Valvoline Restore and Protect, flat tappet application

[Hohn]

So, this guy:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-12-254-3
https://www.compcams.com/xtreme-energy-250-256-hydraulic-flat-cam-for-chevrolet-small-block.html

Looks like the recommended springs are 137lbs on the seat, they don't mention open pressure with the recommended springs on the cam spec page unfortunately.

Looks to me like a regular 0.842" lifter profile, not particularly aggressive. I'd run any MB229.5 40 grade oil.
The MM series lobes for the Mopar .904 lifter would be another story. For those I'd probably be into VR1 black bottle 20w-50.

 

[skippermatt]

So, this guy:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-12-254-3
https://www.compcams.com/xtreme-energy-250-256-hydraulic-flat-cam-for-chevrolet-small-block.html

Looks like the recommended springs are 137lbs on the seat, they don't mention open pressure with the recommended springs on the cam spec page unfortunately.

Yes that’s it, the heads are a set of AFR heads that I had laying around that I bought from a friend of mine for another car, but something else ended up going on that car. Supposedly the spring in them are good for up to .650 lift, so more than needed most likely. If that helps at all lol.

 

[Hohn]

Yes that’s it, the heads are a set of AFR heads that I had laying around that I bought from a friend of mine for another car, but something else ended up going on that car. Supposedly the spring in them are good for up to .650 lift, so more than needed most likely. If that helps at all lol.

I never understood rating springs by lift alone. A lift spec is just a clearance value and tell you nothing about the RPM range it can handle, which is FAR more useful and important. So it can handle .650 lift-- what does that mean on a .519 lift cam lobe? When does it go to no follow in terms of RPM? And what if I go up in rocker ratio to 1.6?

I remember reading a long time ago a fascinating paper about the surprising role the pushrods play in valvetrain harmonics. Turns out that the resonant frequency of the pushrods has a lot to do with the valvetrain stability. And those guys who are splurging for Mantons are spending the coin for a reason.

The paper (IIRC, it was years ago) was able to show that a special pushrod made from a metal matrix composite (MMC) had enough damping to allow both higher rpm AND less spring pressure at the same time. Small gains, but nonetheless gains in two seemingly opposite directions. The pushrods where basically bundles of glass fibers with aluminum molded then forged around them.

 

[skippermatt]

I never understood rating springs by lift alone. A lift spec is just a clearance value and tell you nothing about the RPM range it can handle, which is FAR more useful and important. So it can handle .650 lift-- what does that mean on a .519 lift cam lobe? When does it go to no follow in terms of RPM? And what if I go up in rocker ratio to 1.6?

I remember reading a long time ago a fascinating paper about the surprising role the pushrods play in valvetrain harmonics. Turns out that the resonant frequency of the pushrods has a lot to do with the valvetrain stability. And those guys who are splurging for Mantons are spending the coin for a reason.

The paper (IIRC, it was years ago) was able to show that a special pushrod made from a metal matrix composite (MMC) had enough damping to allow both higher rpm AND less spring pressure at the same time. Small gains, but nonetheless gains in two seemingly opposite directions. The pushrods where basically bundles of glass fibers with aluminum molded then forged around them.

Yea I’m not a fan of just rating a spring by lift either, but since I didn’t assemble these heads, that’s is all I know haha. This engine also does have 1.6 rockers, which I forgot to mention..

 

[addyguy]

Any basic HDEO will be more than adequate; lots of ZDDP and higher detergency to help ‘clean up’ deposits in the engine

 

[altaylar]

Any full-SAPS Euro oil is going to be plenty protective for any vintage flat tappet type of engine. Especially in the newer higher-magnesium formulation. Bonus if it has some MoDTC in signficant amounts.

There are few oil myths that need to die as badly as the idea that old engines need some kind of special sauce oil when many modern oils will protect them quite sufficiently.

LSJr made a comment to this effect in his recent video testing a bunch of oils in a flat tappet dyno mule engine with a cam DESIGNED TO WEAR faster. All of these oil-- not even Euro formulations-- protected the flat tappet quite effectively.

Dedicated flat tappet oils are a nothing burger. They exist only because manufacturers saw the change to cash in on the myth because it let's them sell a really cheap oil with no current API/ILSAC burden to a sucker who has bought the "muh high zinc" baloney.

Now, this obviously doesn't apply if you are running some massive solid roller cam with a triple valve spring. If you built a race engine, you need a race oil with the appropriate EP and FM package.

But most "flat tappet cam" oils are market a boomer types with an old nearly stock V8 for which any modern synthetic will suffice.

When I boughy my flat tappet car, I also thought I really needed a high zinc oil, because that is what everyone said on the internet. So I understand the OP. But you are perfectly right. Any modern Full SAPS should provide more than enough protection. But Valvoline Restore and Protect might be a bit of a stretch.