Quaker State’s Defy Motor Oil with ZDDP

[tannyo]

What do you think?

http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?1,1930317

Just came across this. Its sounds like this oil company is finally getting it.

New Products: Quaker State’s Defy Motor Oil
Quaker State Launches New Defy Motor Oil for High Mileage Engines

On Wednesday November 2, 2011, the folks at Quaker State launched a new line of synthetic blend motor oil named Quaker State Defy. The product debut coincided with the 2011 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to the company, this new motor oil, which is designed for high mileage engines such as classic cars, features a high level of ZDDP, an anti-wear additive commonly referred to as “zinc.” This element is designed to help automotive enthusiasts, with higher mileage vehicles, combat friction and wear inside their engines. This “zinc-booster” has dual attributes contributing to wear and oxidation control.

Highlights

Contains a proprietary “zinc-booster”

Works to combat friction and wear inside engines

Recommended for higher-mileage passenger vehicle engines

Available in the U.S. January 2012/ Canada April 2012

Features a Zinc Booster
According to Quaker state, the use of ZDDP in motor oil has seen a gradual decline since 2001. A reason for the decline has been to minimize or eliminate clogging of oxygen sensors and catalytic converters in newer cars due to volatile phosphorus. “We as an industry have seen the levels of zinc in motor oil consistently reduced in each successive gasoline engine specification implemented by ILSAC in the past few years,” said Jeff Hsu, Quaker State Technology Specialist. “This reduction of zinc is fine for drivers of newer vehicles, but is leaving classic car owners, enthusiasts and those with flat-tappet cams and followers with fewer and fewer options in the motor oil category.”
Quaker State says that, prior to 2001, the typical concentration was roughly 1,300 to 1,400 parts per million (ppm) of ZDDP. However, since 2001, modern passenger cars have required oils with lower viscosity to reduce power loss and increase gas mileage, but achieving these lower viscosities with higher concentrations of ZDDP is difficult.

Its Goal: Help Engines "Defy" Time
Jeff Andrews, director of engine operations for Hendrick Motorsports

Photo Courtesy of Quaker StateThe product’s tagline is, “Helps higher mileage engines defy time." According to the company, Defy is great for higher-mileage passenger vehicle engines, and will help control the wear that high-mileage engines typically endure. In fact, the new Quaker State Defy motor oil is said to prevent up to 98 percent of future wear through the use of the proprietary ZDDP additive.
Defy also is designed to help high-mileage engines perform more efficiently through the use of additional seal swell additive that reconditions dried-up seals and help control external and internal leaks. The motor oil is said to provide a thicker viscosity and stronger oil film to resist thermal breakdown and reduce oil volatility and burn-off, which should help increase compression and reduce blow-by. Blow-by happens when the explosion that occurs in your engine's combustion chamber forces fuel, air, and moisture past the rings into the crankcase.

“We have repeatedly heard enthusiasts and engine builders ask for more zinc or other solutions to their aggressive flat-tappet cam issues, and those requests did not fall on deaf ears,” said Chris Hayek, Quaker State Global Brand Manager. “What we have been able to come up with is a zinc additive that is more effective and enables us to do more with the oil itself.”

Engine Build Off
The About Mustangs team was given a preview of the new motor oil at a company sponsored “engine build off” at The Wynn Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Two teams, of nine automotive journalists, were given the task of building a completely new engine using the new Defy oil.
Special guest Jeff Andrews, director of engine operations for Hendrick Motorsports, was on hand to discuss the characteristics of the new motor oil, as the two teams battled it out in a race against the clock. About Mustangs' SEMA Show photographer, Thomas Bertrand, represented the About team. In all, our team completed the engine build in 35 minutes and 5 seconds. Moments later the new engine, filled with Quaker State Defy motor oil, was started up outside. Attendees covered their ears as both engines, ours and the one built by our opponent, came to life with a furious rumble.

Availability and Release Date
About Mustangs photographer, Thomas Bertrand (second from left), represented the About team. In all, our team completed the engine build in 35 minutes and 5 seconds.

Photo Courtesy of Quaker StateQuaker State's Defy synthetic blend oil is said to work well with older and used cars. The company also notes that it is capable of running a full manufacturer-recommended drain interval during engine break-in and does not need to be drained after five hundred or a thousand miles, like some high-zinc break-in oils.
Quake State Defy will become available in January 2012 here in the United States. It will be offered in Canada beginning in April of 2012.

[Steve Simmons]

The term "Contains a proprietary zinc-booster" makes me wonder what the booster is. The whole "designed for high mileage engines", along with the fact that it's a synthetic blend, also makes me wonder why they recommend it for breaking in brand new engines. Synthetics and semi-synthetics should never be used for this purpose! This is common knowledge.

