Engine Oil

[firebane]

So we all know in our older trucks that ZDDP is an additive that is GOOD for them. When you put a new cam in you should ensure you run oil with a proper amount of ZDDP to ensure everything lasts for a long time.

Where I live there is a company called Collector Automobile Motor Oil (http://www.camoils.com/faq.php). This oil has 1600ppm of ZDDP per litre and when a truck takes 6 quarts of oil you would end up with more than enough.

So the question is..

Would you run something such as CAM oil or would just old fashioned dino oil with ZDDP additive be enough? I realize this is a can of worms but my concern is cost per litre with the special oil vs normal oil.

CAM oil is around $50-60 CAD for 6 quarts and running a new cam you would need 12 quarts which ends up being $100 for oil.

 

[350runner]

I just run comp cams break in oil to break a cam in. For 100 miles then drain and another round for 2k drain then dino Quaker state 10w40 with additive every so often. Food for thought... too much zddp promotes cam wear.

Sent from the dust in front of you!

 

[texnet]

When I build a flat tappet cam engine I use Lucas Break in oil http://lucasoil.com/products/engine-oil-additives/engine-break-in-oil-additive-tb-zinc-plus and Valvoline VR1 http://www.valvoline.com/products/consumer-products/motor-oil/20w-50/6 for the break in period, then I switch to just VR1

 

[SkinnyG]

I used Comp Cams break in oil to break the cam in.

I'm now running the engine on a regular basis with Lucas "Hot Rod" high zinc oil.

 

[chengny]

I start off a newly rebuilt engine (or one with a newly broken in cam) on Shell Rotella T - with a pint of Comp Cams added. A 2.5 gallon bucket of Rotella is like $16 at Walmart - enough for the initial two oil changes.

When that is gone I switch over to Mobil 1 (15W - 50) for the life of the engine.

That product has decent ZDDP numbers: 1300 ppm Zn & 1200 ppm P.

The cost is also reasonable - as long as you get it at the Walmart. Last time I bought a 5 quart bottle it was only $24.96.

In case anyone is interested, here are the product sheets for Mobil 1, with the phosphorus and zinc content. They are fairly up to date - last April:

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[firebane]

So I just called the place locally which sells the oil that is designed for our engines.. $8.10 a litre and its 10w40 oil.

Cheaper than what I thought and will definitely be buying it for that extra insurance.

 

[rich weyand]

I broke in with cam oil for the initial run-up, then change with more cam oil, then change with more cam oil at 500, then went to dino oil +ZDDPPlus at 1000, then switched to Mobil1 10W30 +ZDDPPlus at 3000 and every 3000 thereafter. About 15000 miles so far, no problems.

 

[firebane]

I broke in with cam oil for the initial run-up, then change with more cam oil, then change with more cam oil at 500, then went to dino oil +ZDDPPlus at 1000, then switched to Mobil1 10W30 +ZDDPPlus at 3000 and every 3000 thereafter. About 15000 miles so far, no problems.

Yeah I may do that.. but at $40 for oil to change out.. That to me is cheap insurance for these old trucks especially after we put so much work and money into them.

 

[Boone83K10]

Chengny, how are you running 15w50 in a cold climate? I run 10w30 and I get chatter near 0°. Don't tell me it is colder here than there.

 

[chengny]

Southern NH can occasionally get cold - sure. Here are a couple of photos:

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but the climate would hardly be described as "arctic".

IIRC, 15W lube oil is perfectly acceptable to run in a SBC - unless extremely cold conditions are - "consistently" anticipated. IOW - a few cold morning starts over the course of a winter won't destroy your engine.

GM says:

15W is good down to 10 F,

10W is okay down to 0 F

5W is only recommended when average low temps are anticipated to be below -20 F

A properly maintained SBC engine should not require either of the 2 lube oils with the lowest viscosity ratings in NH (and definitely not in NC).

I am not familiar with the term "chatter" as it applies to an engine. I do know about "valve chatter" in steam plants but that - I'm sure - isn't what you mean.

The actual oil pressure of most bearing surfaces in an internal combustion engine is generated by the motion of the bearing itself. The pressure developed at the oil wedge of a rotating journal bearing (e.g. a crankshaft big end bearing) is somewhere in the area of 1500 psi. The oil system is more about keeping the clearances in the bearing flooded with fresh cool oil than pressurizing.

So as long as the bearings are not allowed to "drip dry" - due to extended down times between starts - they will maintain a sufficient amount of oil to provide initial lubrication - even during low flow conditions like would be expected on a subzero morning.

The best way to reduce the wear and tear of cold starts is to keep the load to a minimum until the oil can flow easily and the temperature of the steel components begins to equalize.

At least that's what I think anyway.

 

[Boone83K10]

I don't drive the truck that often. Take the trash every couple of weeks and when it snows. We had two morning near -10°, wind chills were about -35. If that surprises you, don't because the NW corner of NC is its own little world. The valve train talks a little when you crank it up on those mornings after sitting with 10w30.

 

[chengny]

Yeah - I checked your location before answering. Figured Boone had some connection to Daniel Boone and so you would be either in (or up against) the Appalachians/Blue Ridge Mountains. Boy, you are up in the mountains aren't you:

Boone has the highest elevation of any town of its size (over 10,000 population) east of the Mississippi River.

The daily average temperature in January is 31.2 °F, which gives Boone a winter climate more similar to coastal southern New England rather than the Southeast

But, getting back to the engine noise on a really cold start after an extended shutdown:

If the sound can best be described as "clattering" - and is confined to the upper valve train - don't even think about it. It happens for the following reason - and should be considered normal:

Because the lifter internals are filled with ice cold/highly viscous oil, the plungers don't stroke up and down as quickly as they would with warm oil.

This prevents the lifters from maintaining the normal (i.e. zero clearance) operating conditions in the upper valve train.

So, with each downward stroke, the push rod drops - just due to gravity - and a gap develops (between the upper end of the push rod and the rocker arm). On the next sequential upstroke, a tap occurs when the rising push rod closes the gap and impacts the rocker arm.

Also, due to the coefficient of thermal expansion, the overall length of the push rods is reduced by a small degree. This always occurs whenever the engine is allowed to cool to ambient temperature (even on a normal day). But the reduction in length is small and is usually accounted for by the hydraulic lifter.

The fact that there is no flow of oil up through the inner push rod passage is also a small factor. The film of oil that develops between the upper end and the rocker helps dampen the sound of the impact. Until it exists, the push rod tip strikes the rocker like a little hammer hitting an anvil.

Valve train noise due to lack of oil flow is annoying but generally not serious. It is nothing like rod knock or big end bearing noise.

 

[Boone83K10]

Yes, my house is at 3600 feet and my work is down at 2850 feet, makes for bad gas mileage coming home.