zinc additive

[sbs]

Can anyone with more knowledge on the subject fill me in about the issue of needing to add zinc additive with oil.
I did some research and know it is to be used with flat tappet cam engines. However there are conflicting stories with it. Some say to use it with every oil change. Some say use it only for break-in. Then there are others saying its snake oil don't bother with it.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks for your input on this subject.

 

[ErnieD]

zinc (zddp) was reduced because vapor carry over poisoned catalytic converters.

Flat tappet cam break in requires extra zddp and higher, non idle rpm (~2000) first 20 minutes for conventional v-8 engines.

I use syn oil (Amsoil) with extra zddp for all non roller cams. I change oil filters every 6 months and oil once a year for the fleet. I use syn oil in the transmissions and differentials.

I don"t trust garages to change my oil, and can do it faster and know where I am at when I do it myself. It is simpler and cost effective for me to do it as above, and when I have had a blown head gasket and ended up with coolant in the oil, there is a margin of protection. 10% mileage improvement is a plus.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Now I'm gonna tell you my amsoil horror story.Years ago a co worker put amsoil in his new Pontiac,he broke it in on regular oil and followed their recommendations to the letter.long story short,at 30 some thousand miles the engine started using excessive amounts of oil.he tried going back to regular oil,but it was too late.when he got rid of it most of the lifters were hung up and clattering and it smoked terribly.they have probably improved it since but personally I wouldn't oil my bicycle chain with it.i also know of a bad experience with their blue synthetic grease!

 

[buickanddeere]

Motor oil is not just motor oil. Have a look through the catalog for all the different applications. If your buddy put two stroke Detroit Diesel oil in a high revving flat tapper gasser. Then of course the dumb azz would ruin the engine.

 

[Fred from MO]

What everybody said is true. The oil industry kept this low key for a while until hot rodders and restorers started losing engines due to flat cams. Then it became somewhat public. I would put an additive of zink in every low mile flat lifter engine you intend to keep for a long time. /

 

[Will P]

I used Amsoil in my Pontiac for 174000 miles. Used 1 quart every 12,000 miles. One day I was on the interstate I blew a head gasket. Drove it 5 miles with no water in the engine. Parked it at a gas station. Got a ride home and got a trailer and started it up and drove it on the trailer. Later found out a cylinder cracked. Sold it. To each his own. This was 1991 to 2001 when it died.

 

[MSD]

Link below has a list of different brands of oils meeting CJ-4 ratings.

SAPS – Acronym for “sulfated ash, phosphorus and sulfur”, this term refers to the concentration of SAPS in different blends of engine oils. Interim Tier 4 engines require lower levels of SAPS to ensure maximum efficiency of the diesel particulate filters and diesel oxidation catalysts.
CJ-4 – The API oil classification type required for Interim Tier 4 engines. CJ-4 oil is backward compatible for use in Tier 3 and older generation engines. You can find a complete list of API licensed CJ-4 oil grades here. CJ-4 oils use certain new additives with rebalanced chemistry to reduce SAPS, and thus extend the service life of the diesel particulate filters and diesel oxidation catalysts.
E9 – The ACEA oil classification type required for Interim Tier 4 engines.
CI-4 – The API oil classification type used for Tier 3 and older generation engines. Interim Tier 4 engines should not use CI-4 or previous oil grades, only CJ-4 oils.
http://eolcs.api.org/brandSearchResults.aspx?mode categories&q CJ 4

 

[Anonymous-0]

My story happened in 1975 like I said they probably have improved it since.I am a firm believer in using a good grade of oil and changing oil and filter in your car or truck every 3000 miles.

 

[DONMYEIL]

When it comes to additives I know of no engine manufactures that want you to add them. If you use recomended oils and change it you dont need them.

 

[Fred from MO]

I used to think the same thing until the oil companies change the formula of oil back in 2004. For roller cam engines made today, you are correct-no additives needed. Unfortunatly for old timers and restorers of flat tappet engines, the oil companies left our small percentage of the population out of the new oil formulas. If you build a flat tappet engine and use today's oil without zinc additive- you will have failure. I didnt believe it either, until I went back and asked a few friends of mine who had much success building engines lost some back in 2005, 2006 and 2008. By 2008, we started catching on.

 

[jgc]

I google'd zinc additives and found the link below from Valvoline.
I like to look for input from expert sources who have research and chemistry backgrounds that supports their opinions.

NOTE: They do recommend checking with your oil manufacturer to make sure that the "zinc" additive is compatible.

http://www.valvoline.com/faqs/motor-oil/racing-oil/

Regards,
JGC

 

[jgc]

If you open the link below, in the last line in the body of the answer section is the word TABLE. Click on it and an interesting chart comes up showing the amount of additive in several of Mobil's oils. The amount is 2 to 2 1/2 times as much as regular oil.

http://www.mobiloil.com/usa-english/motoroil/car_care/askmobil/Zinc_Motor_Oils.aspx

JGC

 

[79fordblake]

I don"t run additives in any of my engines...no failures here....and they have been running longer than I have been alive.