Champion’s Classic & Muscle Motor Oils address the potential of flat tappet camshaft failures found in older gasoline motors. The problem started years ago when oil companies began producing oils with a reduction in the anti-wear additive packages and noticed flat tappet camshaft and lifter failures.
“Most engine builders were quick to blame camshaft or lifter hardness, however they found that the majority of the failures were, in part, due to a reduction of anti-wear additives in motor oils. These failures coincided with an EPA mandate calling for the reduction of the Zinc additive and a longer life of the catalytic converters,” says Karl Dedolph, director of Champion Racing and Performance. “This is not a problem in late model engines using roller lifters and newer camshafts because they do not need the anti-scuffing additive packages to protect the sliding action of flat tappet camshaft and lifter surfaces.”
The main anti-wear additive in Champion’s Classic and Muscle Motor Oil is zinc dialkyldithiophosphates (ZDDP). There are other anti-wear additives but zinc may be the most well-known oil additive found in any “purpose-built” oil. In much the same way that aspirin cures many ailments, ZDDPs provide many benefits to lubricating oils, especially engine oils.
This class of additives delivers the anti-wear film necessary to protect metal parts under mixed lubrication where metal-to metal contact can occur. They function by adhering to the metal in the engine and are activated as metal-to-metal contact causes temperatures and pressures to rise.
The result is a smooth, glass-like surface that provides excellent protection of metal components. This sacrificial coating prevents metal to metal contact, which reduces friction and wear. All key protection properties for cams, lifters, pushrods, wrist pins, distributor gears, bearings, etc. ZDDP also provides an excellent anti-oxidant and work synergistically with other additives found in engine oils. Along with its stability it activates at differing temperatures and pressures.
Champion’s Classic and Muscle Motor Oils are recommended for typically all non-catalytic converter equipped vehicles. This non-API family of oil provides a higher level of zinc not found in the current API certified oils for newer OEMs.
In addition, this robust formulation includes proprietary TVS (Thermal Viscosity Stabilizer) technology delivering unmatched film strength at high temperature, better piston ring seal for maximum compression, and increases the foot-pounds of torque in most engines. These oils also contain special lubricity modifiers to reduce friction which unlock the full potential of any engine.
Engine builders and enthusiasts can now feel assured of using the right oil for their hot rods, muscle cars, antique cars, trucks and boats to protect the flat tappet camshafts. It is important to choose a viscosity range that will work with your older, high compression engine and its bigger clearances.
“Forget the 0W-20 and 5W-20 used in today’s motors; they run tighter clearances and they are specifically designed to work with these new, thinner oils. Older engine designs and platforms use heavier viscosity oils such as 10W-30, 20W-50 and 15W-50,” says Dedolph.
For more information, visit http://www.championbrands.com.
