I bought a 92 Rockwood on the Ford Chasis with the 460 motor. It has 50,000 miles on it and I was wondering if it's safe to put a Slick 50 oil treatment in the motor. I was also wondering if it's OK to put Slick 50 or Lucas additive in the transmission when I have it flushed. What have your mechanics said????
Slick 50 or Lucas? Are these safe for Class C's?
- Thread starter RV_TINTER
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rv_tinter:
I had a 460 in our 98 Pace Arrow and Ford was emphatic about NOT putting synthetic tranny fluid in the E40. They didn't seem to care about synthetic oil in the engine but said it would not add anything.
It was at 88,000 miles and going strong when we traded. I think regular preventive maintenance counts most.
I had a 460 in our 98 Pace Arrow and Ford was emphatic about NOT putting synthetic tranny fluid in the E40. They didn't seem to care about synthetic oil in the engine but said it would not add anything.
It was at 88,000 miles and going strong when we traded. I think regular preventive maintenance counts most.
Jim Godward
Well-known member
Jeff,
Interesting comment about the synthetic Transmission fluid. The Ford dealer in Orange county couldn't get me to put synthetic fluind into the transmission, and gear boxes fast enough. Even gave me a special price on the transmission change out so I would do it early. Worked great for over the next 50,000 miles till we sold it in 2001. It was a '94 SeaBreeze!
Interesting comment about the synthetic Transmission fluid. The Ford dealer in Orange county couldn't get me to put synthetic fluind into the transmission, and gear boxes fast enough. Even gave me a special price on the transmission change out so I would do it early. Worked great for over the next 50,000 miles till we sold it in 2001. It was a '94 SeaBreeze!
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
I think RV Tinter is talking about the additive products, not complete synthetic fluids in either engine or tranny. Slick 50 is one of those "treatments" that is supposed to perfrom miracles, i.e. extend engine life, improve mpg and perhaps even improve the driver's sex life. I'll leave it to your own judgement as to the veracity and value of such claims, but there is no reason I can think of NOT to use them in RV engines and trannys. They will do a smuch or as little there as anywhere else. Heck, the 460 engine and E4OD tranny in your Class C are the exact same ones as as is used in Ford E350 vans and F250/350 pick-ups.
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Years ago I had a problem with a car engine that was pumping oil (not burning it, pumping it out via a deffective seal) I had the seal replaced (no small job) and have used synthetic ever since, No seals lost, about 50,000 miles on synthetic before other problems killed the engine, I've about 40 thousand on the replacement engine.
I normally use regular oil for the first oil change on a new engine, and then switch to synthetic. Research and expierence shows synthetic engines tend to run a bit cooler and farther per gallon.
I use only recommended transmission fluids though, I've not gone synthetic there
As for slick 50.. I have heard pro and con, I've used it in a few engines, been told that I was making a big mistake, never saw any evidence of the ills they promised would befall me. Were they right... Don't know.
This I do know
Sometimes when you have lots of miles on an engine there will be a certain amountof "Crud" or sludge built up in the engine, When you switch to a superior product it may cause some "Chunks" of said crud to disloge and then re-lodge in a bad spot.. Kind of like the problem that Prsident Nixon had with his legs and blood clots (in fact exactly like it) What was it called, Phlebitius or some such. This may be the reason for the dire warnings and my better expierence, the engines I was treating were not all "Crudded up"
I normally use regular oil for the first oil change on a new engine, and then switch to synthetic. Research and expierence shows synthetic engines tend to run a bit cooler and farther per gallon.
I use only recommended transmission fluids though, I've not gone synthetic there
As for slick 50.. I have heard pro and con, I've used it in a few engines, been told that I was making a big mistake, never saw any evidence of the ills they promised would befall me. Were they right... Don't know.
This I do know
Sometimes when you have lots of miles on an engine there will be a certain amountof "Crud" or sludge built up in the engine, When you switch to a superior product it may cause some "Chunks" of said crud to disloge and then re-lodge in a bad spot.. Kind of like the problem that Prsident Nixon had with his legs and blood clots (in fact exactly like it) What was it called, Phlebitius or some such. This may be the reason for the dire warnings and my better expierence, the engines I was treating were not all "Crudded up"
Karl
Moderator Emeritus
Slick 50 contains PTFE (Teflon; tm Dupont) in a petrolium base motor oil. It can help reduce friction on bearing surfaces and cylinder walls, but I don't have any definitive test results to show how effective it is. Is it safe? In a motor - sure - in the recommended ratio of Slick 50 to regular or synth. motor oil. Fram (Honeywell) markets the Double Guard oil filter that comes pre-charged with PTFE, and I must believe that they have done extensive research in that area.
I would be hesitant to use it in a transmission however, as the tranny fluid is completely different from engine oils, and the two may not 'play well' together. Redline makes a tranny fluid that I have used with great success in 5 and 6-speed sticks; it reduces synchro slippage and wear quite noticeably. You might check to see if they have a product for slushboxes.
