hello -
After reading a rather compelling article on this website about oil additives (specifically, Lucas) and how they cause foaming, and essentially, more serious problems, i realized that it may have caused a pretty significant problem with my F150. I will give you guys the background and let you decide. Just a precursor: if any of my transmission logic is in error, please let me know before i spread the ill wisdom elsewhere.
First, the background: the vehicle is a 93 f150 5.0, e4od transmission, bw1356 t-case, 8.8 rear and d44 front axle. 6" suspension and 3" body lift and 38" tires with stock 3.50 axle ratio. about a year and a half ago, i changed my transmission fluid and filter (dropped the pan down, made a huge mess, replaced whatever fluid fell out of the pan, not realizing that a good bit of fluid stays behind in the lines, cooler, convertor, and cylinder). At the same time, and under my own assumption that the fluid had likely never been changed, i added a quart of Lucas oil additive when i filled it up, so as to prevent any further damage (if only i'd seen the article about lucas and foam).
So, a few months later, the truck develops a very severe shake between 38 and 45mph, one that i could compare to driving on tires shaped like cam lobes. but, as replacing the wheels and tires (with bigger ones) didn't change anything, that probably rules out bent wheels and out-of-true tires. a bent spindle or axle are a possibility, but those would likely be visible from the outside and present at all speeds.
after reading about a notorious "torque convertor shudder" that these transmissions apparently develop after the fluid gets burned, and after numerous people told me that it was causing my problem, i thought i would look into it further. so ive got lucas oil additive, likely making the ATF foamier than a root beer float, causing intense heat and burning the fluid, rendering it useless. this is my assumption, and a fluid change will likely confirm. should i run some kind of cleaner through the transmission (BG quick clean, BG ATC, etc.) to clean out all the sludge that has been created over the last year and a half? will fresh fluid likely cure the shudder? let me know. thanks in advance,
- Bryan
After reading a rather compelling article on this website about oil additives (specifically, Lucas) and how they cause foaming, and essentially, more serious problems, i realized that it may have caused a pretty significant problem with my F150. I will give you guys the background and let you decide. Just a precursor: if any of my transmission logic is in error, please let me know before i spread the ill wisdom elsewhere.
First, the background: the vehicle is a 93 f150 5.0, e4od transmission, bw1356 t-case, 8.8 rear and d44 front axle. 6" suspension and 3" body lift and 38" tires with stock 3.50 axle ratio. about a year and a half ago, i changed my transmission fluid and filter (dropped the pan down, made a huge mess, replaced whatever fluid fell out of the pan, not realizing that a good bit of fluid stays behind in the lines, cooler, convertor, and cylinder). At the same time, and under my own assumption that the fluid had likely never been changed, i added a quart of Lucas oil additive when i filled it up, so as to prevent any further damage (if only i'd seen the article about lucas and foam).
So, a few months later, the truck develops a very severe shake between 38 and 45mph, one that i could compare to driving on tires shaped like cam lobes. but, as replacing the wheels and tires (with bigger ones) didn't change anything, that probably rules out bent wheels and out-of-true tires. a bent spindle or axle are a possibility, but those would likely be visible from the outside and present at all speeds.
after reading about a notorious "torque convertor shudder" that these transmissions apparently develop after the fluid gets burned, and after numerous people told me that it was causing my problem, i thought i would look into it further. so ive got lucas oil additive, likely making the ATF foamier than a root beer float, causing intense heat and burning the fluid, rendering it useless. this is my assumption, and a fluid change will likely confirm. should i run some kind of cleaner through the transmission (BG quick clean, BG ATC, etc.) to clean out all the sludge that has been created over the last year and a half? will fresh fluid likely cure the shudder? let me know. thanks in advance,
- Bryan