Looking for any and all opinions on oil for my 283 2bbl.
Engine is stock factory with about 80,000 miles. Getting it running for the first time in about 8 years. Not sure of it's oil consumption yet. It runs real good, almost no blow by.
Anyway,.. my question is; is there any benefit in going to synthetic oil? What are the concerns with zinc? Do synthetic oils contain zinc or is it only an issue if you run conventional oil? Has anyone out there had a flat lifter cam get chewed because of using synthetic oil? Or is it recommended to stick with conventional oil with zinc additive for an old engine with lots of miles?
I know that the internet has endless discussions on the topic but I wanted to limit myself to "real world" advice from CP members as I regard everyone here on CP as more credible, informed and offer advice based on actual experience.
A general thought is to stick with conventional oil in your high mileage engine. It really wasn't designed to run synthetic, and while the synthetic oil won't directly cause leaks, it works to remove deposits that are presently plugging the leaks. That leads to leaks.
I've been running Shells Rotella T oil for 10 years, but it's zinc levels have been reduced over the years. For my last couple oil changes in my 70 454, I included some Lucas zinc additive along with my Rotella T oil. However, in the future I'm going to go with Lucas Hot Rod & Classic oil that has zinc.
A good conventional!! Steer clear of synthetic for a medium to high mileage engine.
My only experience with synthetic left me wishing I'd never tried it and never will again. I can attest to the fact that synthetic will find its way out of an engine where conventional oil use for years didn't leak. Going back to conventional didn't help, the leaks kept leaking. Ended up having to keep a piece of cardboard in the trunk to slip under the engine when parking on some of my friends fancy driveways.
There are conventional motor oils on the market with the additives necessary for new engine break-in, high mileage engines and hard duty use. There are also specific supplements for standard grade motor oil to meet any requirement you might have.
Castrol GTX is my brand of choice for daily drivers and my GM Performance crate engine. My new 454 with flat tappet cam will be getting the conventional oil recommended by my engine builder which has all the additives necessary for break-in.
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72 Nova SS, 66 Beaumont Sport Deluxe, 09 Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe
If they aren't already pissing, all those old seals and gaskets will begin to leak all over the place with synthetic. It takes about a year to see the result.
Steer clear like Mike said. Your original engine will never need synthetic. Use absolutely any Dino of a brand name and you're good today.
It's a topic sure to invite opinion....
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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT.
Use Castrol GTx in all my cars (283/LS) with 200ml of AC Oil supplement for every oil change. Pull out your cam...it will slip out of your hands. 7.3 gets Rotella 15/40. Stick with old school and add some additive.
When I bought my 97 GMC about 4 years ago, I didnt know what oil the previous owner was using. Next oil change, I switched it over to synthetic. No leaks or anything, but after a while it developed a tick on startup as if a lifter was sticking, After a minute, the tick would go away. Next few oil changes, I tried the more expensive synthetics, then tried the SeaFoam and Lucas oil additives etc,,,,,,still had the tick. Pretty frustrating. This spring, I decided to try the CTC brand conventional oil and do a couple of short term oil changes......Almost right away, the tick has gone away. Maybe its just coincidence, but I am sticking with the conventional changing at 5000 km.
BTW....I do notice that the synthetic oil seems thinner when pouring into the engine than conventional.....anyone else notice this?
In my 57 Pontiac 261 in liner i use 20w50 with a ZINC additive. In my 74 Chev 400 V-8 i use 10w30 with a ZINC additive. With these flat tappet engines using ZINC is critical and i learned this the hard way. I would only use synthetic on today's more modern hi tech engines. I forgot to add that i put 3,000 to 4,000 miles on the 57 Pontiac (April to October) and about 1,000 miles on the 74 Chev (April to October).
-- Edited by long stroke on Monday 24th of April 2017 07:15:47 PM
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
There have been some good independent studies on this subject. i recall a person on Steves nova site a few years ago doing his own independent testing using a private lab.
and the results. standard oil, specifically Mobile 1 and one other brand i don`t recall the name were by far Superior. youtube has some good oil comparisons to.
I also use a 10-W-30 and EOS with each oil change in my old stuff. The synthetic did leak and stopped leaking when I went back to conventional. My modern vehicles have been synthetic since 1998 or before, I love the stuff, am at well over 1 million km's on 3 or 4 vehicles with narry a problem.
