[TR] Fwd: Re: Regarding Oil (part 2)

[J.C. Hassall]

Part 2

>And their answer was:
>This is the real story behind the myths.  With ever increasing limits on
>emissions, automobile manufacturers have tightened emission control
>systems on newer vehicles.  This is one of several factors considered
>when the American Petroleum Institute (API) sets standards for engine
>oil.  The current API standard is "SM," which replaced the previous "SL"
>classification. Because phosphorus can poison a vehicle's emission
>system, the level of zinc is lower for current engine oil.  Because of
>this, many hands-on car enthusiasts and engine experts believe the lower
>levels of zinc in "SM" engine oil is causing excessive wear in older
>style push-rod and flat tappet engines. This is despite the fact that
>all new engine oil classifications are intended to be backward
>compatible, which in turn has resulted in the widely accepted belief
>that modern engine oil is not adequate to protect older engines.
>Valvoline uses an advanced zinc/phosphorus additive that keeps higher
>levels of phosphorus in the engine oil where it protects the engine,
>instead of poisoning the catalytic converter.  Valvoline is the only
>brand offering this unique additive across its entire line of passenger
>car engine oils, including SynPower which is the only synthetic offering
>this additive.
>The only exclusion to this would be if you are operating a high
>performance or aggressive cam application, where high Zinc levels may be
>required.  Because of these requirements, there are high-zinc engine
>oils available to meet this need, such as our Valvoline VR1 Racing Oil.
>The VR1 Racing Oil establishes a 75% higher zinc content than SM engine
>oil with a balanced additive package designed to work in both racing and
>street-legal applications. This product will protect older style
>push-rod and flat tappet engines and carries an oil change interval
>recommendation of 3 month/3,000 miles.
>It is important to note, however, that the entire additive package still
>needs to be balanced for best performance. For example, engine oil with
>a high zinc level but low detergent may not perform over a drain
>interval of 3,000 miles or longer.
>
>Ain't this fun???  So I think the answer is that, for cam break-in 
>purposes, the real racing oil ("not street legal") is the better 
>choice.  For normal (non-racing) use, VR-1 seems to be the better 
>choice.  Additional confusion has crept into this thread because 
>there is only one VR-1 (the street legal stuff).  Racing ("not 
>street legal") oil is *not* VR-1.
>
>Geez, I wish more of my tribology class had stuck with me.
>
>--
>J.C. Hassall
>Blacksburg VA
>'63 TR4 in autox preparation
>96% finished, 90% to go

--
J.C. Hassall
Blacksburg VA
'63 TR4 in autox preparation
96% finished, 90% to go