"New" Oils and "Old" Cars Don't Mix

Transcription

1 "New" Oils and "Old" Cars Don't Mix By Mark D. Sarine Have you heard about the zinc problem with modern motor oils? Many classic car owners and racers have experienced camshaft failures due to modern motor oils. Even worse, be prepared for the zinc to change in motor oils again later this Fall. If you ve not had the pleasure of having your camshaft go flat due to modern motor oils, consider yourself very fortunate. As an owner of an engine parts warehouse, I ve seen hundreds of perfectly good camshafts ruined by modern motor oils. So when I read about the new API SN motor oil coming out this Fall, I started talking to the engine builders we supply parts. The engine builders all said the same thing car owners don t much know about these modern motor oils and the problems these oils create in classic cars and race cars. Knowing about the Cruise News, I contacted Mike to see if he could help us spread the word modern motor oils are not good for your classic hot rods and race cars. Here s the facts: Zinc or ZDDP as it is commonly referred to in motor oils is a type of chemical called Zinc DialkylDithioPhosphate, and Zinc has been the most common anti-wear additive used in motor oils for the last 60 years. I just call it Zinc because it is easier to say and spell. Zinc is a remarkable chemical that protects engine parts from metal to metal contact under heavy loads. Zinc works by creating a film on the iron and steel parts in your engine. Unfortunately, Zinc also creates a film inside modern Three Way Catalytic converters. This Zinc Poisoning limits Three Way Catalytic converter life to around 70,000 miles. The Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandates that car manufacturers warranty Three Way Catalytic converters on new cars built since 2004 for 120,000 miles. To achieve this goal, the car manufacturers worked with the American Petroleum Institute (API) to create new, lower Zinc oils that allow Three Way Catalytic converters to live for 120,000 miles. These new Lower Emissions oils have extended catalytic converter life, but they have shortened the life of flat-tappet camshafts. Not long after these modern motor oils with less Zinc hit the market, we started to notice an increase in flat-tappet camshaft failures. At first, it was the race engine builders, so we shrugged it off as some new trick the race guys were doing that caused the problem. Then we started to see stock flat tappet camshafts going flat. Things got ugly really fast. Every camshaft company started researching the problem. So did the Automotive Engine Rebuilders Association. Everybody wanted to know, why are cams going flat? The answer was Zinc. Lower Zinc oils work just fine in modern production car engines with overhead cams, and roller lifters. These modern engines don t rev past 5,000 RPM. Most hot rod and race motors have push rods, flat tappet lifters and rev beyond 5,000 RPM. These engines need motor with more Zinc. The good news is that High Zinc oils are available. If you have a classic car or race car, I highly recommend using the Joe Gibbs brand oils. We have seen a dramatic reduction in camshaft problems when our engine builders started using the Joe Gibbs brand oils. Since Joe Gibbs Racing is a NASCAR team, they are on top of all the latest advancements in technology, and they have developed oils that work. I ve seen used parts from Joe Gibbs Racing engines that look brand new (even with over 600 miles on them). If you ve not had any problems so far, consider yourself very lucky. Switching to a High Zinc oil before the new API SN oils hit the shelves is like an insurance policy against having problems. We like selling engine parts, but I hate seeing good parts go bad - Especially when they don t have to.

