ZINC Provides Proven Wear Protection for Engine & Turbos
Jan 3, 2014, 05:07 PM
#1
ZINC Provides Proven Wear Protection for Engine & Turbos
Many debates over the years over why or why not use ZINC.
You have internet experts that say NO wait ZINC does nothing to protect an engine.
These internet gurus like to claim that they have been running X Y and Z oil's for long periods and their engine has not failed. But what they have failed to understand is that the oil they are running has some form of ZINC already in it, whether is a low level at 600 PPM or higher levels 1000 and above they just don't know what the content of ZDDP has been.
So here I the scoop on why YES we in the performance community we still benefit from ZDDP (ZINC and Phosphorus:
Some quick points:
- ZDDP is an essential additive to reduce wear and tear which mostly occurs during cold start ups or heavy load driving (Racing, towing, driving hard ect...)
- ZDDP also improves on oxidation stability. It also exhibits mild extreme-pressure (EP) protection
Specifically ZDDP helps protect high impact surfaces. In most cases these areas would be cam lobes to lifter surfaces or piston rings to cylinder walls.
So as the temperatures inside the engine rise the parts become closer to each other and the ZDDP additive decomposes and the resulting chemistry is what protects the metal surfaces. In other words ZDDP is heat/pressure activated.
So here is where ZDDP shines because as it activates now what we have is a film of the additive in between the moving parts, and metal to metal contact where before it could have occurred now it will NOT. Hence less friction = less heat = more power and less wear on the internals.
Here is a good informational video by a Jr tribologist by the Joe Gibbs oil company. It explains why ZDDP. I think that out of all info vids this is very close to being worth to listen to for educational purposes:
Why don't all oils today carry the correct amount of ZDDP for the performance engines we are using (Example of those are Mobil 1 off the shelf and many other SM rated oil's:
- Environmental reasons. Phosphorus can land in the catalytic converter if you have one. Just like the leaded fuels from the 70s.
As a result the EPA has mandate that the levels of ZDDP be lowered to regulated numbers.
- IMPORTANT TO NOTE: The largest portion of volatile phosphorus is right after you change your oil, from there is down hill your amount of ZDDP continues to drop. So oils that start with a low amount of ZDDP will give you less protection over time. (The typical types of oils with low ZDDP are the ones your normally pick up at the store with an API-SM label on them)
You have internet experts that say NO wait ZINC does nothing to protect an engine.
These internet gurus like to claim that they have been running X Y and Z oil's for long periods and their engine has not failed. But what they have failed to understand is that the oil they are running has some form of ZINC already in it, whether is a low level at 600 PPM or higher levels 1000 and above they just don't know what the content of ZDDP has been.
So here I the scoop on why YES we in the performance community we still benefit from ZDDP (ZINC and Phosphorus:
Some quick points:
- ZDDP is an essential additive to reduce wear and tear which mostly occurs during cold start ups or heavy load driving (Racing, towing, driving hard ect...)
- ZDDP also improves on oxidation stability. It also exhibits mild extreme-pressure (EP) protection
Specifically ZDDP helps protect high impact surfaces. In most cases these areas would be cam lobes to lifter surfaces or piston rings to cylinder walls.
So as the temperatures inside the engine rise the parts become closer to each other and the ZDDP additive decomposes and the resulting chemistry is what protects the metal surfaces. In other words ZDDP is heat/pressure activated.
So here is where ZDDP shines because as it activates now what we have is a film of the additive in between the moving parts, and metal to metal contact where before it could have occurred now it will NOT. Hence less friction = less heat = more power and less wear on the internals.
Here is a good informational video by a Jr tribologist by the Joe Gibbs oil company. It explains why ZDDP. I think that out of all info vids this is very close to being worth to listen to for educational purposes:
Why don't all oils today carry the correct amount of ZDDP for the performance engines we are using (Example of those are Mobil 1 off the shelf and many other SM rated oil's:
- Environmental reasons. Phosphorus can land in the catalytic converter if you have one. Just like the leaded fuels from the 70s.
