Oil Additives Solid Cam??

fjr said
Flat tappet engines only need 1110-1200 ppm of phosphorus (anti-wear component of ZDDP). See CJ-4/SM HDEO & Flat Tappet Valve Train Protection. Excessive levels of phosphorus can lead to increased engine deposits (>1400 ppm) and cam spalling (>2000 ppm). Any good Heavy Duty Engine Oil (HDEO) has all of the ZDDP to protect flat tappet engines. If you're running very heavy valve springs, you can use an HDEO with more than 1200 ppm of phosphorus like the CI-4/SL 15W-40 oils.

Unless your engine oil is running very hot, a 30 weight HDEO (0W-30, 5W-30, 10W-30) should be fine. If ambient temperatures never drop below freezing, you can safely use a 15W-40 as well. Excessively thick oils (like 20W-50) just waste horsepower and fuel.

As for adding ZDDP to engine oil, are any of you calculating the amount of ZDDP to add for a final concentration of 1200 ppm? Or do you just dump it in and hope for the best?

ACCCC HDEO List

Yes, very nice, but what was left out of the articles is the EPA mandated changes to these CI-4 and CJ-4 oils in the U.S.. That being that to allow the catylitic converters in heavy diesel trucks to survive, the ZDDP package must not exceed 800 PPM. Seems that the engine manufactorers have convinced the EPA that the zinc plates out on their catylist which supposedly screws up the converter. Because of this edict diesel oil in the U.S. have been "reformulated" starting in 2008 and the refiners in Canada started doing the same in 2009. As an example Shell Canada refineries by the end of this year are supposed to be churning out Rotella T at 800 PPM. Also most engine manufactorers don't mind the reduction because most if not all are using roller lifters anyway that don't require the ZDDP package.

As far as "hope for the best" not likely in my case, I'm banking on 1600-1800 PPM.

Terry