Don,
I agree with what your saying. but as an engineer, oil science and
test do not agree. How ever that stated, the bumble bee, according to
science can't fly either. Over the years I have read every oil test I can
get my hands on done by universities. synthetic, and multi grade oils
hold viscosity better, longer under extreme conditions. Which leads me
to believe that perhaps viscosity is not the correct metric to be judging
oils by on high performance - race engines.
My opinion, non-scientific, but most cam manufactures and oil producers
will agree, is that additives are more important. With all the oil test I
have
read, the top performing oils, synthetic or petroleum based, were not that
far
off on viscosity failure rates. Most oils today do not contain the level of
zinc, manganese and/or phosphates they once did. It is proven that these
additives do reduce ware, especial on break in. The reason they are not
present in today's oils is that they damage catalytic converters, and
pollute.
I like you, as I have stated before, put it together and run it like cops
are
after me. (sometimes they are). With all my motors, I WILL NOT start a
new motor without it having the GM additive EOS, and a good diesel rated
oil like Delo or Rotella in the motor. We have never experience a oil
related
motor failure. The American Engine Rebuilder's Association (AERA) bulletin
#TB2333 address this issue of reduced additives. I have spoken with their
consulting engineer, and he totally agrees this is a growing issue.
My advice to everyone putting together a new motor, is to use Rotella, and
EOS.
If your motor is close to being put together correctly, you will not
experience
an issue. If you're a bone head, and the motor is not right, oil will not
save
you. Valvoline is now offering an "Off Road 20W-50" oil that has the correct
level of additives, also Redline.
Bottom line, be concerned about additives, stop believing the Mobile 1 slick
TV commercials, and like Don says, do what has worked for years. You will
be money ahead.... THINK - EOS - Rotella - Delo.
Earl
-----Original Message-----
From: Don Dulmage [mailto:big-d@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 6:33 AM
To: 1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: synvrs normal.
The advantage of synthetic oils is all the molecules are supoosedly exactly
the same size having been made that way. My current belief is in high
stress situations maybe that isnt the best. Best way i can explain it is no
bounce or no springyness to the oil film. Synthetics stand heat much better
for sure but when it comes to race engines which includes hot street set ups
I have been disappionted.
When we were running the XD 3 diesel oils we had no cam wear. Not even
shinyness. It looked just like when we installed it. After a weekend of hard
racing on the synthetic the cam was already showing signs of wear and the
motor while not blown was obviuosly hurt. I am not prepared to go there
again.
Partially i think because the oils we had were too thin. and were multi
grade which never seemed to me to come even close to the protection single
grades give. Bob Gauley who runs my engine (ford 6 tbucket recently racing
at Columbus Nostalgia meet.) has run royal purple 40 and 50 wt with success.
Now it could be the ford six is an engine that doesnt load the parts like a
440 does, I am not sure about that. The car runs mid tens which is all he
needs for his style of racing and the engne is over ten years old although
he maintains it religiously.
The question is why do we want to use something odd when we know what will
work perfectly . As always when we gamble sometimes we lose. I am not a
opposed to experiment as most know but I am always prepared before i try for
the possibilty it might not work out. Cam manufacturers are very hesitant to
recomend synthetics as are the factories. Why do you suppose that is? If the
synthetics were a cure all then that is all they would recomment because it
would save them millions in warranty claims alone. Obviously that is not
the case. Still just for the record i am not opposed to synthetics in
general . I use Mobil 1 in my beloved V10 truck and am happy with it. It is
a different enviorment than my race engines or 426 MW sees. If all we are
talking about is the gentle spinning of a shaft in a bearing then syntheitic
can lube beyond temps mineral based can but when we pour in the abuse factor
or severe hard Hi rpm use with huge spring pressures etc it doesnt seem to
stand up except maybe or the royal purple single grades. Then we must ask
ourselves are they better than the race oils or severe service Dg mineral
based oil . maybe , I am not totally sure. What i do know is camshafts fail
regulariy , everyday on Synthetics so they are not the cure all for cam
failure. i think that is a fair conclusion.
idling and low speed breakin are the worst thing for a cam and an engine for
that matter.
When my customers ask how to break in one of my motors I always say "drive
it like you stole it."
Why , because at high speed the crank is throwing oil everywhere in the
engine and everything is bathed in lubricant. At slow speed often parts of
the cam are not coated in oil because the only oil they are getting is the
small amount leaking out the lifter bores. Very little oil is being thrown
of that high up in the engine by the oil which leaks from the crank bearing
which is where the cam gets most of it lube at hi rpm.
The idea which was once popular and still unfortunately exists that you need
to break in a new engine by gentle driving for the first few thousand miles
was based on the fact that in the early days of motors we could not fit
bearings and pistons as well as we can now and nor did they have the
precison sizing they now do. Since about WW2 that is no longer valid. The
desired clearance is put in the part when it is built . Solid babbit
bearings which wear in are no longer used. The perfect fit is installed now
when the engine is built. Rings always benafit from hard driving during the
seating process. Babying a motor often leads to oil burnig because of this.
Cams rarely fail at speed. Almost (if not always) at idling. In fact crane
cams used to claim the vast majority of cam failures occured on the starter
before the engine actually got started. . i happen to agree with that.
Sometimes we tend to overthink problems. Often the solutions are obvious
but appear too simple .
Anyway i have said too much on this I am sorry. \ Just be as careful as you
can on cam breakin (immediate start up and no idling sre whats needed) and
if you are having great success with an oil and a proceedure dont change it.
(The proceedure and brand I mean ) The comment that for the same money he
could have had a roller set up though is well worth pondering when it comes
to the current rate of cam failures which according to a recent hot rod mag
article is currently far greater than it ever was in the past for both
professional builders and amatuers builders as well. .
Don
Author of
Return to Deutschland (True Adventure)
Old Reliable (Mopar)
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http://seniordragster.bravehost.com/index.html
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