Ok, i'll cut right to the chase...
Car: 1999 Pontiac Grand Am GT 3.4L V6
Mileage: 57000 miles (yeah, it sits alot)
Oil: Pennzoil Platinum full synthetic 5W-30
Never used Lucas UCL in it before. Did however use acetone once or twice, semi-synth 2 cycle oil, techron, greased lighting, prestone injection cleaner, and every other kind of injector cleaner on shelves. It would see injector cleaners like every other oil change. Also, 89 (midgrade) was all it ever saw, becuase everytime I would put 87 in it, it would shake like a cocaine addict experiencing withdrawal effects. Usually fill up at the same Citgo next to my house.
At about 54000 miles, it developed a really bad hesitation at idle and low rpms. It would shake horribly. Only putting premium shell gas would make it subside, but nowhere near completely. It would throw the misfire code for one cylinder. I tried a tank with acetone, one with 2 cycle oil, and several tanks with tons of injector cleaner, all to no avail. So I just gave up, went back to 89 octane, and just put up with the shuddering and the horrible gas mileage (it is just the family beater anyway).
One day, I was strolling through Autozone, I decided to pick up a quart of Lucas and try it just for the heck of it.
Tank before LUCL: 89 octane, nothing special in tank, the usual shuddering, 15-17 mpgs (this is the usual)
First tank with LUCL (3 oz per 10 gal): For some reason, I just decided to put 87 ocane in this tank, repeat, 87 octane, thinking this greasy slop will help retard the burn enough. Lo and behold, within the first quarter tank, I noticed a subdued idle, (like when I would put shell premium in it). Towards the end of the tank, hesitation was almost completely gone, and idle was somewhat quieter. I also noticed that, when warmed up, if I shut the car off, I could start her back up with a single turnover of the crank, repeatedly, over and over and over. NEVER BEFORE WOULD IT DO THIS!!!!! It would always crank 4-5 times, no matter the engine temp. Gas mnileage for this tank was 18.7 mpg. Not bad, I thought.
Next tank (still using same dose of LUCL) (still 87 octane): Hesitation COMPLETELY GONE. Noticed a bit more pep than usual. I blipped the throttle from a stop, it broke the tires loose for 1 full second. You're thinking, yeah, placebo effect, but NO, my sister, who also drives the car, comes up to me after a drive and asks mre if I did anything to the car (she did not know I did anything). She told me, quote, "Oh my God, it soo much power now. And it doesn't shake anymore. What did you do to it??!!" I just told her not to worry her little head.
Mpgs for this tank was 21.2. Sweeeeeeet.
Third tank: No Lucas at all, still regular 87 octane. No noticable change for the first couple of miles. And then, the cursed hesitation comes back!!! I blip the throttle from a stop and no tire chirp at all, weak takeoff. I tried starting the car, (when warm), with a single crank, she starts a little and dies right away, try it again, dies, try it again and press the throttle slightly to keep it from dying. Fu**. Back to its regular self.
I'm still waiting for this tank to drain out. I can barely wait for the lucas.
So basically, Lucas rids my car of hesitation, gets me way better mpgs, gives me more pep in the low rpms. And lets me use 87 octane gas, which saves me an extra 4 bucks a tank.
Frpom what I read, some cars like Lucas, some don't. Well, mine loves it!
BTW I did notice some BITOGERS mentioning that Lucas is notorious for putting greasy slop in a bottle and slapping a label on it. I don't know what they mean by that, but if greasy slop is what my car loves, then soouueey, come and get it pig.
Car: 1999 Pontiac Grand Am GT 3.4L V6
Mileage: 57000 miles (yeah, it sits alot)
Oil: Pennzoil Platinum full synthetic 5W-30
Never used Lucas UCL in it before. Did however use acetone once or twice, semi-synth 2 cycle oil, techron, greased lighting, prestone injection cleaner, and every other kind of injector cleaner on shelves. It would see injector cleaners like every other oil change. Also, 89 (midgrade) was all it ever saw, becuase everytime I would put 87 in it, it would shake like a cocaine addict experiencing withdrawal effects. Usually fill up at the same Citgo next to my house.
At about 54000 miles, it developed a really bad hesitation at idle and low rpms. It would shake horribly. Only putting premium shell gas would make it subside, but nowhere near completely. It would throw the misfire code for one cylinder. I tried a tank with acetone, one with 2 cycle oil, and several tanks with tons of injector cleaner, all to no avail. So I just gave up, went back to 89 octane, and just put up with the shuddering and the horrible gas mileage (it is just the family beater anyway).
One day, I was strolling through Autozone, I decided to pick up a quart of Lucas and try it just for the heck of it.
Tank before LUCL: 89 octane, nothing special in tank, the usual shuddering, 15-17 mpgs (this is the usual)
First tank with LUCL (3 oz per 10 gal): For some reason, I just decided to put 87 ocane in this tank, repeat, 87 octane, thinking this greasy slop will help retard the burn enough. Lo and behold, within the first quarter tank, I noticed a subdued idle, (like when I would put shell premium in it). Towards the end of the tank, hesitation was almost completely gone, and idle was somewhat quieter. I also noticed that, when warmed up, if I shut the car off, I could start her back up with a single turnover of the crank, repeatedly, over and over and over. NEVER BEFORE WOULD IT DO THIS!!!!! It would always crank 4-5 times, no matter the engine temp. Gas mnileage for this tank was 18.7 mpg. Not bad, I thought.
Next tank (still using same dose of LUCL) (still 87 octane): Hesitation COMPLETELY GONE. Noticed a bit more pep than usual. I blipped the throttle from a stop, it broke the tires loose for 1 full second. You're thinking, yeah, placebo effect, but NO, my sister, who also drives the car, comes up to me after a drive and asks mre if I did anything to the car (she did not know I did anything). She told me, quote, "Oh my God, it soo much power now. And it doesn't shake anymore. What did you do to it??!!" I just told her not to worry her little head.
Third tank: No Lucas at all, still regular 87 octane. No noticable change for the first couple of miles. And then, the cursed hesitation comes back!!! I blip the throttle from a stop and no tire chirp at all, weak takeoff. I tried starting the car, (when warm), with a single crank, she starts a little and dies right away, try it again, dies, try it again and press the throttle slightly to keep it from dying. Fu**. Back to its regular self.
I'm still waiting for this tank to drain out. I can barely wait for the lucas.
So basically, Lucas rids my car of hesitation, gets me way better mpgs, gives me more pep in the low rpms. And lets me use 87 octane gas, which saves me an extra 4 bucks a tank.
Frpom what I read, some cars like Lucas, some don't. Well, mine loves it!
BTW I did notice some BITOGERS mentioning that Lucas is notorious for putting greasy slop in a bottle and slapping a label on it. I don't know what they mean by that, but if greasy slop is what my car loves, then soouueey, come and get it pig.
