healeys
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Oils - We've reached consensus

To: healeys@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Oils - We've reached consensus
From: Bob Spidell <bspidell@comcast.net>
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2006 08:22:22 -0800
I haven't tried it (yet), but my cam grinder (Crower) and the local 
parts house
highly recommend Kendall GT-1.

Their 20W-50 has a zinc content of 0.11-something percent, which is 
pretty high.  The
stuff I saw on the shelf is SAE SL, but newer lots may be SM.

I use their 30W in my lawnmower--it's green (literally), which is kinda 
neat.  Dunno about
the 20W-50. 

FWIW, the parts guys say it's better than Valvoline VR-1, and a bit less 
expensive.

Gary,
You didn't think you could end this thread THAT easily, did you?   ;)


bs


Editorgary@aol.com wrote:

>Thanks to everyone who responded, including those who sent me links to 
>treatises that would have made good engineering PhD theses. Here's what I 
>believe is 
>the general consensus.
>
>ZDDP (Zinc d...d...phosphate) is an important additive for our engines since 
>it works with molybdenum additives to protect the wear surfaces on tappets and 
>cams in classic engines. However, it isn't needed in modern engines with fuel 
>injection, roller rockers, etc. and reduces the life of catalytic converters, 
>so the API is no longer allowing it to be added to oil for general passenger 
>car use. That means that any brand which is now API approved in the long run 
>will be harmful to a tappet engine.
>
>However, Castrol GTX 20-50 and Valvoline VR1 20-50, both of which are readily 
>available still have the additive, though one respondent noted that he'd read 
>that the amount in Castrol has been reduced. In addition, good quality oils 
>for diesel engines, such as Chevron Delo, continue to include the additive 
>since they don't have catalytic converters and some wear issues similar to 
>tappet 
>engines.
>Also, boutique oils such as Redline, Royal Purple, Torco, Amsoil, and 
>Penrite, which are used primarily by vintage racers, still have the additive 
>in their 
>non-synthetic oil and have the weight range we should be running   in our 
>older engines -- though they're typically around $5 a quart. However, since 
>you 
>only change your oil once a year, maybe the extra $30 a year in return for 
>good 
>engine life isn't an unreasonable price.
>Thanks for your input.
>Cheers
>gary
>
>  
>
***************************************************************
Bob Spidell         San Jose, CA        bspidell@comcast.net
'67 Austin-Healey 3000             '56 Austin-Healey 100M
***************************************************************




<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>