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
Oil is a long subject Most of our customers with million mile Diesel are running Conventional 15W40
My 2008 Suburban used 3 litres of Synthetic oil between oil changes up to 180,000 km I changed to premium conventional oil and at 249,000 it does not use a drop
I'll never use synthetic again in any of my 7 vehicles (2 cents)
I have switched to full synth 5w30 in my winter 1967 beaumont with a 250 inline 6. I have never looked back, i dont really give to shits if it leaks oil, that just helps to prevent rust. I cant plug in at work and the car sits all day in sometimes -40, starts every time, never would have done that with conventional. Iguess it all boils down to what you use your car for!!! Most guys could probably run for years on any old crap used oil, they never drive thier cars anyway!
I do add a bottle of GM EOS every time, just for the zinc.
Every other car gets castrol 10w30 or rotella conventional with a 500 ml of EOS.
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Beaumontguru
MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH. The other one has a longer roof.
When I acquired a low mileage ( 36,000 ) original car I wondered about using a synthetic engine oil and transmission fluid. Made a call to one of the major synthetic oil companies, which one escapes me, and was advised to just use conventional oil and fluid. One of the reasons given was leakage from old seals. They said it wouldn't be cost effective to use synthetics as no benefits would be noticed.
Thanks to ALL for taking the time to offer advice and opinions. Much appreciated!
My '64 will be a summer cruiser only. So based on all the advice and replies, I'm going to go with conventional Rotella T 15w40 oil and either the GM EOS or Lucas zinc additive (depending on what's available close by)
Thanks again
-- Edited by 64283 on Monday 24th of April 2017 08:59:48 PM
I run nothing but synthetics in even the old high mileage ones, but they all get new seals to stem the leak, synthetic has saved a few engines after they over heated but older motors will use or loose some , I also use zinc addatives for cam safety , never had a major issue.
Interesting article by Bob Olree on Zinc GM Powertrain Fuels and Lubricants Group
Thanks Randy
'A higher level of ZDP was good for flat-tappet valve-train scuffing and wear, but it turned out that more was not better. Although break-in scuffing was reduced by using more phosphorus, longer-term wear increased when phosphorus rose above 0.14%. And, at about 0.20% phosphorus, the ZDP started attacking the grain boundaries in the iron, resulting in camshaft spalling".
Over the years there has been an overabundance of engine oil myths. Here are some facts you may want to pass along to customers to help debunk the fiction behind these myths.
The Pennsylvania Crude Myth -- This myth is based on a misapplication of truth. In 1859, the first commercially successful oil well was drilled in Titusville, Pennsylvania. A myth got started before World War II claiming that the only good oils were those made from pure Pennsylvania crude oil. At the time, only minimal refining was used to make engine oil from crude oil. Under these refining conditions, Pennsylvania crude oil made better engine oil than Texas crude or California crude. Today, with modern refining methods, almost any crude can be made into good engine oil.
Other engine oil myths are based on the notion that the new and the unfamiliar are somehow "bad."
The Detergent Oil Myth -- The next myth to appear is that modern detergent engine oils are bad for older engines. This one got started after World War II, when the government no longer needed all of the available detergent oil for the war effort, and detergent oil hit the market as heavy-duty oil.
Many pre-war cars had been driven way past their normal life, their engines were full of sludge and deposits, and the piston rings were completely worn out. Massive piston deposits were the only thing standing between merely high oil consumption and horrendous oil consumption. After a thorough purge by the new detergent oil, increased oil consumption was a possible consequence.
If detergent oils had been available to the public during the war, preventing the massive deposit buildup from occurring in the first place, this myth never would have started. Amazingly, there are still a few people today, 60 years later, who believe that they need to use non-detergent oil in their older cars. Apparently, it takes many years for an oil myth to die.
The Synthetic Oil Myth -- Then there is the myth that new engine break-in will not occur with synthetic oils. This one was apparently started by an aircraft engine manufacturer who put out a bulletin that said so. The fact is that Mobil 1 synthetic oil has been the factory-fill for many thousands of engines. Clearly, they have broken in quite well, and that should put this one to rest.
The Starburst Oil Myth -- The latest myth promoted by the antique and collector car press says that new Starburst/ API SM engine oils (called Starburst for the shape of the symbol on the container) are bad for older engines because the amount of anti-wear additive in them has been reduced. The anti-wear additive being discussed is zinc dithiophosphate (ZDP).
Before debunking this myth, we need to look at the history of ZDP usage. For over 60 years, ZDP has been used as an additive in engine oils to provide wear protection and oxidation stability.
