Re: New engine, oil?
Since I'm in this biz now, I'd like to let guys know what is happening with oils just so you don't waste a new engine.
Oil has changed a lot during the past 8 years and is getting ready to change again... it's really too bad the oil companies aren't telling people the details about what is happening.
A number of years ago the oil companies began reducing the amounts of zinc and phosphorus in motor oils. The phosphorus forms a sacrificial layer between two parts that encounter high pressure, and prevents metal to metal contact from happening (these additives were engineered into motor oils primarily during WWII for high performance aircraft engines).
Zinc and phosphorus levels used to be between 1800 and 1900 ppm... today's oils have the level reduced to anywhere between 350 and 600ppm.
Auto manufacturers and oil companies worked together to bring about these reductions due to the EPA requiring catalytic converters to last longer (150k miles now required). When an engine ages and blowby increases, zinc and phosphorus can enter the exhaust stream and work to help clog the converter.
Oil manufacturers have refused to admit that reducing the zinc and phosphorus has had disastrous affects on flat tappet lifters and camshafts. We estimate that camshaft failures are now numbering in the thousands, and you can read the stories yourself on a number of hotrod/specialty forums.
We have found that other areas being affected are: piston skirts (piston scuffing), pushrod ball end wear, oil pump wear, and increased chances of rod bearing damage when periods of detonation are experienced (tuning a new turbo motor perhaps?). Many big-time engine builders are now using a zinc/phosphorus supplement, such as ZDDPlus, to bring zinc and phosphorus levels back up in those engines requiring it.
These engines include: Any motor with flat tappet cams (including almost all new diesels - diesel motor oil has undergone a big change this year as well with the new 'CJ' classification), and high performance motors, including turbo motors. In different drag cars that we're sponsoring, we're formulating blends with up to 2600ppm of zinc and phosphorus. These same cars, last year, were experiencing a lot of rocker cup failures/tolerance issues. This year, using ZDDPlus, they've yet to change a rocker cup.
So, having gotten that all out of the way, if you're still assembling I'd use our ZPaste assembly paste, then use a good oil with a zinc additive to bring the zinc levels up to around 1600ppm. Personally, I use Royal Purple with enough additive to bring the levels up to 1600.
I know a lot of guys will have differing opinions on this, but I'm immersed in this every day now, and I'm not really doing it to make a lot of money. I'm mainly doing it to help guys from destroying expensive, nice engines.
Hope this helps....
And if you don't want to use the zinc additive there are a few oils still out there with good zinc and phosphorus levels.... a few made by Joe Gibbs, and Royal Purple's higher end product (each around $12 a quart).
