Motor oils high in zinc do not necessarily ensure a great anti-wear oil. There are other additives that have been used in newer oil formulations that allow manufacturers to meet GL-4/GL-5 oil analysis levels while still maintaining great anti-wear properties. There are oils out there that are proven to have higher levels of zinc but yet still fail to "protect" high-impact areas of contact, when compared to oils with lower levels of zinc but with higher levels of molybednum or other specific additives.
We can no longer say that low levels of zinc in a particular oil demonstrates that the oil in question is not up to snuff, in regards to engine protection. The additive package as a whole is what dictates how a specific oil will protect under different circumstances. Also, we need to take into account the base stock and shearing properties of different base stock and oil weight viscosities. If I take a poor base stock oil and load it up with anti-wear additives but it is low on dispersants and detergents and I then proceed to DD my car, I guarantee you it will sludge up quicker than some off the shelf Penzoil yellow bottle. This would inturn cause quicker oxidation and engine wear. There definitely is a balance between specific minerals and additives and thow they interact with the formulation as a whole.
Some other things to note...
If you really want to know how your engine is performing, get a used oil analysis (UOA) done!
Higher zinc content does not necessarily make for a better oil! (as previously stated)
- Just because your oil turns dark quickly does not mean that the oil has lost is lubrication and protection properties. It also does not mean that your filter is clogged and/or not working properly. If I were to put fresh oil in my engine and then proceeded to run it for 3500 miles and then do an oil change, I would not be happy if it were the same colour going in as it was when it was coming out. It should change colour!
Adding Zinc or a complete ZDDP package does not necessarily mean that you are improving the quality of your engine oil. You may be, but you also me be hurting the protection properties of the oil. A lot of the additives in the oil work in unison with eachother and adding a huge amount of one or two specific chemicals (minerals) may actually be hindering your oil or causing sludge build-up to occur at a quickened rate. An overload of anti-wear additive may hinder the ability of the detergent or dispersants to do their job. This is less of a concern in race appliactions where the oil is changed at a more frequent rate. Adding small amounts of anti-wear additives is generally not going to do much either way, especially when you are doing this with a blindfold on.
At the end of the day, if you use a good quality oil, and change it regularly, you are probably good to go. If you really want to know the internal state of the metals in your engine, get a used oil analysis done, and then get another one done to be sure.
Dino oil is fine for the track. Just change it more often as it tends to shear much sooner than a fully synthetic oil would.
2 cents added...
We can no longer say that low levels of zinc in a particular oil demonstrates that the oil in question is not up to snuff, in regards to engine protection. The additive package as a whole is what dictates how a specific oil will protect under different circumstances. Also, we need to take into account the base stock and shearing properties of different base stock and oil weight viscosities. If I take a poor base stock oil and load it up with anti-wear additives but it is low on dispersants and detergents and I then proceed to DD my car, I guarantee you it will sludge up quicker than some off the shelf Penzoil yellow bottle. This would inturn cause quicker oxidation and engine wear. There definitely is a balance between specific minerals and additives and thow they interact with the formulation as a whole.
Some other things to note...
If you really want to know how your engine is performing, get a used oil analysis (UOA) done!
Higher zinc content does not necessarily make for a better oil! (as previously stated)
- Just because your oil turns dark quickly does not mean that the oil has lost is lubrication and protection properties. It also does not mean that your filter is clogged and/or not working properly. If I were to put fresh oil in my engine and then proceeded to run it for 3500 miles and then do an oil change, I would not be happy if it were the same colour going in as it was when it was coming out. It should change colour!
Adding Zinc or a complete ZDDP package does not necessarily mean that you are improving the quality of your engine oil. You may be, but you also me be hurting the protection properties of the oil. A lot of the additives in the oil work in unison with eachother and adding a huge amount of one or two specific chemicals (minerals) may actually be hindering your oil or causing sludge build-up to occur at a quickened rate. An overload of anti-wear additive may hinder the ability of the detergent or dispersants to do their job. This is less of a concern in race appliactions where the oil is changed at a more frequent rate. Adding small amounts of anti-wear additives is generally not going to do much either way, especially when you are doing this with a blindfold on.
At the end of the day, if you use a good quality oil, and change it regularly, you are probably good to go. If you really want to know the internal state of the metals in your engine, get a used oil analysis done, and then get another one done to be sure.
Dino oil is fine for the track. Just change it more often as it tends to shear much sooner than a fully synthetic oil would.
2 cents added...
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Originally Posted by Doctor
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