Still Getting Stonewalled...

[Stingray69]

I have been trying to get specific answers to the problem of oil antiwear additve reduction. I have heard that Shell Rotella T has adequate ZDDP for continued use of nonroller/flat tappet cam/lifters, inlight of the huge number of people that have had failures of cams and lifters in the past couple years. I asked a specific queston concerning the content of their oil. You'd think they were scared of me stealing their formula or something...
http://www.rotella.com/ubbthreads/sh...b=5&o=&fpart=1

[roostwear]

The only product specific info I can find is in MSDS sheets. Not much help in itself, but maybe comparing ingredients can move different oils up or down the list.
Rotella multigrade ingredients:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECTION 2 PRODUCT/INGREDIENTS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CAS# CONCENTRATION INGREDIENTS
Heavy Duty
Motor Oil
Mixture 90 - 98.99 %volume Highly refined petroleum oils
68649-42-3 1 - 4.99 %volume Zinc Dialkyldithiophosphate
Mixture 1 - 4.99 %volume Proprietary additives

[LakesOnly]

I recommend Rotella for new engine break-in specifically because of the high zinc content. Helps with cam break-in. Zinc has been widely eliminated from most motor oils, I think because it harms catalytic converters. Since diesel engines don't have catalytic converters on their exhaust system, the Zinc is still plentiful in that type of engine oil. This should be sufficient zinc for cam break-in. You can also go to a GM dealer and add their EOS additive to your engine.
As of late, the majority of new cam cores have been coming from a foundry in Mexico, and I read somewhere that the purity/porosity in the iron that these cores are made of may be playing a part in the increased number of cams going south. Add to this more aggressive ramp rates against increased spring pressures, and well...
LO

[Fiat48]

Here's as much as I know about camshaft lubes. And it isn't much.
When you bought a new motor from GM a few years ago, they would not warranty any cam or lifter failures unless you bought a bottle of GM oil supplement when you bought the motor. I figure GM knows a hell of a lot more than I do about camshaft failures so I always made sure that any motor that got a new flat tappet cam got a bottle of that stuff. I went through the ususal 2000 rpm break in procedures, etc and things were ok. Once the cam and lifter surfaces mated then normal oils with no additional additives were used.
Big flat tappet cams still scare me of going flat and since the roller cams make more power anyway...it's been years since I did a flat tappet. If I did have an aggressive flat tappet in a motor today i would probably keep that gm oil supplement addtive in there all the time.

[victorfb]

im with paul on this one, thinking the oils are probably not the culprit of cam failures recently. but the material the cams are being made of and quality of cores. if your that worried about the cam break in, try finding some short ratio rocker arms for the break in process.

[Blown 472]

valvoline makes off road use only oil that is full of zinc and it says if you use it in your street car it will damage the cat.

[roostwear]

The most zinc I can find in a Valvoline product is Nitro racing 20w-50
2. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
Ingredient(s) CAS Number % (by weight)
-------------------------------------------- ------------- -------------
1-DECENE HYDROGENATED HOMOPOLYMER 68037-01-4 60.0- 70.0
ZINC COMPOUNDS 0.9- 1.9

[396_WAYS_TO_SPIT]

Here's as much as I know about camshaft lubes. And it isn't much.
When you bought a new motor from GM a few years ago, they would not warranty any cam or lifter failures unless you bought a bottle of GM oil supplement when you bought the motor. I figure GM knows a hell of a lot more than I do about camshaft failures so I always made sure that any motor that got a new flat tappet cam got a bottle of that stuff. I went through the ususal 2000 rpm break in procedures, etc and things were ok. Once the cam and lifter surfaces mated then normal oils with no additional additives were used.
Big flat tappet cams still scare me of going flat and since the roller cams make more power anyway...it's been years since I did a flat tappet. If I did have an aggressive flat tappet in a motor today i would probably keep that gm oil supplement addtive in there all the time.
I agree with bob on this one. I use the eos in my motors and so far so good
396 knocking on wood really hard.......

[Jordy]

Since diesel engines don't have catalytic converters on their exhaust system
Many of the new 3/4 and 1 tons do to meet the stricter emissions laws that are on the books. Won't be too long and you'll be seeing them on the bigger trucks as well. We've sold quite a few already to some of the older trucks to bring them into compliance. Wonder what effect that will have on their formulation?

[LakesOnly]

Well then, time to start stocking up on the GM EOS.
And yeah, the Valvoline Racing has a high zinc content in it...
LO