Valvoline VR-1 vs. Lucas Hot Rod oil

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FWIW.... Excess ZDDP has been reported in some research to cause different problems. (Spalling on some wear surfaces). IIRC the test showed such issues starting at around 2500 ppm. 1200-1300 ppm is adequate, and is the typical range of the older oils.
1500 but not visible spalling. see post 26, 27 for references to the papers reporting this
Zinc Rich Oil for Flat Tappet Cams
 
after my 340 was broken in with vr-1 10w-30 i switched to synthetic Royal purple XRP 10-40 ADDED 1/2 bottle of some zddp additive evey 2nd oil change , 10,000 miles later was in pefect shape ,tore it down before storing the 340 and it looked new inside no visible wear . on my new stroker woth roller cam using VR- 1 synthetic 10-30
 
I go to walmart and pick up a 5 qt. jug of mobil 1 20-50. It's high in zinc for flat tappet cams, but only the 20-50 and its about 23.00 per jug. Before that i ran vr1 with no problems.
 
I have a 340 with a flat tappet cam. I used to use Rotella with the Hughes Engines zinc additive which is discontinued. Lucas Hot Rod oil is difficult to find out west which limits my options. Any opinions on Valvoline VR-1 high zinc oil?

No it's not. Summit carries it. There's a Summit in Nevada almost on the Californika line, no? Isn't that "out west"?
 
FWIW.... Excess ZDDP has been reported in some research to cause different problems. (Spalling on some wear surfaces). IIRC the test showed such issues starting at around 2500 ppm. 1200-1300 ppm is adequate, and is the typical range of the older oils.
My machinist warned me about that. He said you can have to much zinc. He said for running the Lucas classic oil would be fine but he recommended that i not use it and the zinc additives together.
 
My machinist warned me about that. He said you can have to much zinc. He said for running the Lucas classic oil would be fine but he recommended that i not use it and the zinc additives together.

I would agree with that. Lucas has been making oil products for a very long time. If something they made was "not right" we'd all know about it by now. It's good oil. I've run it in Gladys now for right at six years with zero issues. I don't run it in Vixen, because she sat up since 1980. I warmed up "that oil" and then changed it to 10/30 synthetic with one quart of Marvel's Mystery oil. Ran it like that for about 1500 miles, changed it to the same thing again for a full oil change. Changed it after a full oil change, added some STP and that's "still" where I'm at. You should have seen the blackness that came out on each change. I think I saved that little engine. Probably why it continues to run so well.
 
No it's not. Summit carries it. There's a Summit in Nevada almost on the Californika line, no? Isn't that "out west"?

Located in Sparks NV which is next to Reno Nv....The store is right next to Interstate 80.....
Me in vegas...Usually get next day delivery if order by 5 pm .....
 
I would agree with that. Lucas has been making oil products for a very long time. If something they made was "not right" we'd all know about it by now. It's good oil. I've run it in Gladys now for right at six years with zero issues. I don't run it in Vixen, because she sat up since 1980. I warmed up "that oil" and then changed it to 10/30 synthetic with one quart of Marvel's Mystery oil. Ran it like that for about 1500 miles, changed it to the same thing again for a full oil change. Changed it after a full oil change, added some STP and that's "still" where I'm at. You should have seen the blackness that came out on each change. I think I saved that little engine. Probably why it continues to run so well.
Im gonna do what he recommended and break it in with the rotella and zinc additives then i will run the Lucas hr oil. Does rotella have zinc in it already?
 
Im gonna do what he recommended and break it in with the rotella and zinc additives then i will run the Lucas hr oil. Does rotella have zinc in it already?

Not as much as it used to. They slashed the zinc in diesel oils when catalytic converters became mandatory on them I believe in 2004.
 
Just Googled it rotella T has 1200 ppm zinc and the break in additive has 1400 so thats 2600
 
What weight oil should be used during break in 10w30 ? I know it all depends on your oil pressure on what you need to run but initially you wouldnt know what your oil pressure will be
 
What weight oil should be used during break in 10w30 ? I know it all depends on your oil pressure on what you need to run but initially you wouldnt know what your oil pressure will be

It depends more on temperature and climate. 10/30 for you should be perfect.
 
Just Googled it rotella T has 1200 ppm zinc and the break in additive has 1400 so thats 2600

Be careful with your math. PPM is a concentration, which is not additive in your example. In other words, if you have an equal part solution of a 1200ppm oil and a 1400ppm oil, the final solution would have 1300ppm, not 2600.
 
Be careful with your math. PPM is a concentration, which is not additive in your example. In other words, if you have an equal part solution of a 1200ppm oil and a 1400ppm oil, the final solution would have 1300ppm, not 2600.
Thanks that makes sense i wouldn't have thought of that lol
 
Rotella is still at 1200 PPM ZDDP; the Cx oils did not drop the levels as much as the gas engine oils (Sx oils). Dartfreak if you are starting with 1200 PPM ZDDP in the Rotella, then I would only pu in 1/2 the bottle of additive. The concentrations of ZDDP in the additive solutions is typically up in the 5000 to 9000 ppm so you don't need much to boost that 1200 PPM too 1500-1600 PPM. (I am not sure where your 1400 PPM number for the additive is coming from....??)

The 10W30 is good to get the most possible oil flow. I think less about pressure than about flow during break-in.... the engine is not loaded in that 20-30 minutes, and even if you go out a drive it some, just keep the pressures reasonable and vary the loading.
 
I don't drive mine enough to change by mileage, so I change it out every spring. I've been running Valvoline conventional oil in everything I've had since 1970, except for the newer vehicles that use synthetic. I use 10w30 Valvoline and a bottle of Lucas ZDDP treatment, been working so far.
 
Will oil pressure help understand what viscosity it likes best?
Yes.
The pressure on the gage is from the pump, after the relief valve.
We can use that as a clue as to how much volume is making it through the system.
An oil that is too heavy will have higher pressure at idle and max out at lower rpm.
An oil that is too light for the clearances will have lower pressure at all rpms (at operating temperature).

Oil pressure when at operating temperature should be 10 to 20 psi at idle and go up with rpm.
It should increase until at least 3000 rpm, preferably higher.

Oil temperature is of key importance. An oil that is at 160 or 180*F for a run at the drag strip will have lower viscosity when its at 220*F during a long haul up the Rockies.
 
When the pressure is high because the oil is too thick you can think of it like this.
tenor-gif.gif

It's not getting more flow to the top no matter how much pressure is added.

When pressure is too low because the viscosity is too thin, its the opposite problem. There's not enough pressure and volumne to support the bearings.
 
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Rotella is still at 1200 PPM ZDDP;
Depends which one.
Dec 2018, the 'multi-vehicle' T6 Zinc is lower than I'd like even with a stock, non-performance cam.
Bob is the oil guy: T6 5W30

T6 5W-40 Diesel looks like its down a little to barely 1200 ppm in the CK-4. Probably still fine with the stock 340 cam.
Shell Rotella T6 5W40 CJ-4/SM vs CK-4

The current generation of T4 diesel oils would be OK for a car with stock spring pressures with or without cat.

2018 Rotella T4 15W-40 PETROLEUM QUALITY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA TEST PROGRAM

2017 Rotella T4 10W-30 Rotella t4 10w30

Zddp now seems to be just under 1000 ppm for most.
 
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