Zinc in Mobil Oil

Not sure this is the right place to post this.

I was curious about the zinc content in Mobil 1 oil since I was considering running Mobil 1 in the new engine. I use Mobil 1 synthetic in all my other cars and really like it.

Anyway, this is a copy of the correspondence with customer service at Mobil, which was all within one day I might add, not bad for a big corporation. They never did answer my question about compatibility though.

Me:
Please explain the compatibility of Mobil 1 full synthetic automobile oil with zinc additives. For older engines with flat tappets and hydraulic lifters higher zinc content in oil is normally recommended. I would like to use Mobil 1 but I do not believe the zinc content is high enough.

Mobil:
Mobil1 15W50, Mobil1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W40 and Mobil1 motorcycle motor oils have high ZDDP levels for the older engines.

Me:
Is it possible to specify what is the zinc levels in parts per million for each of those products?

Mobil:
15W50= 1200ppm
5W40TDT= 1100ppm
Motorcycle motor oils= nominal 1600ppm​

So there you have it, for what it's worth. I'm not sure any of those oils are the right weight for the 360, but at least I can make an informed decision.

 

I didnt know that they have removed the zinc from the conventional oil . buddy of mine just rebuild ford V8 and the box cam came in said you needed to add a zinc additive for break in . I just heard about it this week

 

Yes, you have to read the label carefully. The EPA has taken the zinc out of most engine oils.

 

Lucas oil makes what should be an excellent addative fior engine break in.
I just bought a bottle from NAPA. Was about $13 a pint.
It's intended for pre 2004 autos only.
It's specifically for flat tappet protection during the initial break in of rebuilt engines.

Other than that I run Mobil One 15W 50 in most of my engines.
It's probably not as good as Amsoil 10W 40 but its a whole lot cheaper to buy at WAL-MART.

 

I will use the Lucas additive for the first 1,000 miles. After that I'm thinking an oil with known zinc content, such as the Mobil products named above. The Lucas stuff is about $12 per bottle around here.

Here is a link to the Lucas product:
http://www.lucasoil.com/products/display_products.sd?iid=82&catid=9&loc=show

 

That's pretty goods response from a big corp, like you mentioned.

Been using Shell Rotella high zinc diesel truck oil (knock on wood) in my Buicks for some time now.

 

GM's E.O.S. is a good break in additive, too. I've seen reports of it having more than 6200ppm Zinc. I wouldn't use it in a vehicle with a catalytic converter since Zinc destroys cats, but I did use a bottle of it added to Shell Rotella T for my first break-in oil. GM says EOS is actually for assembly lube, and not to be used as an oil additive, but that's the way most people use it. The bowtie crowd swear by it for flat tappet engines.

 

Manufactures took out most of the Zinc additives from oil because zinc will eventually clog up catalytic converters in the modern exhaust system. Modern engines, however, do not require the zinc additives. I use ZddPlus that's available at summit racing and eastwood products for @$9.99 per 4oz bottle. I use 5-30w Mobile 1 extended use with a bottle of ZddPlus additive for general protection. I also use Zinc additives in my dirt bike and older generator engine etc

 

Brad Penn race oil has zinc too. Can be ordered from Amazon, price isnt too awful when you buy a case.

 

my 2 cents..

Rotella 15w-40
don't use synthetic

if you must, what Im using for the first couple thousand miles:
https://www.amazon.com/Lucas-Oil-10630-6PK-30WT-Break/dp/B008RWACQA

 

there was an article I read where the additives are worse than not using them at all.
get a complete oil..
Mobil1 is not meant for any engine built before the very late 90's

 

Would you happen to have a link to that article? I would like to read it.

 

ill try and look for it.. was recently..

 

Supposedly the piston pins in diesel engines have similar high-loads to the flat tappets in our older engines. Thus the diesel formulation should be more suited to our engines, regardless of the actual zinc content. I understand that the diesel formulations are also much higher in detergent, to help keep the higher soot in diesel combustion in suspension in the oil. That said, I run Rotella 15W40 in the Jeeps and they seem to like it. Delo would be similar.

I would also use a break-in additive with a new cam, regardless of the type of oil it's added to.

 

Get ready. diesel oil specs are going to CJ5 I think and FA4. They can be the same viscosity, and we are talking 10w-30 diesel oil, yet the FA4 is not reverse compatible with Diesel engines made prior to 2017.

As for the zzdp requirement for flat tappet engines, I was always under the impression that unless you were running high rpm's and had lifter springs with greater than 200 lb or more pressures, the high zinc oils wearnt requires. The stick straight six doesn't meet either of these criteria. Running the high zzdp certainly wouldn't harm anything, but I don't believe it is truly necessary on stock straight six engines. The more important spec to follow is the oem recommended viscosity for your geography.

 

having read all this I cant help but laugh..

I have a 49, running its original L head with whatever discount store oil was available to put in it..
im the who knows what number owner and it was pulled out of a field twice....

runs like a top

 

Since my jeep leaks a bit of oil from the rear main I throw in the cheapest oil I can find and keep going. I use 40 wt. Rotella in my tractors and truck and have no complaints.
I would say try some amsoil zrod but it is pretty pricey. 11 bucks and some change for a quart.

 

Wow! I've always used Mobil 1, and now I feel a bit concerned. The conventional vs. synthetic argument has occurred around a campfire with my buddies more than once. The conventional argument always seems to center around cost and the assumption that old engines leak worse with synthetics. Mobil 1 is inexpensive at Wal-Mart and my engine doesn't leak (well maybe a little), so I've always kept using it thinking that synthetic lubrication and thermal breakdown is supposed to surpass conventional. This whole zinc thing is new to me. It sounds like the argument shouldn't be synthetic vs. conventional, but rather zinc vs. no zinc.

 

I run mobil one in my 2005 silverado 2500 since new. no issues 216K on try clock. I run whatever is cheap in my 226 v6 and can of STP. That works fine too.

 

I disagree on the comment that all but high performance engines not needing zinc in their oil. I have a Triumph with essentially a Buick 215 alloy V8 (same as a Land Rover Discovery) and the engine is a very close cousin to the Dauntless V6 in the early CJ5's
My engine was down on power and starting to run rough. I finally found several cam lobes that were so worn they essentially were not opening the valves. I always ran Castrol oil, though it didn't have zinc for the last 10 + years. I attribute this failure on the modern oils. I believe ALL flat tappet engines need the zinc/zddp in the oil.
-Donny