ZDP was first added to engine oil to control copper/lead bearing corrosion. Oils with a phosphorus level in the 0.03% range passed a corrosion test introduced in 1942.
In the mid-1950s, when the use of high-lift camshafts increased the potential for scuffing and wear, the phosphorus level contributed by ZDP was increased to the 0.08% range.
In addition, the industry developed a battery of oil tests (called sequences), two of which were valve-train scuffing and wear tests.
A higher level of ZDP was good for flat-tappet valve-train scuffing and wear, but it turned out that more was not better. Although break-in scuffing was reduced by using more phosphorus, longer-term wear increased when phosphorus rose above 0.14%. And, at about 0.20% phosphorus, the ZDP started attacking the grain boundaries in the iron, resulting in camshaft spalling.
By the 1970s, increased antioxidancy was needed to protect the oil in high-load engines, which otherwise could thicken to a point where the engine could no longer pump it. Because ZDP was an inexpensive and effective antioxidant, it was used to place the phosphorus level in the 0.10% range.
However, phosphorus is a poison for exhaust catalysts. So, ZDP levels have been reduced over the last 10-15 years. It's now down to a maximum of 0.08% for Starburst oils. This was supported by the introduction of modern ashless antioxidants that contain no phosphorus.
Enough history. Let's get back to the myth that Starburst oils are no good for older engines. The argument put forth is that while these oils work perfectly well in modern, gasoline engines equipped with roller camshafts, they will cause catastrophic wear in older engines equipped with flat-tappet camshafts.
The facts say otherwise.
Backward compatibility was of great importance when the Starburst oil standards were developed by a group of experts from the OEMs, oil companies, and oil additive companies. In addition, multiple oil and additive companies ran no-harm tests on older engines with the new oils; and no problems were uncovered.
The new Starburst specification contains two valve-train wear tests. All Starburst oil formulations must pass these two tests.
- Sequence IVA tests for camshaft scuffing and wear using a single overhead camshaft engine with slider finger (not roller) followers.
Sequence IIIG evaluates cam and lifter wear using a V6 engine with a flat-tappet system, similar to those used in the 1980s.
Those who hold onto the myth are ignoring the fact that the new Starburst oils contain about the same percentage of ZDP as the oils that solved the camshaft scuffing and wear issues back in the 1950s. (True, they do contain less ZDP than the oils that solved the oil thickening issues in the 1960s, but that's because they now contain high levels of ashless antioxidants not commercially available in the 1960s.)
Despite the pains taken in developing special flat-tappet camshaft wear tests that these new oils must pass and the fact that the ZDP level of these new oils is comparable to the level found necessary to protect flat-tappet camshafts in the past, there will still be those who want to believe the myth that new oils will wear out older engines.
Like other myths before it, history teaches us that it will probably take 60 or 70 years for this one to die also.
Bob Olree GM Powertrain Fuels and Lubricants Group
-- Edited by GLHS60 on Tuesday 25th of April 2017 12:09:43 AM
540 Rat tested the following oils for "protection" in PSI.
Additives increased some oils and reduced others protection !!
Thanks Randy
In short... thin is in... top 10 ranked oils are 30 grades...
So, as you can see, oil viscosity plays no particular role in an oils wear protection capability. As mentioned above, an oils wear protection capability is determined by its base oil and its additive package as a whole, with the primary emphasis on the additive package, which contains the extreme pressure components.
Wear protection reference categories are:
Over 105,000 psi = INCREDIBLE wear protection
90,000 to 105,000 psi = OUTSTANDING wear protection
75,000 to 90,000 psi = GOOD wear protection
60,000 to 75,000 psi = MODEST wear protection
Below 60,000 psi = UNDESIRABLE wear protection
All the oils were tested at a representative operational temperature of 230*F.
The HIGHER the psi value, the BETTER the Wear Protection.
