Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Is the Wrong Oil to Blame for My Premature Lifter Failures?
From 1995 to early 2012, I had a 406 SBC with a Lunati solid roller setup that ran flawlessly. The main bearings finally gave up so I built a 434. […]
SEMA Product Feature: With More Zinc & Phosphorus Content, Valvoline VR1 Motor Oil is a Perfect Choice for Your Racing or Vintage Engine
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 […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Can I Mix Zinc Additive with Off-the-Shelf Motor Oil to Save Money?
Why can’t I just add a bottle of zinc additive to my oil and then just use regular off-the-shelf oil? Won’t that work just as well as those more expensive […]
Beware of Premature Camshaft Failure From Using the Wrong Diesel Oil for Breaking in Gas Engines
Some engine builders like to use API CJ-4 diesel motor oil as a break-in lubricant for new engines. That’s because it contains plenty of zinc (ZDDP) to protect flat-tappet camshafts. […]