2 Motor Oil Standards Set To Change in 2011 API SN/GF-5 Press Release Contact: Lake Speed, Jr (704) API approves GF-5, SN to go into effect in GM Announces dexos 1 global engine oil specification for 2011 model year vehicles. API SN ILSAC GF-5 licensed oil will hit the shelves in October of 2010, and this new oil specification places greater emphasis on protecting catalytic converters than previous oil standards. While this is good news for emissions, improved catalytic converter life has proven to be detrimental to flat-tappet camshaft life. Both the new API SN and GM dexos oil standards will require the use of a new type of Phosphorus Retention ZDP. ZDP or Zinc, as it is known, provides protection for engine components by creating a phosphate film. The creation of this phosphate film also results in a reduction of performance in Three Way Catalytic Converters. The new Phosphorus Retention ZDP is less reactive, so it is less detrimental to catalytic converter performance. It is unknown how this new Phosphorus Retention ZDP will perform in flat-tappet and high performance engines. Another change associated with API SN/ILSAC GF-5 oils will be greater fuel economy performance. This improvement in fuel economy will be achieved by increased use of polymers called Viscosity Modifiers. These polymers help a thin oil act thicker under low stress conditions. While the liberal use of polymers helps improve fuel economy in modern passenger car engines, older style push-rod and race engines produce greater shear stresses that can tear these polymers. When these polymers are sheared, oil losses viscosity, and that can lead to increased wear. More than ever before, hot rodders, engine builders, and racers need to be aware that API rated products are compromised due to Passenger Car OEM requirements for improved catalytic converter life, fuel economy, and engine cleanliness. To achieve these goals, oil marketers must reduce the Phosphorus, Sulfur and Zinc levels in their oils, and they must use more polymers and aggressive detergents. While these changes are good for modern low rpm, overhead cam engines, older push rod engines and high RPM race engines need lubricants with higher levels of Phosphorus, Sulfur and Zinc as well as lower levels of polymers and detergents. Fortunately, Engine Builders, Racers and Hot Rodders have Joe Gibbs Driven oils available to them for Engine Break-In, Racing and Hot Rodding, so you don t need to worry. Joe Gibbs Driven oils use the old school ZDP for outstanding flat-tappet camshaft protection. Joe Gibbs Racing uses the Joe Gibbs Driven oils for break-in and racing our flat-tappet engines, and our engines see over 9,000 RPM, make over 850 hp and have to run more than 600 miles per race weekend. Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oils have protected our engines for the last 10 years, and we ve won 5 NASCAR championships during that time using these oils. These oils cost a little more per quart than premium passenger car and diesel oils, but they provide greater value and protection. The small investment in the right oil for your flat-tappet cam will same you big money in the long run.

3 Proper Cam Break-In Procedure Recent changes in oil and engine technology are likely the cause of premature camshaft failure; here s how you can protect your engine! Premature flat tappet camshaft failure has been on the rise recently and not just with one brand or type of camshaft. In almost every case, the hardness or the taper of the cam lobe is suspected, yet most of the time that is not the problem. This growing trend is due to factors that are completely unrelated to camshaft manufacture or quality control. Changes in today's oil products and advancements in internal engine configurations have contributed to a harsher environment for the camshaft and increased the potential for failure during break-in. But there are several things you can do to curtail this discouraging trend. Lubrication Engine Oil Selection As we touched on earlier, another major factor in the increase of flat tappet camshaft failure is your favorite brand of engine oil. Simply put, today s engine oil is just not the same as it used to be, thanks to ever tightening environmental regulations. The EPA has done a great job in reducing emissions and the effects of some of the ingredients found in traditional oils; however these changes to the oil have only made life tougher on your flat tappet camshaft. The lubricity of the oil and specifically the reduction of the important anti-wear additives such as zinc and phosphorus, which help break-in and overall camshaft life, have been drastically reduced. As stated in the book "Lubrication Fundamentals","In heavily loaded applications, flat tappet cam followers operate on partial oil films at least part of the time. Lubricants with anti-wear additives are necessary if rapid wear and surface distress are to be avoided. The oil additive Zinc Dithiophosphate is to provide anti-wear activity for the camshaft and lifters. With the increased use of roller follower cams (in production cars), the requirements for anti-wear have been changed to prolong the life of emission control devices." The increased RPM and related increase in valve spring pressure in today's racing engines require higher levels of formulated anti-wear, especially in flat tappet engines. Again, the book "Lubrication Fundamentals" sums this up, "Loading on the rubbing surfaces in the valve train may be high, particularly in high speed engines, where stiff valve springs must be used to ensure that the valves close rapidly and positively. This loading can result in lubrication failure unless special care is taken in the formulation of the lubricant." Simply put, the oil used in a flat tappet engine needs to be formulated specifically for a flat tappet engine.

