Obsolete oil, Modern oil and oil additives, a good read.
Posted: May 6th, 2014, 8:05 pm
Disclaimer:
I am not an oil expert. I have not performed any tests. I am not certified in any way to confirm or deny the authenticity, plausibility or reliability of the following information. I am at best an amatuer. I have no certifications. The following information is historical and assumptions made are purely speculative and may or may not be accurate. A little knowledge to an ignorant person is extremely dangerous. If you are an ignorant person, please do not continue reading.
History:
I was introduced to MX-3s around 2006. I met the MOCA (Atlanta MX-3) group around that time. I mostly talked to Pat (our own Patdiesel) and I remember the time he took me in his KLZE MX-3. He was telling me about his KL31 cammed ZE and his friend's KL01 cammed ZE and how depending on the track layout they traded "blows" in track position. He then told me that he had been tracking his ZE for seven years without having to perform a rebuild or serious maintenance. Seven years of abuse.
I at that time only owned a B6. In my eyes, the KL was not only a terrific performer but a reliable workhorse.
ILSAC began GF certification in 1990.
GF-1: 1990, revised 1992.
GF-2: 1996
GF-3: 2000
GF-4: 2004
GF-5: 2011
Each new standard brought several benefits. Viscosity Index (VI) improvers, resistance to heat, etc.
Obsolete conventional motor oil relied on a cheap and effective anti-wear additive called Zinc dialkyldithiophosphates. Or ZDDP. It's main component, if you can't tell by the name, is both Zinc and Phosphorus. This was developed in 1941 by a company called Lubrizol.
Particularly the Phosphorus was causing premature catalytic converter failure. With pressure on the EPA, advent of three-way catalytic converters and the expense of palladium and platinum, catalytic converter longevity was important for both OEMS and emissions regulations.
Measured in parts per million (ppm) pre-GF-1 standard oils would contain in excess of 1200 ppm, or .12% of ZDDP.
1992, API and ILSAC certified oil was limited TO 1200 PPM ZDDP or .12%.
1996, ZDDP was limited to 1000 PPM or .10%
2004, ZDDP was again limited this time to 800 PPM or .08%
in 2014, many oils contain 600 PPM and even lower.
Valvoline VR1 racing oil, which is NOT synthetic, claims it has 75% more ZDDP content than "SM motor oils".
It's zinc content is 1300 ppm, phosphorus is 1200 ppm (.13% and .12% respectively) which would then suggest that API SM rated oil has a content of about 300-400 PPM.
Mobil 1 "Extended Performance" oils run 900 and 800 ppm zinc/phosphorus, compared to their "racing" oil which uses 1850 and 1750 ppm.
"High Mileage" oils generally contain higher content of ZDDP. Mobil 1 has a content of 1100 and 1000 PPM Zinc/Phosphorus. The downside is they are not API certified and can void an engine warranty, hence why they label it "high mileage" because your warranty is already most likely gone.
ZDDP content increases as viscosity increases xW-50 has more than xW-40 has more than xW-30 has more than xW-20 generally speaking (comparing same brand and same class oils)
ZDDP plays an integral role in bearing and friction surface wear. It's hydrodynamic film properties and shearing protection haven't quite been able to be replicated yet. It creates a protective barrier and in a sense adheres and "plates" the surfaces and bearings to create a anti-wear film.
Many classic car owners began seeing cam and flat tappet failures.
Motorcycles depend heavily on ZDDP content.
OEMs also began using lower pressure valve springs to compensate for the lack of these anti-wear additives.
ZDDP has been crucial in engine break-ins on rebuilds. Not using proper break-in oils is the cause of many older and classic car rebuild failures.
What does this mean to MX-3 owners?
That I can't tell you for certain. The most important bit I can leave you with is correlation doesn't imply causation.
Now let's talk about correlations!
The K series engine was designed during GF-1 certification or pre GF-1 certification, when ZDDP content was either unregulated or regulated at it's highest.
Many KL builders have failure soon after a rebuild.
The majority of KL failures are bearing-related. Not ring or detonation or valvetrain damage, not overheating, not headgaskets.
