Motor oil and zinc.

[w2amr]

A friend of mine built a model A street rod, with a new smallblock Chevy engine. 5 lobes of the cam were wiped out within 30 minutes of start up. Never use low zinc motor oil , in a new or rebuilt engine with a flat tappet cam. Yesterday I changed the oil in the Chevelle, and used Valvoline VR-1 racing oil, which has elevated levels of zinc and phosphorus .
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2...older-engines/

[ad4mg]

Your posting prompted me to read quite a bit about this George. The whole issue sounds like a lose-lose proposition. It appears the racing oils do contain elevated levels of zinc and phosphorous, but lack the detergents needed in a street engine. Synthetics seem to lack the ability to keep the zinc in suspension.

I was previously unaware of the situation with modern motor oils. I'll have to see if my neighbor across the street is up to speed on this... he has a very clean '64 Chevy-II with a hot little 327 in it. He'll be firing it up in just about 20 minutes. Saturday and Sunday mornings, he pulls out at exactly 8:00, weather permitting, for his weekend cruise. Kinda odd, eh? You can set your watch by him!

[PA5COR]

Since my iffy little 1 liter injection engine of the Hyundai Atoz is used quite well ( i drive quite fast where i can) i use high quality oil, added Teflon to that ( special mix i wrote about here) tuned the engine, and will replace the automatic gear oil this next December.
Topspeed of the little car was 130 KM/H now 155 - 160 Km/h
Tuning added 11 Hp to the 55 Hp it had, but the whole car weighs just 833 kilo's as it stands on the road, or 1800 pounds.
Interflon 25 Teflon is the name, they also have additives for gearboxes.
http://www.kemi.is/mediafolder/pds/FIN_25_3038_PDS.pdf

[N8YX]

Would switching to roller lifters alleviate this, George?

The motorcycling community is faced with the opposite problem - especially those of us whose bikes are wet clutch: Molydisulfide or Teflon added to the oil will cause clutch failure, and almost all "Energy Conserving" oils have one or both present.

[w2amr]

Would switching to roller lifters alleviate this, George?

The motorcycling community is faced with the opposite problem - especially those of us whose bikes are wet clutch: Molydisulfide or Teflon added to the oil will cause clutch failure, and almost all "Energy Conserving" oils have one or both present.

From what I read, engines using roller lifter cams should be ok Fred.

[w2amr]

Your posting prompted me to read quite a bit about this George. The whole issue sounds like a lose-lose proposition. It appears the racing oils do contain elevated levels of zinc and phosphorous, but lack the detergents needed in a street engine. Synthetics seem to lack the ability to keep the zinc in suspension.

I was previously unaware of the situation with modern motor oils. I'll have to see if my neighbor across the street is up to speed on this... he has a very clean '64 Chevy-II with a hot little 327 in it. He'll be firing it up in just about 20 minutes. Saturday and Sunday mornings, he pulls out at exactly 8:00, weather permitting, for his weekend cruise. Kinda odd, eh? You can set your watch by him!

The lack of detergents is a concern. Maybe I'll go back to the type SN/SM every other change.

[K7SGJ]

Yep, the S&M oil should whip it.

[KB3LAZ]

Sometimes I drink said oil. There are places here that try to pass it off as coffee.

[suddenseer]

Thanks for the lesson George. I am not a racing enthusiast, and lack your skills in rebuilding a junk yard piece into a true classic. I was raised in a Valvoline home. About 20 years ago, my car blew a head gasket. I visited the mechanic who repaired it. He showed me the engine sans heads. It was very clean, and gunk less. He showed me two other engines in for similar repairs with heads removed. There was crud, and gunk all over. He stated that both owners used Quaker State oil, and this is what non racing Quaker State engines look like. I had to take his word, because I had never seen that before.

My last two, new trucks were filled with Mobile 1 from the first 3000 mile break in change. The first truck, a 2001 GMC Sierra 1500 had well over 300K on it when I traded it in. I never put a dime in power train repair. I did the 30K mile tranny fluid suction swap as well. The newer vehicles I changed the oil when the computer indicated 20% oil life left. Often that was 5K miles.

[w2amr]

Thanks for the lesson George. I am not a racing enthusiast, and lack your skills in rebuilding a junk yard piece into a true classic. I was raised in a Valvoline home. About 20 years ago, my car blew a head gasket. I visited the mechanic who repaired it. He showed me the engine sans heads. It was very clean, and gunk less. He showed me two other engines in for similar repairs with heads removed. There was crud, and gunk all over. He stated that both owners used Quaker State oil, and this is what non racing Quaker State engines look like. I had to take his word, because I had never seen that before.

My last two, new trucks were filled with Mobile 1 from the first 3000 mile break in change. The first truck, a 2001 GMC Sierra 1500 had well over 300K on it when I traded it in. I never put a dime in power train repair. I did the 30K mile tranny fluid suction swap as well. The newer vehicles I changed the oil when the computer indicated 20% oil life left. Often that was 5K miles.

5K is the service number on all of the vehicles in our rental fleet too. I also do the automatic transmissions at 30K. I have opened up several gas engines with over 100 k on them. They were clean as a whistle inside, and we use Parts Master oil made by Valvoline.