4 Why Use Hot Rod Oil? Modern API certified oils are designed to protect emissions control equipment like catalytic converters. Joe Gibbs Driven Hot Rod Oil is designed to protect your camshaft! With high levels of ZDDP to protect your engine, Joe Gibbs Driven Hot Rod Oil delivers the chemistry that classic cars, muscle cars and historic racers need. Because these cars are not daily drivers, Joe Gibbs Driven Hot Rod Oil also delivers storage protection additives to guard your engine from rust and corrosion. These additives also prevent dry starts. Developed specifically for older cars, no other oil provides this unique combination of lubricant chemistry. Modern engine designs and modern oils have done a great job reducing emissions and protecting emissions control equipment. However, modern oils have played havoc on older engines. The reduction in emissions in modern cars has coincided with a reduction in traditional anti-wear additives (i.e. zinc dithiophosphates) in modern oils. While this is great for the environment, it is bad news for your flat-tappet camshaft. As stated in the book Lubrication Fundamentals, In heavily loaded applications, flat tappet cam followers operate on partial oil films at least part of the time. Lubricants with anti-wear additives are necessary if rapid wear and surface distress are to be avoided. The oil additive Zinc Dithiophosphate is to provide anti-wear activity for the camshaft and lifters. Simply put, you shouldn t use oil designed for modern engines in older style engines. Protecting your engine when it is operating is critical. However, more wear occurs during start-up than at any other time. A recent European study of Heavy Duty Diesel engines revealed a 50% reduction in cold-start wear by using synthetic oil in comparison to conventional oil. Reduced cold start wear means longer engine life! Joe Gibbs Driven Hot Rod Oil meets the latest SAE J300 Cold Cranking requirements, so you can give your engine the Cold-Start protection it needs as well as the Zinc anti-wear chemistry to keep your camshaft protected. Because Joe Gibbs Driven Hot Rod Oil is designed specifically for older style historic car and hot rod engines, it also features US Military specification rust and corrosion inhibitors. These unique additives fight the formation of rust and defend against corrosion while your car is in the garage or storage. Pictured to the left are the results of a 1,000 hour severe storage simulation test. The surfaced treated with Joe Gibbs Driven Hot Rod Oil showed NO rust or corrosion! When your car sits in the garage over the winter, Joe Gibbs Driven Hot Rod Oil fights corrosive wear and rust. When you fire the engine up, Joe Gibbs Driven Hot Rod Oil protects your engine from excessive cold start wear. When you put the pedal to the floor, Joe Gibbs Driven Hot Rod Oil protects your camshaft from scuffing. No other oil provides this level of protection in the garage, at start-up and on the road.

5 Zinc vs. Detergent While the reduction of zinc, phosphorus and sulfur in today s motor oils is a significant change, there is more to the story. Specifically, the detergent additives used in modern oils have also changed. Here are some key facts about zinc and detergents and how they work. ALL "ZINC" IS NOT THE SAME The oil additive Zinc DialkylDithioPhosphate (ZDDP) works because it is a polar molecule, so it is attracted to ferrous metal surfaces. However, Zinc (ZDDP) is not a lubricant until heat and load are applied. ZDDP must react with heat and load to create the sacrificial film that allows ZDDP to protect flat-tappet camshafts and other highly loaded engine parts. The Society of Automotive Engineers Automotive Lubricants Reference Book states, ZDDP is the predominant anti-wear additive used in crankcase oils, although it is a class of additive rather than one particular chemical.. Not all ZDDP additives are the same. Some zinc additives have slower burn rates that require more heat and more load to activate than other zinc additives. As a result, not all High Zinc oils have the same activation rate. The Joe Gibbs Driven BR Break-In oil uses a Fast Burn ZDDP that activates quickly. THE CRITICAL BALANCE OF DETERGENTS TO ZINC Detergents and dispersants in the oil complicate the situation. Detergent and dispersant additives compete against zinc in the engine because they are polar molecules as well. Detergents and dispersants clean the engine, but they don t distinguish between sludge, varnish and zinc they clean all three away. Modern API certified oils contain higher levels of detergents and dispersants due to the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems on passenger cars and diesel trucks. The old school theory on engine break-in was to run non-detergent oils, and this allowed for greater activation of the zinc additive in the oil. Joe Gibbs Driven BR Break-In oils utilize the correct balance of anti-wear additives and detergents, so you don t need to buy expensive additives to try to fix a low zinc (ZDDP) oil.

