Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant substitute for 93 Octane?

[revdarkwing]

I just acquired a 2001 BMW X5 3 Liter 6 cyl with 105K miles on it. I just added a bottle of Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant and Injector Cleaner to the tank to clean the system if it needs it. BMW says to use 93 Octane which is currently around $1 per gallon higher than 87 octane.
I notice on the bottle it says it also eliminates the need for high octane fuel. Given I'd save aroung $15 - $20 on each fillup less the $5.78 for the lucas treatment, If this is true, it seems like a no brainer to use with every fillup.
Can anyone shed some light on the accuracy of this claim?
I also notice some cars "recommend" premium while others say "use only" premium fuel. Do they mean different things like it seems or is this just a different way of saying the same thing?
Thanks

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

I just acquired a 2001 BMW X5 3 Liter 6 cyl with 105K miles on it. I just added a bottle of Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant and Injector Cleaner to the tank to clean the system if it needs it. BMW says to use 93 Octane which is currently around $1 per gallon higher than 87 octane.
I notice on the bottle it says it also eliminates the need for high octane fuel. Given I'd save aroung $15 - $20 on each fillup less the $5.78 for the lucas treatment, If this is true, it seems like a no brainer to use with every fillup.
Can anyone shed some light on the accuracy of this claim?
I also notice some cars "recommend" premium while others say "use only" premium fuel. Do they mean different things like it seems or is this just a different way of saying the same thing?
Thanks

Is your car’s engine worth risking on a $6 bottle of third party “stuff” that won’t help you out if you destroy your engine? Guarantee they mean “at best” that it would help reduce an 87 octane engine back down to 87 octane.

No non-MMT or other octane boost additive can eliminate the need for higher octane when it’s due to high compression.

 

[Chris142]

We see this a lot at my work. People buy an expensive car then balk at the price of fueling and maintaining it.

It requires premium for optimal performance and mpg. Put premium in it.

 

[ripcord]

That Lucas additive wont improve the octane rating of the fuel so it's basically worthless for the purpose you're proposing. If you don't use high test fuel, then the ECU will have to retard the timing to eliminate pre-ignition (i.e. pinging or knocking) which will hurt fuel economy, increase emissions and probably increase deposits due to less efficient combustion.

 

[GMBoy]

The lucas fuel additive is pretty worthless as a cleaner and surely won't increase octane at all. It is an upper cylinder lube with that great Lucus marketing on the bottle. It's not doing anything for you but not hurting anything but your wallet. Run the fuel BMW says too.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

I just acquired a 2001 BMW X5 3 Liter 6 cyl with 105K miles on it. I just added a bottle of Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant and Injector Cleaner to the tank to clean the system if it needs it. BMW says to use 93 Octane which is currently around $1 per gallon higher than 87 octane.
I notice on the bottle it says it also eliminates the need for high octane fuel. Given I'd save aroung $15 - $20 on each fillup less the $5.78 for the lucas treatment, If this is true, it seems like a no brainer to use with every fillup.
Can anyone shed some light on the accuracy of this claim?
I also notice some cars "recommend" premium while others say "use only" premium fuel. Do they mean different things like it seems or is this just a different way of saying the same thing?
Thanks

No

 

[Cujet]

That Lucas additive wont improve the octane rating of the fuel so it's basically worthless for the purpose you're proposing.

Correct,

The reason is that oil reduces the octane of gasoline, and the Lucas additive contains a thin oil.

Lucas says this: "A powerful blend of oils and additives that contain no solvents"

 

[revdarkwing]

Is your car’s engine worth risking on a $6 bottle of third party “stuff” that won’t help you out if you destroy your engine? Guarantee they mean “at best” that it would help reduce an 87 octane engine back down to 87 octane.

No non-MMT or other octane boost additive can eliminate the need for higher octane when it’s due to high compression.

