BRAD PENN high ZDDP bad for catalytic converter?

[ringmaster]

I plan to use Brad Penn 0W-30 semi-synth (great specs!) in a couple of my vehicles but a trusted source told me that these 'race' type oils with high levels of ZDDP can be harmful to modern catalytic converters. According to this source the cat damage is the reason that most modern API oils have lower ZDDP.

Is there any truth to this?

 

[MGregoir]

If you burn oil, I would worry, if you don't...not so much.

 

[Steve S]

The question should be do you need a high zinc oil for the particular engine? If the engine really doesn't need the high zinc there will be little if any advantage to higher zinc. Probably over the life of the car the cat may be effected but then if for some reason a high zinc oil is needed a cat is easier to change than an engine.

 

[hate2work]

Unless you have flat tappets or roller cams there is no call for extra zinc.

But there is something cool about pouring that green oil in your car

 

[ringmaster]

Originally Posted By: hate2work
Unless you have flat tappets or roller cams there is no call for extra zinc.

But there is something cool about pouring that green oil in your car

LOL.

Neither engine is flat tappet or roller cam but both are high revving, turbocharged, high oil temp, performance engines.

The Brad Penn just looked like a really robust oil. Maybe I will just stick with Redline 5W-30?

If the high ZDDP likely won't harm the cat then is there really any downside to using the BP?

 

[TallPaul]

For turbocharged you can't beat Redline. Best oil for turbocharged engines as it can take the heat like few other oils can. Has plenty of zddp too and lot of moly.

So this Brad Penn stuff, is it actually labeled "High ZDDP"? That would be great! Where can I find it?

 

[Bryanccfshr]

The phosporous volatizes and goes by through the catalytic converter if you burn oil or not. It becomes avapor and is passed through the PCV system and the combustion chamber into the exhaust stream.

The high phosporous will shorten the life of your cat regardless of consumption. wit low spring pressure low friction modern valvetrains I see no reason for high zddp.

 

[KW]

Originally Posted By: hate2work
Unless you have flat tappets or roller cams there is no call for extra zinc.

But there is something cool about pouring that green oil in your car

OK I give -- what's the other kind?

 

[rg200amp]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul
For turbocharged you can't beat Redline. Best oil for turbocharged engines as it can take the heat like few other oils can. Has plenty of zddp too and lot of moly.

So this Brad Penn stuff, is it actually labeled "High ZDDP"? That would be great! Where can I find it?



+1 for the redline!

 

[artificialist]

If high ZDDP was that much of a problem, then the good engines from back in the 1980s would never go 180,000 miles without failing California smog. SE, SF, and SG oils had high ZDDP and high volatility.

 

[Gary Allan]

BRAD PENN high ZDDP bad for catalytic converter?


YES!! Absolutely! Bona fide proof from many studies (actually, I've only seen a few respected sources state this).


..but I doubt that your current system will ever puke out a cat efficiency fault code unless there's some inherent weakness in the design that would have occurred anyway. (assuming OBDII). I've far exceeded (under) sniffer tests on fogging engined vehicles and have used way high zddp oils for extended drains.

Also keep in mind that (I THINK, correct me if I'm wrong) we're dealing with some time weighted average. If you're changing low zddp oil too often ..or higher zddp oil less often .what's the difference?

(proposed agency/industry view)
People change oil too often and expose their cats to more zddp than is good
Reduce the zddp so that they harm them less in their too frequent oil changes.

For all we know this was a policy change to enhance the recoverable precious metal content in normally recurring vehicle attrition.

 

[not12listen]

Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
The phosporous volatizes and goes by through the catalytic converter if you burn oil or not. It becomes avapor and is passed through the PCV system and the combustion chamber into the exhaust stream.

The high phosporous will shorten the life of your cat regardless of consumption. wit low spring pressure low friction modern valvetrains I see no reason for high zddp.


concerning this, if you vented the PCV into an oil catch can type setup, would this then negate the blowby getting back into the cylinder head and then being passed to the catalytic converter?

 

[dparm]

Does Brad Penn stuff say it's safe for vehicles with cat converters? There are plenty of "race" oils that are marked as safe for cats...now how true that is I don't know.