Dear Team Buick engine gurus, :shield:
I've been "educated" on more more gotcha associated with rebuilding a classic engine. I was unaware of the Zinc Dialkyl Dithio Phosphate (ZDDP) oil additive used before 1990. Since these products poison catalytic converters, the EPA got them phased out by 1990. Modern engines apparently get along without the stuff through only one recognized change: they use roller lifters to avoid the cam to lifter fiction that ZDDP reduced.
Of course when rebuilding an engine you could upgrade to roller lifters (TA Performance will gladly take your money! :bgrin: ). My question is how confident are Team Buick members that ZDDP only effects lifters and cams in an older engine? What is the majority solution to this problem? Are most folks upgrading to roller lifters (when possible)? Do folks use some of the ZDDP additives to make sure their engine is protected? Do some folks do both?
If you are as new to all this as I was, there is a reasonable summary here: http://www.macysgarage.com/myweb6/ZDDP.htm. If you would like the perspective of someone trying take your money every oil change - here is one of those: http://www.zddplus.com/.
As always, thanks for the informed opinions! :thumbsup:
Cheers, Edouard
I've been "educated" on more more gotcha associated with rebuilding a classic engine. I was unaware of the Zinc Dialkyl Dithio Phosphate (ZDDP) oil additive used before 1990. Since these products poison catalytic converters, the EPA got them phased out by 1990. Modern engines apparently get along without the stuff through only one recognized change: they use roller lifters to avoid the cam to lifter fiction that ZDDP reduced.
Of course when rebuilding an engine you could upgrade to roller lifters (TA Performance will gladly take your money! :bgrin: ). My question is how confident are Team Buick members that ZDDP only effects lifters and cams in an older engine? What is the majority solution to this problem? Are most folks upgrading to roller lifters (when possible)? Do folks use some of the ZDDP additives to make sure their engine is protected? Do some folks do both?
If you are as new to all this as I was, there is a reasonable summary here: http://www.macysgarage.com/myweb6/ZDDP.htm. If you would like the perspective of someone trying take your money every oil change - here is one of those: http://www.zddplus.com/.
As always, thanks for the informed opinions! :thumbsup:
Cheers, Edouard