Oil for flat tappet cams

[chrisw21_2000]

What oil should I put in my flat tappet limited motor? Zinc not being in oil anymore sucks. I had a brand new motor and put VR1 valvoline in it and the cam is wore out after one race. Ground the lifters down where they are mushroomed out and wont come out without removing the cam. All brand new stuff. Killed a brand new engine. No where around here even has anything that has zinc in it. And noone carries cam break in lube. What are others running and what do yaw reccommend?

Thanks

[billetbirdcage]

This isn't the answer to your oil question, but if you can afford them I'd look at some shubeck lifters. They used to be around 700.00 a while back, but they can be used with a ton of valve spring pressure and don't require break in and can be mixed up and installed on another cam again and again. So if you are stuck with a flat tappet rule and you are going to run that class for a while they will pay for themselves very quickly.

If you figure in the cost of replacing the cam and lifters (may be warrantied) but still have the tearing apart, cleaning, honing, scored pistons, or what not you may already be behind on money.

Just a thought.

I know guys used to use the GM EOS supplement to add zinc to the oil but I'm told that is now gone from the EOS also and that the rotella may have it gone also.

[billetbirdcage]

Search over here for break in oils or something like that, you'll get the latest info over here from some pretty sharp guys.

http://speedtalk.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=1

This one has a little on the schubek lifters:
http://speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6835

[billetbirdcage]

I fould what is probably the right one, I haven't read it but some answers should be in there.

http://speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6613

[LM23]

Comp Cams has a break in lube. We use Royal Purple racing in our motors. You will find some use Gibbs, Torco, etc. I am not sure if the Valvoline is still a "true" racing oil. I could be wrong though.

[Hendrens Racing Engines]

We use Joe Gibbs or Royal purple,Gibbs has an oil just for break in of flat tappet cams. www.joegibbsracingoil.com Bill

[speedy79]

We have been using Northland Oil and Lucas oil treatment in the modified I have been driving with a flat tappet cam and having excellent wear with that. We also run that combination in our late model.

[chrisw21_2000]

I've ran these same type liters for years now. First failure I've had. The motor didnt make 10 laps and the cam was junk. Killed the cylinders. Crank looks fine. Broke it in and everything. I went and found some old stock of Rotella at a local oil company. It was dated 1999. I'm gonna put this back in my old engine. The guy that the cam came from says that either it was oil related or when they indexed my block they centered the lifters on the cam and they arent spinning. I dont see how they could move them that far using the fixtures, reaming them from .904 to 1 and bushing them back. Not all of them are killed but most are wore very badly. A couple busted. You can see where they werent spinning on a few. But I dont know if it gauled before they stopped spining due to oil or what. From what I was told The VR1 is junk now to. Only non approved oils. I was also told Royal purples new stock doesnt have the zinc.