hacker-pschorr

IMO not enough data to go buy, you are not always going to know something is wrong until you tear into the engine - like this 928. Everything was fine and dandy until they pulled the cam covers off.

It may not be a problem until you reach 100,000+ miles, which in reality is beyond the point where any manufacturer cares.
The problem is also exaggerated with BS extended oil change intervals.

Do a search on VW's oil standards if you want an eye full. It gets really complicated once you bring their "pumpe duse" direct injection diesel into the mix. The oils specified for that engine is a very small list, and only one is easily obtained stateside and is dealer only (at least it was earlier this year....)

928mac

Wow Colin, I would have to guess that he never changed the oil enough, and or the oil gets contaminated with gas, or the wrong oil with low ZDDP and or to light of oil.
My first guess is he dose not use the correct oil and runs extended oil changes so that it gets to thin.

Well he gets to try out a new set of your cams which is way cool but make him bring it by every 3-5thou kilometers for an oil change unless he wants to do it again in another 15-20k

Was the oil really dirty and old?

Brad

Lizard928

This car came from Japan, and when we drained the oil it was pretty thin originally.

Ad0911

Well, that is really frightening for the people who didin't know ZDDP even existed. How can I tell which oil to use?

GregBBRD

Go online and look up the specifications for an individual oil maker.

If there isn't 1200pmm of zinc and phosphorus...pick another brand of oil.

Brad Penn
Torco
Motul
Royal Purple
Others????

Torco makes a great additive. "High Performance Zinc Enhanced Engine Protector (ZEP)". If we have a customer that insists on using their "favorite oil" and it doesn't have the proper amount of zinc and phosphorus, we insist on pouring in a bottle of this stuff. Easier than debating about oils.

Add a bottle of this stuff to 20/50 "Anybrand" and you have solved the problem.

MGW-Fla

Great info, thanks Greg!

jeff spahn

I add the zinc additive to my oil even if it is ok with ZDDP. Most especially when I run 10w30 in the colder temps in the winter around here. Left 20w-50 in once and it was -3. Didn't turn over very easily after sitting out all day. Cams on my car looked fine at 125,000 when I had it apart.

Rob Edwards

ZEP:

928mac

Amsoil
and performence valvoline VR1

http://www.valvoline.com/faqs/motor-oil/racing-oil/
[The anti-wear additive simply referred to as zinc by most car enthusiasts is actually short for Zinc DialkylDithiophosphates or ZDDP. Its primary role is to prevent metal-to-metal contact between engine parts by forming a protective film. Despite being referred to as zinc, this additive actually contains zinc and phosphorus, with phosphorus performing the anti-wear function in the motor oil with zinc.]

pjg

Mobil1 15-50 should be fine.

Speedtoys

Considering I actually saw _rust_ inside my motor (on rods and rod caps) If I were to park my car for extended periods, Id add a bottle of cam guard..oil wont stay on everything enough to prevent moisture from getting thru.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...s/camguard.php
http://aslcamguard.com/aircraft/test...r-performance/

http://www.avweb.com/news/maint/oil_..._197096-1.html
(specifically the corrosion protection for long sits)

z driver 88t

Paul - The reason I posted the link to the Mobil 1 VOA is that if you notice they are claiming Zn and P levels the same as the previous SM formulation.

Those numbers don't match up to the VOA run by Blackstone posted on bobistheoilguy forum which shows P at 950 and Zn at 1100 ppm.

But that is the only VOA I've seen posted of the newest SN rated Mobil 1. Maybe there was a lab error or maybe this was a "weak" batch of oil. But the VOA is showing 200 ppm low on both Zn and P based on the specs on the Mobil 1 web page.

I still have plenty of old stock SM rated Mobil 1 15W-50 which routinely tested very close to specs on some VOAs from earlier this year on that site. But I would like to see a couple more VOAs on the newer SN stuff before being completely comfortable with it.

gbgastowers

This chart looks useful. I use the Mystic JT8 15W-50 in a 82 Euro S 16V (.15% zinc). I get it at O'reilly's.
http://micapeak.com/info/oiled.html

pjg

I did not see that link, guess we need more data. Someone asked Mobil about the zinc levels this was the response but I don't see a date anywhere.

http://www.mobiloil.com/usa-english/..._Products.aspx


Ask Mobil
What's the Zinc Level of Mobil 1 15W-50?

Question:
What's the Zinc Level Mobil 1 15W-50?
Hello, I read your answer about ZDDP and phosphorus levels. You even list the phosphorus level in your table, but you show no listing for the level of zinc. Other oil companies also list their zinc level. I would like to know the zinc content in your 15W-50 oil. I would like the level for the gold cap and the silver cap separately. I drive a car that is over 20 years old and the answer is important to me. Thank you, Jerry
-- Jerry Baer, Hollywood, FL
Answer:
The important element here is the phosphorus since it is the active antiwear additive. That's why we show phosphorus as well as zinc. The zinc content is in the range of 0.12 - 0.13 weight percent (1200 - 1300 ppm). (Mobil 1 Extended Performance 15W-50 [gold cap] was discontinued about May 2009.)

z driver 88t

Be careful reading too much into that chart.

Note he writes "All of the oils above meet current SG/CD ratings and all vehicle manufacture's warranty requirements in the proper viscosity."

SG was superceded by SH in the mid-1990s so that's probably some pretty old data.

It's also really interesting to see how much US regulation is killing our motor oil. If you look at some Australian Mobil 1 VOAs for 5W-50 over on the bobistheoilguy site, Zn ranges from 1800-2000 ppm.