break in oil, ive read until my eyes have bleed

alright guys, ive been reading all over on oil due to me just getting my isky cam in. Its a flat tappet so I need the higher zinc numbers.

Now ive read that VR1 oil that is on the shelf at my local store has good enough zinc. Then I also read about brand penn and that its good enough, but then read that its not good enough.

I looked through the bob is the oil guy site and only found old information on both brands. I was really hopping that the vr1 is good enough becuase I can get it locally, and I really dont want to have to order oil every time I change the oil in my truck.

I also have 4 bottles of ZDDP from my turbo buick that I havent used since I took it off the road. So I could use that to get me started.

Now would I be able to use VR1 to break the cam in? Or do I need to order full blown break in oil, which Ive only found in 30W and ive been running 10-40 in the truck since I got it, and so did the previous owner. I found the VR1 in 20-50W and straight 50, so I figure the 20-50 would work since it is an older motor. thanks for any insite.

 

X2 I'm in the same boat...

 

I understand that Castrol has enough zinc in it.

I don't normally use anything in mine but Castrol and whatever cam break in lube that either came with the cam or what I have in my tool box. When I am doing a car that belongs to someone else I go to the GM dealer and use their breakin additive.


Now I doubt that anyone else will chime in here because they think that it has been cussed and discussed. Don't take my word for it do what ever you think is best.

Oh there is one other thing you could do, call isky and ask them.

 

Man I agree...this oil thang is too friggin much !
I deal strickly with racing engines and we use either Joe Gibbs or Royal Purple break in oils. Pretty strict tolerences, ***embly procedures, cylinder honing patterns and mostly roller bearing everything.
I'm not much help on all of the "flat tappet" applications but I do know that diesel engine oils still have the highest additive package that the EPA will allow and unfortunately that is fixin to change !
I might suggest you consider hydraulic roller cams and move away from flat tappet cams. Same low maintainence advantage and not near the oil related issues everyone speaks of.
Good luck and happy motoring !

 

Use the VR1 as your oil, some ZDDP added for the initial break in, then the VR1 itself after that.

 

Comp cam lube on cam, left over lube or white lithium on bearings. Proper priming. If running aggressive valve springs swap in stock springs for break in, then switch them out later. regular old 10W30. Fire it up, vary rpm between 1500 and 3000 cycle the rpm, run it up to temp, check for leaks, run at temp 20 minutes. Drain oil, drive 100 easy miles varying rpm change oil again.

Ive used this on every engine Ive built, most with hyd cams, these are street performance builds up to around 400 hp, fitting for most mills on the HAMB. used gear lube one time on bearings when I didnt have white lithium.

Cam break in and flushing any residual **** is the main purpose, Ive only done the valve spring swap twice, it ****s but ensures you dont wipe out the cam.

To swap the springs I do it in the car with a spark plug welded to an air line female fitting, screw in a swivel male and plug it into your airline. Gave it a buddy years ago or I'd post a pic.

If you want to get tricky throw in a can of the zinc additives, I havent used it but it wouldnt hurt during break in.

If youve got a really high buck build couple of grand, dyno break in may be worth it for a couple hundred.

 

brad penn from pa is the best break-in oil out there

 

and the additives stick in the oil pan

 

This is really all about money and not much else. The real crux of the question is whether or not you should spend x amount of money on a break in oil or not. I can only justify it to you as to why I would use the break in oil and a proper oil after that.

Because!, I am a big *****!
I will cry like a little ***** if my cam gets eaten from me being a cheap ***. I did the last time, oh sure no one saw it but I did, I cried like a baby freakin girl. All those got damn bits of metal all in the bearings and parts and springs and oh my god the carnage. Oh god why me? ( Cause you're a cheap ***!!!!) Oh sure I said it must have been the speed shop, those ****ers, but I knew it was cause I was a cheap dumb *** and I didn't use anything special to break in all that new ****. Just that ******** cam lube. So when I got all done puttin on a show for all who would listen I was still stuck with the sad fact that I now had a $6500 boat anchor. But hey, I saved $56 on break in oil. AAAaaaaaahh durrrrrrrrr goes me.
Sure you may ask advice of others, but you still are gonna be the one with the tears a flowin. Choose wisely friend.

 

Brad Penn all the time, or just break in???