1. 5W30 Pennzoil Ultra, API SM synthetic = 115,612 psi I have not been able to find this oil with the latest API SN certification. The bottle says, No leading synthetic oil provides better wear protection. For once, a products hype turns out to be true. And this oil provides MORE THAN TWICE as much wear protection as the lowest ranked oil on this list. Chrysler is so impressed with Pennzoil Ultra, that they selected the 0W40 version of it as the only Factory Fill oil for their latest 8.4L, 640 HP, V-10, 200+ mph, Dodge SRT Viper. zinc = 806 ppm phosphorus = 812 ppm moly = 66 ppm calcium = 3,011 ppm TBN = 10.3
2. Oil Extreme concentrate added to 5W30 Pennzoil Ultra, API SM synthetic = 111,570 psi This oil on its own WITHOUT the Oil Extreme concentrate added to it, has a wear protection capability of 115,612 psi, and is ranked 1st. But, with 2.0 OZ of concentrate added per qt, which is the amount intended for racing, its wear protection capability WENT DOWN 3.5%. zinc = TBD phosphorus = TBD. moly = TBD calcium = TBD TBN = TBD
3. Oil Extreme concentrate added to 10W30 Brad Penn, Penn Grade 1 semi-synthetic = 111,061psi This oil on its own WITHOUT the Oil Extreme concentrate added to it, has a wear protection capability of only 71,206 psi, and is ranked 88th. But, with 2.0 OZ of concentrate added per qt, which is the amount intended for racing, its wear protection capability WENT UP A BREATH TAKING 56%. zinc = TBD phosphorus = TBD. moly = TBD calcium = TBD TBN = TBD
4. 5W30 Oil Extreme, API SM synthetic (per the Oil Company, even though synthetic wording is not shown on the label) = 110,286 psi The Company claims this oil contains their proprietary formula of calcium petroleum sulfontate EP (Extreme Pressure) technology that is NOT found in any other motor oil. They also claim that it will provide 5 to 7 more HP, 7 to 10% better fuel mileage, cut engine wear in half, and will extend drain intervals two or three times safely. This oil is endorsed and promoted by Tech Author David Vizard. And he was so impressed by this oils performance that he also became a share holder in the Company. The results from the Dynamic Wear Testing Under Load performed here, fully supports their claim regarding wear protection. So, their hype about that, turned out to be absolutely true. And since this oil beat every high zinc oil Ive ever tested, it also proved another one of their claims, that using zinc as the primary anti-wear component, is outdated technology. zinc = 765 ppm phosphorus = 624 ppm moly = 52 ppm calcium = 7,652 ppm TBN = 23.2
5. 10W30 Lucas Racing Only synthetic = 106,505 psi zinc = 2642 ppm phosphorus = 3489 ppm moly = 1764 ppm calcium = 2,929 ppm TBN = 9.0 NOTE: This oil is suitable for short term racing use only, and is not suitable for street use.
6. 5W30 Mobil 1, API SN synthetic = 105,875 psi zinc = 801 ppm phosphorus = 842 ppm moly = 112 ppm calcium = 799 ppm TBN = 7.5
7. Oil Extreme concentrate added to 10W30 Lucas Hot Rod & Classic Hi-Performance Oil conventional = 105,758 psi This oil on its own WITHOUT the Oil Extreme concentrate added to it, has a wear protection capability of only 62,538 psi, and is ranked 104th. But, with 2.0 OZ of concentrate added per qt, which is the amount intended for racing, its wear protection capability WENT UP A MIND BLOWING 69%. zinc = TBD phosphorus = TBD. moly = TBD calcium = TBD TBN = TBD
9. 10W30 Valvoline NSL (Not Street Legal) Conventional Racing Oil = 103,846 psi zinc = 1669 ppm phosphorus = 1518 ppm moly = 784 ppm calcium = 1,607 ppm TBN = 4.4 NOTE: This oil is suitable for short term racing use only, and is not suitable for street use.
