100lb valve springs and wiped lobes

[getchasum]

Gary, I do agree with you on the lack of additives in our modern oils and once would have agreed with you on the use of Rotella. However now based on current lab testings that have been posted on the Rotella it has also showed a steady decline of the zinc & sulfur that it once had.

 

[GARY HARVEY]

yea, they've caved in too but a least the still have a little in their package.

I'm glad i have a 5 gal jug of Protec. When it's gone, I'm glad I have a few friends at the local GM parts counter.

My biggest hope is that the EPA doesn't pull these EP additives off the shelf next.

 

[TurboDave]

Dave, As always I appreciate your input on any subject on these boards.:smile: I always learn a little something.

Could you tell me what wore my camshaft and lifters down if it wasnt my high pressure springs that were installed before I bought the car. I always thought that is what did it..if it wasnt then what happened? I didnt have any "wiped" out lobes per se..they were all just a little rounded. Please let me know what you think.
Ed

There's really no way a person could take a guess at something like that. I certainly don't know how well the new cam was broken in, or even if it was done properly. Way too many variable involved to make such an assumption. I can't imaging 100# springs alone being the culprit though. I run those in both my GN's and my Daughter's T. They've all been in there for years, literally.

 

[Steve V]

I used an Edelbrock 204/214 grind in 06 it had less than 8500 street miles 1 year later. Pulled the engine for some small issues(needed an excuse) and found the #3 exhaust lobe going south. My cam was broke in properly and I used Rotella. Car ran great no knock yet,but It was dying a slow death. I went roller after that. I had another car that had a stock 60k cam that looked great. I reused the cam when I freshed it and now run ZDDP with #85 of closed pressure. We'll see how it holds up.

I am starting to put together another engine for my lastest GN and I am going to run another 204/214 cam with ZDDP and see how it holds up.

Maybe the new cams aren't as hard as the OEM's? Same with lifters?

 

[Nick Micale]

I' ve had a set of Kirbans LT1 100lb. valve springs on my GN for 10 yrs. now with no problems. Only oil I have used with GN is Mobil 1 full synthetic 10w-30 I just started adding the ZDDP to my oil also for peace of mind!

Over the years we have built a few hundred turbo Buick engines, and lots of these were flat tappet cams.

The 2 "failures" we have had were from customers that used Mobil I. One wiped at 10k miles, the other at 25k. Others are still in service with over 100k miles. [Both failures were NOT no. 3 exhaust.]

Make you own conclusion!

Cam manufacturers will NOT warranty any flat tappet problem unless their guidelines are followed, and no. 1 on their list is NO synthetic oil.

 

[TurboDave]

Maybe why mine have all lasted for so long. I don't believe in synth either.

Now firmly wrapped in my flame suit!!!

 

[turbojd]

Yeah with the price of the synthetic oil and the ZDDP additive and the filter being about $55.00 every oil change, it becoming rather expensive. I'm thinking next oil change to maybe switching to quality dino oil and the ZDDP additive.

 

[Steve V]

I have never had any luck with synthetic oils not leaking either.

 

[SPOOLFOOL2]

Just for the record

I just wiped the #4 exh lobe off my ten year old (15,000 mi) 208/208 KB flat tappet cam. I had a blown Felpro HG about six months ago, that I had to clean out of the oil pan. When I replaced the HGs with RJCs, I also did Champion ported irons, with upgraded valve springs. For the last three years, I've used Mobil 1 syn with no additives. So, what caused my cam to go flat? Could be Felpro crud in the motor. Could be the stiffer springs, or maybe a oil/zink thing. Might be a little bit of all of these things.

Two words?



Roller cam!

 

[Turbo Steve]

go roller and dont go back! not to mention wiped lobes is not good for a $1200 turbo, bearings, crank ect