Zinc additives
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 45
Likes: 14
From: Rochester Hills MI
Zinc additives
Do I need zinc additive in my LS4 motor oil? Someone told me current motor oil doesn't have high enough zinc level for older cars and engine damage could occur.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,100
Likes: 12
From: Frederick Maryland
It's engines with flat tappet lifters and high valve spring pressures that have any degree of risk involved...especially with a new camshaft breaking in.
The short answer is yes...it wouldn't hurt and will give you peace of mind.
The short answer is yes...it wouldn't hurt and will give you peace of mind.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,762
Likes: 820
From: SUFFIELD CT USA 2023 C8 CORVETTE UN-MODIFIED FINALIST
2023 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
There are several studies on here as well as the oil companies which strongly suggest not using additives. There are several excellent flat tappet or hot rod oils already on the market with plenty of zinc and phosphorous. The VRI in the above post is but one of these, Amsoil, Mobil, BradPenn and many others have them. Look at the stickies at the top and you will see several hours of reading or do a search!
Last edited by BPHORSEGUY; May 27, 2013 at 10:20 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,762
Likes: 820
From: SUFFIELD CT USA 2023 C8 CORVETTE UN-MODIFIED FINALIST
2023 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Oil companies very carefully formulate their oil. Additives change their
formula and have been shown on this board to have negative results.
If you do your homework you won't need or want to use additives period!
formula and have been shown on this board to have negative results.
If you do your homework you won't need or want to use additives period!
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 5,364
Likes: 38
From: King George VA
AMSOIL's offering specifically designed for engines with flat tappet cams:
AMSOIL Z-ROD 10w30 Synthetic Motor Oil (Product Code ZRTQT)
(zinc – 1440 ppm, phosphorus 1320 ppm)
More than happy to get AMSOIL products for forum members at dealer wholesale pricing, about 25% below retail, via the AMSOIL Preferred Customer Program. Drop me a PM if interested.
AMSOIL Z-ROD 10w30 Synthetic Motor Oil (Product Code ZRTQT)
(zinc – 1440 ppm, phosphorus 1320 ppm)
More than happy to get AMSOIL products for forum members at dealer wholesale pricing, about 25% below retail, via the AMSOIL Preferred Customer Program. Drop me a PM if interested.
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AMSOIL Preferred Customer Program (Members buy at Wholesale - a savings of about 25%)
C66 Racing #66 NASA ST2, SCCA T2
AMSOIL Dealer (Forum Vendor)
AMSOIL Preferred Customer Program (Members buy at Wholesale - a savings of about 25%)
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 138
Likes: 1
From: Point Texas
There seems to be more pros than cons to the zink issue but I guess that depends on who you talk to. I talked to 4 different motor builders and they all said use it. I use AMSOIL Z-ROD in mine. Look at the stickies at the top of the page and deside for yourself.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 5
From: N.Richland Hills Texas
This was posted somewhere in here in the past.... Several of the antique cars around here use this.... It's just information from me... NOT a endorsement or testimonial ....http://www.classiccarmotoroil.com/index.html
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,674
Likes: 122
From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
The ZDDP additives have been shown to do more harm than good in much of the testing. Use an oil with an additive package designed to work together as a unit specifically for a gasoline flat tappet engine with over 1000 ZDDP.
Last edited by 63mako; May 27, 2013 at 11:54 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
From: Sequim Wa
http://www.penngrade1.com/Products/Racing-Oils.aspx
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 925
Likes: 7
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,019
Likes: 1,118
From: North tonawanda NY
I chose not to use the VR1. Look into it, they recommend changing oil every 3 months, or 1000 miles, as VR1 is not made for your daily driver, or for sitting any length of time. The things they don't tell you. I suppose I'd have gone with Amsoil if It weren't so dang spendy. I ended up, after days of research, choosing Brad Penn Grade 1; decent price, good zinc and phosphorous, recommended, and a long time producer. Plus, I was wary of switching from conventional oil to a synthetic in the '76, leaks, noises, etc. Brad Penn is a partial synthetic, best of both worlds. Consider your climate carefully, I chose 10W30. Right choice for moderate temps and higher milage engine, running an after market cam. Plus the Brad Penn is green colored, how cool is that! Old Kendall oil, been around in same place for years.
http://www.penngrade1.com/Products/Racing-Oils.aspx
http://www.penngrade1.com/Products/Racing-Oils.aspx
Racer
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 386
Likes: 3
From: Clifton Virginia
AMSOIL's offering specifically designed for engines with flat tappet cams:
AMSOIL Z-ROD 10w30 Synthetic Motor Oil (Product Code ZRTQT)
(zinc – 1440 ppm, phosphorus 1320 ppm)
More than happy to get AMSOIL products for forum members at dealer wholesale pricing, about 25% below retail, via the AMSOIL Preferred Customer Program. Drop me a PM if interested.
AMSOIL Z-ROD 10w30 Synthetic Motor Oil (Product Code ZRTQT)
(zinc – 1440 ppm, phosphorus 1320 ppm)
More than happy to get AMSOIL products for forum members at dealer wholesale pricing, about 25% below retail, via the AMSOIL Preferred Customer Program. Drop me a PM if interested.
