I'm wondering what's the go to ZDDP Additive? I've found there is three brands at most local parts stores. What's the best? Wanna protect my flat tappet cam.
Go to your GM dealership's parts counter if you feel it a necessity. Most of us running flat tappet cams have just selected one of the oils made for our engines. Also stock rated valve springs have a lot to do with not needing it today at all. Good luck in your choice..
I found / purchased Castrol GTX 20W-50 "Classic" with Zinc for Classic "Older" Cars from Walmart locally in the store. I looked at your location and it is 20 minutes from you.... Walmart Super Center has it.....Jacksonville, Fl Pickup, today at Aisle M38 Geesh - want me to drain your oil and fill it too ? HaHa BUT - DO NOT buy a Fram filter there. Find a WIX or NAPA Gold at your local parts store and use that.
Valvoline VR-1 has high zinc, and what I use in my flat tappet engines. No reason for additives, and it's $30 a 6 pack shipped to my door from Amazon.
As others say, get a good oil instead. Engine lubrication is not the place for backyard chemistry experiments, which is what you are doing when you mix an unknown mix of chemicals into a well thought out oil that already has all the additives the manufacturer meant to put in it. Mixing additives in oil gives unpredictable results.
I use Valvoline VR1 in the 440 and the rest of the cars get Castrol GT Classic. Use a Wixx filter. No additives.
Support the Alliance Vendors here; check out the very last vendor on the list. Their website has good information on this subject.
Only motor oil goes in motor oil. If the manufacturer did not put it in there, neither should you (unless you have a couple of teams of laboratory scientists working for you). There are plenty of products on the market that meet and/or exceed the requirements of any/all HAMB acceptable engines.
If you are installing a new cam and lifters, install the cam sans timing gear and rotate the cam with a drill and some kind of adapter to see if the lifters are rotating. A lifter that is not rotating will ruin any cam no matter what lube you use. If you are talking about a cam thats already in an engine and doing fine, then any quality synthetic should be fine. Sometimes you need to use a certain weight oil to prevent lifter bleed and clatter, but generally they all do just fine. With flat tappet cams and lifters its mostly about the initial breakin period.
Found it at Walmart close to me. Thank you for posting it. Engine has 180,000 miles on it. Don't believe 10W-30 would cut it.
I use VR-1 also. I understand it does not have the high detergent package of regular oils, so it needs needs to be changed more frequently. I dont put on more than 500-600 miles a year on my ride, but not so sure about using a race oil like VR1 for long oil change intervals.
Valvoline VR-1 is real oil, not synthetic. And at $5 a quart on Amazon it's cheaper than any other high zinc oil out there. They do sell a synthetic version, so be sure which it is before buying. But if it's inexpensive, it's not the synthetic version.
Not sure about detergent levels? But it's NOT for newer engines with cats, and that means it's great for older engines! SPECS: AMERICA’S #1 RACING OIL is recommended for high-performance gasoline engines as well as those burning full or partial alcohol fuels SPECIAL FRICTION MODIFIERS help minimize friction, keeping heat at bay for maximum power and torque at high RPMs 2X MORE ZINC FOR EXTREME WEAR PROTECTION for even greater film strength and anti-wear protection on critical engine components such as pistons, cams and bearings ENHANCED ANTI-FOAM AGENTS SAFEGUARD CRITICAL PARTS in high speeds and extreme conditions
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