LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Maintenance advice to keep your Spider in shape.
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whiterabbit

LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by whiterabbit »

Finally got some GL1 from Nappa and a 12mm allen wrench and was gonna'a change the tranny fluid and was thinking of putting some Lucas additive in too. I've had great results in engines,trannys,and axles with it but always safe to ask first. Ok to use in axle and 5speed tranny?
Thanks
'81 FI spider with 75,000 miles on it.
coise

Re: LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by coise »

Fiat recommend GL1 with specifically no additive. The addditive will most likely stop the foaming effect of the GL1 and because it contains zinc dialkyldithiophosphate that will wear out the brass synchro inside the tranny, it happened to me... :cry:
Also don´t put 20W50 engine oil in it, like some people recommend, once again it contains harmful modern additives, and you will have a bad suprise after a few hundred miles when the trans starts singing ... :?
You can get the right oil from VICK´s or other part suppliers.
That my suggestion I hope that will help.
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pressonregardless
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Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:02 pm
Your car is a: 1974 Spider
Location: Atwater, Ca

Re: LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by pressonregardless »

There are countless Threads stating only Transmission: NAPA SAE90 GL-1. Part# 65-201 GL-1 ONLY!!!!!

Lucas is a great product, engine, sure. 40 year old brass syncro tranny, NO.
1974 Spider, 1756cc, points & Carb, 118K California miles
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124ADDHE
Posts: 365
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 11:19 pm
Your car is a: 1974 Spider Amalgamation with C40 Solex
Location: Salmon Arm, BC, Canada

Re: LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by 124ADDHE »

20-50 is fine, anyone who claims otherwise has never used it....believe me, engine oil DOES NOT eat metal...simple fact!

EP is different. Many people run 20-50, if you dont like it then fine, dont use it but surely dont preach it to be anything oither than an option.
Regards,
Keith Cox
1973 124 Spider
1973 John Deere 500c backhoe
1987 Jaguar VDP
2013 passat tdi
2015 cherokee
124cso

Re: LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by 124cso »

Oil companies make engine oils and they make gear oils. Very rarely you might find a 'universal oil' but that is generally for tractors and the like using a Hydramatic type semi-manual trans.
The old British Leyland (original) Minis ( like in THE REAL Italian Job film) had their gearbox located in the bottom of the sump and shared the engine oil.
Some of them are mighty noisey in the gears for a reason!
TX82FIAT
Posts: 1814
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 11:04 am
Your car is a: 82 Fiat Spider 2000 CSO
Location: San Antonio

Re: LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by TX82FIAT »

Lucas in the engine or in the differential is fine. I would not use it in the transmission. My two cents is that the GL1 that you can get from NAPA is best for the brass syncro rings. As an alternative you can try the redline GL5.
Buon giro a tutti! - enjoy the ride!

82 Fiat Spider 2000
03 BMW M3
07 Chevy Suburban
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seabeelt
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Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:22 pm
Your car is a: Fiat Spider - 1971 BS1
Location: Tiverton, RI

Re: LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by seabeelt »

Here we go again!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Michael and Deborah Williamson
1971 Spider -Tropie’ - w screaming IDFs
1971 Spider - Vesper -scrapped
1979 Spider - Seraphina - our son's car now sold
1972 Spider - Tortellini- our son's current
wikkid

Re: LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by wikkid »

Just for people searching in the future, another source for GL-1 oil is Tractor Supply:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/hydraulic- ... l--0806600
So Cal Mark

Re: LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by So Cal Mark »

chemical engineers from both Castrol and Royal Purple have told me to use 40w motor oil in the tranny in place of GL1. Lucas isn't going to eat your synchros, but my experience with Lucas is (depending on the percentage of blend you use) is that you may have trouble shifting in cold weather until the oil warms up. What I like about the Lucas oil treatment is that is that the molecules stick together, so you have lubrication even if the car has been sitting for long periods.
124cso

Re: LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by 124cso »

Interstingly, I had a 125 in the 70s. It had the same 4 speed box (the 5th in a 124 is in that additional housing at the rear) and the manual for it says an EP oil for the diff and gearbox, 90 weight.
whiterabbit

Re: LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by whiterabbit »

OH LORD!!!!!! Oil opinions and ideas seem to bring out the dark side in everyone. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
Kind'a like asking what's the best beer to drink. :wink:
Didn't put Lucas it the tranny, just GL1. I do run it in the engine and axle. :lol: I run it in all my high mileage bikes too.
So Cal Mark

Re: LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by So Cal Mark »

the only way to determine which beer is best is to try them all :D
124cso

Re: LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by 124cso »

So Cal Mark wrote:the only way to determine which beer is best is to try them all :D
But not French Beer ! Now that really does taste like (one would imagine) piss !

Out of curiosity, are there any members here based in Italy ? Or have family / friends in Italy ?
Reason for asking is - Are the "Fiat" branded oils listed in our handbooks and workshop manuals still available ex the Italian dealers ???
whiterabbit

Re: LUCAS in the engine and tranny?

Post by whiterabbit »

Try them all? That's the best advice I've gotten all week! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Yea, Lucas makes your oil pretty sticky. I run it in bikes that use 50wt in the winter and 60wt in the summer. Roller bearing main and rod bearings, so low oil pressure is the norm. Bronze cam bushings too! I now run straight Valvoline racing 50wt (high zinc) year round with no death rattle.
Thanks all for your advice and comments.
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