Work around engines long enough, and you’ll eventually hear the term ZDDP. That acronym is shorthand for the alphabet soup “zinc dialkyldithiophosphate,” which is a fancy way of saying anti-wear and anti-corrosion additives.

Without going into a full-blown chemistry lesson, today’s motor oils often have lower levels of ZDDP, which is fine for a modern engine but can create problems for vintage and high performance race motors that need that extra protection that ZDDP provides.

You can learn more about ZDDP in this tech article from Summit Racing.

The good news is, Valvoline has a lineup of VR1 Racing Motor Oil that features increased levels of both zinc and phosphorus (ZDDP), so it’s well suited to the lubrication demands of a high-strung race powerplant or the motor in a classic car or truck.

Valvoline Toyota Supra Confetti Sports Car at SEMA 2023
Sure, we could’ve shown you a quart bottle of motor oil, but we figured a race-prepped Toyota Supra with Valvoline “Confetti” livery was a better choice of eye candy here. (Image/Summit Racing)

Better still, Valvoline offers its VR1 Racing Motor Oil in a range of viscosities, and as either a blend or full synthetic, so it’s easy to find the best oil for your vintage or race engine.

To learn more about the benefits of ZDDP that this VR1 Racing Motor Oil provides, the Summit Racing folks trekked out to the Valvoline booth at the 2023 SEMA Show. Watch the video below to see what they discovered:

Keywords
engine oil, motor oil, SEMA, SEMA Show, Valvoline, ZDDP
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Author: OnAllCylinders Staff