12. 5W30 Amsoil Series 3000 Heavy Duty Diesel Oil synthetic, API CI-4 PLUS, CF, SL, ACEA A3/B3, E2, E3, E5, E7 = 102,642 psi This is BY FAR, the highest ranked Diesel oil I have ever tested. This oil is Engineered for Diesel engines not equipped with Diesel particulate filters (DPF). Amsoil says this oil delivers better wear protection than other popular Diesel oils. And in this case, their hype is absolutely true. They also say it effectively reduces fuel consumption, with its advanced fuel efficient formula. This oil costs $11.15 per quart in the 2013 Amsoil Factory Direct Retail Catalog, which is 10% more than Amsoils 5W40 Premium Synthetic Diesel Oil. So, in this case, you pay only 10% more for the Amsoil Series 3000 Heavy Duty Diesel Oil, but you get a whopping 33% more wear protection than you get with the Amsoils 5W40 Premium Synthetic Diesel Oil. Money very well spent, if you run a Diesel oil intended for engines not equipped with Diesel particulate filters. The next highest ranked Diesel oil only ranks a very unimpressive 54th out of the 118 oils Ive tested so far. So, this 5W30 Amsoil Series 3000 Heavy Duty Diesel Oil is in a class of its own, among all the Diesel oils I have tested. zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
13. Oil Extreme concentrate added to 5W30 Mobil 1, API SN synthetic = 102,059 psi This oil on its own WITHOUT the Oil Extreme concentrate added to it, has a wear protection capability of 105,875 psi, and is ranked 6th. But, with 2.0 OZ of concentrate added per qt, which is the amount intended for racing, its wear protection capability WENT DOWN 3.6%. zinc = TBD phosphorus = TBD. moly = TBD calcium = TBD TBN = TBD
15. Oil Extreme concentrate added to 5W30 Pennzoil, API SN conventional, yellow bottle = 100,252 psi This oil on its own WITHOUT the Oil Extreme concentrate added to it, has a wear protection capability of only 76,989 psi, and is ranked 69th. But, with 1.5 OZ of concentrate added per qt, which is the bottles instruction for street driven vehicles, its wear protection capability WENT UP A WHOPPING 30%. zinc = 970 ppm phosphorus = 749 ppm, this value is 91 ppm lower than the basic oil because the concentrate has less phosphorus in it, which diluted the overall ppm count of the mixture. moly = 285 ppm calcium = 4,443 ppm TBN = 18.8
16. 5W30 Chevron Supreme, API SN conventional = 100,011 psi This oil only cost $4.29 per quart at an Auto Parts Store when I bought it. zinc = 1018 ppm phos = 728 ppm moly = 161 ppm
17. 5W20 Castrol Edge with Titanium, API SN synthetic = 99,983 psi zinc = 1042 ppm phos = 857 ppm moly = 100 ppm titanium = 49 ppm
18. 5W30 Pennzoil Platinum, API SN synthetic = 99,949 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
19. Oil Extreme concentrate added to 5W30 Pennzoil, API SN conventional, yellow bottle = 99,529 psi This oil on its own WITHOUT the Oil Extreme concentrate added to it, has a wear protection capability of only 76,989 psi, and is ranked 69th. But, with 2.0 OZ of concentrate added per qt, which is the amount intended for racing, its wear protection capability WENT UP 29%. zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
20. Oil Extreme concentrate added to 5W30 Oil Extreme Motor Oil, API SM synthetic = 98,396 psi This oil on its own WITHOUT the Oil Extreme concentrate added to it, has a wear protection capability of 110,286 psi, and is ranked 4th. But, with 2.0 OZ of concentrate added per qt, which is the amount intended for racing, its wear protection capability WENT DOWN 11%. zinc = TBD phos = TBD. moly = TBD
21. Oil Extreme concentrate added to 5W30 Pennzoil, API SN conventional, yellow bottle = 97,651 psi This oil on its own WITHOUT the Oil Extreme concentrate added to it, has a wear protection capability of only 76,989 psi, and is ranked 69th. But, with 3.0 OZ of concentrate added per qt, its wear protection capability WENT UP 27%. zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
23. Oil Extreme concentrate added to 5W30 Pennzoil, API SN conventional, yellow bottle = 96,739 psi This oil on its own WITHOUT the Oil Extreme concentrate added to it, has a wear protection capability of only 76,989 psi, and is ranked 69th. But, with 4.0 OZ of concentrate added per qt, its wear protection capability WENT UP 26%. zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
25. 30 wt Red Line Race Oil synthetic = 96,470 psi zinc = 2207 ppm phos = 2052 ppm moly = 1235 ppm NOTE: This oil is suitable for short term racing use only, and is not suitable for street use.
26. 0W20 Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy, API SN synthetic = 96,364 psi zinc = 742 ppm phos = 677 ppm moly = 81 ppm
27. 5W30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability, API SN synthetic = 95,920 psi zinc = 877 ppm phos = 921 ppm moly = 72 ppm
28. 5W30 Castrol Edge with Titanium, API SN synthetic = 95,717 psi zinc = 818 ppm phos = 883 ppm moly = 90 ppm titanium = 44 ppm
29. 10W30 Joe Gibbs XP3 NASCAR Racing Oil synthetic = 95,543 psi zinc = 743 ppm phos = 802 ppm moly = 1125 ppm NOTE: This oil is suitable for short term racing use only, and is not suitable for street use.
