STP Zinc Content

[cudaken]

 I have bought some STP Oil Treatment and it looks like the part number is 200064E, bottle is 15 FL OZ and states it has ZDDP in it. One bottle will treat 5 quarts of oil.

I am wondering if it has sufficient Zinc in it to protect my flat tappet cam?   Reason I wonder is the cost, only $4.00 a bottle, other Zinc additives where $12.00 to $15.00 range.  

I have learned a few things in life.

Most of the time cheap things are junk.

Just because it cost more does not mean it is better!

Thank you folks in advances for the coming answers!

       Cuda Ken

[A383Wing]

I have never used any additives in any of my cars

[1974dodgecharger]

i dump one bottle of risoline its a zinc/phos additive to my rotella 15-40 I use.  Rotella has only like 400ppm or something like that and the bottle adds 1300 plus or so. 

[myk]

I have never used any additives in any of my cars

Not even that zinc stuff they say older engines need?

[A383Wing]

I have never used any additives in any of my cars

Not even that zinc stuff they say older engines need?

nope...rebuilt my one 66 engine back in the early 80's....still going. My other 66 still has original engine in it, never torn apart, 166,000 miles and still going. The 73 Pontiac has almost 60K on the original engine, still going. The Daytona's engine was rebuilt in mid 90's...after it was done, we went to 'Dega with it...now has 45K on engine, no additives, no problems

[nvrbdn]

that sounds like a winner. my engine guy said to get brad penn in my engine, so i did. but i just did a break-in and needed to change the oil anyway.

  on gas monkey they just had an episode where they were breaking in a new cam and all went south. the builder blamed it on them using the wrong oil at break-in.

[John_Kunkel]

IIRC, there are two different STP additives, blue bottle and red bottle...the red bottle has the most ZDDP.

[cudaken]

IIRC, there are two different STP additives, blue bottle and red bottle...the red bottle has the most ZDDP.

John, when I first started my Road Runner I am 85% sure it was with the Red bottle STP additive. I am not worried because at the time of start up I all so had cam break in lube on the cam.

This is not a fresh motor, just one that sat for 8 years with out starting.

I now have the Blue bottle, is that sufficient John?

Cuda Ken

[myk]

I have never used any additives in any of my cars

Not even that zinc stuff they say older engines need?

nope...rebuilt my one 66 engine back in the early 80's....still going. My other 66 still has original engine in it, never torn apart, 166,000 miles and still going. The 73 Pontiac has almost 60K on the original engine, still going. The Daytona's engine was rebuilt in mid 90's...after it was done, we went to 'Dega with it...now has 45K on engine, no additives, no problems

That's really something; I'd wager that just about everyone on here insists on some sort of zinc additive...

[1974dodgecharger]

theres even a sticky on it.....so the forum endorses it?

[Kern Dog]

People with weak, stock cams often don't need any additional zinc. Slantys, 318s and 383 2 barrel engines that never see much more that 3000 rpms don't have stiff enough valve springs to cause much wear. It is the guys with higher lift cams and stiffer springs that must use something to prevent damage. This means everyone with Edelbrock or Stealth heads since they come with springs far stiffer than stock engines did.

[myk]

People with weak, stock cams often don't need any additional zinc. Slantys, 318s and 383 2 barrel engines that never see much more that 3000 rpms don't have stiff enough valve springs to cause much wear. It is the guys with higher lift cams and stiffer springs that must use something to prevent damage. This means everyone with Edelbrock or Stealth heads since they come with springs far stiffer than stock engines did.

Ok, well I read that the zinc is necessary in engines that use "flat tappet cams;" so that's just about any pushrod engine, right?  Some examples being our B/RB motors, the LS1 in my F-bird, the LT1 in my Z28, etc?

[68 RT]

Your LS-1 AND LT-1 if a newer lt-1 are roller cams.

[myk]

1997 LT1?

[Sublime/Sixpack]

that sounds like a winner. my engine guy said to get brad penn in my engine, so i did. but i just did a break-in and needed to change the oil anyway.

  on gas monkey they just had an episode where they were breaking in a new cam and all went south. the builder blamed it on them using the wrong oil at break-in.

I saw that episode. They used 10/30 (O'Reilys I believe) plus an additive but apparently it wasn't enough to protect the cam and lifters.
On the follow up (2nd cam) break-in they used Joe Gibbs Driven Break-in oil with good results. I was surprised that those guys didn't go with the Break-in in the first place.

[cudaken]

 
I played with Miss Lumpy (68 Road Runner) today. Few months back I was worried I was having the cam go flat. After she was warmed up I heard a ticking from the left bank. She has a leak that is getting slower, and I had added 4 quarts after the first fire up over 3 or 4 months. I had forgot all about adding zinc.  

Today I added the STP Blue Bottle Additive and the ticking was gone. :scratchchin:So I am happy. I all so did a Goggle search and it seems the Bow Tie guys feel the STP Blue Bottle Additive has sufficient Zinc for there cams. Like I trust a Chevy guy.  

But she is quieter now, so I am willing to trust it. Sure beats the heck out of the $15.00 a bottle stuff!

Cuda Ken    

[bull]

that sounds like a winner. my engine guy said to get brad penn in my engine, so i did. but i just did a break-in and needed to change the oil anyway.

I used Brad Penn break in oil after the rebuild and then Valvoline 20/50 racing oil when I first changed it. I ran that between late August and mid November before switching back to Brad Penn. This time I bought their High Performance SAE 30 which I'm hoping will lower my oil pressure a little.

Some guys say you shouldn't use multi-viscosity oil in our cars but I really don't know why. Anyone else ever heard this? I wouldn't think it would matter as long as it's got the zinc.

[1974dodgecharger]

Only thing i heard rumor mill was dont use a viscosity too far off from each other like 0w 50 use close range stuff.

[Ghoste]

Most of the time cheap things are junk.

Just because it cost more does not mean it is better!

         Cuda Ken

Hey wait a minute, wouldn't these two things cancel each other out and make everything you bought great and poor at the same time?

[Back N Black]

that sounds like a winner. my engine guy said to get brad penn in my engine, so i did. but i just did a break-in and needed to change the oil anyway.

I used Brad Penn break in oil after the rebuild and then Valvoline 20/50 racing oil when I first changed it. I ran that between late August and mid November before switching back to Brad Penn. This time I bought their High Performance SAE 30 which I'm hoping will lower my oil pressure a little.

Some guys say you shouldn't use multi-viscosity oil in our cars but I really don't know why. Anyone else ever heard this? I wouldn't think it would matter as long as it's got the zinc.

What is your oil pressure reading?

[warpspeed]

Hot Dog!  I have been wanting to talk about what I found in oils. 

Bull, you mentioned Valvoline VR1 racing oil.  I have read that we need a high level of Zinc for flat tappet cams.  The Valvoline VR! oil is the only one on the shelf at the local parts house, I won't mention the name right now.  The  rest are all "economy" and too low in zinc.  I was thrilled to see this oil, but, is this a good brand of oil to use.  And where can I get the Brad Penn oil?

[Ghoste]

Many speed shops carry Brad Penn.

[warpspeed]

Great! I will have to travel 30 miles to the nearest speed shop.  But, it isn't as if the oil is changed every day, right?  Thanks

[Ghoste]

True.  There is also a lot of good information on this in the thread that is stickied at the top of this forum about read this if you have a flat tappet cam.