Zinc Oil For Older Cars
Also in the classic xl line is a 30w oil for pre 1950 vintage and classic cars.
Zinc oil for older cars. While the formulations of modern oils have changed along with the innovations that keep the automotive industry moving forward your older car s specific lubrication requirements were frozen in time the day it was built. Lucas oil hot rod classic car sae 10w 40 hp high zinc petroleum high performance motor oil for use with racing fuels synthetic non synthetic oils 5 quarts 4 7 out of 5 stars 92 38 61 38. The automotive community continues to debate whether switching to synthetic oil in older cars is beneficial or risky. Chances are your classic car needs zinc oil additive to stay running strong.
What is high zinc. Higher zinc levels in oil typically are for performance cars on the whole. Zinc acts as a friction inhibitor and research suggests that older engines using flat tappet lifters in the engine pretty much any v6 or v8 older than 1988 need to have zinc present in the engine oil in order to keep the camshaft and lifters from wearing prematurely. Ilsac multi viscosity oils that are rated sm even feature special additives used for older engines that experts recommend for use in.
Zinc zddp and zdtp is especially useful for cars with flat tappet camshafts which means a lot of classic cars hot rods and older muscle cars need zinc more than other cars. Specifically should you use a motor oil with zddp additives only during engine break in or throughout the engine s lifespan. When it comes to older engines and classic cars high zinc content is a must and some oil manufacturers even sell special engine oil that comes with elevated zdtp or zddp zinc dialkyl dithiophosphates content. This means that not all current oils are appropriate for antique autos or even for those.
In classic car and hot rod engines use a high zinc motor oil all the time. Read on for details. Then there is the question of mixing high zinc phosphorus content oils with sm to give necessary protection. Recommended for pre 1980 cars their multi grade 20w 50 is formulated with high quality mineral oils plus selected additives for older technology and classic car engines.
In general synthetic motor oil offers owners of newer cars trucks and suvs multiple benefits from extending component life to reducing cost of routine maintenance if you have heard about the benefits of synthetic motor oil in vehicles you may be inclined to switch. Regardless if you are purchasing off the shelf oil for your classic car ilsac multi viscosity oils rated sm or cj 4 should have stated zinc and phosphorus additive supplements for use in older engines or an additional separate additive should be purchased and used with the new oil.