Anyone using diesel oil in their motor? I have been told that it can be used in older designed motors because it has the ingredents which are no longer contained in current motor oils. Can anyone shed some light on the topic?
There has been a ton of discussion on this topic on the main board. Yes, diesel motor oil is a good choice for early engines, but the ZDDP has been downsized in diesel motor oil as well. Better than standard motor oil, but not by much. There are ZDDP-rich additives which are available at auto parts stores, often by special order, that can be used to up the ZDDP percentage in diesel motor oil. You can also use Valvoline Racing Oil which is rich in ZDDP. See the special lable to identify which Valvoline Racing Oil has this additive - it's plainly marked "HIGH ZINC". Just be aware that Valvoline Racing Oil does not have the amount of detergent that regular and diesel motor oils have, so it must be changed more often to keep the motor clean. For more detail...a LOT more...do a search on the main board. "ZDDP" is a good search word and will bring up pages of threads and millions of posts.
Yes you can use modern diesel motor oil in your old flat tap cam engines . They have a high zinc content in it so will be fine to use . You can use Rotella that you can buy at almost any store like Wal Mart , Auto Zone , Pep Boys and so on . I use Rotella oils to break in an engine when I rebuild a flat tap engine . In my engine I will use Ams-Oil w/zinc which also has a high zinc content in it . There are some good oils out there . You can also use Mobile 1 the old one , Pennsoil but no synthetics ! . The Valvoline Racing I read that the zinc content is not high enough to protect your flat tap cams . You will have to ad ZDDP to it so it really isn't a good value at all . Hope this helps . Jim
As an update the new formula Rotella is 1120 ppm ZDDP,Motorcraft Diesel 15W40 is 1335 ppm ZDDP, see it pays to put Ford in a Ford.
Here is some more interesting reading on Shell Rotella, etc. http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/shell-rotella-t-162437.html Also, here is some interesting product info on Valvoline Racing Oil: http://www.valvoline.com/pdf/VR-1_Racing_Motor_Oil.pdf My calculator says that 0.14% zinc equals 1400 ppm. The biggest problem seem to be that few of the oil manufacturers publish CURRENT specs on their motor oils, so enterprising bloggers use old information as if it were current. Well, it isn't. Much of what you can find online is from the mid-2000's and much has changed since then. New diesels have much more sophisticated anti-pollution equipment...with more to come in the near future...and zinc messes with these delicate systems. Government standards have changed greatly in recent years and truck manufacturers requirements have changed as well. Most, if not all, call for synthetic oils which use different anti-friction additives to get the same results in modern engines. So beware, just because a modern oil still meets the old standards does not mean it is the same oil! And, because the govenment only requires that the actual specs for motor oils be published every few years, it's almost impossible to find out what's in a specific oil today if the manufacturer chooses not to make the specs available in corporate literature...and most don't because the formulas change so often. So, other than Valvoline and a few other smaller oil companies like Amzoil, Penn, and a few others who disclose the actual zinc content of their oils, we enter a blind spot in the universe. Keep in mind also that oil manufacturers are liable for engine damage caused by their products. This would probably include damage to pollution systems of new vehicles if old, zinc-rich oils were used in them. A smart manufacturer would limit his exposure to liability by removing all zinc-rich oils from the marketplace as quickly as possible, replacing them with new formula motor oils which provide the same anti-friction properties without the risk of engine damaging zinc. Welcome to life in the big city. To be sure, use Lucas ZDDP additive in whatever oil you choose. That way you'll be covered no matter what. http://www.lucasoil.ca/products/product.asp?id=67&cat=HeavyDuty Lucas TB-Zinc-Plus Break-in Oil Additive Product Description Protects camshaft lifters and valve train during break-in period of motor. Excellent for flat tappet camshafts during break-in or as an additive to any motor oil to prevent premature wear. Exclusive blend of extreme pressure additives. Add one bottle with every oil change to increase the zinc content of your motor oil.. Designed for race applications requiring additional extreme pressure additives. Dyno testing shows a more efficient break-in when used resulting in less engine run time prior to race day. Not designed for regular use in p***enger cars requiring catalytic converter***treme pressure additives. Dyno testing shows a more efficient break-in when used resulting in less engine run time prior to race day. Not designed for regular use in p***enger cars requiring catalytic converter***treme pressure additives. Dyno testing shows a more efficient break-in when used resulting in less engine run time prior to race day. Not designed for regular use in p***enger cars requiring catalytic converters Key Benefits Protects cams and reduces ware. Ideal for cl***ic and antique car enthusiast Use with conventional or Synthetic oil Testimonials We want to know what you think! To submit a testimonial, please email info@lucasoil.ca Food for thought...
That's why there are so many different oils out there now . If you look on the jugs of oil , many car companies are listed on the back as to which cars use which oils . Heck many of the import cars use 10w20 oils now . I use Ams-oil and they have it labeled right on the front of the jug that it contains ZDDP . There are getting to be only a hand full of these oils out there so you really have to be cautious on what goes into your cl***ic car ! I always play it safe and carry extra oil , trans fluid and coolant in the trunk ! That's a small price to pay for security when you are one the road away from home where you keep all your fluids for your car . Of course as many install modern 302/5.0 engines , if you have a roller cam engine you are able to use just about anything on the shelf . Jim
I am running shell rotella in my stroker motor. Highly recommended by high perf. Ford guys I talk to and the engine builder of my engine. Cheap to
I use the Rotella for all the engines I rebuild for break in . Never had a problem yet . I recommend the Rotella to the customers . Jim
I really don't agree with the 20-50 & 10-40 still have zinc . There are way too many synthetic oils in that range that have no zinc at all in them ! I have check on many of these oils and there is only a hand full of them left that contain the proper amount of zinc to protect you cam & lifters ! \As always when unsure of what you are using , just spend $10 and add a jug of ZDDP to your oil . That is the easiest way of making sure you have the safe amount of zinc in your "Favorite" brand of oil you want to use ! Jim
Just to tie a bow on this topic, I just went out and bought several gallons of 10-40 Shell Rotella T, the non-synthetic version of this diesel oil. After studying everything I could get my hands on, I think this is the best choice available today for non-roller street engines. I also added one pint of STP, which is also high in ZDDP, and used WIX filters. With the exception of the Plymouth, all my engines all have stock or mild performance cams and stock valve springs. High performance engines with high-lift flat tappet cams, such as the Mopar Performance 360 in the Plymouth, would do well with extra ZDDP from the Lucas ZDDP break-in additive. With high valve spring pressures, the steep ramps on these cams need lots of protection, but most street motors with mild flat tappet cams should do just fine with Rotella T / STP mix. Just my $.02
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