Almost everyone who's into motorcars has an older car that they love. Whether it's the sense that they get behind the spin or the way the car looks parked in their driveway, they pour their period and effort into maintaining the automobile and keeping it looking like it's just been driven off of the lot. You want the best for your own classic car or hot rod, and zinc oil additives are the types of products that will help you give your car the best protection possible.

Zinc additives have numerous positive effects on older engines, especially those with flat-tappet camshafts. The more you know about the market for anti-wear security and a zinc additive for old motorcars, the more you'll discover that you can't just run with any old motor oil on the shelves today.

What Is High-Zinc Motor Oil?

High-zinc motor oil is a type of motor oil that uses zinc additives to help your engine whenever friction becomes a problem. Many older auto owners choose high-zinc motor oil to reduce the strain on the engine produced by the clash and heat that comes with it.

The high zinc content is especially useful for cars regularly under strain due to temperature change, harsh road conditions, consistently driving at high speeds, and pushing your vehicle to its limits, among other straining factors. In cases where the vehicle is under pressure, the zinc contents of the oil show higher heat opposition and less oxidation. These features help car engines last extended and improve their general capabilities.

Why Camshafts Need Zinc Motor Oil

The camshaft is often the main reason your engine needs zinc or a zinc replacement additive in the motor oil you feed. This need for zinc motor oil comes from a camshaft's role in a flat tappet engine.

When the camshaft rotates, it pushes its lobe down to drive the engine's valves open. The followers of the camshaft, the pieces of machinery that press against the lobes, then roll or slide along the lobe's surfaces. When the engine gets to a high speed, the friction between the lobes and followers creates pressure.

How Do Zinc Additives Work?

The "zinc" in motor oil is often shorthand for zinc dialkyl dithiophosphates, a compound known as ZDDP. At times, zinc can also refer to zinc dithiophosphate (ZDTP), a phosphorous ingredient often paired with ZDDP for superior protection. Instead of saying all that, people in the industry refer to ZDDP as zinc.

How Do Zinc Additives Affect Old Engines?

If your older vehicle has an engine that uses a flat tappet lifter, it needs zinc or a zinc replacement additive in its engine oil. Zinc in the engine oil will stop the lifters and camshaft from sporting down prematurely. If your car uses a V6 or V8 engine produced before 1988, it will likely have been designed to have zinc in the engine oil.

When you look at engines fabricated before the 1980s, you'll see that most had a camshaft structure that utilized flat tappets. The flat tappets in these engines create a significant amount of conflict. Later roller cam designs would facilitate this friction. Still, if you're driving an older automobile, you're likely using a camshaft-designed engine equipped with flat tappets, which requires using zinc oil additives.

Benefits of Zinc Replacement Additives

Using a zinc replacement additive for old cars has several advantages that make it a superior motor oil to anything else on the market for older vehicles. With its capacity to deliver anti-wear protection for motors even in high-stress environments while doing out with the negative consequences of zinc, zinc replacement additives for older automobiles are a must-have for any reliable classic car owner.

Hy-per Lube Zinc Replacement Additives utilize a unique Polymer Ester procedure that saves your oil film strong actually at high temperatures. With a development like this, you'll receive several engine-related benefits:

  • Better protection than ZDDP: A zinc substitute additive offers excellent protection without the toxic effects of zinc. The Hy-per Lube Zinc Replacement Additive has been tested and provided better protection than ZDDP-based oils.
  • No engine harm: Unlike zinc motor oils, a zinc replacement additive will not damage an engine's catalytic converters or emissions controls, improving your engine's longevity.
  • Environmental responsibility: The emissions from older engines that use zinc-based motor oils can harm the environment. A zinc replacement additive improves zinc motor oils by removing heavy metals from the formula and reducing harmful emissions.
  • Cold-start protection: For cars that have gone through a lengthy period of disuse, their engines can often be in danger of injury due to a cold start. With zinc substitute additives in your engine oil, the cold-start wear on your engine will be decreased significantly.

Want to Learn More About Zinc Replacement Additives?

Suppose you're interested in superior protection for your engine. In that case, you'll want to learn more about Hy-per Lube's motor oil products, as we are dedicated to crafting products that keep your vehicle running as long as possible. For example, the Hy-per Lube Zinc Replacement Additives supplies an ideal alternative to high zinc motor oils. Instead of worrying about zinc hurting your engine over time, you can use a zinc replacement additive that delivers greater protection without the harmful effects of zinc build-up.

Contact us if you have any product queries, as our knowledgeable and pleasant staff will be glad to help. If you're interested in creating a purchase, you can find a shop near you with our store locator.