30. 5W20 Castrol GTX, API SN conventional = 95,543 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD NOTE: Oil numbers 29 and 30 were tested weeks apart, but due to the similarities in their wear scar sizes, their averages ended up the same.
35. Oil Extreme concentrate added to 5W30 Chevron Supreme, API SN conventional = 94,864 psi This oil on its own WITHOUT the Oil Extreme concentrate added to it, has a wear protection capability of 100,011 psi, and is ranked 16thth. But, with 2.0 OZ of concentrate added per qt, which is the amount intended for racing, its wear protection capability WENT DOWN 5.1%. zinc = TBD phosphorus = TBD. moly = TBD
36. 5W30 Valvoline Premium Conventional, API SN = 94,744 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
37. 5W20 Mobil 1, API SN synthetic = 94,663 psi zinc = 764 ppm phos = 698 ppm moly = 76 ppm
40. 5W30 OReilly (house brand), API SN conventional = 91,433 psi This oil only cost $3.99 per quart at an Auto Parts Store when I bought it. zinc = 863 ppm phos = 816 ppm moly = 0 ppm
45. 10W60 Castrol TWS Motorsport, API SJ conventional = 90,163 psi This oil is manufactured in Europe and is sold in the US for BMW models M3, M5, M6, Z4M, and Z8. zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
46. 5W20 Valvoline Premium Conventional, API SN = 90,144 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
47. Oil Extreme concentrate added to 5W30 Castrol GTX, API SN conventional = 89,659 psi This oil on its own WITHOUT the Oil Extreme concentrate added to it, has a wear protection capability of 95,392 psi, and is ranked 31st. But, with 2.0 OZ of concentrate added per qt, which is the amount intended for racing, its wear protection capability WENT DOWN 6%. zinc = TBD phosphorus = TBD. moly = TBD
48. 5W30 Havoline, API SN synthetic = 89,406 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
49. 30 wt Castrol Heavy Duty, API SM conventional = 88,089 psi zinc = 907 ppm phos = 829 ppm moly = 56 ppm
50. 20W50 LAT Synthetic Racing Oil, API SM = 87,930 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
53. 5W20 Pennzoil Ultra, API SM synthetic = 86,034 psi I have not been able to find this oil with the latest API SN certification. zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
54. 15W40 RED LINE Diesel Oil synthetic, API CJ-4/CI-4 PLUS/CI-4/CF/CH-4/CF-4/SM/SL/SH/EO-O = 85,663 psi zinc = 1615 ppm phos = 1551 ppm moly = 173 ppm
55. 5W30 Castrol Edge w/Syntec, API SN (formerly Castrol Syntec) black bottle, synthetic = 85,179 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
56. 5W30 Royal Purple API SN synthetic = 84,009 psi zinc = 942 ppm phos = 817 ppm moly = 0 ppm
57. 20W50 Royal Purple API SN synthetic = 83,487 psi zinc = 588 ppm phos = 697 ppm moly = 0 ppm
58. 20W50 Kendall GT-1 High Performance with liquid titanium, API SN conventional = 83,365 psi zinc = 991 ppm phos = 1253 ppm moly = 57 ppm titanium = 84 ppm
59. 5W30 Mobil 1 Extended Performance 15,000 mile, API SN synthetic = 83,263 psi zinc = 890 ppm phos = 819 ppm moly = 104 ppm
60. 0W20 Castrol Edge with Titanium, API SN synthetic = 82,867 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
61. 5W30 LAT Synthetic Racing Oil, API SM = 81,800 psi zinc = 1784 ppm phos = 1539 ppm moly = 598 ppm
62. Oil Extreme concentrate added to 5W30 Royal Purple XPR (extreme performance racing oil) synthetic = 81,723 psi This oil on its own WITHOUT the Oil Extreme concentrate added to it, has a wear protection capability of only 74,860 psi, and is ranked 75th. But, with 2.0 OZ of concentrate added per qt, which is the amount intended for racing, its wear protection capability WENT UP 9%. zinc = TBD phos = TBD. moly = TBD
63. 5W30 Peak, API SN synthetic = 80,716 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
64. 5W30 Edelbrock Cat-Safe, API SM synthetic = 78,609 psi This oil is made for Edelbrock by Torco zinc = 924 ppm phos = 659 ppm moly = 28 ppm 65. 30wt Amsoil Break-In Oil conventional = 78,192 psi zinc = 2051 ppm phos = 1917 ppm moly = 0 ppm
66. 20W50 Resolute Racing Oil, API SN conventional = 77,554 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD This oil cost only $2.49 per quart when bought for this test. It is a Regional Oil from the Mid-Western U.S. farm country.
