Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

CamKing wrote: ↑Thu Mar 12, 2020 9:44 am

curtis reed wrote: ↑Thu Mar 12, 2020 9:20 am Have you had any of the newer Penngrade tested against the old Brad Penn at a lab? I had seen some info that they no longer use the original base stock in their oils. I'm not saying it still won't work, just that it may have changed contrary to what you posted above. Just something to look into.

I've seen multiple tests, and none of them show any significant change(what you would see from one batch to another).
There's a lot of misinformation out there.

Penngrade had the oils tested, to prove it hasn't changed. Here's the link. https://penngrade1.com/wp-content/uploa ... _FINAL.pdf

piston guy wrote: ↑Fri Mar 13, 2020 11:25 am In the mid 60's , I was lucky enough to get help from Valvoline and Crane cams. I was having bearing problems and reached out to Harvey about it . He suggested to "sell the Valvoline and BUY Kendall GT1" I did just that and my bearing issues went away. The "green" oil did cost me my Valvoline deal but was worth it. I still use green oil today in my race engines. the name on the label hasn't changed the reliability of the oil.


N2O Mike. I have plenty of racing experience. I have never lost a cam lobe to "oil" , only "mechanical interference" and that was 40 years ago. An oil chemist warned me that oil will only "hold so much" in suspension ( talking about additives) and that often results in the additives falling out of suspension and lying on the floor of the oil pan , becoming useless as it is not flowing through the engine. He further speculated that over time "some" might eventually be "picked up" by the oil as some other additives were lost through heat cycling. I am not a chemist either but am smart enough to listen to one. Thank you for your response to my question to Mike Jones.

novafornow wrote: ↑Fri Mar 13, 2020 3:07 pm Just wondering......How much of the flat tappet trouble is related to a lack of what I will term "cling". I wonder if oil running off has anything to do with this? Particularly in a race or hobby engine that sits for extended periods. Something that has bounced around in my head a time or two.

Truckedup wrote: ↑Thu Mar 12, 2020 10:27 am

modok wrote: ↑Thu Mar 12, 2020 2:34 am I don't agree with some things said. For break-in you don't need high levels because the oil is run a short time.
Break in oil does not necessarily contain a high %

the longer you run the oil the higher the level needed.
It's a sacrificial additive. it gets used up over time.
The amount isn't highly critical, it should work about the same with a half dose or a double dose. This is according to research.
If you find that's not the case (and I would agree actual experience does seem to contradict that).... then what's causing it must be OTHER things in the oil must be preventing it from working as it should. It's other factors.

What you DO need in a break in oil is LESS detergents and other additives, there no need for it.
Your trying to MAKE deposits not "prevent deposits", and the engine is so clean that you can't see the oil on the dipstick.
OLD timers knew that a lot more commonly than today, and it turns out they might have been right.

Ok then why all the cam failures in the early 2000's when the ZDDP levels were dropped ? This happened for builders who never had previous probolems..

novafornow wrote: ↑Fri Mar 13, 2020 3:07 pm Just wondering......How much of the flat tappet trouble is related to a lack of what I will term "cling". I wonder if oil running off has anything to do with this? Particularly in a race or hobby engine that sits for extended periods. Something that has bounced around in my head a time or two.

frnkeore wrote: ↑Tue Mar 17, 2020 4:03 am Will oil hole lifters, allow higher spring pressure for break in, using min 1400 ppm zddp? If so, what would be a safe spring limit?