Motor Oil

I have not heard of it. My builder recommended Shell Rotella. I ended up using Joe Gibbs BR break-in oil. It has high levels of zinc and phosphorus which is good for flat tappet engines.

my experience is with Mobil1 . I use Mobil 1 15w-50 most of the year. It has a Nominal Phosphorus Level of 1200 PPM of & a Nominal zinc Level of 1300 PPM. with those levels I have not used any zinc additive.

In the winter I use Mobil 1 0w-40. It has a Nominal Phosphorus Level of 1o00 PPM of & a Nominal zinc Level of 1100 PPM. With those levels I do use a zinc additive., Cam Shield

http://www.cam-shield.com/

unlike other zinc additives, the Cam Shield label provides a formula that can be used to tailor the amount used so you can arrive at a specific zddp ppm number.

After 43,000 miles over a 9 year period I have no measurable engine wear & no leaks.

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/Mo…l_1_15W-50.aspx

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/Mo…et_Engines.aspx

unless the Brad Penn oil is in the 1200 ppm range I would think about using some zddp additive with it. From what I have heard about it, it's a high quality oil, but somewhat pricey. I don't know if it's worth the extra $$$ over a Mobil 1 product.

If the Brad Penn oil is marketed as a racing oil, I wouldn't use it in an engine that is not going to be raced and subsequently disassembled after every few hours of operation.

Z.

Edited by - zrayrichter on 01/20/2011 13:44:15

I have used Brad Penn's oil for the past 5 years works just like it should

I have been using Valvoline VR1 in my 65's race motor. No wear after years of spinning it to 8,000 rpm ! It is also cheaper than most of the rest and can be bought locally, when you find it. I buy it in multiple cases when it goes on sale.

Here's a bit from their website

Racing Oil

What are the benefits to using a racing oil versus a regular "street legal" oil?

The Valvoline VR1 Racing & "Not Street Legal" Racing Oils contain additional additives for increased horsepower and reduced friction on metal parts, provide extra wear protection for high compression/higher horsepower engines, and include less detergents than regular conventional motor oils.

What is zinc?

The anti-wear additive simply referred to as "zinc" by most car enthusiasts is actually short for Zinc DialkylDithiophosphates or ZDDP. Its primary role is to prevent metal-to-metal contact between engine parts by forming a protective film. Despite being referred to as "zinc," this additive actually contains zinc and phosphorus, with phosphorus performing the anti-wear function.

Why have the zinc/phosphorus levels in motor oil changed?

With ever increasing limits on emissions, automobile manufacturers have tightened emission control systems on newer vehicles. This is one of several factors considered when the American Petroleum Institute (API) sets standards for motor oil. The current API standard is "SM" which replaced the previous "SL" classification. Because phosphorus can poison a vehicle's emission system, the level of zinc is lower for current motor oil.

What is the controversy surrounding the amount of zinc in motor oil?

Many hands-on car enthusiasts and engine experts believe the lower levels of zinc in "SM" motor oil is causing excessive wear in older style push-rod and flat tappet engines. This is despite the fact that all new motor oil classifications are intended to be backward compatible. This has resulted in the widely accepted belief that modern motor oil is not adequate to protect older engines.

What solutions does Valvoline offer to the zinc issue?

Valvoline offers two solutions to the zinc issue:

Valvoline VR1: Contains 75% higher zinc than SM motor oil with a balanced additive package designed to work in both racing and street-legal applications. This product will protect older style push-rod and flat tappet engines. Valvoline provides this product in both multi and mono viscosity grades: 20w50, straight 50, 10w30, straight 30, straight 40, and straight 60.

Longer-Lasting Zinc/Phosphorus: Valvoline uses an advanced zinc/phosphorus additive that keeps higher levels of phosphorus in the motor oil where it protects the engine instead of poisoning the catalytic converter. Valvoline is the only brand offering this unique additive across its entire line of passenger car motor oils including SynPower -- the only synthetic offering this additive.

Which oil has more zinc/ZDDP: VR1 or "Not Street Legal" oil?

Valvoline VR1 Racing Oil contains .13% of Zinc and .12% of Phosphorus compared to the Valvoline "Not Street Legal" Racing Oil which contains .14% of Zinc and .13% of Phosphorus.

Can I use an additive to boost the zinc level?

You can use an additive to increase the zinc level. However, check with your motor oil manufacturer to ensure the additive is compatible with your motor oil.

Is VR1 a conventional oil, a synthetic or a blend?

Valvoline VR1 is a conventional, non-synthetic racing oil.

Not to hijack this thread but along the same lines....

Guys that run Mobil 1 in non-daily driver Kars:

What is your oil change interval? I'm putting in less than 500mi/year. I don't want to lose protection but at the same time don't want to spend more on synthetic motor oil than i need to...

Edited by - ScruffNMJ on 01/24/2011 11:50:40

I would change it once a year, just before the longest storage period, which would be winter for most people. And make sure the car is started and driven at least 30 minutes after the oil change

Z.