LC20 and a question

[Crashbox]

Well, I received my two gallons of LC20 yesterday and filled the nifty dispenser bottle up. I went and added the LC20 to my '95 Civic real early this morning and was not paying an awful lot of attention and put about 7 ounces in an approximate 4-quart capacity crankcase (I use the big Wix 51344s on it). This amounts to about two ounces per quart- is this amount excessive? Somehow I really don't think so but that's my question. I must also mention that the engine seems quieter at idle; *noticeably* so for that matter!

I'm currently running AMSOIL ASL 5w30 in the Civic FWIW.

Thank you in advance.

CB

 

[martyi]

From what I understand, this doseage is the one they use to recommend. Now, it is one once per quart. However, used oil analysis (if Terry Dyson has input) can fine tune the amount. It may be more than you put in or it may be less. In any event, you should not worry about the amount you put in at this point.

 

[Crashbox]

Well, I guess it's no problem at all- reckon I shoulda thought it out before wasting valuable BITOG real estate. Sorry folks...

My major concern was the solvent effect of LC20 but it's probably just a nice side benefit from its chemical makeup...

EDIT: thanks martyi for the info, yes, my dispenser bottle does have the older recommendation but I thought perhaps the formula was changed and the dosage might have been more critical now.

 

[deepsquat]

New recommendation has actually been uped to 3 oz per quart I believ ...or is that 3 oz per 1000 mile s.... any way not going to hurt anything ...just add anoth 2-3 oz in 100 miles .

 

[martyi]

I looked at the LC/FP (Lubecontrol) website just now and the recommended doseage is 1 oz. per quart for the initial treatment and 1 to 2 oz. every thousand miles thereafter. Again, this is fine tuned for you depending on the results of your UOA.

 

[bkrell]

LC is an ester and is 20w. You're not going to hurt anything by adding too much. It's solvency isn't a side effect, it' the main reason to use it.

 

[Pablo]

CB - that amount is about right, no issue.

bkrell wrote

quote:

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LC is an ester and is 20w. You're not going to hurt anything by adding too much.

---

Not exactly and YES you can overdilute your oil with LC. You cannot run LC straight nor at 50% dilution. There are simply not enough AW additives in LC to make it a good oil. Careful with your words.

 

[bkrell]

Yes, you are right and I apologize if I gave anyone the impression that you can run nothing but LC.

I had hoped no one got that impression.

I simply meant to imply a little too much isn't going to hurt anything. LC is a combination of esters, is it not? Or were you just disputing the second part of my statement.

 

[Pablo]

Sorry I wasn't trying to be buttboy. It's just that some people read these posts/threads as gospel. You might be surprised at what comes back to haunt you

No, LC is very old school chemistry. One of the components is said to be related to an ester, but it is not a combination of esters.

 

[bkrell]

Oh, well...I had read in a post (see what you mean) that it was soy esters and rapeseed esters(read similar to canola oil) and maybe another ester. I thought I was reinforced since they claim to be all natural, just like ARX. That seems to be the trend among these ester compounds and the chemical companies that produce them. They describe them as all natural.

I'll make sure I wasn't just smoking something.

 

[Crashbox]

I find it both fascinating and puzzling that LC has been around for perhaps half a century or so and yet has not exploded in popularity. Did LC have a previous name(s)?

I do know this; the addition of LC20 has definitely made the Civic quieter- the "tap-tap-tap" of the valvetrain is significantly less.

Good stuff.

 

[Pablo]

Lyndendude - your ASL probably just needed thinning

 

[Crashbox]

That was kinda my thought too, Pablo, and I think you're correct- that car has gone only 58+ Kmiles in 11 years.

Super-tight engine with super-good oil in it, and thinned just a tad with LC20. She's a happy tin-can wonder.

 

[LCD]

Crashbox,

LC has been around for many years and never really took off because it never had solid continuous marketing and capital.

It has been called microlube, power back, esden oil, and of course lube control.

We are working very hard to get it out and finally get the attention this unique chemistry deserves.

 

[Crashbox]

Thank you for the info, lcd.

On a different LC20 topic, one of my gallon jugs (minus a pint) was exhibiting a very, very slight "weeping" at the seams near the very top of the bottle. My thoughts are possible "Component X" evaporation through the seam and re-forming. Anyway, I fixed it with a small bead of "super" glue. I've never seen this before but I thought I'd mention it in case there's a defective batch of containers.

Now to try the FP60! Just ordered two gallons of that too...

 

[Crashbox]

HMMM... my 7/8ths-full FP60 bottle is now doing the same thing! Puzzling. I'll see if alpha-cyanoacrylate adhesive along the seam cures this one too. Maybe it's something else but it does have my curiosity piqued.

 

[Terry]

LC is not a ester, but a NEAR ester lubricous solvent technology. Actually the product can behave almost like a fully formulated lubricant in its own right. I have used it at 30% levels in PCMO with NO problems. Its vis shearing capability is over blown here. We have found it actually stabilizes the design vis of the oil it is added to. It also seems to positively affect the internal and external oxidation rates of the lubricant.. Why the fuels companies aren't knocking down LCD doors for oxidation reduction use of FP60 is past me. Just overlooked I suppose.

What crashbox is noting in valvetrain noise reduction with this relatively thin fluid is the AW and EP capability of LC. It loves high heat/pressure and will use both with present levels of carbon soots to behave like molecular colloidal graphite as Odis used to say.
60 + years of being hidden from the chemistry lube geeks and undiscovered, this is the kind of technology I love to share here!

 

[Crashbox]

Thanks, Terry. I was definitely wondering why the reduction in valvetrain noise was so significant. Having previously driven solid-lifter slant sixes for many years (a great, GREAT engine in its day!!!), valvetrain noise is something I'm accustomed to hearing; any reduction does stand out.

As for FP60, this is amazing stuff too. I added approx. three ounces along with about five ounces of MMO to my Civic's tank and drove about 200 miles yesterday (again, I wasn't watching what I was doing and added more than intended). I truly did not believe that my Civic could possibly run any smoother than it has been with a recent ARX treatment, LC20 and MMO. Well, I was wrong. The FP60 DEFINITELY made a difference!!!!!! I'm only mixing the MMO with FP60 for dispensing convenience as I mentioned in another post.

Yep, I think I'll stick with LC20, FP60 and the occasional Auto-Rx treatment. As far as *my* additive needs go (YMMV), I see no other reason to use anything else in my Civic.

I'm sold.

 

[martyi]

From what I've read around here using LC20/FP60 in a clean engine to start with will keep it clean - no need for RX. As I understand it, RX cleans, LC maintains.

 

[Crashbox]

I thought I read somewhere here on BITOG that ARX is in fact superior for cleaning the ring packs versus LC20 because of its chemistry. The need to use ARX, however, may possibly decrease if LC20 is used regularly but I'm just speculating.