Okay, I tried a search for this, but the search engine didn't like the terms so it went no where. This may have been discussed to death, but going back many pages, I've seen posts touch on it, but not discuss it specifically. I'm intending on doing an oil change on my new-to-me '79 z28 and have been doing a ton of reading on the matter of flat tappets and the need to protect them with high-zinc oils or additives. Now, with l this reading I'm getting a bit paranoid about leaving the car underprotected. Being in Canada, my options for high-zinc oils are pretty severely limited. Lots of products are annoying to get here unless you're willing to buy online, which I dislike doing for various reasons. There seem to be a lot of zinc additives on the market, in the form of zinc replacements, substitutes and break-in oils. It's the break-in oils I'm wondering about. Specifically one called Eos by GM, which I haven't heard a lot about, but there are many others. Are these things equivalent to something like a zddp+, which seems to be the standard? Also, I've come across some non-zinc zinc replacements like https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/hy-per-lube-zinc-replacement-additive-355-ml-0380268p.html Any opinions on that? I'm just trying to open up some options for those of us living in places with little retail choice and options. Thanks
I really don't know. It has a cam, but that's all I know. I'm going to make the safe assumption that is flat tappets and stock springs.
Stock springs, can't be too large of a cam, if Valvoline VR1 is available in your area you should be fine.
This is what i used in my old 355sbc flat tappet motor https://www.hyperlube.com/product/zinc-replacement-additive/
i use no additives. I use gibbs driven oil with zinc already in it. amsoil z rod is another option. its not like the oil gets changed a lot to eat the few extra $$. to be honest i put over 30k miles on my last flat tappet SBC using mobil 1 and never had any issue. i question the zinc thing once an engine is well worn in.
None of the napas around me carry it, and one of the Walmart's in town is clearing out 20w50, which is all they carry, but I've been told many times that 20w50 is too thick. Anyway, Walmart doesn't have it in any stores within 100km of me otherwise or available online. Either way, it's additives that this thread is ultimately about. Having trouble finding high-zinc oils just got me to wondering about additives.
