My reason for asking is Corvette Etc in Charlotte is dropping in a new GM 350/195 crate engine into my 1981 Vette and it has flat tappet cam and since most of today's oils are minus or very little Zinc and Phosphorus additives, what are you using? Brand and weight range would be good to know. This will not be for breakin period, but for after breakin running.   

______________
Tommy

I went to a fully synthetic 5 wt. 30 Pennziol Platinum on my last oil change. I also started using a product called CAM-SHIELD premium ZDDP oil treatment which is supposed to replace the zink & phosporous missing in todays oils that older cars without catalytic converters need. I don't know if it helps but I figured it couldn't hurt.

______________

Well I still have the catalyic converter on......would that make a different?

______________
Tommy

Yes, I just read the warning on the bottle of cam-shield. It says thi it will cause irreparable damage to the converter.        

______________

I do not put many miles on my vette in a season so I use valvoline non syn oil. I researched oil test's and found Valvoline to be leading the way.

______________

Click on image for larger view!
LIFETIME MEMBER 151

Amsoil full synthetic SAE 10W-40. in my original engine. Has zinc in it and says it's for flat tappets. I think their 10-40 is the only weight with zinc. Check their web site. Can't tell ya on the cat, I aint got one, either.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t132/JeffsVette/Vette%20Misc/amsoil.jpg

I love this question..in your instance the amsiol or other synthetics that run the ZDDP in them will be fine..if you had an old engine I would avoid synthetics only because they create or find oil leaks..I run Valvoline VR1 20-50..I use that weight because I run the car hard and only in the summer..I do 3 k or so a year..but like some..I still change it 3 times in the summer..makes for good beer convo in the garage..have fun.

Rich

______________

My first parade at Carlisle 2010

Valvoline 10-30 in the summer with the Lucas Oil Stabilizer for the zinc.

Penn Grade #1 high performance green oil, Website information
I also add 1/2 bottle of Lucas ZDDP additive.
Rodney


______________

 Castrol 10w-30 in winter, 10w-40 in summer with a bottle of ZDDPlus at every oil change.

______________

   I know the voices aren't real, but they have some pretty cool ideas...

In North Carolina cars less than 35 years old still have to have emission check. My guy checks to make sure parts are there but does not do the sniffer test, just have to have the parts. So minus a cat converter could or should fail inspection. Now in NC your car inspection is tied to your tag renewal, so not inspection, no tag.

______________
Tommy

There is a lot of stuf on this on the Net by people that have done research in the area.  Below are just a couple of link with some of the latest information on the subject.  Things change so you need to look at the latest stuff not items that were 5 or 10 years old.  In this case however there has not been a lot of change except the modern oils are a little worst maybe.

I use Valvoline VR1 20W50 on my '64. CCasey2011-06-27 09:58:09

______________
Chuck

The cat convertor has been taken out of my '82 and made into true duals (check engine light bulb also removed behind dash), ending with Flowmasters' at the tips. Florida has no inspections. Better performance (even better since the Exxon station nearby has a NON-ethanol pump at 90 octane). So, with that being said, it never changed my preference on oil at all...with or without the cat convertor. I had always used, and still use, Valvoline's synthetic blend 10W40. Specifically designed for cars over 75,000 miles on the clock. No leaks.

|UPDATED|6/26/2015 4:04:52 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


______________

Ive been told by mechanics for engine break in oil., to use a good grade regular Dino oil for 2000 miles, then switch to full synthetic   .  In my BB,  I switched to Valvoline full Synthetic 10 w 30  from Mobil 1 full synthetic as the Valvoline beats the pants off in the independent 4 ball wear scar test on the major brands --- Valvoline is tied with Amsoil  on this test as the winner and cheaper to buy .

______________
1970 built 454 coupe., M21, 336-1 rear, numbers matching . Approx. 550 hp/600 tq. #2 Condition .
For Sale :  $32,000 very firm .
Have a full write up with closeup walk-around video for the serious minded only please.

that's what I use     reg oil with lucas     dwa

Mobil 5W/30W high mileage/older engine oil.