Since BOTH Kragen and Autozone were COMPLETELY out of Mobile 5000 5w30 I figured I might give this stuff a shot.

However my memory isn't the best, so is this the high zinc stuff that's good for flat tappet cams? I was a little cautious to buying it since it's 15w40, and I like the thinner 5w30 but if it works it works!

Info?

 

If your running a synth oil, you won't need to worry what brand to get. I like Amsoil or Valvoline for a synth oil. With a normal oil i like Valvoline 20/50 racing. I also run this on a new engine break-in. I have never wasted a cam using it. I like a heaver oil because our vettes run hotter and can thin down oil pretty quick.

In my race car, we ran 20/50 Valvoline in a 477ci BB that broke the oil pump screen off. We ran the car down the 1/4 and drove it back to the pits. (we were in the finals). Loaded the car up and took it home. We pulled the pan off and checked the bearings and they were not really hurt at all. We could have ran them agan, but chose to put new ones in. This to me, made me a belever in Valvoline.

Just make sure you buy a good quality oil... Good Luck

 

The answer to your question is yes. Rotela is the high zinc oil that is supposed to be flat tappet friendly. Although I've heard that they may reduce the zinc content when the diesels begin using catalytic converters.

 

I have a feeling this rotella t is the new stuff with the lower zinc content...

Blah I'll just go grab some of that valvoline race oil for $4 a quart. Least I KNOW that has zinc in it.

 

Look for the API CI-4. It has higher zinc content than the CJ-4

 

Be careful, not all Valvoline racing oil has higher zinc. God bless, Sensei

 

I ended up grabbing 5 quarts of valvoline VRI W30. There's only 30, 40, 50, and 20w50. I'm not a big fan of heavy oil. Being that my engine barely has more than 10k miles and the weather here barely changes it should be ok. Don't feel like replacing the damn cam again, already.

According to this ALL VRI has zinc.

http://www.valvoline.com/products/VR...otor%20Oil.pdf

 

Talked to the Shell Answer Man several weeks ago about the wear additives in the old CI-4 verus the new CJ-4 spec's.
He, actually a she, said

...........................CI-4..............CJ-4
Zinc..................1390 ppm.......1210 ppm

Phospherous.........1265 ppm.......1110 ppm

About 12% lower for the new oil, but much more than the regular car SM spec oil.

Roger

 

Well the rotellla is cheaper per ounce, but you can only buy it by the gallon. While the VRI costs more per ounce (it's about 4 bucks a quart) but you end up spending the same per oil change because you can just buy your 5 quarts and get out. of course after seeing valvoline's site I've found I can get VRI in 10w30 so next oil change I'm having kragen order me some.

 

The Rotella T 15-40, that is.

After running a dyno for 23 years, he is advising his customers to stay away from synthetics and low zinc oils. He then showed me a couple of sets of lifters (including my old ones) which showed definite signs of wear after less than 5000 miles. I had been using Valvoline VR1 20-50.

Mark

 

That's good info. I stockpiled the C1-4 and have used it for a while. Reasonably priced too.

 

I purchased the VR-1 5-30 and paid almost $5.00 a qt & I have a six qt pan. I found the Shell rotella T at K-Mart/Sears for $11.00 a gal. I think I'll buy two gal of the shell next time. I also have a rebuilt high performance 350/350 in my vette w/com cam lifters, springs & timing chain. The com cam web site on break-in says to use the Shell oil. Good enought for me.

 

Crane Cams pretty much say the same thing.

http://www.cranecams.com/pdf/548e.pdf

 

Royal Purple has Rotella T beat in zinc, phosp, and moly count.

Do a search for oil analysis.

 

.....But you can buy a whole gallon of Rotella for the cost of a quart of that purple stuff.

 

Same here...... I have about 20 seasons/years worth for my 66, but I'm one of those guys into preparedness.

For the record, after all my research, i ended up stocking:
- Rotella T 15-40 CI-4 for the 66 BB
- German Castrol (Green) 0-30, more like 40 actually, for the C5
- Pennzoil 10-30 Pure Base for the Truck/Range Rover

 

If your engine is rather fresh, 20w50 is way too thick, in my opinion. Especially if you live in a colder climate. Your lifters are going to take a beating with 20w50, until the engine warms up. This is why I don't use anything thicker than 30w.

Why are all y'all using those heavy weight oils anyways? It's not like your engine is pushing 240 degrees or has giant tolerances in it.

 

I feel that high zinc content is only part of the solution. The basestock (e.g. either Group III, VI or V synthetic or Group II conventional or a blend), and other additives also play a role. One telling specification that many oil companies list is the High Temp High Shear rating. This rating measures a lubricant’s viscosity under severe high temperature and shear conditions that are similar to severe service applications in an engine.

