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| ‘New’ Fiero Owner Reminder: Flat-Tappet Cams and the 'Right' Engine Oil MATTERS! (Page 1/1) |
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Vintage-Nut
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APR 11, 03:19 PM
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When searching; you can find a lot of PFF threads on this subject……
However, I wanted to remind ‘newer’ Fiero owners when I saw this 2010 'MotorTrend' article:
“An epidemic of cam failures has plagued owners of older cars recently.”
Flat-Tappet Cams and Worn Down Engines - The Perfect Storm
https://www.motortrend.com/...8-worn-down-engines/
"Our primary goal here is to warn readers who own flat-tappet cam engines that there are new choices to be made concerning the oil that's put in the crankcase in order to avoid premature cam failure.
A second goal is to inform readers who are thinking about rebuilding their motors {by} installing a retro-roller cam and valvetrain."
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Engine Oils Have Changed Over Time from the Fiero Era
The API SF rating on my 1988 V6 was critical for the flat-tappet lifters/cam engine.
1100-1400 ppm Zinc
1000 ppm Phosphorus
I started with an API SF Valvoline oil decades ago; unfortunately, but this rating is now considered 'obsolete'.
As a summary in the link above:
These anti-wear additives in 2024 engine oils have significantly decreased, yet nowhere is this mentioned on the label!
A reason for the reduction is to ensure catalytic converters last longer. Eventually, trace amounts of these additives will get past the rings or valve guide seals and go into the exhaust and will damage the CAT.
Because I'm on my third CAT at 136k miles AND California-compliant catalytic converters for a Pontiac Fiero GT are big $$$; I'm attempting to 'balance' Cam and CAT damage by using 'regular' Castrol GTX now which is an API SP-rated oil:
900 ppm Zinc
700 ppm Phosphorus
And of course, I change the oil at 3k miles.
Many members are posting that they're still using 'High Zinc' oils, which the 'fine print' says "Not for use in engines with catalytic converters."
(I guess they don't have CATs.......or they're 'cheaper' than CAT's in California.)
Also see the section in the link titled:
"Synthetic Oil - There are two sides of the argument about the danger of running synthetic oil in a flat-tappet cam engine."
I'm betting that many members will chime-in on the thread.......  ------------------
Original Owner of a Silver '88 GT
Under 'Production Refurbishment' @ 136k Miles
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82-T/A [At Work]
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APR 11, 04:46 PM
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I've personally wiped a cam out on an engine rebuild. I rebuilt my 2.8 many years ago into a 3.1 w/ .030 overbore pistons and some other stuff to try to get it to 3.2 liters of displacement. I went with a "Phase 2 Fireball Cam" (forget what that is or who makes it). Either way, it lasted maybe 2,000 miles before it basically wiped a couple of lobes. I have absolutely no power above 4,000 RPMs.
I "thought" I did the proper break-in, etc. I used regular oil for the first 500 miles, and then switched to Castrol Fully Synthetic motor oil. This was back in 2004 or 2005 I guess, I can't remember. Cars been in storage ever since then.
But I'm building out a 3.4 now with a brand NOS Crane Cam H272 from back in the day that I've held on to for 15 years, and the last thing I want to do is trash that too. For the record, I made several posts about this very thing... because I knew what had happened before in my last motor. There's a TON... a TON of great info that people responded with in this thread here about me installing the H272 cam with new lifters:
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/100563.html
Bottom line:
- Several break in oils are recommended.
- Specific modifications to lifter bores (to increase cam oiling)
- Specific lifter kits that promote additional oiling to the cam.
The name escapes me, but you can go to that thread... essentially, there are two kinds of lifters you can buy which increase oiling to the lifter. One has a tiny hole at the bottom which releases oil directly onto the cam lobe from where the lifter sits on it. The other kind of lifter has a small flat spot machined into it which allows oil at high pressure to shoot down the side of the lifter in the bore and directly onto the cam lobe.
I ended up going with the Crower lifters as they were more highly recommended, and this SHOULD help reduce wear during the break-in procedure, and help the cam and everything else last much longer.
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cvxjet
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APR 11, 07:12 PM
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One of the things that is hard to understand is that when you are starting a rebuilt engine for the first time (With regular lifters) you are supposed to immediately run the engine up to approx' 2500 rpm- mainly so those lifters will be forced to start spinning.
I did that on my jet-boat 460 Ford....it worked great- but it was kind of scary....
I have been using Hy-Per Lube HPZ212 Zinc Replacement Additive for the Fiero and my jet-boat as an additive during regular oil changes...works well.
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Stingray92
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APR 11, 07:27 PM
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Thanks for posting this topic, this has been on my mind for awhile as my ride is almost ready for the road but needs the skins put on right.
So a couple years ago when I has the cradle out and swapped in a donor motor I looked over the cam. Gave someone I know who works at GM some flack for the cam being stamped made in Brazil. Anyway I flushed the system with new oil for over an hour maybe more through external pump/filter, then drained and put in new with the comp cams breakin additive.
Fast forward I know the car will run, drive, and do what it was designed to. I am however quite on the fence of just what oil I will run on it. I know some go higher weight ouls but that also cost some efficiency. Was thinking of going RP but that's when my TCC engaged and led to the car coming off the road too long ago.
Anyway I'm curious what success others have had with stock Duke's
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La fiera
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APR 11, 10:39 PM
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