Amsoil is great!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,091
Likes: 40
I have the same car as you, I use the Amsoil hi zinc formula oil. Its expensive, but its cheap enough once a year I change it myself ., to ensure adequate protection for the old flat tappet engine.
BTW...nice car , 4spd too !!
BTW...nice car , 4spd too !!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,445
Likes: 970
From: Tennessee/Rhode Island
1. Don't use Additives
2. Use an appropriate Gasoline oil, not diesel oil, with the correct amount of ZDDP-generally 1,200 PPM or greater
3. I would not use a racing oil, Valvoline or any other, on a street machine.
4. Amsoil is a very good oil and one of the few on the market in the USA that is a true synthetic-Group IV PAO derived synthetic. Most American "synthetics" are not synthetic oil but Group III highly refined conventional/dino oil including the Mobil 1 15W-50 that I have used in my 78 L-82 forever.
5.Synthetics do NOT cause leaks (bad gaskets do) nor do they make the engine make funny strange sounds.
6. Forget semi-synthetics. As stated above in the US only most synthetics are NOT and a semi synthetic is just conventional/dino oil mixed with more refined dino/conventional oil.
Whew!
US Supreme court case by most oil companies against Mobil a few years ago was won by the non-synthetic oil companies that now allows Group III highly refined/conventional oil to be called "synthetic oil" in the US only-not the rest of the world-NICE.
2. Use an appropriate Gasoline oil, not diesel oil, with the correct amount of ZDDP-generally 1,200 PPM or greater
3. I would not use a racing oil, Valvoline or any other, on a street machine.
4. Amsoil is a very good oil and one of the few on the market in the USA that is a true synthetic-Group IV PAO derived synthetic. Most American "synthetics" are not synthetic oil but Group III highly refined conventional/dino oil including the Mobil 1 15W-50 that I have used in my 78 L-82 forever.
5.Synthetics do NOT cause leaks (bad gaskets do) nor do they make the engine make funny strange sounds.
6. Forget semi-synthetics. As stated above in the US only most synthetics are NOT and a semi synthetic is just conventional/dino oil mixed with more refined dino/conventional oil.
Whew!
US Supreme court case by most oil companies against Mobil a few years ago was won by the non-synthetic oil companies that now allows Group III highly refined/conventional oil to be called "synthetic oil" in the US only-not the rest of the world-NICE.
Last edited by jb78L-82; May 28, 2013 at 06:47 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,445
Likes: 970
From: Tennessee/Rhode Island
Not entirely accurate. All mass market oils today have around 800 ppm ZDDP. The EPA mandated the reduction of ZDDP (zinc) to the 800 ppm standard today because Federal Law dictates that catalytic converters must last 100,000 miles and higher levels of ZDDP make achieving that mileage for the converters dubious. Can a cat last 100,000 miles with 1,200 PPM of ZDDP? Maybe but not definite, thus the reduction to 800 PPM. I use Euro Mobil 1 0W-40 with 1,000 ppm in my 2010 Z06 since it is 1 of 2 Mobil 1 oil grades that are still a Group IV PAO TRUE synthetic and I am not worried about getting 100,000 miles out of the cats-I'll replace them at 90,000 miles, if necessary-LOL. At the rate I am putting miles on the Z06, I will be dead by then anyway. Hope that helps@!
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,674
Likes: 122
From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
1. Don't use Additives
2. Use an appropriate Gasoline oil, not diesel oil, with the correct amount of ZDDP-generally 1,200 PPM or greater
3. I would not use a racing oil, Valvoline or any other, on a street machine.
4. Amsoil is a very good oil and one of the few on the market in the USA that is a true synthetic-Group IV PAO derived synthetic. Most American "synthetics" are not synthetic oil but Group III highly refined conventional/dino oil including the Mobil 1 15W-50 that I have used in my 78 L-82 forever.
5.Synthetics do NOT cause leaks (bad gaskets do) nor do they make the engine make funny strange sounds.
6. Forget semi-synthetics. As stated above in the US only most synthetics are NOT and a semi synthetic is just conventional/dino oil mixed with more refined dino/conventional oil.
Whew!
US Supreme court case by most oil companies against Mobil a few years ago was won by the non-synthetic oil companies that now allows Group III highly refined/conventional oil to be called "synthetic oil" in the US only-not the rest of the world-NICE.
2. Use an appropriate Gasoline oil, not diesel oil, with the correct amount of ZDDP-generally 1,200 PPM or greater
3. I would not use a racing oil, Valvoline or any other, on a street machine.
4. Amsoil is a very good oil and one of the few on the market in the USA that is a true synthetic-Group IV PAO derived synthetic. Most American "synthetics" are not synthetic oil but Group III highly refined conventional/dino oil including the Mobil 1 15W-50 that I have used in my 78 L-82 forever.
5.Synthetics do NOT cause leaks (bad gaskets do) nor do they make the engine make funny strange sounds.
6. Forget semi-synthetics. As stated above in the US only most synthetics are NOT and a semi synthetic is just conventional/dino oil mixed with more refined dino/conventional oil.
Whew!
US Supreme court case by most oil companies against Mobil a few years ago was won by the non-synthetic oil companies that now allows Group III highly refined/conventional oil to be called "synthetic oil" in the US only-not the rest of the world-NICE.