[ronsam79]

Hi
My mechanic has recommend lucas oil additives for my engine and transmission but i have been hesitant to do so what does everyone think and has anyone actually added this stuff to there car.
I have a small leak coming from my trany cooler seals my mechanic seems to think that lucas will swell the seals and stop the leaks ?
I flush my engine with trans X engine flush bottle once a year for 10 minutes he is saying that since Saab is known for sludge that i should flush every other oil change is that recommended or should i stick with once a year.
Any recommendations is appreciated.
Thanks
Ron

 

[mr_saab]

From someone who has pretty much bought most of the fancy oil additives in that one particular aisle at Canadian Tire or any other parts store back when i got my first car. I can honestly say that most of them are snake oil (Thickened oil / gimmicks / or temporary fixes). I've tried both Lucas oils and additives for both the engine and automatic transmissions and they really didn't do anything for me. You need to understand that the additive your mechanic is speaking of will have a 50/50 chance of swelling up the seals and possibly stopping or slowing down your leak. Its just for how long. Additives are not a permanent fix, just temporary. If you're on a budget and can't afford to have the leak fixed right away and need to buy some time, then give it a try you will only lose $10 if it doesn't work. But you will have to address that problem sometime soon in the future, it will still need to be fixed. Most anti-leak additives are just band aids to your underlying issue.

As for Saabs and sludge I have read on this forum and others that certain older generations were harder on oil and if the oil change interval was let go over a certain amount of mileage there was a chance of sludge buildup. I think it was the generation before 2003 with the 2.3L engines. Anyway if your engine is clean and you change your oil regularly then flush once along with every oil change should be fine. Its all about the mileage on the oil. I've also read of several owners of your generation using Shell Rotella T6 oil with great success in keeping their car sludge free. Its listed as a diesel oil but really should be an HDEO (Heavy Duty Engine Oil) for engines that are harder on oils than usual. It has a high additive pack that resists sludge more than regular oil.

Honestly though you should head over to the OG9-3 section of the forum and ask the people who own the same car as you. They're the ones who would know best about the sludge question: CLICK HERE

 

[ronsam79]

Thanks for the response.
We never changed the seals on the trany cooler because the fluid doesnt go down or drip on the drive way we only noticed a little leak because i clean my engine once a year so my engine is clean and we noticed moisture on the side of the rad but my mechanic said its not a big deal and to leave it for now but suggested that lucas could help but i opted not to add it as i agree a mechanic in a bottle is not a solution but for some reason my mechanic really likes this stuff and he is not trying to sell me something as most of the time i dont even pay he is a friend of the family.
I use 10w30 but get a oil change every 4000kms so i will stick with just regular oil changes and a flush once a year thanks for the info.

 

[Roscoe_P_Coltrane]

Here's the products/uses that I've come to find the most effective over the years of trying things.

Fuel Additives:

Techron Fuel System Cleaner. 1-2 treatments per year seems to work great for preventative maintenance. Every oil change (per instructions) seems excessive IMO. Especially if you use 93 Octane gas from a popular/name brand like Shell, Exxon, etc. Those fuels have additives already in them that help to prevent deposits within the fuel system, so Techron at every 3-5k is just overkill and a waste of $.

Oil Additives:

Auto-RX. This is an awesome product for cleaning up the internals of an aging engine. It's not the cheapest and it can only be ordered via the company website but if used every 50-75k, it has proven to keep things really clean. It's also a much lengthier treatment process that works best with standard/dino oil, but it's worth it to make the switch for a few OCIs and then switch back to synthetic once the cleaning process is complete.

Seafoam is another good one, but I don't prefer it added to fuel or to the crankcase. IMO, Seafoam works best when applied via a good vacuum source and allowed to burn off carbon deposits. It can create quite a bit of smoke from the exhaust while burning it off but that just means that it's doing its job of getting rid of all of that crap from internals. Note: I would strongly advise that after you've done this and all the smoke has cleared, to immediately do an oil change and do new plugs as well. Seafoam treatments like this have been know to foul plugs and may contaminate the oil as well, so it's best to give your freshly cleaned internals fresh oil and fresh sparks.

Transmission Additives:

Again, Auto-RX can be used here (especially for auto trans) and does a good job of cleaning things out. It's a similarly lengthy treatment process and requires multiple fluid drains/fills but it has been known to bring life back to an aging transmission that is mechanically sound, but loosing efficiency due to buildup of old/dirty fluids.

For the manual guys (especially us F40 owners that suffer with the notoriously clunky/notchy shifts between 1-2-3), A good trans drain/fill with fresh fluids + a small amount of Motorkote (you can find it at most Walmarts) has been reported by those that have tried it to do a great job at smoothing things out "like butta".

 

[ronsam79]

Thanks for the reply.
Does Saab require 93 octane ?
I use regular gas as gas prices are so high.
The manual says that i can use regular gas but is it recommended to use 93?
Am I harming my car or just loosing horse power.
In Canada i noticed that 10% ethanol is added to regular gas.
Thanks again.

