New oil eating old engines

By now most of you know about the modern engine oil that is eating flat tappet cams. If you don’t know the EPA has mandated that 2 important additives in oil be removed for the sake of catalytic converters. The additive can be purchased at GM dealers as EOS, engine oil supplement. Other venders such as Eastwood and Jeg’s also sell similar supplements. They must be added with every oil change. My father’s 1963 Galaxie 500XL convertible was a recent victim of the EPA. It had developed a valve tap in the past two months after years of faithful service from the 390 4V engine. We pulled the intake and found 6 bad lifters and 4 bad lobes on the cam. When this happens it usually means full engine rebuild but we decided to take a chance and try something out. The following is what we came up with to save the engine.
1. Compression checked the engine and all 8 cylinders’ were good.
2. Removed intake, timing cover, and drained oil. Leave old cam and lifters in the block.
3. Installed new filter with FILTERMAG 500LBS oil filter magnet
4. Filled oil pan with 4 quarts of Kerosene
5. Ran oil pump with electric drill for 3 to 5 minutes then drained oil pan.
6. Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 for a second flush with fresh kerosene
7. Install a 3<SUP>rd</SUP> new filter with Filtermag and 4 quarts 10w30.
8. Run oil pump again for 3 to 5 minutes and drain.
9. Install new cam and lifters following manufactures guidelines
10. Install new filter with Filtermag , oil and oil supplement additive and prime pump.
11. Run engine for cam break in following manufactures guidelines.
12. Drain break-in oil and change the oil and filter for the last time remember the supplement again!
We have left the Filtermag in place as a permanent safety measure and also put a magnet on the bottom of the oil pan. The car has had no issues for a few hundred miles, no smoking, knocking of valve tapping. Is the crankshaft scored? Maybe, but it is not effecting anything as of yet. Car is a 4 speed and the pedal is down every now and then. This is a web page that further explains the oil issue for older non roller engines, worth reading!
http://www.centralpastreetmachines.org/Items-Interest/Modern Oil.html

 

I got this from the local rebuild shop. I bought a case.

 

Read up here: www.ZDDPlus.com The cure is available here from an Alliance Vendor.

 

Plenty of Zinc (ZDDP) in any oil over 40 weight. 10/40. 20/50/\, 15/40 (Diesel).

 

Brad Penn is recommended by many camshaft grinders. Has a very high zinc content for an off the shelf oil. Check it out....
http://www.bradpennracing.com/

 

This is a good read....kind of long...

http://www.lnengineering.com/oil.html

 

As I've said before (here & other sites) - Brad Penn is what we use in all of our customer's cars that come through our shop (we restore/maintain vintage British tin) - it's good stuff .

 

Brad Penn is what I use and all I will use.Anyone interested in in purchasing Brad Penn oil can pm me for info.I know it not available everywhere.

 

Car oil with a SM rating doesn't, regardless of being 10/30 or 20/50.

 

cue sarcasm... Really? No way?... end sarcasm...

Do a search for zinc or zddp and you will see that we have been on this like white on rice for a few years now. It is like a dead horse and the newbs keep wanting to beat it down some more.

 

Is Royal Purple an acceptable oil? I run 10-40 Royal purple in my 40, but never really heard if it solves the zinc problem.

 

I always say... unless you were there when the news happened and posted it up here 2 minutes later, chances are it has been posted at least once.

not to hijack this thread, but I heard a rumor that Ford actually stamped some stainless steel 36 Fords...

 

True, the subject has been covered alot here, but I hope that mrmrsoldford keep us posted on the results of the new cam deal with out the engine overhaul. It sounds like he did a thorough job of cleaning out the engine without removing it and I am curious as to how it holds up.
Please keep us posted on here on how the 390 survives
Thanks!

 

Yes, it works fine with flat tappet cams. (just dont use if for break in)

Here are their FAQs

http://www.royalpurple.com/faqs-motor-oil.html

 

As I said at the beginning of my post "by now most of you know" I understand this has been covered. The purpose of the post was to show an idea I had to possibly clean up the mess without and all out overhaul. It seems most took it as "hay by your oil from ........" Just trying to save some people who are not swimming in money some of it.

 

this is important enough that it should be covered again and again.

 

I've had successful cam replacements without going through some elaborate cleansing ritual, although I'm sure it can't hurt.

And for the record, I like to use Shell Rotella, works for me and is commonly available.

 

For all the sarcasm merchants, this may have been posted many times but there are over 100,000 HAMB members now and it does not hurt to revive what may be a critical subject of which many may not have been previously aware. I for one find it useful to read because there may just be a new piece of information I can glean. If all you can do is post negative comment instead of simply not opening or ignoring a thread on a subject that you have seen many times, why don't you just go get a life?

So thanks mrmrsoldford for posting for those of us who are willing to keep open minds....and plus one for Rotella.

 

My Sons SBF 347 Stroker was a victim before we knew there was a problem,... I kept the cam to use as a towel rack in the bathroom of the shop,.... (3 lobes look like door knobs) ,..the lifters were the worst I have ever seen,..... It started out acting a little funny a couple years ago when we left for the Frankenmuth show,... by the time we got back,..It was running like crap,....

 

But it is far more productive to bump an existing thread that already has a lot more info than to start from scratch every time.

And don't be fooled because it says Rotella on it, there is a big difference between the CI and CJ specs.

 

I'm running brad penn too.....,

 

Not totally true They are taking it out of that too spend the extra money guys and use

Brad penn
Joe gibbs
Roush
etc and add the zddp if you are going to use off shelf oil

 

Nope you will need to add ZDDP unless royal purple changes there blend

 

Gosh, thanks for repeating this thread. I didn't know and was pulling my 65 Impala out of storage today--and that includes an oil change. So I'll just add some ZDDP to the Impala and 53 chevies

 

I disagree this is a re-hash of an old issue. The OP's primary objective was clearly how he saved an engine without a total rebuild. The cause of the problems have been well documented and he even acknowledges it's been posted many times before. That info. is only background to what this post is really about. Thanks, I enjoyed it and learned something.

 

I think I rebuilt the 351 in my 55 sunliner right before the EPA ordered the zinc removed as I broke it in using regular oil and no problems so far,I like the idea of flushing the motor like that but I would have to get a decent drill to do it as I could not do it by hand like I do when I prime my motors.

 

Wether you can get away with it or not has been discussed, I wouldn't even try without pulling the pan.

 

all i use is prad-penn.i do keep a bottle of comp-cams break-in add.in my motorhome just in case something happens and either i or a fellow racer needs to change oil and needs it.btw.shell rotella t doesnt have the high amounts of zddp like it use to.acouple of years ago that was all i used because it was pretty cheap and easy to get,but now its not worth it.

 

Where can this Brad Penn oil be purchased in Ohio.

 

The Corvair Oil Article recommends Heavy Duty Engine Oils for flat tappet engines.