In our previous post we discussed what Zinc additive in motor oil is, and now is the why as an owner of a classic car, hot rod, or vintage truck; you want the best, and zinc oil additives are the types of products that will help you give your classic car engine the best protection possible.
Why Use Zinc Replacement Additives?
Zinc replacement additives provide a similar level of lubrication and coating without the negative effects of ZDDP. Zinc can harm the catalyst when it gets on it, resulting in the catalytic converter having a shorter service life and increased emissions. Due to these effects, the OEM engine manufacturers and the EPA have both directed companies to reduce the level of ZDDP in their motor oils and other products.
Though there’s no doubt these measures are important for protecting consumers’ cars from premature damage to catalytic converters, the regulations do leave older engines in a tough situation. They need zinc for the anti-wear protection they provide, but they also need to follow regulations and protect their catalytic converter. While the new regulations are great for reducing environmental impact and keeping engine components safe, any non-roller cam-designed or high-performance engine is left without the wear protection it needs.
The right zinc engine replacement additives will take the zinc and phosphorous out of the oil, while still providing the same high level of protection you’ve come to expect from a zinc product. For example, Hy-per Lube Zinc Replacement Additive provides users with the extreme pressure wear protection of a zinc product, without the zinc.
While using the product, you can be certain that any rocker arms, lifters, or cams you apply the product will be kept safe without any significant wear problems. As the product doesn’t use phosphorous or zinc, you’ll also be able to use it without fearing that you’re hurting the environment or harming your catalytic converters.
Benefits Of Zinc Replacement Additives
Using a zinc replacement additive for old cars comes with several advantages that make it a superior motor oil to anything else on the market for older vehicles. With its ability to provide anti-wear protection for engines even in high-stress environments while doing away with the negative effects of zinc, zinc replacement additives for older cars are a must-have for any responsible classic car owner.
Hy-per Lube Zinc Replacement Additives use a unique Polymer Ester formula that keeps your oil film strong even at high temperatures. With a product like this, you’ll receive several engine-related benefits:
Better protection than ZDDP: A zinc replacement additive offers greater protection without the harmful effects of zinc. The Hy-per Lube Zinc Replacement Additive has been tested and shown to provide better protection than ZDDP based oils.
No engine harm: Unlike zinc motor oils, a zinc replacement additive will not harm an engine’s catalytic converters or emissions controls, increasing your engine’s longevity.
Environmental responsibility: The emissions from older engines that use zinc-based motor oils can be harmful to the environment. A zinc replacement additive improves on zinc motor oils by removing any heavy metal from the formula and reducing harmful emissions.
Cold-start protection: For vehicles that have gone through a long period of disuse, their engines can often be at risk of damage due to a cold start. With zinc replacement additives in your oil, the cold start wear on your engine will be reduced significantly.
When Should You Use Zinc Additives?
Some experts suggest using a higher level of zinc additives during the break-in period for your engine, as the engine is the most susceptible to uneven wear and the damage that comes with it during that time. Instead of using an oil with a high level of zinc, you can go with a zinc replacement product that offers the same kind of heavy-duty protection.
After the break-in period, you should still use a zinc replacement additive to reduce wear on the car over time. A zinc replacement additive will keep the car running smoothly, reducing the level of friction and heat generated in the engine. If you have a flat tappet cam engine, you’ll always need to use a specialty motor oil that uses zinc or a zinc replacement.
Why Camshafts Need Zinc in Motor Oil
The camshaft is often the main reason your engine needs either zinc or a zinc replacement additive in the motor oil you feed to it. This need for zinc motor oil comes from the role that a camshaft plays in a flat tappet engine.
When the camshaft rotates, it presses its lobe down to make the engine’s valves open. The followers of the camshaft, the pieces of machinery that press against the lobes, then roll or slide along the lobe’s surfaces. When the engine gets to a high speed, the friction between the lobes and followers create pressure.
Due to the pressure build-up, motor oil is often squeezed out of the followers and the lobes. As the loss of the oil can cause damage to the vehicle, you’ll want motor oil that has anti-wear additives. For older cars that use flat tappet camshaft rather than a more modern rolling camshaft, the anti-wear additive motor oil they use should come with zinc or a zinc replacement additive.
The zinc oil additive in the motor oil will bond to metal parts of the engine, creating an anti-wear coat. This coating will be able to withstand the high pressure and keep your engine running smoothly. In short, flat tappet engines need zinc or a zinc replacement additive in the formula to keep the lifters and camshaft from wearing down before they ought to.
Difference Between Flat Tappet Cams and Roller Cams
When you’re deciding whether you should use zinc additives, you’ll need to know what type of engine you have. A flat tappet cam will need zinc additives while a roller cam will not. This differentiation between the two comes down to the way both cams are designed.
Due to the tappet’s flat design, a flat tappet cam is consistently at risk of wearing down. While the engine is on, the cam lobe constantly slides on top of the tappet, generating a great deal of friction and raising the temperature. Without proper lubrication, this friction can end up causing a considerable amount of damage to the vehicle.
More specifically, if you use an oil that doesn’t provide enough wear protection, the two metal surfaces that rub against one another will harm the valve operation by wearing down the flat tappet cam. This damage to the valve operation can have several negative effects on the engine. Namely, the engine’s efficiency and power will decrease if the flat tappet cam can’t lift the valves enough to release exhaust fumes or charge the ignition chamber properly.
If you have a roller cam, you won’t have to worry about the problem with friction as much, and due to some of the adverse effects of zinc oil additives, you’ll want to avoid using motor oil with lots of zinc additives. A roller cam differs from a flat tappet cam in that it uses rolling contact rather than the flat tappet’s sliding contact, reducing friction. As there’s less friction in a roller cam engine and zinc can be damaging over time, a roller cam shouldn’t use a zinc oil additive.
You always need zinc oil additives for flat tappet cams if you want your engine to last if possible. Whether you’re breaking in the engine or simply maintaining it, you need to use a zinc-containing oil or a zinc replacement additive to protect your vehicle as much as possible. In short, if you use a flat tappet cam, it’s recommended that you choose motor oil that contains zinc or a zinc replacement additive, while it’s not recommended for a roller cam.
Finally
There are numerous positive effects of zinc additives on older engines, especially those with flat-tappet camshafts. The more you know about the need for anti-wear protection and a zinc additive for old cars, the more you’ll realize that you can’t just go with any old motor oil on the shelves today.
