Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Mechanic
It's my understanding that the formula for regular motor oil has changed and Honda no longer recommends regular motor oil in manuals. It was some ingredient that was removed that caused the change.
regards
Mech
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I believe in about 96+ or some year they mandated the reduction of Zinc and Phosphorus which greatly helps in wear reduction. They all had to be under 750ppm or so. Royal purple and Redline have over about 1200+ppm of Zinc and Phosphorus which helps engines last much longer. Because of the reduction of engine lubricating minerals and compounds it pushed car companies to build better longer lasting motors but not good for us with older cars.
If you like to add onto your regular oil they sell ZDDP additive which helps bring those levels of normal oil back up. You should check before adding anything into your oils to make sure it is compatible.
Most of all racing oil, which I use, are not labeled street legal because of dirtier emissions but in a transmission where the oil does not burn I wold totally use racing VR1 10-30 Valvoline oil which is more the likely safe still.
Here is the main reason newer oils are not ok to use.
I took this from the Valvoline site , under racing oil.
Valvoline:
Racing Oil
What are the benefits to using a racing oil versus a regular "street legal" oil?
The Valvoline VR1 Racing & "Not Street Legal" racing oils contain additional additives for increased horsepower and reduced friction on metal parts, provide extra wear protection for high compression/higher horsepower engines, and include fewer detergents than regular conventional motor oils.
What is motor oil with zinc?
The anti-wear additive simply referred to as zinc by most car enthusiasts is actually short for Zinc DialkylDithiophosphates or ZDDP. Its primary role is to prevent metal-to-metal contact between engine parts by forming a protective film. Despite being referred to as zinc, this additive actually contains zinc and phosphorus, with phosphorus performing the anti-wear function in the motor oil with zinc.
Why is it important to have the zinc/phosphorus levels in motor oil changed?
With ever increasing limits on emissions, automobile manufacturers have tightened emission control systems on newer vehicles. This is one of several factors considered when the American Petroleum Institute (API) sets standards for motor oil with zinc. The current API standard is SM which replaced the previous SL classification. Because phosphorus can poison a vehicle's emission system, the level of zinc is lower for current motor oil.
What is the controversy surrounding the amount of zinc in motor oil?
Many hands-on car enthusiasts and engine experts believe the lower levels of zinc in SM motor oil is causing excessive wear in older style push-rod and flat-tappet engines. This is despite the fact that all new motor oil classifications are intended to be backward compatible. This has resulted in the widely accepted belief that modern motor oil is not adequate to protect older engines.
What solutions does Valvoline offer to the zinc issue?
Valvoline offers two solutions to the zinc issue:
Valvoline VR1 Racing Oil: Contains 75% higher zinc than SM motor oil with a balanced additive package designed to work in both racing and street-legal applications. This product will protect older style push-rod and flat tappet engines. Valvoline provides this product in both multi and mono viscosity grades: 20w50, straight 50, 10w30, straight 30, straight 40, and straight 60.
Longer-Lasting Zinc/Phosphorus: Valvoline uses an advanced zinc/phosphorus additive that keeps higher levels of phosphorus in the motor oil where it protects the engine instead of poisoning the catalytic converter. Valvoline is the only brand offering this unique additive across its entire line of passenger car motor oils including SynPower -- the only synthetic oil that offers this additive.
Which oil has more zinc/ZDDP: VR1 or "Not Street Legal" racing oil?
Valvoline VR1 Racing Oil contains .13 percent of zinc and .12 percent of phosphorus compared to the Valvoline "Not Street Legal" Racing Oil which contains .14 percent of zinc and .13 percent of phosphorus.
Will an additive boost the zinc level?
You can use an additive to increase the zinc level. However, check with your motor oil manufacturer to ensure the additive is compatible with your racing oil.
Is VR1 a conventional oil, a synthetic or a blend?
Valvoline VR1 racing oil is a conventional, non-synthetic racing oil.
I am sure this stuff is still good to use in your honda transmission.