[Healeys] Let's talk oil some more..

[warthodson at aol.com]

Dave,
Sorry, I was not very clear. I intended to draw a distinction between synthetic & "natural" oils vs. oils of any type with & without adequate ZDDP.  To say it another way,
Regardless of the type of oil (synthetic or natural) it is the lack of adequate ZDDP that may have contributed to the failure of the tappet/cam. So, it is not synthetic oil that is the cause of the failure.

Some additional  possible causes of the failure, in no particular order & by no means a complete list: 
Lack of proper assembly lubrication on the cam & tappet
In adequate initial cam/tappett break in.
re-using old tappets &/or cam (Not applicable in your case because you stated new tappets & cam were installed)
defective new tappets - personal experience - I had a rebuilt TR3 engine tappet/cam fail. My engine rebuilder blamed the new tappets because they did not have any crown on their mating surface. I do not know if that was the actual cause but we purchased new ones with a crowned surface & a new cam & did not have the problem reoccur.
Improper inadequate hardening of the tappet/cam surfaces.
Using incorrect oil viscosity for the application.
 
Gary Hodson
 
From: David Porter <frogeye at porterscustom.com>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Let's talk oil some more..


 Gary, 
  Curious how you arrived at that conclusion ("least likely") given all the recent warnings due to reformulation of so many oils... 
  
  
On 8/4/2015 7:34 AM,   warthodson at aol.com wrote:  
  
  
      
Of all the possible causes for a tappet/cam failure the use of synthetic oil seems like the least likely explanation.   
    
Gary Hodson   
    
    
    


 
 

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