Will using the new ILSAC rated motor oils harm pre 2007 engines. I understand the oil has less ZDDP which helps protect camshafts.
What? I’ve never heard of ILSAC or ZDDP. What are you talking about? I need to know about this.
As far as I’m concerned this whole thing is just another overblown internet farce.
FWIW, the mobil 1 web site seems to indicate it is a real concern:
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Car_Care/AskMobil/Flat_Tappet_Engines.aspx
Most of the complaints I’ve read of involved performance engines or a possible dubious engine rebuild or camshaft swap.
One site I looked at had a post from someone complaining about the cam lobes on their new camshaft going bad due to the new oil. A question I posed to them provided the answer that they replaced the camshaft but not the lifters. Bad move on their part.
A camshaft break-in chemical is recommended but after the initial break-in there should be no problem with regular motor oil without the additive.
If zincless motor oil was a problem then camshafts should have been failing by the millions at this point.
All new oils are “backwards compatible”. They have to be, or manufacturers would have to make too any different oils. If you own a 10 year old car, the oil specified for it in the manual is barely available today.
The only thing to watch is that today there are fewer “mixed fleet” oils since the diesel and gasoline requirements these oils served, have develped differently.
So any good oil on sale today is OK for your older car. An exception might be Volkswagen who have their own spec. Read the label on the can and it will say that is surpasses older specs.