70. 10W40 Chevron Supreme, API SN conventional = 76,806 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
71. 5W30 Lucas API SM synthetic = 76,584 psi zinc = 1134 ppm phos = 666 ppm moly = 0 ppm
72. 5W30 GMs AC Delco dexos 1 API SN semi-synthetic = 76,501 psi zinc = 878 ppm phos = 758 ppm moly = 72 ppm
73. 5W50 Castrol Edge with Syntec API SN, synthetic, formerly Castrol Syntec, black bottle = 75,409 psi zinc = 1252 ppm phos = 1197 ppm moly = 71 ppm
74. Oil Extreme concentrate added to 10W30 Comp Cams Muscle Car & Street Rod Oil semi-synthetic = 74,874 psi This oil on its own WITHOUT the Oil Extreme concentrate added to it, has a wear protection capability of only 60,413 psi, and is ranked 106th. But, with 2.0 OZ of concentrate added per qt, which is the amount intended for racing, its wear protection capability WENT UP AN IMPRESSIVE 24%. zinc = TBD phosphorus = TBD. moly = TBD
87. 15W40 OLD SHELL ROTELLA T Diesel Oil conventional, API CI-4 PLUS, CI-4, CH-4,CG-4,CF-4,CF,SL, SJ, SH = 71,214 psi zinc = 1171 ppm phos = 1186 ppm moly = 0 ppm Yes its true, the old Rotella actually has LESS zinc than the new Rotella.
90. 15W50 Mobil 1, API SN synthetic = 70,235 psi zinc = 1,133 ppm phos = 1,168 ppm moly = 83 ppm
91. 10W40 Resolute All Season Motor Oil, API SN conventional = 69,709 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD This oil cost $2.49 per quart when bought for this test. It is a Regional Oil from the Mid-Western U.S. farm country.
92. 5W40 CHEVRON DELO 400LE Diesel Oil synthetic, API CJ-4, CI-4 Plus, CI-4, SL, SM = 69,631 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
The amount of ZDDPlus added to the oil, was the exact amount the manufacturer called for on the bottle. And the resulting psi value here was 24% LOWER than this oil had BEFORE the ZDDPlus was added to it. Most major Oil Companies say to NEVER add anything to their oils, because adding anything will upset the carefully balanced additive package, and ruin the oils chemical composition. And that is precisely what we see here. Adding ZDDPlus SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED this oils wear prevention capability. Just the opposite of what was promised. Buyer beware.
108. 10W40 Summit Racing Premium Racing Oil, API SL = 59,483 psi This oil is made for Summit by I.L.C. zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD NOTE: This oil line was discontinued in Spring 2013.
109. 10W40 Edelbrock conventional = 59,120 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD This oil is manufactured for Edelbrock by Torco.
110. 0W20 LAT Synthetic Racing Oil, API SM = 57,228 psi zinc = TBD phos = TBD moly = TBD
The amount of ZDDPlus added to the oil, was the exact amount the manufacturer called for on the bottle. And the resulting psi value here was 38% LOWER than this oil had BEFORE the ZDDPlus was added to it. Adding ZDDPlus SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED this oils wear prevention capability. Just the opposite of what was promised. Buyer beware.
The amount of ZDDPlus added to the oil, was the exact amount the manufacturer called for on the bottle. And the resulting psi value here was 12% LOWER than this oil had BEFORE the ZDDPlus was added to it. Adding ZDDPlus SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED this oils wear prevention capability. Just the opposite of what was promised. Buyer beware.
The amount of Edelbrock Zinc Additive added to the oil, was the exact amount the manufacturer called for on the bottle. And the resulting psi value here was a whopping 36% LOWER than this oil had BEFORE the Edelbrock Zinc Additive was added to it. Adding Edelbrock Zinc Additive SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED this oils wear prevention capability. Just the opposite of what was promised. Buyer beware.
The amount of Edelbrock Zinc Additive added to the oil, was the exact amount the manufacturer called for on the bottle. And the resulting psi value here was a breath taking 44% LOWER than this oil had BEFORE the Edelbrock Zinc Additive was added to it. Adding Edelbrock Zinc Additive SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED this oils wear prevention capability. Just the opposite of what was promised. Buyer beware.
