Modern Oils and FE Engines

[MadJoe]

Hi everyone, I'm having trouble discerning the truth behind modern oils and our old engines. As I understand it FE V8's are flat tappet cam engines (unless upgraded to roller cams), which means they require zinc in the oil to avoid excessive cam/tappet wear. However, what I can't figure out is if that's only for break-in (after a rebuild, or cam replacement), or if it's something these engines require all of the time.

So I suppose what I'm fishing for is a SME to definitively say one way or the other: FE engines need zddp oil at every change, or FE engines only need zddp oil for break-in periods.

Thank you in advance!
-Joe

[j41385]

in my 300 I run diesel grade Valvoline premium blue 15w 40 . Diesel Grade oil has more zinc in it because diesels don't typically have roller cams or haven't much yet. You could run your choice of brand of diesel grade oil or run normal oil with zinc additive. http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/mc/ ... A5Ik3EE.97

[Ohiotinkerer]

I've always ran half a bottle of Lucas break in oil additive with every oil change in all the older vehicles I've had after talking to one of their reps about how much of it to use - works great for me.....

[ThinLizzy13]

I've always ran my FE's with 15w40 diesel oil or regular oil with Rislone or some other zinc additive in it. From what I've read online it seems that flat tappet cams need it all the time, but I haven't been able to find a difinitive answer if it's just break in or all the time.

[Ohiotinkerer]

I've always ran my FE's with 15w40 diesel oil or regular oil with Rislone or some other zinc additive in it. From what I've read online it seems that flat tappet cams need it all the time, but I haven't been able to find a difinitive answer if it's just break in or all the time.

From all I have learned from my dad and grandpa - both of whom have worked on cars and farm equipment their whole lives - motors with flat tappet cams need zinc all the time. Used to be all oil had enough but with a lot of the cars nowadays don't need as much and I've been told that it screws with emissions somehow so the content has been reduced over the years. Me personally I'm the type to err on the safe side and use it...better safe than sorry....just my on whether or not to use it.......

[ThinLizzy13]

Better to have it and not need

[fmfmedic]

Does this also apply to the 300 inline six?

[Ohiotinkerer]

Does this also apply to the 300 inline six?

I would for one built before 1980 - the ones built in the 60's thru the 70's used oil with a lot higher zinc content just like the V8's. Metals used in engines has changed in the newer stuff and was built to run on oil with less content. I look at it as cost of a half of a bottle of Lucas break in oil additive at every oil change - $10 - vs a new cam and lifters - $$$$$$$ - and the aggravation of having to change it.......

Not saying it will happen but I'm gonna do everything in my power to prevent it at least.......

[Delta Bob]

I use Rotella 15-40 in my 71 F250's 360.

[tnlprt]

until June 2016

I have run Rotella 15W40 in my 390 .....

i now have a flat camshaft in the 390

Rotella no longer has enough ZDDP in it to sustain a flat tappit cam

Do your self a favor and run an additive EVERY time you change oil

[RandyP63]

I just installed a new cam and lifters, I changed the oil to Rotella 15W40 with a quart of Joe Gibbs break-in oil. I will still use Rotella, but will always add an additI've.

[Delta Bob]

Yes, I heard that they were reformulating the diesel oils but I think that the Rotella 30 weight still has the amount of zinc that it always had.

[MadJoe]

Great discussion, thanks for everyone's input! I think it's safe to say 'zinc every time, all the time' in these engines.

[MadJoe]

Has anyone had any experience with Valvoline racing full synthetic?

Here's a link to the one I'm looking at.

It claims "High Zinc" content, but I had to search out and download the MSDS to find out exactly how much since Valvoline doesn't post it anywhere else that I could find. It's 1.08% for reference, which when compared to Mobil 1 oils, is a freakin' lot (if I'm converting ppm to % correctly anyway, since the 2 oils measure their zinc contents in different ways). If my math is correct, 1.08% is over 10,000ppm while the best Mobil 1 offers is 1850ppm (~0.09%), and that's a very specific oil many of their viscosities have 900, and some have as little as 750ppm.

Thoughts? Corrections?

Thanks again!

Joe

[69Ford]

This is what I run. http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/m ... e=ZRTQT-EA