Here is a very interesting read. (And a long one).
While there are a wide range of topics discussed in this paper, it's the ranking of the engine oils that will be a real eye opener to most. Many popular myths are dismissed and misconceptions of what's best are cleared up.
I'll confess that at this point I've only completed the "Wear Protection Ranking List" (and not the other 23 subjects that are covered), but it's this list that is the real meat behind the tech.


https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/

I`ll be interested in the feedback on this.

 

Reading a little further, there are also excellent discussions on LSA vs overlap and SCR vs DCR.

 

i've recently (a year or two) learned the importance of DCR in the engine "design" process. He disses SCR, but that is the easily measurable number, and how you build the engine. To his point, DCR of 7.5-8.5 + cam determines what SCR to build. Trying to find a cam's intake valve closing point is the hard part. For the cam cards that provide the * at 0.006" lift should be the most convenient. All the online calculators (that I've found) build in some guessing... Intake closing @0.050 + 15*, etc.

 

Any meaningful discussion on an engine's given compression ratio has to include the DCR.
I've always used hydraulic cams and cam cards give the duration at .006" lift. That satisfies the requirements of the calculator I prefer to use. If you haven't read this other paper, (and you probably have) it'll give an equally thorough explanation as to how the dynamic compression via the intake valve closing point really affects an engine's characteristics. The calculator that's available at the end of the article is the one I'n referring to.

http://cochise.uia.net/pkelley2/DynamicCR.html

 

Interestingly (for me anyway) is that 4 of the top 8 oils in the list regularly go on sale here. Quaker State and Mobil 1 (both Dexos 1 rated) are near the top. And from what I understand about the article is that my GM OES isn't needed nor is any zinc additive. I was using GMs Engine Oil Supplement to help the mechanical fuel pump pushrod/ cam lobe interface. I had wiped out one fuel pump lobe before and it's leaves quite a mess behind.

 

I'm a little surprised that article didn't stir up any comments. It is a bit of a read although there are many links to off topic discussions.
Still, I would have thought people cared about the oil they use and would want to know about additives and their effects on engine oil.

 

Planning to read....just haven't gotten to it yet. Thanks for posting it.

 

If you change your oil regularly like you're supposed to, inexpensive walmart oil will do just fine.

 

Thought the article was very informative on oils, additives, break-in oil and zinc. If you are running a flat tappet and are worried about a zinc additive you should read this (not necessary). Written by a mechanical engineer who seems very knowledgeable about oils.

 

i related to this part, lol. been using VR1 for years with no problems.


TYPICAL GEAR HEAD MINDSET vs ENGINEER MINDSET

A typical Gear Head’s mindset regarding new flat tappet engine Break-In is, “What I’ve been doing works, so I don’t want to change anything”. An Engineer’s mindset is, “No matter what you’ve been doing, let’s see if we can move forward and improve things, making them “better” than they were before”.

An example of this regarding motor oil is, a typical Gear Head has been using some high zinc oil, or some oil with an aftermarket zinc additive also poured in. And with that, he “thinks” he has made a good oil selection. But, using oil like that, knowing nothing more than the zinc level, requires a careful and elaborate break-in procedure, if there is any hope of not wiping any lobes in a flat tappet engine. He’s managed to get by with this, so he thinks he has it all figured out

 

Having had issues with A) flat tappet cam failure and B) the mechanical fuel pump lobe getting wiped out, I thought this article was an interesting look at what's been done and what's being done regarding the technology.
Although this years engine will no longer have a mechanical pump (I've had a roller cam for years), and what I thought was the need for high pressure additive (aka. zinc) is no longer the case, I think it's still the best route to use the best available oil out there.
And when Mobil 1 goes on sale at Walmart, I'm all over it.
I don't have the same concern for my daily driver Tahoe and keeping the oil fresh with anything that's not 50% recycled should do the job. My hotrod engine is different story.