Another strange statement is "The motor oil is said to provide a thicker viscosity". What exactly does that mean? That it's thicker than the rating on the front of the bottle? Seal swellers don't seem like a good idea either in a new engine, but that's just my preference. Admittedly I don't like them in older engines either because I picture an old dry seal being forced to swell and coming apart. Maybe that's just me being paranoid. Regardless, I don't have any high mileage engines left so it's a moot issue I suppose.

In any case, I'll stick with the same semi-synthetic I've been using for a few years now. It has 1600 PPM zinc, as well as appropriate levels (for our cars) of other compounds like ash which most people completely ignore. 15W-40 seems perfect in our climate too, considering the original spec from the factory was for 30W. The only downsides are cost (on par with most full synthetics), and that it has to be ordered by mail. http://www.classiccarmotoroil.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just my opinions of course, and there are LOTS of those floating around when it comes to oils.

[Jimmy]

Or, run whatever oil is appropriate, and dump some ZDDPlus into it.
As Steve points out, old engines does not equal high mileage engines.

And somewhat on the subject, why is it that in British engines the oil pressure tends to be lower at lower ambient temperatures until the engine temps are up??
I see this both with V8s and 4-bangers, and meanwhile American motors react "normally" and show higher pressures when cold started in cold weather.
That I run slighty lower viscosities in the domestic ones is the only difference I can think of, but that doesn't explain the phenomena to me.

[malcolmr18zoy]

I think you must have some odd gauges on your British cars. I've never noticed that on any of my cars. Usually, or should I say always, when the engine is cold the oil pressure is higher than when it is hot. Ambient temperatures don't make a difference.
Malcolm

[Jimmy]

Well, ambient temperature does make a difference - on my cars, anyway.
If it's 40 or below, it becomes noticeable. At closer to zero (can only speak about the '71 GT there) it shows nowhere near its normal 70 psi and stays closer to 50 - 60 psi until warmed up.
Also, some have electric gauges, most are mechanical, but they all act the same.
Well, with the exception of the Rover V8 in my Jeep. But that motor's been in there so long that it might have forgotten its birthplace.

[RodH]

I run the 0w-30 Castrol Syntec German (euro) formula. It acts more like a 40w at temperature. You have to check the bottle to make sure it's the euro rather than domestic. I like the oil being as thin as possible at start up.
I also add the ZDDPlus, and I have an 02 sensor in my setup, but, 02 sensors are cheap, motors ain't.

[VWNate1]

Too bad you alls actually know what you're talking about (except Jimmy of course ) so there's no name calling and flame wars going on here.....

Oil does indeed leak right through poorly made alloy castings , this was alays a problem with older Harleys , we'd paint the inside of the crank case with Red Kote to prevent it and this was way back when few had ever heard of synthetc oils .

I too , vastly prefer the thinnest oils possible as the faster they get up out of the pan and into circulation , the better for long engine life ~ pressure isn't nearly as important as keeping an oil film between moving / rotating parts .

Even sans Zinc , any synthetic oils are orders of magnatude better than the Dino / Parffin based crap our engines were designed to run on , the whole " cam & follower wear " thing is a big red herring IMO as down to the L.A.P.D. garage , we run 'em hard & hot , never have ANY cam or follower failures .

Thinner oils , do seep , weep & drip more yes that is true , if you go binkers about that wet spot on the driveway , buy a Honda as your beloved LBC is mostly 1930's Tech and oil tight really wasn't considered , I'm using some silicone gaskets here & there and occasionally gluing on covers using Permatex's fantastic " The Right Stuff " and still , my trusty BMC 'B' series 1500 is damp a little bit and drips here & there .

I'm sure an add on PCV device would slow most leaks way down but few here will do that .

Jimmy , you just need to lop the tops off ALL your vehicles to cure your oil pressure woes , trust me here .

[malcolmr18zoy]

Hi Nate,
I agree with what you are saying, but I can't imagine why anyone thinks that any oil or additive can repair a worn out engine. Also, ln my experience, high mileage engines usually have less friction than new engines.
Malcolm

[VWNate1]

LOL ! you're correct Malcom , nothing can fix anything worn out but , synthetic oils can and DO stop the normal wear cycle dead in it's tracks , I have several seriously clapped out old nails that I'm able to tune to run O.K. , the only reason they're not grinding themselves to death is the synthetic oils I use in them .

As far as less friction , Just So ! I thought everyone knew this , most of the time we'd get in a catastrophic engine failure , the owner would say " But , it was running SO well , just before it clattered to a grindiing halt " .