The amount of Edelbrock Zinc Additive added to the oil, was the exact amount the manufacturer called for on the bottle. And the resulting psi value here was 22% LOWER than this oil had BEFORE the Edelbrock Zinc Additive was added to it. Adding Edelbrock Zinc Additive SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED this oils wear prevention capability. Just the opposite of what was promised. Buyer beware.
*************** MOTOR OIL VISCOSITY SELECTION **************
THE BENEFITS OF USING THINNER OIL:
Thinner oil flows quicker at cold start-up to begin lubricating critical engine components much more quickly than thicker oil can. Most engine wear takes place during cold start-up before oil flow can reach all the components. So, quicker flowing thinner oil will help reduce start-up engine wear, which is actually reducing wear overall.
The more free flowing thinner oil at cold start-up, is also much less likely to cause the oil filter bypass to open up, compared to thicker oil. Of course if the bypass opened up, that would allow unfiltered oil to be pumped through the engine. The colder the ambient temperature, and the more rpm used when the engine is cold, the more important this becomes.
Thinner oil also flows more at normal operating temperatures. And oil FLOW is lubrication, but oil pressure is NOT lubrication. Oil pressure is only a measurement of resistance to flow. Running thicker oil just to up the oil pressure is the wrong thing to do, because that only reduces oil flow/lubrication. Oil pressure in and of itself, is NOT what we are after.
The more free flowing thinner oil will also drain back to the oil pan quicker than thicker oil. So, thinner oil can help maintain a higher oil level in the oil pan during operation, which keeps the oil pump pickup from possibly sucking air during braking and cornering.
The old rule of thumb that we should have at least 10 psi for every 1,000 rpm is perfectly fine. Running thicker oil to achieve more pressure than that, will simply reduce oil flow for no good reason. It is best to run the thinnest oil we can, that will still maintain at least the rule of thumb oil pressure. And one of the benefits of running a high volume oil pump, is that it will allow us to enjoy all the benefits of running thinner oil, while still maintaining sufficient oil pressure. A high volume oil pump/thinner oil combo is preferred over running a standard volume oil pump/thicker oil combo. Because oil flow is our goal for ideal oiling, NOT simply high oil pressure.
Oil flow is what carries heat away from internal engine components. Those engine components are DIRECTLY oil cooled, but only INdirectly water cooled. And better flowing thinner oil will keep critical engine components cooler because it carries heat away faster. If you run thicker oil than needed, you will be driving up engine component temps.
Thinner oil will typically increase HP because of less viscous drag and reduced pumping losses, compared to thicker oils. That is why very serious Race efforts will generally use watery thin oils in their engines. But, an exception to this increase in HP would be in high rpm hydraulic lifter engines, where thinner oil can allow the lifters to bleed-off at higher rpm. In everyday street vehicles, where fuel consumption is a consideration, thinner oils will also typically increase fuel economy. The majority of new cars sold in the U.S. now call for 5W20 specifically for increased fuel economy. And now Diesel trucks are increasingly calling for 5W30, also for fuel economy improvement.
With the exception of high rpm hydraulic lifter engines, almost no engine should ever need to run oil thicker than a multi-viscosity 30 weight. The lower the first number cold viscosity rating, the better the cold flow. For example, 0W30 flows WAY better cold than 20W50. And 0W30 flows WAY better cold than straight 30wt, which is horrible for cold start-up flow and should be avoided at all cost. And the lower the second number hot viscosity rating, the better the hot flow. For example, 0W30 flows WAY better hot than 20W50.
Thicker oil DOES NOT automatically provide better wear protection than thinner oils. Extensive dynamic wear testing under load of dozens and dozens of motor oils, has shown that the base oil and its additive package as a whole, is what determines an oils wear protection capability, NOT its viscosity. For example, some 5W20 oils have proven to provide OUTSTANDING wear protection, while some 15W50 oils have only been able to provide MODEST wear protection. So, do not run thicker oil under the false assumption that it can provide better wear protection for our engine.
540 RAT Member SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers)
-- Edited by GLHS60 on Tuesday 25th of April 2017 12:23:10 AM
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
Almost everyone has seen this Lucas Engine Oil Stabilizer display in an auto parts store. With a 20% mix of this additive and regular oil,...the oil travels all the way to the top gear, where plain oil only lubricates the bottom wheel. Looks impressive. And almost everyone who has seen this display gives each side a crank and thinks,. wow,.. this stuff must work! Looking for some opinions on this stuff.
7.3 gets Rotella 15/40. Stick with old school and add some additive.
