[TR] 20-50 oil

[dave n]

I have been using the valvoline vr-1 full synthetic racing oil for several 
years in several vintage cars.  I did the research back whenever I started 
using it, and yes it does have zddp.  how much?  enough?  can't answer that.

I think maybe it’s a little more, but its easy to get from amazon and free 
shipping.  I also like that it is a full synthetic.

and at about 5000 miles per year, I change the oil every year or so.

-----Original Message----- 
From: terryrs at comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2016 4:42 PM
To: Randall
Cc: Triumphs
Subject: Re: [TR] 20-50 oil

Interesting note on the Valvoline full synthetic.  Does it have sufficient 
ZDP, ZZP or whatever heck that stuff is?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Randall" <TR3driver at ca.rr.com>
To: terryrs at comcast.net, "Triumphs" <Triumphs at autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2016 3:47:23 PM
Subject: RE: [TR] 20-50 oil



> Regarding issues of sludge, how much of it has to do with
> using a top quality, micro-porosity oil filter like say WIX
> or maybe NAPA?

I'm certainly no expert, but my opinion is that the filter is intended to 
take out relatively small amounts of fine particles, like
wear particles and outside dirt.  There is no way that any automotive filter 
is going to deal with the sheer amount of sludge that I
was seeing.

Some cars didn't even have oil filters up until sometime around 1950-60. 
The oil filter was actually an option on my first car, a
1962 Chevy Biscayne!  (Only other option it had was the "solid state" AM 
radio, which still had to warm up because of the tubes
inside.)

>  Also in the TR3, which leaks oil with the synthetic, but

Try Valvoline synthetic.  In my experience, it leaks a whole lot less than 
Mobil 1 in American engines; and did not increase oil
consumption in my TR3A.  In fact oil consumption went down markedly with the 
Valvoline full synthetic (instead of conventional oil)
on a GM V6 that I used to own.  I tried Mobil 1 briefly (someone gave me a 
jug of it) in my Buick wagon (350 LT1) and oil
consumption went up dramatically until all the Mobil 1 had leaked out, then 
went back down as I kept adding Valvoline.  The LT1 is
showing signs of age with over 300k on the clock, but that's more likely due 
to skipped oil changes than any problem with the oil or
filter.

Randall