 

[Alejo_NIN]

i just did my very first change with rotella T5, going rotella T6 in the enxt oil change (2 weeks from now)

i've used rotella T6 on all my turbo cars with great success.
single weight, meant to run on very hot engines( diesel) so, if 100,000 dollars, million miles truck trust it...i will too.

evry other oil (redline, royal purple, lucas ) are all crap.

 

[mr_saab]

Thanks for the reply.
Does Saab require 93 octane ?
I use regular gas as gas prices are so high.
The manual says that i can use regular gas but is it recommended to use 93?
Am I harming my car or just loosing horse power.
In Canada i noticed that 10% ethanol is added to regular gas.
Thanks again.

I wouldn't run 87 long term, you can run it occasionally, but you really should be running 91 because it is a high revving turbo charged engine. The higher octane is to avoid engine knock. Your saab ignition system will detect what octane is being used in the engine and make the appropriate adjustments to burn it properly, but to get the most out out of your saab in term of fuel economy and performance its best to run premium gas.

 

[mr_saab]

Here's the products/uses that I've come to find the most effective over the years of trying things.

Fuel Additives:

Techron Fuel System Cleaner. 1-2 treatments per year seems to work great for preventative maintenance. Every oil change (per instructions) seems excessive IMO. Especially if you use 93 Octane gas from a popular/name brand like Shell, Exxon, etc. Those fuels have additives already in them that help to prevent deposits within the fuel system, so Techron at every 3-5k is just overkill and a waste of $.

Oil Additives:

Auto-RX. This is an awesome product for cleaning up the internals of an aging engine. It's not the cheapest and it can only be ordered via the company website but if used every 50-75k, it has proven to keep things really clean. It's also a much lengthier treatment process that works best with standard/dino oil, but it's worth it to make the switch for a few OCIs and then switch back to synthetic once the cleaning process is complete.

Seafoam is another good one, but I don't prefer it added to fuel or to the crankcase. IMO, Seafoam works best when applied via a good vacuum source and allowed to burn off carbon deposits. It can create quite a bit of smoke from the exhaust while burning it off but that just means that it's doing its job of getting rid of all of that crap from internals. Note: I would strongly advise that after you've done this and all the smoke has cleared, to immediately do an oil change and do new plugs as well. Seafoam treatments like this have been know to foul plugs and may contaminate the oil as well, so it's best to give your freshly cleaned internals fresh oil and fresh sparks.

Transmission Additives:

Again, Auto-RX can be used here (especially for auto trans) and does a good job of cleaning things out. It's a similarly lengthy treatment process and requires multiple fluid drains/fills but it has been known to bring life back to an aging transmission that is mechanically sound, but loosing efficiency due to buildup of old/dirty fluids.

For the manual guys (especially us F40 owners that suffer with the notoriously clunky/notchy shifts between 1-2-3), A good trans drain/fill with fresh fluids + a small amount of Motorkote (you can find it at most Walmarts) has been reported by those that have tried it to do a great job at smoothing things out "like butta".

I've heard of Techron Fuel system cleaner, but its not readily available in Canada. The main ingredient that makes Techron work so well is called PEA. This chemical really cleans. A good substitute for people in Canada is Redline S1 or Motomaster F1 fuel system cleaner which both contain PEA. I've also tried Seafoam, great product...miracle in a can. I haven't done the suction through the manifold trick, but i have run it through my outdoor power equipment. Cleaned the internals really well.

 

[ronsam79]

I'm going to start using 91 octane every other tank if it saves on gas then i guess i will use less and the higher price might not be that bad.
Thanks for the info;ol;

 

[EdT]

Thanks for the reply.
Does Saab require 93 octane ?
I use regular gas as gas prices are so high.
The manual says that i can use regular gas but is it recommended to use 93?
Am I harming my car or just loosing horse power.
In Canada i noticed that 10% ethanol is added to regular gas.
Thanks again.

Shell Ultra and, as far as I can tell, Ultramar 91 have no ethanol. Utramar's 91 is "on sale" on Thursdays. If you have any close to you, you can try it.

93 is hard to find. The only sure source are Petro Canadas with 94. That's really expensive.

 

[mr_saab]

PetroCan 94 is awesome, but yes really expensive. I've never tried Ultramar. I usually just fill up will Shell/PetroCan 91.

 

[ronsam79]

Would it be the same thing if i bought some octane bottles and added them to cheap regular gas?
Some times i see those orange octane bottles on sale usually a 6 pack.
Or is it just better to use the good gas.
Im assuming its the ethanol that sucks?
Cheers!

 

[EdT]

PetroCan 94 is awesome, but yes really expensive. I've never tried Ultramar. I usually just fill up will Shell/PetroCan 91.

I have a suspicion that Ultramar is pretty close to Shell's 91. Buy it Thursday for an extra-good deal.

Would it be the same thing if i bought some octane bottles and added them to cheap regular gas?
Some times i see those orange octane bottles on sale usually a 6 pack.
Or is it just better to use the good gas.
Im assuming its the ethanol that sucks?
Cheers!

Those additives do very little. Read the fine print. They usually say they increase octane by "five points!" or something. That's not 87 to 92, that's 87.0 to 87.5. I don't think any of the legit, safe additives do anything more than bump the octane by a fraction.