 

ANother thing that you need to do is make sure you have the time right. Make sure the distibutor has power.Fill the carb bowls through the vents. Prime the oil pump.Dont wind and wind it on the starter.
The majority of the lobe lube is splashed on, this is why they tell you to keep the rpm up at first.
If it turns over more than a few times and doesnt fire stop and figure out what you did wrong.

 

Brad Penn for break-in and anything you want after that together with a ZDDP additive if necessary.

 

Exactly what I just used on my fresh flathead. So far, so good.

Bob

 

brad penn for break-in and you will see the oil gets dirty fast,gets all the bad stuff out of the motor. what ever oil you do use,when it fires(motor) 2500 rpms for 20 mins to break the cam in..........

 

Use Brad Penn. If cam manufacturers recommend it thats good enough for me.

 

im not being a cheap ***, what im saying is that ive read two conflicting things. that brand penn is good, and then another place said that there virgin oil sample had 650 some odd parts per million, and then the same with VR1. Both of the companys are "supposed" to be good in zinc, well the last time I checked it should be around 1200+ for a mild cam.

Im only trying to find out if I can:
1 get anything off the shelf.
2 should I use break in oil or something off the shelf by itself or with zddp

Now do you guys get what im saying?

 

You can use anything with ZDDP added.

 

Well as of today, is there anything off the shelf that's good. I read that the vr1 is good, and then someone else says there lab results came back bad. Same with the brand penn.

I've read rotella isn't good anymore, so what oil in 10-40w is on the shelf.that I can use.

And do I need break in oil? I'm just trying to see what I need to order to get my engine back togther.

 

read this till the end

http://www.thelincolnforum.net/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=18359&sid=770fde99b50d98d13562f8064d0bb099

there are no API rated oils that are going to be safe with a flat tappet this includes diesel oils.

SH API oil rating 1996
zinc = 0.130%, 1130ppm (parts per million)
phosphorous = 0.120%, 1120ppm

SJ API oil rating 2001
SL API oil rating 2004
zinc = 0.110%, 1100ppm
phosphorous = 0.100%, 1000ppm

SM API oil rating 2005
zinc = 0.087%, 870ppm
phosphorous = 0.080%, 800ppm

I think 1200 is the min 1500+ recommended.

 

I should have clarified you can still buy non API certified oil such as redline that does have enough zinc in it.

 

Pour in a bottle of GM EOS with your normal over-the-counter oil and be done with it.

 

Break in oil was something you heard of in the '50's and '60's. The dealer would tell you to come back in a thousand miles and change the oil---basically to see the car again , get you to pop for a oil change and get you to get use to coming back to the dealership for service ! To my knowledge Isky only reccomends Brad Penn which is made from Pennsylvania crude. With a flat tappet cam you need zinc to put a wear coating on the cam lobes, if not you will flatten the lobe. For a while everyone was using Rottella diesel oil since it contained zinc, the zinc has now been eliminated from the product. Motorcycle racing oil or in general racing oil , has zinc in it. What I do is use Brad Penn 10W-30 oil and dump it after 1000 miles or on a oval track race motor dump it after the first show and every third show after it. You do what you want to do or switch to a hydraulic cam.

 

brad penn

 

lunati recommends sae 30 non detergent, and a zinc additive. This is the way i am going to break in my new cam, and others i have asked have had no problems doing it this way. I will then use my normal oil but with lucas zinc additive added at every oil change.

 

that's what the builder I just got my 390 from uses. they have a regular oil and a break in oil.

for regular oil I'm using Valvoline VR1 only because I got it CHEAP (13 cases), but after I use that it will be brad penn.

http://www.amref.com/CMSFiles/File/bp_pb/7120_BP_PENN-GRADE_1_Break-In_Oil_PB.pdf

 

I was. My last one I used Gibbs break in. No more troubles for me.

 

"The man who carries a cat by the tail learns something that can be learned in no other way."
-- Mark Twain

 

1/2 vr1, 1/2 rotella diesel oil, a cup of marvel mystery oil and a proper built engine and you will have no issues running a flat tapped cam till the wheels fall off

 

from comp cams
http://www.compcams.com/Products/CC-%27Lubricants%27-0.aspx

Proprietary additive package includes optimum amounts of ZDDP (Zinc and Phosphorous), Molybdenum and detergents


you can get a bottle of this or use the vr1 oil as i believe it has this stiff in it.

i suggest the vr1 oil and stop worrying.

 

Looks like im just going to use the 20-50w VR1 and dump in some zddp. thanks guys.