ZDDP content in oil vs flat tappet cams

[G-Body_Vet]

Maybe I've been away from wrenching too long, but I've been hearing about this quite a bit since I've been looking for cams lately.

How much truth is there to cams going flat when using oil with low ZDDP (Zinc DialkylDithiophosphates) quantities? If this is the case, wouldn't crank and rod bearings be affected as well? You'd think it would really affect cam manufacturers too.

I'm trying to decide if it's worth the money to go roller or stay with a flat tappet.

 

[pontiacgp]

amsoil still has the ZDDP additive

 

[SafariWagon]

I use lucas oil "break in" additive at each oil change. I hear they can not sell it for normal use but can as a temporary "break in" additive for "off road" use. If you don't want to mess with it go roller cam. It is real and it will trash a brand new motor if you don't use some sort of additive with a flat tappet.

 

[GP403]

we went thru this a few months back....

http://www.gbodyforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=22442

 

[G-Body_Vet]

we went thru this a few months back....

http://www.gbodyforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=22442

Thanks. I should probably search more often

 

[tc1959]

we went thru this a few months back....

http://www.gbodyforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=22442

X2 for me, It's 2011 lot's of things are much better now.

 

[79loserbluebu]

Use the COMP break-in additive with your flat tappet cam. Combined with us leaving the rear oil gallery plug out of an Olds 403, we ruined quite a few bearings as well as rounded off a couple lobes

 

[G-Body_Vet]

So......in actuality what's the hype all about? Is it just another marketing ploy? That other thread is leaning towards it being a myth and as long as I've been wrenching it's customary to smother a cam with assembly lube before break-in anyway.

Is Al Gore selling oil now? Catalytic converter warming leading to the demise of camshafts? I get the idea behind converter damage too. Everything from your oil to the timing can affect your emissions.

 

[JBreu]

Over the years the zinc has been taken out of the oils and it's a proven fact that w/o this the flat tapped cams will wear down. The only oil I use for my motor is Brad Penn. It has the necessary zinc in it for these cams and it has a cool green color🙂

 

[megaladon6]

many cam manufacturers are hardening the cams a bit more and/or offering services like nitriding to prevent this from being as major of an issue, but it's still there. play it safe and either get something like VR-1 oil (technically a "race" oil so it still has the ZDDP) or go one better and get a roller cam and not worry about it.
as for the main and rod bearings, they have less load and it's on a greater area, that's why it's not a real problem for them.