Cascade Crew

1987_sportcoupe · Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 1:05 pm Post subject: Oil

What brand/type of oil do you guys like to run? Being more specific what oil works best with gen 1 flat tappet motors? A lot of people swear by synthetics such as mobil 1 and royal purple but do they contain the right zinc levels to provide my cam a long life?

Twilightoptics · Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 2:28 pm Post subject:

Full synthetics rely on film strength more than additives. That said, I've seen cams go flat with Mobil 1.

Proper break-in is a big factor. Regular oil can be fine, if you keep the revs up and don't idle a lot if ever. Remember these cams get their oil by splash.

I told my customers to use Royal Purple or Schaffers at 6,000mile intervals with half a bottle of Lucas ZDDP. Change the filter at 3000.

Yes it's expensive, but so is your engine. If you're EVER putting a fresh flat tappet cam in a gen 1, run PLAIN dyno oil for breakin only, AND spend the money for EDM offset oil hole lifters.

chevymad · Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 2:42 pm Post subject:

I'm one that has had a cam go flat on Mobil 1. This is just after the oil additive change over. Cam was well broken in, might have had 50k miles on it. Then all of a sudden lost a bunch of lobes. I still like mobil 1 in newer vehicles.

I'm not hearing that many cam problems now. Not sure if everyone has switched oils or if the oil companies have their new formula's figured out now.

Valvoline VR1 is supposed to be one of the better ones. I tried royal purple for awhile but it left a black film over everything in the engine.

I too used the lucas ZDDP. But lately i've gone back to using oil straight outa the bottle. Napa oil which is valvoline in all my cars, extended change mobil in her toyota. Synthetic in the 87 and the yota. Jeep and 74 get dino.

Also alot depends on just how big a cam and what springs you are using. Mild you can probably use anything.. stiff springs, quick ramps and lots of lift good luck.

Paul, weren't you using Amsoil?

Twilightoptics · Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2013 4:02 pm Post subject:

Used amsoil briefly. My jeep went flat with castrol. I use schaffers now.

91camaro_rs · Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 1:02 pm Post subject:

how do you tell when your cam goes flat?? after break in ive ran castrol syntec since

chevymad · Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 1:26 pm Post subject:

Cylinders go dead, backfiring, popping out the intake, vacuum gauge bounces. Depends on if the intake or exhaust lobe goes flat for which symptoms you will get.

Alphius · Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 4:54 pm Post subject:

The Subaru crowd has had a bunch of instances of Mobil 1 correlating to low-mileage spun main bearings over the past few years. I don't trust it.

I use Shell Rotella T6 full synthetic in everything I own, it's a good oil for the price and the guys over on BITOG like it a lot. I've even managed to convert a couple people I know to it.

My truck has a pretty small cam (Comp Cams XE262) and it's been run on any and all kinds of cheap dino oil since '01/'02 when the engine was rebuilt. Almost 100k so far and no flat lobes. Everything else I own is roller.

chevymad · Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 5:13 pm Post subject:

That's the exact cam I had go flat.

aaron_sK · Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 6:06 pm Post subject:

It's been awhile, but the last flat-tappet motors I ran with Delo400 or cheap store-brand dino. I'm debating which one to run in the 300, it's the first flat-tappet I've had in awhile.

Delo400 has had problems with hot idle pressure in every vehicle I've ever run it in. Not sure how big of a deal it is since nothing ever blew up, but it's very unnerving to see the oil gauge dip down into the single digits when stuck in traffic on a hot day.

Cams going flat is god's way of telling you to get your head out of your ass and build an engine from this millennium anyway. Seriously now. LMAO

Twilightoptics · Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 7:54 pm Post subject:

My flat acted like ignition. Wouldn't rev cleanly over 4500rpm at the end. It gradually got worse.

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2013 4:45 pm Post subject:

aaron_sK · Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2013 5:40 pm Post subject:

What can I say? I dislike things that break. Very Happy

Twilightoptics · Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2013 11:24 pm Post subject:

rjmcgee · The Hammer Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 2320

aaron_sK · Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 3:04 pm Post subject:

I've got a spare Taurus fan and harness here Rodney. You want it for the diesel to get those extra horses? Cool