I'm in ZDDP hell

[WheelHorse]

I lost an Edelbrock Performer cam in the first 20 minutes thinking that Rotella T had enough zinc. That's when I found out that the diesel rated oils now have reduced zinc too. Now I add a bottle of Comp Cam break-in additive with every oil change. I've heard that once a flat tappet cam is properly broke-in, additional zinc isn't needed, but I'm not risking it.

So the engine was already broken in with some street miles at which point you switched over to Rotella and 20 minutes after running it you noticed a huge loss in power? Or was this the initial fire? Initial fire as in you slid the cam in and 20 minutes later she was wiped out?

A lot of this also has to do with seat pressure. Higher seat pressures, especially dual spring heads, usually require the removal of inner dampener spring.

Cam Break-in

Plus, if I was bent on staying flat tappet, I'd have it nitrided.

Mobil 1 Product Guide

Flat Tappet Break-in

Check out the Lucas Break in SAE30


I just posted this up for some helpful end-all-be-all stuff. For those concerned you can add some Lucas SAE30 break in to an oil change for a ZDDP boost. More is not always better. I believe it was 1800 and over starts a negative downward slope on the anti-wear properties.

The latest Rotella 5-40 still offers 12% ZDDP, but not 14% like it used to offer.

 

[Boss351]

Go to Pepboys look on the additive shelf Rislone sells a engine oil supplement 3x concentrated ZDDP treatment 11oz yellow bottle