I thought the issue of "SYN" involved wear to flat tappet cam lobes regarding reduced diepac's/zinc,etc.....???

Rich

 

ALL passenger car motor oils - synthetic or dino - have had their additive packages changed to reduce zinc and other EP lubricants which previously helped flat tappet life. This is the reason why many switched to diesel oil (Shell Rotella), which retained these lubricants.

These additives are now being reduced in diesel oils also. The only alternatives seem to be a roller tappet cam or using GM's Engine Oil Supplement.

 

Why couldn't someone make their own additive using Zinc. I wouldn't imagine it'd be that hard to get a hold of. I could be wrong though.

 

I run an air transfer oil cooler in the front just ahead of my spoiler. I installed in when I was living in Texas and it made a very big difference in my oil tempertures. The one you have pictured has two functions, it cools the oil to water temp of course, but it also warms the oil to water temp when it's cold. I've never lived where there are four seasons, but I guess getting your oil temp up quickly is important in some climates. Also, Chevy used to race in the 24 hour races at Nelson Ledges using that water oil cooler, and they were very sucessful with it.

 

 

Is Zinc really that hard to get? I thought you could buy it in some forms in hardware stores.

 

the GM engine oil suppliment is supposed to be good stuff and i think has the zinc additive. Cam2 oil was another that used to have it, but i don't see it around anymore.

Not even I would try and make my own motor oil. Maybe TT the mad scientist.....

 

Let's say you could buy some zinc. Just what do you propose to do?

 

Make my own additive for engine oil.

 

Just get Royal Purple and be done with it. Yes zinc has been reduced in all oils but Rotella still has more than oil used to have before the reductions. Royal Purple is made for hi-po engines which many still have flat tappets and will continue to due to some sanctioning body rules and also in our niche emissions aren't an issue. So use syn whenever possible, its worth it (power, lower temps, can withstand higher temps if they occur, longer oil life, longer parts life) If you can't use syn because of leaky seals( if you're not sure give syn a try anyway, you can always go back) or for new engine break-in use Rotella. One more thing, Royal Purple and other syn is pricy but you will get AT LEAST 60% more life out of it before you have to change it. Besides, it's our Vettes we're talking about.

 

I'm running Moble 1 in my LT1 and it will definately leak if you have a bad seal. Had to replace the valve cover gaskets so I put some nice Delco/ Chevrolet Chromed aluminum covers on too!
Bernie

 

Some good info and data about zinc and oils:
http://www.off-road.com/RoverWeb/OilFAQ.html

And newer info:
http://www.gis.net/~manjo/motorcycle_motor_oil.htm

The Vanishing Zinc and Phosphorous

It is a fact than many SL oils now contain lower levels of ZDDP (the zinc/phosphorous extreme pressure additive) and that is a big concern to a lot of motorcyclists. ZDDP is a last resort protection against metal-to-metal contact. Whereas a few years ago the zinc level was typically 0.12% to 0.15% in SG automobile oils, some SL oils now have as little as 0.05%. However, this in itself may not be a problem since normal operation of a motorcycle on the street would never result in metal-to-metal contact any more than it would in your automobile. Remember these SL oils meet the most demanding protection requirements of modern, high-reving, powerful 4-stroke automobile engines (among others). And there is no reason to believe the lubrication requirements of street motorcycles is measurably different.

However, if you race you probably need higher levels of ZDDP and should use appropriate oils or ZDDP additives.

 

The Zinc Question
The latest "miracle ingredient" in oil additives, attempting to usurp PTFE's cure-all throne, is zinc dialkyldithiophosphate, which we will refer to here after as simply "zinc."
Purveyors of the new zinc-related products claim they can prove absolute superiority over the PTFE-related products. Naturally, the PTFE crowd claim exactly the same, in reverse.

Zinc is contained as part of the standard additive package in virtually every major brand of engine oil sold today, varying from a low volume of 0.10 per cent in brands such as Valvoline All Climate and Chevron l5W-50, to a high volume of 0.20 percent in brands such as Valvoline Race and Pennzoil GT Performance.

Organic zinc compounds are used as extreme pressure, anti-wear additives, and are therefore found in larger amounts in oils specifically blended for high-revving, turbocharged or racing applications. The zinc in your oil comes into play only when there is actual metal-to-metal
con tact within your engine, which should never occur under normal operating conditions. However, if you race your bike, or occasionally play
tag with the redline on the tach, the zinc is your last line of defense. Under extreme conditions, the zinc compounds react with the metal to
prevent scuffing, particularly between cylinder bores and piston rings.

However - and this is the important part to remember - available research shows that more zinc does not give you more protection, it merely prolongs the protection if the rate of metal-to-metal contact is abnormally high or extended. So unless you plan on spending a couple of hours dragging your knee at Laguna Seca, adding extra zinc compounds to your oil is usually a waste. Also, keep in mind that high zinc content can lead to deposit formation on your valves, and spark plug fouling.

Among the products we found containing zinc dialkyldithiophosphate were Mechanics Brand Engine Tune Up, K Mart Super Oil Treatment,
and STP Engine Treatment With XEP2. The only reason we can easily identify the additives with the new zinc compounds is that they are required to carry a Federally mandated warning label indicating they contain a hazardous substance. The zinc phosphate they contain is a
known eye irritant, capable of inflicting severe harm if it comes in contact with your eyes. If you insist on using one of these products, please
wear protective goggles and exercise extreme caution.

As we mentioned, organic zinc compounds are already found in virtually every major brand of oil, both automotive and motorcycle. However, in recent years the oil companies voluntarily reduced the amount of zinc content in most of their products after research indicated the zinc was responsible for premature deterioration and damage to catalytic converters. Obviously this situation would not affect 99 percent of all the motorcycles on the road - however, it could have been a factor with the newer BMW converter - equipped bikes.

Since the reduction in zinc content was implemented solely for the protection of catalytic converters, it is possible that some motorcycles
might benefit from a slight increase in zinc content in their oils. This has been taken into account by at least one oil company, Spectro, which offers 0.02 to 0.03 percent more zinc compounds in its motorcycle oils than in its automotive oils.

Since Spectro (Golden 4 brand, in this case) is a synthetic blend lubricant designed for extended drain intervals, this increase seems to be
wholly justified. Also, available research indicates that Spectro has, in this case, achieved a sensible balance for extended application without increasing the zinc content to the point that it is likely to cause spark plug fouling or present a threat to converter- equipped BMW models.

It would appear that someone at Spectro did their homework.

 

Roller motors don't need zinc. Correct?

Zinc helps you sleep better. It also helps make more testosterone

 

get it at CVS.

 

What do you say to people when they ask you why you put pills in your engine?

 

I have an air cooled engine that would over heat in the summer Then I added the thermostat, cooler and electric fan. No more over heating

But I also believe in the KISS method so the no moving parts cooler that you have in the first picture seems like the way to go...

So do you have an overheating problem?

 

No, but I don't want one once everything is in and running. I was originally planning on a standard oil cooler and fan, but I found this and wondered if it was better seeing as it was a stock application.

 

We brainstormed for ideas and tested a few. The most effective, but not the most practical was upgrading the cooling system. Oil temp tracked similar to water temp
Cooling fins on the sump lowered sump temp about 5 degrees
simply painting the oil pan with high transmissivity paint (google search solar panels for more info) lowered the temp about 5 degrees
the combo of fins and HT paint was good for 13 degrees

 

So I should have someone cut some cooling fin blocks out of aluminum, Gorilla glue them to the sides and back of the oil pan, paint them with a special paint, and that alone will get 13 degrees? Cool.