Anyone have a plan that doesn't involve oil that costs $20 a quart?
I was planning on running straight 30weight non-detergent oil (Mineral oil - API SA) with a bottle (2oz) of ZDDPMaxx.
I'd rather run it on the stand rather than the road.. so I figured run it about 30 minutes at 2000prm, then vary RPM for another 30 minutes, drain oil, then fill with a decent 10W-40.
what i did on a stand with my 59-235 was to use john deere break in oil. ran it at 2000 for 1/2 hr made some final adjustments then installed it in the truck and then put some miles on it per container instructions. then drain/strained the oil and have been using rotella 15-40 ever since. i think it was 36 a gallon.
Most of the posts I have read/found are using a break in oil... and when you read what the oils are, they are simple: no detergent, no additives, lots of ZDDP. Throw it in a container and sell it for $9-$12/quart $45-60 for 5 quarts.
Mineral oil is $14/gal, ZDDPMaxx is $5 for enough to treat up to 6 quarts.
I used brad penn break in oil, it was kind of expensive, but after the $5000 I have into the engine, not to mention the 3 years of looking for parts. $60 was cheap. There is one thing ALL the cam manufacturers agree on. Run your engine for the 20 minute break in, then immmediately change the oil (yes, drain your $60 worth of oil out after 20 minutes, here again it is a lot cheaper than what you just spent on your engine. Don't just drain it, use an extremely clean pan when you drain the oil so you can see if you have any metal, and if you have a filter check it for metal as well) it won't hurt a thing to hold it at a steady RPM, for the cam break in. (2000-2500 isn't actually steady anyway) once you get that done, just ordinary driving around town will provide the varying speeds neccesary. I usually run the guts out of a new engine after about an hour of break in. Many people will disagree, but I have never had a failure.
I still can't see anything special about the break in oil other than high zinc/phosphorus levels... well, high when compared to todays oils.
Royal Purple is pretty straightforward in what you get:
Royal Purple has addressed this issue with their new break-in oil. Royal Purple combines highly refined mineral oil, preferred for engine break-in, with advanced additives containing high levels of zinc and phosphorus to optimize protection in flat-tappet and roller engines. (sounds like 30wt straight mineral oil and a bottle of ZDDP)
I'm sure every oil mentioned so far will work and do a fine job of protecting the cam/lifters and seating the rings....
For day to day I can't see a need for anything exotic.... a good 15W-40 is all I plan after break in.
http://www.avweb.com/news/maint/182895-1.html
This article convinced me to use straight mineral oil. An aircraft engine is $100,000 new and an overhaul is $20,000. Why the cylinders are a little more exotic than cast iron... the explanation is sound.
Then I found this:
http://www.drivenracingoil.com/news/dro/training-center/articles/zinc-vs-detergent/
"Detergents and dispersants in the oil complicate the situation. Detergent and dispersant additives “compete” against zinc in the engine because they are polar molecules as well. [b]Detergents and dispersants clean the engine, but they don’t distinguish between sludge, varnish and zinc[/b] – they clean all three away. Modern API certified oils contain higher levels of detergents and dispersants due to the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems on passenger cars and diesel trucks. The “old school” theory on engine break-in was to [b]run non-detergent oils, and this allowed for greater activation of the zinc additive in the oil.[/b]
I didn't read the article yet. But on aircraft engines especially the large ones you never ever use zinc in the oil. The bearings have a silver plating and zinc will ruin it. Yes use straight mineral oil on engine break in on a large radial aircraft engine. On small aircraft engines they do seem to have cam lifter problems like automotive engines do since most I am familiar with are flat tappets. The large engines are all roller tappets. I think what is important is a good extreme pressure lube on the mating surfaces of the lifters and lobes. This is good stuff.
I have never used any fancy break in oils. Good old what ever you plan to use after breakin. I run about 500 miles before 1st oil drain. Oil filters are there for a reason.
Last edited by Truckrolet; 04/28/201310:47 PM.
Kicking self for selling off my Taskforce trucks. Still looking for an LCF or conventional big bolt in decent shape.
As of 10-26-2022, A 55.2 Taskforce long bed now the work begins
Break in seems to be one of those things that no one is really wrong kind of deals.
I couldn't find any reason not to use mineral oil and zddp (and quite a few that said that's actually how its done) so for the $15 or so per oil change it will cost me I plan on doing that.
Fill with mineral oil and proper amount of ZDDPMaxx Run for 30 minutes on stand. Drain oil. Refill with off the shelf 10W-40 (I usually get the Walmart oil in the blue jugs) and another bottle of ZDDPMaxx. Change at normal interval.
Any good name brand oil will work for break-in, as long as you add a bottle of break-in additive. Your choice, they all do the same thing. 20 minutes, 1800 to 2100 rpm is plenty. The rpm is only for throwing oil off the crank on to the cam lobes.
High pressure valve springs on race engines need the most protection, the weaker the spring, the less is needed. The cam profile also dictates how much zinc is needed. Extreme lift rates need way more then stock low lift cams.
Its simple math really, when you spend upwards of $3000 rebuilding a engine, why not $50 more for good oil. Pulling a rebuilt engine back apart for a total cleaning, bearings, cam, and new lifters will cost way more then $50 worth of oil when the lobes of the cam get ground off.
the only reason I used a "break in oil" is all this hype about the zddp levels. and although for an oil it was expensive it was just pennies in comparison to the amount of money spent on the engine, and more importantly, my time. The zddp of which what we are really concerned about is the P portion has a range of usefullness, below .08% was bad and over something like .14%(?)was actually more harmful, like everything else moderation is the key.
I came to the same conclusion. A stock 235 will be happy with a good oil and a can of break in additive.
I'm still going to go with my original plan of straight mineral oil and 4 oz of ZDDPMaxx. I figure an initial good dose of ZDDP to get everything coated and then just regular oil after that. The first change will be after the 30 minute break in. Since the oil will be drained hot there is no worry of dirt falling out of suspension or sludge build up.
Right now I only have $1500 in the motor (that is still a lot) but $60 of name brand stuff is not going to get me anything more than the $20 stuff I plan on using.
If your cam and lifters are new, I would taper off the zddp additives a little at a time. Each oil change I would add some, don't just quit after the break-in run, its not a coat it once and forget type of additive. It takes some time to really "wear in" the cam and lifters. I know its only a stock motor with very little lift and spring pressure, but it still needs some additive. I would consider 1000 to 2000 miles broke in. Comp Cams sells a additive that works really good, I tell all my motor customers to run at least half a bottle in every oil change, its just cheap insurance.
All oils still have ZDDP in them.. just not as much (800ppm seems to be the average for current oil) so there is always new zddp being introduced. That's why I like the idea of a first dose of nothing but pure oil and zddp.
Since this truck is (hopefully) going to be a daily driver I may go to an 'every other change' additive boost. I most likely will do an oil analysis at the end of the summer to see how the internals are doing.
If you watch some youtube videos of ZDDP:
They also test plain motor oil.. Exxon 5W30 and it lasted less than a minute:
