[DeTomaso] Oil, re-hash

[Daniel C Jones]

> The missing component in most motor oils today is ZDDP?

Yes.  Zinc dialkyl-dithio-phosphate is the primary extreme pressure (EP)
anti-scuffing additive in motor oil.  It's not so much missing as reduced
in amount.  Prior to 2001, passenger car motor oils had approximately 1200
ppm of zinc.  In 2001, the zinc was reduced to 1000 ppm and was further
reduced in 2005 to the current 800 ppm.

> I've been told, this missing component is now only found in oils meant
> for Diesel engines; that it doesn't matter what brand or grade oil you
> buy, if it's not meant for diesel engines, it won't have the proper
> protections in it.

It's in Diesel oil but has also been reduced in amount.  According to
Shell, Rotella T 15W-40 with the older CI-4 rating (only available in
55 gallon drums now) had 1400 PPM.  The current Rotella T 15W-40 CJ-4,
available in quart bottles and gallon jugs, has approximately 1200 ppm
zinc, about what passenger car oils used to have.

In addition to Diesel oil, there are motorcyle and race/specialty oils
with the higher concentrations of ZDDP.  One example is Brad Penn Racing
Oil. The American Refining group bought the Kendall refinery in Bradford,
Pennsylvania and rebranded the Kendall oil as Brad Penn and added
additional lines of racing oil, including a special break-in oil.
I've got some of the break-in oil on hand and hope to use it in the next
week or so to break-in a flat tappet cam.  Mobil MX4T Motorcycle oil is
also high in ZDDP, as is Valvoline VR50 racing oil.

Dan Jones