72 360, cam/lifter failure, replacements?

CichliDart said
Hi Junkyard,

Well, I was fairly certain I had a reason but I very recently informed in an abrupt manner that zinc was not the reason despite the only change was using a different brand of oil. I went and checked other conversations about zinc in oil and see other people reference it for parts failures. I guess I am not allowed to have that reason ;)

I have not torn down the engine. I only got as far as removing the valve covers to observe the rocker arms. I had oil pressure and had not done anything else to this engine in over a year except my regularly scheduled archaic 1880’s oil changes prior to this so I do not have much to go on. I had several plans fall through on rebuilding an engine or doing an engine swap. I kind of need to get it moving so I can address more pressing problems. I don’t want to just throw a cam in and repeat the problem but every avenue I have tried to take has closed.

The cam(s) you mention. Would they be ok for a heavy tow vehicle like a van?

Thanks for taking the time to read and reply with help and advice. It is appreciated.

Mike

I never said anything about the oil you used killing the cam and lifters one way or the other, because you didn’t post what you used.

Now that you’ve edited your post, neither can anyone else.

What I do recall is you, like millions of other malinformed people out there claim there is no zinc in the oil any more and that’s just wrong.

They REDUCED the level of zinc dialkydithiophosphate AND the phosphorus in the oil to stop them from killing the cats.

It is still in engine oil and for the foreseeable future it will still be there, but probably in ever decreasing amounts.

It’s very likely the oil you used played a significant role in killing your cam.

Hopefully one or two guys will read this and stop buying crap oil or mixing oils.

Some day soon I’m going to make a video about oil, oil groups and additive packages because I can talk 100 times faster than I can type.