 

[ronsam79]

I am just going to start putting 91 and see if things improve and if i get more kms.
I am currently getting 10.5km every 100kms all city driving I live in Acton ontario no hwy near by.
Is 10.5km normal?
What are you guys getting.

 

[Enzo731]

I am just going to start putting 91 and see if things improve and if i get more kms.
I am currently getting 10.5km every 100kms all city driving I live in Acton ontario no hwy near by.
Is 10.5km normal?
What are you guys getting.

When I had my 2002 9-3 SE Sedan, city only stop and go the SID would show up to 11.5L/100km. But i've cooled down on the gas pedal and really focused on my fuel economy and SID to try and lower it as much as possible.

Before I sold it, I was doing a mix of 50/50 city and highway, was pulling roughly 8L/100km, and I was running a stage 1 from Tuning by MPS.

Also forgot to mention my car had a manual transmission, usually the sticks see better gas mileage.

 

[zinfandel]

With a turbo, use the recommended 91-93 Octane. You should see slight fuel economy improvements and protect the engine

 

[Saabingwallet]

I would never add anything from lucas to anything I have. that being said, use a high quality full synthetic at the oci interval you mentioned. if you are worried about sludge cut open the oil filter when you change your oil. fuel treatments containing pea are hot stuff I typically use redline also but techron, royal purple and gumout "regaine" also have it among others. if you want a more cleaning oil you can give pennzoil ultra euro 5w40 a shot. I never add anything to the oil unless im flushing, there is really no need.

 

[Swedllander]

Here is what Ive come across on AMAZON.com...many tend to like this AT-205 leak sealer.
----- will like to have opinions and views of this forum.

;;;;
ATP AT-205 Re-Seal Stops Leaks, 8 Ounce Bottle (Automotive)[/B]
I have been an automotive technician for over 47 years. I don't believe in "snake oils", but I DO BELIEVE IN AT205!!! I am a Master Certified Tech. I know what works and what doesn't. This product is amazing and may be the most underrated product on the market! I cannot guarantee it will fix every leak, if there is a hole in a gasket or seal, it cannot fix that. This is a seal conditioner. It softens and restores the pliability of the seal to a nearly new condition. One example: A 10 year old high mileage Astro van with a horrible rear main oil seal leak, one of the worst I have ever seen. The bottom of the chassis was coated with oil from the engine to the rear bumper. I don't think there was a dry spot in-between. I have to admit that I had little hope of even helping this vehicle, but it was worth a try. Certainly easier than pulling the transmission to replace the seal, very costly for a high mileage vehicle. We cleaned the bottom of the vehicle. I was totally astounded when, at the next oil change, we found the bottom of the chassis bone dry! It was unbelievable! He had been adding several quarts of oil between changes and afterwards I know it was next to nothing, if anything at all.

I have used AT205 on my own vehicles. To repair most rear main oil seal leaks today requires removal of an engine or transmission. I might have to add this product to 2-3 consecutive oil changes, but it has always substantially reduced or eliminated the leaks all together. 2-3 bottles of AT205 is a lot less expensive and a lot less work than the alternative. If the first bottle does not complete the job at hand, give it 1-2 more tries before giving up. If the seal only needs to be reconditioned, this product will definitely do it. Do your self another favor when doing the job, use only a good quality engine oil like Pennzoil. The additives in these products are worth a few pennies more. There is a lot of hype about different oils and everyone of them has their own claims. I have used Pennzoil exclusively for over 30 years and with doing nothing more than changing oil alone I have had several customers as well as myself reduce oil consumption and lower emissions on some of the higher mileage vehicles. And I never use the "high mileage" oil, just good quality Pennzoil.
............

thnx

 

[Swedllander]

Engine and Tr Oil Sealers

Lot of discussion out there,,,about 2 dozen products each trying to 'swell' the seal a little or maybe too much-- the impression I had but this product AT- 205 seems to have too many good reviews on Amazon.
I posted one before,,,here is another one, on this product from a mech.

Will like to see reviews by SAAB owners here if they used it ever. I think I need some...to stop the leak from front of crank shaft
...................
ATP AT-205 Re-Seal Stops Leaks, 8 Ounce Bottle (Automotive)
This is not a super fix-all but in the correct application will save you hundreds of dollars. It will not repair rope seals, cut seals, or cracked seals; it does not fill in gaps. It will however restore the flexibility of dried and hardened seals (crankshaft seals, internal transmission seals, etc.). I have been using this product in my automotive repair shop for 15 plus years with great success in the proper applications. Know what problem you are trying to eliminate before you decide on the repair procedure you are going to use.

 

[TunnanXWD]

These additive stories all sound plausible however, back in 1998 when I got my LPT XC Vovlo recommended but did no supply Mobil I. Pretty sneaky because service was "free" back then. Another glance at my bill one day and it revealed an ounce of thes and ounce of that. One thing that did catch my eye hewever was the charge for "Moly B" grease for calipers. I asked to see the containers these materials came in since I did not want a cheap lube to somehow contrast or be inconsistent with my new Mobil !. Suddenly, the dealership indicated that thhe print out's were an error and they had never been putting in anyghing at all.