As a result the EPA has mandate that the levels of ZDDP be lowered to regulated numbers.
- IMPORTANT TO NOTE: The largest portion of volatile phosphorus is right after you change your oil, from there is down hill your amount of ZDDP continues to drop. So oils that start with a low amount of ZDDP will give you less protection over time. (The typical types of oils with low ZDDP are the ones your normally pick up at the store with an API-SM label on them)
Jan 3, 2014, 05:10 PM
#2
Some previous responses by us:
The main ingredient in the Oil Extreme product is Calcium Sulfanate. They may be onto something but I would like to see some more testing on this.
For a very down to earth explanation on the reason why we use ZDDP and Calcium in an OIL chemistry read post number #2131487 also #2130421 from the link I provided from Bobistheoilguy.com web site link. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...Number=2130351
Quote from their wesite:
Calcium Petrolium Sulfonate is already used as an alkaline reserve in all motor oil additive packages.
Oil Extreme's™ brilliant chemist has developed a revolutionary new way of manipulating the molecules of Calcium Petrolium Sulfonate so he could "overbase", or add excess amounts to the Oil Extreme™ additive package booster. Under heat and pressure this excess Calcium Petrolium Sulfonate forms an extremely hard tribochemical film that fills the asperities of an engine's metal surfaces.
Some test conducted by a taxi company:
http://www.gf-5.com/uploads/File/SAE_2007-01-1990.pdf
The main ingredient in the Oil Extreme product is Calcium Sulfanate. They may be onto something but I would like to see some more testing on this.
For a very down to earth explanation on the reason why we use ZDDP and Calcium in an OIL chemistry read post number #2131487 also #2130421 from the link I provided from Bobistheoilguy.com web site link. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...Number=2130351
Quote from their wesite:
Calcium Petrolium Sulfonate is already used as an alkaline reserve in all motor oil additive packages.
Oil Extreme's™ brilliant chemist has developed a revolutionary new way of manipulating the molecules of Calcium Petrolium Sulfonate so he could "overbase", or add excess amounts to the Oil Extreme™ additive package booster. Under heat and pressure this excess Calcium Petrolium Sulfonate forms an extremely hard tribochemical film that fills the asperities of an engine's metal surfaces.
Some test conducted by a taxi company:
http://www.gf-5.com/uploads/File/SAE_2007-01-1990.pdf
Last edited by apagan01; Jan 3, 2014 at 05:12 PM.
Jan 3, 2014, 05:14 PM
#4
More responses by us:
- We understand the average car does not need a high (1200 PPM and above) ZDDP, we are not implying your 350HP Evo will fall apart if you use less than X level of ZDDP.
- We don't necessarily say that high levels of ZDDP are necessary for the average Evo running 400whp. The guys running higher horsepower prefer the higher ZDDP around 1400 PPM. While this info is not targeted at a specific group it is general info.
- You need some level of ZDDP and in todays OILs that could be 750-900 PPM. I still personally think 600 PPM is to low.
NOTE= We don't recommend adding ZDDP to an already formulated OIL.
The job of ZDDP is to provide a film between sliding metal surfaces (EP Anti-wear), anti oxidation (prevents rust, but this part has been replaced in todays OILs by other additives because the levels of ZDDP have been reduced)
- We understand the average car does not need a high (1200 PPM and above) ZDDP, we are not implying your 350HP Evo will fall apart if you use less than X level of ZDDP.
- We don't necessarily say that high levels of ZDDP are necessary for the average Evo running 400whp. The guys running higher horsepower prefer the higher ZDDP around 1400 PPM. While this info is not targeted at a specific group it is general info.
- You need some level of ZDDP and in todays OILs that could be 750-900 PPM. I still personally think 600 PPM is to low.
NOTE= We don't recommend adding ZDDP to an already formulated OIL.
The job of ZDDP is to provide a film between sliding metal surfaces (EP Anti-wear), anti oxidation (prevents rust, but this part has been replaced in todays OILs by other additives because the levels of ZDDP have been reduced)
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