I use Castrol full synthetic in my '96 Ford 460 and Stealth twin-turbo, and have no complaints. Also use the Fram Double Guard filter with PTFE. My last trip in the MH was about 2500 miles, and the oil level was down about 1/2 quart. No complaints here.
I would be hesitant to use it in a transmission however, as the tranny fluid is completely different from engine oils, and the two may not 'play well' together. Redline makes a tranny fluid that I have used with great success in 5 and 6-speed sticks; it reduces synchro slippage and wear quite noticeably. You might check to see if they have a product for slushboxes.
I use Castrol full synthetic in my '96 Ford 460 and Stealth twin-turbo, and have no complaints. Also use the Fram Double Guard filter with PTFE. My last trip in the MH was about 2500 miles, and the oil level was down about 1/2 quart. No complaints here.
Ron
Moderator Emeritus
Jeff /Washington said:
Hogwash. It is more likely that Ford doesn't have a synthetic ATF. Been using synthetic ATF for years. On our 88 Bounder the transmission temp dropped about 25 degrees from what it was when using Dino ATF. Tansmission temp never did get as high as it did with dino atf when climbing hills.
Ron
Moderator Emeritus
As far as the slick 50 and those other miracle additives I would not recommend them. They may give some releif to some conditions temporarily but in the long run can end up being very expensive.
A lubrication engineer told me one time that Slick 50 is bad for engines, because whatever TFE doesn't get caught in the filter is going to break down into different compounds under combustion chamber temps ( ie teflon doesn't remain teflon at those temps - it becomes other things ), and will tend to create deposits on the valves. No idea if that's true - waaay over my head - but he was pretty adamant.
For your reading pleasure, here's an interesting article - be warned, though - I believe the source is an Amsoil pusher, so it is biased. Still makes sense to me, though . . . .
http://bestsyntheticoil.com/dealers/amsoil/snakeoil.shtml
COnsumer Reports did a pretty comprehensive test a few years back ( although it didn't include cold starts, and so was missing a potentially important component ), and was unable to measure any difference between major brands of oil, even using high quality measurement tools and after lots of miles. They did , as I recall, find differences between SPE certified oils and uncertified cheap stuff.
Look for the starburst on the container. Change it at intervals appropriate to your use. If I had a vehicle where it was appropriate, I'd run synthetic, but my high-mileage car uses a little oil ( at 270,000 mi with absolutely no engine work, it has a right - 90 Toyota, if your wondering ), and my wife's car would take 2 years to go 15,000 miles, and there's no way I'm leaving any oil in for 2 years. So, it doesn't make sense for me, but I know some pretty knowledgeable guys that run synthetic, esp with a double-filter setup. But in my opinion, the short term power and mileage gains from Slick 50 may come at a high cost .
For your reading pleasure, here's an interesting article - be warned, though - I believe the source is an Amsoil pusher, so it is biased. Still makes sense to me, though . . . .
http://bestsyntheticoil.com/dealers/amsoil/snakeoil.shtml
COnsumer Reports did a pretty comprehensive test a few years back ( although it didn't include cold starts, and so was missing a potentially important component ), and was unable to measure any difference between major brands of oil, even using high quality measurement tools and after lots of miles. They did , as I recall, find differences between SPE certified oils and uncertified cheap stuff.
Look for the starburst on the container. Change it at intervals appropriate to your use. If I had a vehicle where it was appropriate, I'd run synthetic, but my high-mileage car uses a little oil ( at 270,000 mi with absolutely no engine work, it has a right - 90 Toyota, if your wondering ), and my wife's car would take 2 years to go 15,000 miles, and there's no way I'm leaving any oil in for 2 years. So, it doesn't make sense for me, but I know some pretty knowledgeable guys that run synthetic, esp with a double-filter setup. But in my opinion, the short term power and mileage gains from Slick 50 may come at a high cost .
Carl L
Moderator Emeritus
Isn't that the same sort of garbage as the STP that Andy Granatelli used to push? I believe the term of description in those days was "mouse milk".
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Slick 50 makes an additive designed specifically for automatic transmissions, so I doubt if there is any concern over it causing slippage or contaminating hydraulic fluids. Ditto for the Lucas "Transmission Fix" product. I just don't think any such product is necessary or cost effective. A good quality tranny fluid, preferably synthetic, is all that is needed.
Ron
Moderator Emeritus
RV Roamer said:
I would never use or recommend Slick 50 or Lucas or any other miracle additive.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Gosh Ron, don't you believe in miracles? :
Ron
Moderator Emeritus
RV Roamer said:Gosh Ron, don't you believe in miracles?? :
Not those kind. ;D ;D ;D
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Jeff /Washington said:
Don't know about the Christmas Fairy from CW but if you ask him nicely I think Ian has a couple photos of Christmas Elves ready for upload.
Don't you Ian Clause