The majority of KL failures are reported post-2004, which correlates with the majority of classic car engine failures.
the KL31 heads, which have lower pressure intake valve springs, were made in Japan where the ZDDP content was regulated at 500 ppm or .05% and was never seen in the US except for that ONE year Millenia (and maybe a few rare one-off other years that have been spotted but hardly exist). Many other-markets which I do NOT know what regulations held had a combination of KL31 or KL01 heads.
There are plenty of other factors involved, including quality of parts used, cleanliness and proper rebuild steps, other factors of oil that I have not mentioned including detergents and other content of oil that is important and plenty of other factors. You can't just claim that one factor is the fault or the fix to an engine issue. You can't just claim, "measurable improvement" in oil and never claim to do a UOA. Or multiple UOAs. Claiming oil and filter quality from what you "see" doesn't justify anything but your ignorance. You can't "see" differences, only "test" them. and it's multiple tests over time.
Again, ZDDP content may or may not be a playing factor here. This thread is to build awareness and to provide a good bit of reading material in hopes this may inspire someone with the knowledge and resources to confirm or deny the existence of causation as the classic car engine builders have already.
Here is a list of several sites I have read. Happy reading!
http://www.inp.nsk.su/news/seminars/2011_298_ILSAC.pdf
http://www.gf-5.com/uploads/File/SAE_2007-01-1990.pdf
http://www.api.org/certification-progra ... H_2013.pdf
http://www.valvoline.com/faqs/motor-oil/racing-oil/
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/effects-of-shearing/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_oil
http://www.gf-5.com/the_story/why_gf_5/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc_dithiophosphate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_ ... #Three-way
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/Mot ... _Guide.pdf
http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs-wm/13340.pdf
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub ... ber=729029
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/Mot ... _Guide.pdf
http://www.stle.org/assets/document/Inv ... itwear.pdf
http://www.api.org/certifications/engin ... 120210.pdf
http://www.enginebuildermag.com/2012/03 ... t-why-how/
http://barsproducts.com/blog/the-straig ... -additives
I am not an oil expert. I have not performed any tests. I am not certified in any way to confirm or deny the authenticity, plausibility or reliability of the following information. I am at best an amatuer. I have no certifications. The following information is historical and assumptions made are purely speculative and may or may not be accurate. A little knowledge to an ignorant person is extremely dangerous. If you are an ignorant person, please do not continue reading.
History:
I was introduced to MX-3s around 2006. I met the MOCA (Atlanta MX-3) group around that time. I mostly talked to Pat (our own Patdiesel) and I remember the time he took me in his KLZE MX-3. He was telling me about his KL31 cammed ZE and his friend's KL01 cammed ZE and how depending on the track layout they traded "blows" in track position. He then told me that he had been tracking his ZE for seven years without having to perform a rebuild or serious maintenance. Seven years of abuse.
I at that time only owned a B6. In my eyes, the KL was not only a terrific performer but a reliable workhorse.
ILSAC began GF certification in 1990.
GF-1: 1990, revised 1992.
GF-2: 1996
GF-3: 2000
GF-4: 2004
GF-5: 2011
Each new standard brought several benefits. Viscosity Index (VI) improvers, resistance to heat, etc.
Obsolete conventional motor oil relied on a cheap and effective anti-wear additive called Zinc dialkyldithiophosphates. Or ZDDP. It's main component, if you can't tell by the name, is both Zinc and Phosphorus. This was developed in 1941 by a company called Lubrizol.
Particularly the Phosphorus was causing premature catalytic converter failure. With pressure on the EPA, advent of three-way catalytic converters and the expense of palladium and platinum, catalytic converter longevity was important for both OEMS and emissions regulations.
Measured in parts per million (ppm) pre-GF-1 standard oils would contain in excess of 1200 ppm, or .12% of ZDDP.
1992, API and ILSAC certified oil was limited TO 1200 PPM ZDDP or .12%.
