Quote:

People are getting silly about oil anymore, additives etc..




You may have a point there...

Quote:

Zinc Concentration (ppm, ICP) : Though viscosity is critical in terms of wear protection, it does have limitations. Component loading can exceed the load carrying ability of the oil. When that occurs, partial or full contact results between components and wear will occur. Chemical additives are added to the oil as the last line of defense to control wear in these conditions. These additives have an attraction to metal surfaces and create a sacrificial coating on engine parts. If contact occurs the additive coating takes the abuse to minimize component wear. The most common additive used in internal combustion engine oils is zinc dithiophosphate (ZDP). A simple way of reviewing ZDP levels within an oil is to measure the zinc content. It should be noted that ZDP defines a group of zinc-containing compounds that vary in composition, quality and performance. Quantity of zinc content alone does not indicate its performance. Therefore, it cannot be assumed that oils with higher concentrations of zinc provide better wear protection. Additional testing must be reviewed to determine an oil’s actual ability to prevent wear.


Work Cited