sell it as a universal replacement for most everything with a shared hydraulic resevoir a'la shuttle shift transmissions, wet brakes, etc. The only nono is when John Deere Lo Vis is involved. That stuff is special. As for Lucas... Im sure their UDT meets all the same specs but $44.00/gallon? My UDT is $68.50 for a 5 gallon pail and even that is rediculous! And this customer doesn't need UDT... It's just a PTO driven pump so fiction modifiers and ant-foam agents should not be necessary. Not saying everytime but when a farmer, etc mentions foaming my first question is are all the fittings tight and is the resevior full (cause something is sucking air or the pump is cavitating)? Second is how much water in the system? The cylinder is always the culprit of course. Customer says "You rebuilt this and it won't move! I wanna warranty!" Bring it in, hook it up to the test bench, and run it in and out smooth as butter. Well bud, you have a valve or pump issue.

Lucas is a brand that sells many products.
Lucas Oil Stabilizer is definitely the wrong product for a hydraulic system. It even say's on the can/bottle "Keep that ENGINE alive".
Lucas also makes hydraulic products.

That was exactly my though. I even asked if they were using the thick stuff in the quart bottles. They said yes (and that was what the guy they bought it from told them to use <cough>) and then I pulled the cylinder down. Eek!

 

[nikonNUT]

I honestly think they heard Lucas and their brains just went to oil stabilizer. Hydraulic fluid never crossed their minds which Lucas offers from ISO22 thru ISO220 (Jesus!). I can only imagine what that poor pump is going thru trying to push that stuff. AW46 is like 10w30 according to my oil guy. Winter ought to be inteesting when they get called out on a tow!