1996, ZDDP was limited to 1000 PPM or .10%
2004, ZDDP was again limited this time to 800 PPM or .08%
in 2014, many oils contain 600 PPM and even lower.
Valvoline VR1 racing oil, which is NOT synthetic, claims it has 75% more ZDDP content than "SM motor oils".
It's zinc content is 1300 ppm, phosphorus is 1200 ppm (.13% and .12% respectively) which would then suggest that API SM rated oil has a content of about 300-400 PPM.
Mobil 1 "Extended Performance" oils run 900 and 800 ppm zinc/phosphorus, compared to their "racing" oil which uses 1850 and 1750 ppm.
"High Mileage" oils generally contain higher content of ZDDP. Mobil 1 has a content of 1100 and 1000 PPM Zinc/Phosphorus. The downside is they are not API certified and can void an engine warranty, hence why they label it "high mileage" because your warranty is already most likely gone.
ZDDP content increases as viscosity increases xW-50 has more than xW-40 has more than xW-30 has more than xW-20 generally speaking (comparing same brand and same class oils)
ZDDP plays an integral role in bearing and friction surface wear. It's hydrodynamic film properties and shearing protection haven't quite been able to be replicated yet. It creates a protective barrier and in a sense adheres and "plates" the surfaces and bearings to create a anti-wear film.
Many classic car owners began seeing cam and flat tappet failures.
Motorcycles depend heavily on ZDDP content.
OEMs also began using lower pressure valve springs to compensate for the lack of these anti-wear additives.
ZDDP has been crucial in engine break-ins on rebuilds. Not using proper break-in oils is the cause of many older and classic car rebuild failures.
What does this mean to MX-3 owners?
That I can't tell you for certain. The most important bit I can leave you with is correlation doesn't imply causation.
Now let's talk about correlations!
The K series engine was designed during GF-1 certification or pre GF-1 certification, when ZDDP content was either unregulated or regulated at it's highest.
Many KL builders have failure soon after a rebuild.
The majority of KL failures are bearing-related. Not ring or detonation or valvetrain damage, not overheating, not headgaskets.
The majority of KL failures are reported post-2004, which correlates with the majority of classic car engine failures.
the KL31 heads, which have lower pressure intake valve springs, were made in Japan where the ZDDP content was regulated at 500 ppm or .05% and was never seen in the US except for that ONE year Millenia (and maybe a few rare one-off other years that have been spotted but hardly exist). Many other-markets which I do NOT know what regulations held had a combination of KL31 or KL01 heads.
There are plenty of other factors involved, including quality of parts used, cleanliness and proper rebuild steps, other factors of oil that I have not mentioned including detergents and other content of oil that is important and plenty of other factors. You can't just claim that one factor is the fault or the fix to an engine issue. You can't just claim, "measurable improvement" in oil and never claim to do a UOA. Or multiple UOAs. Claiming oil and filter quality from what you "see" doesn't justify anything but your ignorance. You can't "see" differences, only "test" them. and it's multiple tests over time.
Again, ZDDP content may or may not be a playing factor here. This thread is to build awareness and to provide a good bit of reading material in hopes this may inspire someone with the knowledge and resources to confirm or deny the existence of causation as the classic car engine builders have already.
Here is a list of several sites I have read. Happy reading!
http://www.inp.nsk.su/news/seminars/2011_298_ILSAC.pdf
http://www.gf-5.com/uploads/File/SAE_2007-01-1990.pdf
http://www.api.org/certification-progra ... H_2013.pdf
http://www.valvoline.com/faqs/motor-oil/racing-oil/
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/effects-of-shearing/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_oil
http://www.gf-5.com/the_story/why_gf_5/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc_dithiophosphate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_ ... #Three-way
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/Mot ... _Guide.pdf
http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs-wm/13340.pdf
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub ... ber=729029
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/Mot ... _Guide.pdf
http://www.stle.org/assets/document/Inv ... itwear.pdf
http://www.api.org/certifications/engin ... 120210.pdf
http://www.enginebuildermag.com/2012/03 ... t-why-how/
http://barsproducts.com/blog/the-straig ... -additives