6 Why Should I Use Joe Gibbs Diven Oil? Joe Gibbs Driven Oil is formulated specifically for racing engines and older style flat-tappet engines. A recent camshaft company Technical Bulletin said it best, Today's engine oil is just not the same as it used to be, thanks to the ever tightening environmental regulations." Today's passenger car motor oils are formulated to be compatible with your street car's emission control equipment, and Federal EPA requirements have led to a reduction in formulated anti-wear chemistries like Zinc, Phosphorus and Sulfur in API rated engine oils. As a result, the oil you buy today is not the same as it was 10 years ago. While this is good for your street car, it is bad news for your racing engine. As stated in the book Lubrication Fundamentals,"In heavily loaded applications, flat tappet cam followers operate on partial oil films at least part of the time. Lubricants with anti-wear additives are necessary if rapid wear and surface distress are to be avoided. The oil additive Zinc Dithiophosphate is to provide anti-wear activity for the camshaft and lifters. Racing engines see more RPM, higher loads and increased temperatures compared to street engines, so a racing engine requires higher levels of Zinc, Phosphorus, Sulfur and other additives to prevent premature part failure. This is especially true in flat-tappet engines. Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil contains all of the correct additives, like Zinc, Phosphorus and Sulfur in addition to the highest quality base oils to protect your engine. Again, the book Lubrication Fundamentals sums this up, "Loading on the rubbing surfaces in the valve train may be high, particularly in high speed engines, where stiff valve springs must be used to ensure that the valves close rapidly and positively. This loading can result in lubrication failure unless special care is taken in the formulation of the lubricant." Simply put, the oil used in an engine needs to be formulated specifically for that type of engine. You wouldn't use a stock piston in a race engine, and the same goes for oil. Our NASCAR championship winning formula protects our 9,000 RPM, Flat-Tappet engines for over 500 miles of competition, and our oils are used by other championship winning engine builders to conquer the grueling 24 hours of Daytona and the Baja We offer a variety of oil viscosities to fit various engine builds and operating temps.

7 Brad Penn Penn Grade 1 High Performance Oils Since January 8, 2008, Brad Penn Penn Grade 1 High Performance Oils have been formulated with a typical 1500 ppm zinc and ppm phosphorous additive concentrates. Penn Grade 1 High Performance Oils are tightly controlled to this level. Each production batch is rigorously monitored by our ISO 9001 certified Quality Control Laboratory to assure compliance to the specification. Prior to January 8, 2008, Penn Grade 1 High Performance Oils were blended with zinc levels below 1500 ppm. This was in part dictated by the API service classification SJ which limited the phosphorus level to 1000 PPM max for catalyst compatibility. It was only after a decision was made to depart from the API performance classification that it was possible to increase the phosphorus level to 1340 to 1400 range of the current product. This corresponds to the advertized zinc concentration of 1500 PPM. Being the former Kendall Refinery located in Bradford, Pa., we process 100% Pennsylvania Grade crude oil. From the crude oil, we obtain a unique base oil cut which builds a stable oil film that withstands high pressure, high temperature and scuffing associated with race and older, high performance engines. The product provides double protection (layer of lubricant with the zinc and phosphorous protection) to critical engine parts especially for flat tappet and roller cams. In fact, a majority of the cam manufacturers tested and now recommend our High Performance Oils before we reformulated the product. One of the reasons the increase in zinc and phosphorous in 2008 was done was to support market trends realizing that the market valued these higher levels. There was not any performance data that directed the increase. Another reason was more historical, since those higher levels had been in use in high performance oils prior to concerns about emission control catalyst life. The Brad Penn Penn Grade 1 Break-In oil is designed specifically with a lower level of ZDDP and other select additive components as a Break-In oil. Since break in is a wearing process high levels of an anti-wear additive may be counterproductive. The type of ZDDP used in this oil is also more suitable for break in applications. This product is highly recommended by a number of engine builders for use when breaking in newly assembled engines to lubricate and assure proper sealing of components. The Brad Penn lubricants are manufactured at the former Kendall Refinery in Bradford, Pennsylvania. The refinery is the oldest continuously operated lube refinery in the world (since 1881). The refinery processes only 100% Pennsylvania Grade crude oil through the refinery and is the last truly MADE IN THE USA major oil company. The Bradford Refinery was the first in the United States to carry ISO 9002 certification; and the American Refining Group, Inc., refinery, blending and packaging operations currently carry ISO 9001:2008 certification. The Penn Grade 1 High Performance Oils are recommended by a majority of Cam Manufacturers such as Crane Cams, Crower Cams, Web Cams, Schneider Cams, Koerner Cams, Howards Cams, Cam Motion and many others. Penn Grade 1 High Performance Oils are uniquely formulated for Street Rods, Hot Rods, Muscle Cars, Vintage Cars, Classic Cars, Historic Cars and High Performance Race Engines. Penn Grade 1 High Performance Oils are available in Partial Synthetic SAE 0W-30, SAE 10W-30, SAE 10W-40, SAE 15W-40, SAE 20W-50; in addition SAE 30, SAE 40, SAE 50, Nitro 70, Break-In Oil SAE 30 and Assembly Lube. Richard E. Glady Vice President Branded Lubricants Sales and Marketing American Refining Group, Inc