Listed below are the HTHS ratings of several oils companies straight off the corporate websites that I verified today. Even if you take off the corporate favoratism, this data is still interesting as it shows valuable differences between the newer API SM, older API SL automotive oils (several of which are still available - mostly as Marine Motor oils) as well as the newer diesel API CJ and older CI-4+ ratings (again many of which are still available). For what its worth, I've switched to the AMSOIL Marine Motor 10w40 in my track driven only 02 Z06 as it has a higher HTHS rating than Mobil 1 EP 15w50 and all the other diesel oils I could find HTHS ratings on, but has the proper viscosity for the temps I see on the track (about 250F with my oil cooler).

Amsoil Series 2000 20w50 (API SM) – 5.8
Amsoil Premium Protection 20w50 (API SL) – 5.0
Amsoil Marine Synthetic 10w40 (API SL) – 4.6
Pennzoil Marine SAE 40 (API SJ) – 4.5
Mobil 1 EP 15w50 (API SM) – 4.6
Amsoil Heavy Duty Diesel 15w40 (CI-4+) – 4.4
Amsoil Premium Protection 10w40 (API SL) – 4.3
Amsoil XL 10w40 (API SM) – 4.3
Pennzoil Truck/SUV 15w40 (CI-4+) – 4.3
Pennzoil Long Life Heavy Duty 15w40 (API SL) – 4.3
Amsoil Premium Diesel 5w40 (CJ-4) – 4.2
Mobil 1 High Mileage 10w40 (API SL) – 4.06
Pennzoil Marine 15w40 (API SL) – 4.0
Amsoil European 5w40 (API SM) – 3.7
Mobil 1 High Mileage 10w30 (API SL) – 3.66
Amsoil Marine Motor 10w30 (API SL) – 3.64
Mobil 1 0w40 (API SM) – 3.6
Amsoil Heavy Duty Diesel 5w30 (CI-4+) – 3.5
Pennzoil Long Life Heavy Duty (API SL) – 3.5
Pennzoil Marine SAE 30 (API SJ) – 3.5
Amsoil Series 2000 0w30 (API SM) – 3.2 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Amsoil SAE 10w30 (API SM) – 3.2 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Amsoil SAE 5w30 (API SM) – 3.2 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Amsoil XL 5w30 (API SM) – 3.2 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Amsoil XL 10w30 (API SM) – 3.2 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Amsoil XL 5w30 (API SM) – 3.2 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Pennzoil Platinum 10w30 (API SM) – 3.15 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Mobil 1 10w30 (API SM) – 3.14 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Mobil 1 EP 10w30 (API SM) – 3.1
Mobil 1 EP 5w30 (API SM) – 3.1
Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 (API SM) – 3.1 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Pennzoil Truck/SUV 10w30 (API SM) – 3.1
Mobil 1 5w30 (API SM) – 3.09 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Mobil 1 Truck/SUV 5w30 (API SM) – 3.09
Pennzoil Truck/SUV 5w30 (API SM) – 3.0
Mobil 1 0w30 (API SM) – 2.99 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Amsoil SAE 0w20 (API SM) – 2.8
Amsoil XL 5w20 (API SM) – 2.7
Mobil 1 EP 5w20 (API SM) – 2.7
Mobil 1 5w20 (API SM) – 2.62
Mobil 1 0w20 (API SM) – 2.61
Pennzoil Platinum 5w20 (API SM) – 2.6
Pennzoil Truck/SUV 5w30 (API SM) – 2.6
Pennzoil Platinum 0w20 (API SM) – 2.6

Data verified from corporate website May 07.
Note: Many companies such as Shell Rotella T and Royal Purple do not list HTHS ratings

 

Conversation with Mobil 1 tech rep illustrated the reason. He said that Mobil 1 & probably all other oils to XXW40 viscosity are formulated for newer low emission cars and therefore have low zinc to avoid fouling catalytic converters. Since the XXW50 oils are not used for newer engines, they're not formulated with emission control equipment in mind and therefore contain higher zinc. I would still check chemical analysis but based on analyses I've seen, he's pretty close to the truth. To get acceptable zinc content in a low viscosity oil, you have to go to a racing oil or one known to have higher zinc such as Royal Purple or Rotella.

 

I see your logic, but running heavy oil like that in a engine that has less then 20k miles since being rebuilt isn't exactly good for it. ESPECIALLY in colder climates because it takes awhile for that thick oil to loosen up. I always favor the thinnest oil I can get away with. Going to definitely order VRI in 10w30 next oil change. Unless I manage to convert to a roller cam before then.