I have had premium required and recommended cars for years and I'm not unwilling to use it if it really needs it. Now you are saying that lucas products will destroy my engine.. I don't think so.. but I get your point about high compression engines. Just because I ask the question, doesn't mean I'm not willing to buy premium. This car is replacing my wife's 1996 Mercedes C220 I bought her new and filled with premium gas and used Mobil 1 exclusively from day 1. Only saw it go because my daughter wrecked it. It only had 120k on it too.
Thanks for your opinion.

 

[revdarkwing]

That Lucas additive wont improve the octane rating of the fuel so it's basically worthless for the purpose you're proposing. If you don't use high test fuel, then the ECU will have to retard the timing to eliminate pre-ignition (i.e. pinging or knocking) which will hurt fuel economy, increase emissions and probably increase deposits due to less efficient combustion.

I bought it to clean the injectors. Will use Seafoam next time. I tried it because a rating site rated it best for cleaning diesel injectors and I have an old Mercedes Diesel I just got as well.

 

[spasm3]

I bought it to clean the injectors. Will use Seafoam next time. I tried it because a rating site rated it best for cleaning diesel injectors and I have an old Mercedes Diesel I just got as well.

Seafoam is no better. I would not add it to an engine requiring premium fuel ( or any engine i own) . Seafoam is oil and alcohol with some naptha. Oil reduces octane.

 

[kschachn]

Another big fat no.

A lot of imagination about what the octane rating of fuel means and does not mean and what it does and does not do.

 

[kschachn]

I have had premium required and recommended cars for years and I'm not unwilling to use it if it really needs it. Now you are saying that lucas products will destroy my engine.. I don't think so.. but I get your point about high compression engines. Just because I ask the question, doesn't mean I'm not willing to buy premium. This car is replacing my wife's 1996 Mercedes C220 I bought her new and filled with premium gas and used Mobil 1 exclusively from day 1. Only saw it go because my daughter wrecked it. It only had 120k on it too.
Thanks for your opinion.

Who said it would destroy your engine? What I’m reading is that it won’t raise the octane like you are hoping.

Making up stuff doesn’t help the conversation very much.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Seafoam is no better.

 

[revdarkwing]

Seafoam is no better. I would not add it to an engine requiring premium fuel ( or any engine i own) . Seafoam is oil and alcohol with some naptha. Oil reduces octane.

So, is there something that is good for occasionally cleaning injectors or are they all a waste of money and injectors don't need cleaning via gas additives? You got me a liitle confused as I watch my well constructed bubble of misinformation that I apparently have been living in crumble slowly into rubble around me.
PS: i own TurboDiesel too... love it.

 

[ripcord]

So, is there something that is good for occasionally cleaning injectors or are they all a waste of money and injectors don't need cleaning via gas additives? You got me a liitle confused as I watch my well constructed bubble of misinformation that I apparently have been living in crumble slowly into rubble around me.

Additives that contain PEA like Techron, Gumout Regane COMPLETE, and similar products are good. Berryman's B12 is also well regarded.

 

[spasm3]

.

 

[spasm3]

So, is there something that is good for occasionally cleaning injectors or are they all a waste of money and injectors don't need cleaning via gas additives? You got me a liitle confused as I watch my well constructed bubble of misinformation that I apparently have been living in crumble slowly into rubble around me.
PS: i own TurboDiesel too... love it.

Additives that contain PEA like Techron, Gumout Regane COMPLETE, and similar products are good. Berryman's B12 is also well regarded.

This!

I use berryman B-12 for a tank, then a tank of Techron. I usually do this a few tanks before an oil change.

The berryman B-12 has strong solvents, the Techron has PEA as a detergent.

 

[GMBoy]

Let me give you a quick summary: If the car maker says Premium Required - then it is required. If it says Recommended then you can run premium for best performance but 87 is fine too with a little less power. If you want to really clean your injectors you need a cleaner with PEA additives - only thing proven to work. Examples are Chevron Techron, Gumout Regane and complete fuel system cleaner and I believe Royal Purple. Berrymans B12 is strong too. Seafoam, Lucus, regular STP and such will do nothing.

 

[GSCJR]

Gumout Regane COMPLETE

Gumout Regane complete fuel system cleaner

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