<VV> Oil... Put the ZDDP Back In

[Mikeamauro at aol.com]

Bob wrote:
 
"Hi Mike,
How much ZDDP are you wanting to have in your oils? Or is it like the old  
saying...if a little is good, more is better and too much is just right?  
Frankly, the amount required for our Corvairs has never been determined. How  much 
do you want? How much ZDDP do you think was in the oils available in the  
1960s? Corvairs ran pretty good back then. You can still get Shell Rotella T  
(CJ-4) which has 0.12%. That's as much as was in the early 1990s SH oil. Isn't  
that enough? Why are you so concerned with getting more ZDDP? The API had  GM run 
tests on engines with sliding lifters when they approved GF-4 oils. Isn't  
that some evidence that current oils work pretty good in our Corvairs?
Regards,
Bob Helt"

 
 
Hello Bob: 
 
Thank you for your response. 
 
I do know exactly what ZDDP levels I'm going after (.15% ... traditional  
levels for flat tappet applications), and I prefer it in the Mobil-1 product  
(not in a product primarily developed for use in a diesel power plant,  and which 
has, as an engine starts to loose prime oil control, been  arguably shown to 
put down elevated amounts of combustion  chamber deposits); with an .032 
quench dimension in all my normally aspirated  Vairs, CC deposits are to be avoided 
at all costs...  anyway, Bob, the discussions I've found concerning the  most 
recent Rotella product indicate the ZDDP levels may not be as  high as in 
previous formulations.
 
A small sampling of my research:
 
***About what is happening to Mobil-1 and why I'm shooting for .15% of  ZDDP: 
"...our initial analysis from 2005 and 2006 found that then recent SH/SJ/SL  
formulations of Mobil lubricants tested, including Mobil 1, have had similar  
0.12-0.14% Zn and P content, which we thought was a good thing, but looking  
closer, Mobil 1 0w40 had somewhat less Zn and P, at 0.10%. Current SM  
formulations are at the 0.10% level or less. This confirms the industry wide  trend of 
the reduction of Zn and P from motor oils, with the eventual reduction  to 
0.06-0.08% or even worse, the elimination of these additives, which are  
essential to an air cooled Porsche engine's longevity..."  
Credit... LN Engineering: (http://www.lnengineering.com/oil.html)
 
*** The suitability of current blends of Rotella is in Question:
"...Shell's Rotella will be good until about June or July of 2007 with  
possibly nothing after that date..." 
Credit...  http://www.tampabaybritishcarclub.com/Tech_Tips/tech_tips.html
"...Diesel rated oil has lots of additives to suspend the soot. Heavy doses  
of additives can make it past the rings and leave deposits in the combustion  
chamber which can become incandescent and serve a pilot for pre-ignition and  
detonation..." 
Credit...  http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165074&page=2
 
Some of sources cited, I realize, are not "official" sources, but in the  
extensive reading I've done, the same themes have been voiced over and  over.
 
Thank you again for your comments, Bob; I always give your opinions and  
comments my full attention and serious consideration.
 
Mike Mauro



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