another stupid oil question

[Shimy87]

Okay I know its been beat to death but....... if your motor has 60,000 miles on it why do you need to use an oil with high zddp in it? I dont understand why after the cam is broken in that it is needed?
 
Thanks!

[SuperSix]

SHIMY!

I thought about that yesterday when my son was changing oil in the T, that may well have 140k on it. I have ZDDP (bought for my new motor), but didn't put any in.

[ULYCYC]

Do you need ZDDP plus additive or Brad Penn oil? No 
Any good off the self conventional or synthetic oil will work fine. I like Rotella T 

[Scoobum]

Rotella's what I use. Don't throw the ZDDP away...it goes great on toast.

[SuperSix]

Do you need ZDDP plus additive or Brad Penn oil? No 
Any good off the self conventional or synthetic oil will work fine. I like Rotella T

I am using Joe Gibbs break in oil for the motor break in (flat tappet) and plan to use Rotella after that.

[Steve Wood]

because it makes some one richer?

In the end, it probably depends upon valve spring pressure as much as anything...if the springs are stiffer than stock, then the rubbing force applied to both lobe and lifter face will be greater so it would help to have some more pressure additive in the oil to minimize wear.  An older cam may have more wear on it than a newer one and, if it had the surface hardened thru some process such as nitriding, it might be getting softer...maybe .

Most of the articles you read are talking about valve spring pressures twice what we run on a buick normally but enterprising salesmen don't bother to point this out.

These cars have often exceeded 200,000 miles on the original cams without any special oils...Probabl y because we run pretty soft springs...

Buy a good oil with a reasonable amount of zinc and go drive the car

[Shimy87]

Thanks guys! Snow gone now so time to put the sled away and get the GN back out!

[Steve Wood]

Do you need ZDDP plus additive or Brad Penn oil? No 
Any good off the self conventional or synthetic oil will work fine. I like Rotella T

I am using Joe Gibbs break in oil for the motor break in (flat tappet) and plan to use Rotella after that.

be sure to use the older rotella...or better yet, just use something like valvoline racing

[ULYCYC]

As of a few months ago Rotella T6 synthetic 5-40 was  1250 for zinc and 1150 for phosphorous. Still great numbers and all that's needed for most. Yes it was lowered, but from 1400+

[Steve Wood]

excellent numbers

[Top Speed]

That's a good oil to use for sure.

[Shimy87]

I went with Valvoline vr-1 syn 10-30

[motorhead]

Everything you ever wanted to know about picking an oil...

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/