Moss Motors, Ltd

For those of you whom have been following this story...

Since my engine rebuild, it had been burning some oil intermittently (especially before reaching temp). Fearful, I put very limited miles on her (about 250) until I could find some oil with ZDDP. The New England winter had also helped me keep her in the nest! 

To my surprise I found that Moss sells the stuff, ZDDP! Long story short, I changed the oil (3rd change since rebuild) and added the ZDDP. I took it to work the next day, and it had only one short burst of oil burning during the first 50 miles with the additive. It's burning was obviously curtailed immediately.

I cant say for sure if it's the ZDDP, or if this is normal behavior for an engine being broken in, but I CAN say that I feel a whole lot better knowing that the ZDDP is in the sump!

Spring (driving season) will be here by next week, and my Sprite and I will be seen daily on the highway! 

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On their death bed, nobody ever said, "Gee I wish I'd spent more time at work!"

'68 Sprite 1275
'76 Midget 1500

It's highly unlikely that ZDDP, in correct proportion, could have any real effect on oil consumption. In fact, it is used to help protect those scuffing and wiping parts like cam lobes and lifters. These heavy metals (zinc and phosphorus) actually keep those parts from contacting each other. Too much of this stuff, or graphite and moly lubes might actually prevent the rings from breaking in. So use it, but don't overdo it. Dang, life is complicated!

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

Understood, I am, as always, following the manufacturer's directions.

Perhaps my results are just the normal behaviors of an engine breaking in, but the coincidence of the additive and reduction in oil burning is curious at best.

How many miles does it take to break in the engine anyway? I've heard answers that range from 500 miles to 3000 miles!  

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On their death bed, nobody ever said, "Gee I wish I'd spent more time at work!"

'68 Sprite 1275
'76 Midget 1500

A thousand miles should do the job. Don't overchange your oil. Some friction is needed to get the rings to seat. In fact, I've had good luck in the past purposely using cheap lousy oil for just this purpose before switching to the good stuff. Unfortunately? most all oil is now too good for this. I guess we'll just have to put up with superior quality.....

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

Cheap oils. I'm not sure you can find these discount stores in all parts of the country, but Freds, Dollar Store, and Family Dollar Stores, sell a cheap oil. I don't know what the service rating is, but it is dollar cheap. I saw some one time that were recycled refined. 

Hey pooly, how've you been? 

It seems counterintuitive to use cheap oil for breaking in, but then again, it makes perfect sense. A little friction to help smooth the edges, hu? Honestly though, what's the worst that could happen by using good stuff, it takes a bit longer to break in?

I just put fresh Castrol 10W-40 and ZDDP in it. I'll drive it for 1000 miles or so before changing over to the 20W-50 in May, for summer driving. Eventually I'll use the synthetic stuff, but not until next autumn or winter.

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On their death bed, nobody ever said, "Gee I wish I'd spent more time at work!"

'68 Sprite 1275
'76 Midget 1500

Oh, I' ve been doing ok, Thanks.  Believe it or not I've already had a couple of swimming pool jobs;  but tomorrow I'm staying home to change the rubber differential mounts, then take a Looong drive.  Gotta break 'em in, you know.

 I've been using Castrol 20-50,  but my engine is old with  99k. I'll probably add a quart in a couple of weeks then wait until I'm about a quart low again, then I believe I'll try Valvoline VR1. The bottle says it has the ZDDDDP stuff.

 There is no telling what has lubricated that engine the 86k miles before me.

 Funny story and true about breaking in a engine. This had to be 30 years ago and I was allowed to rebuild a Jag engine in the shop of a dirt track racer. Theses guys were nuts. After they put an engine together for a Saturday night race, they'd pour nearly a teaspoon of Bon Ami down each spark plug hole and fired that baby up and let her run. Sometimes, they'd even change the oil, but not always. Said it helped seat the rings.  look out.            

 

Bon Ami?!?! Ok, I'm scared!

I guess, que sera, sera. I guess I'll take the earlier advice of motorbill, and, "just drive it"!

The oil burning is subsiding with every venture such that it is almost gone by now. I mostly drive between 25 and 50 MPH with the occasional jump on the highway at 60 to 65 MPH. I think that's perfect for break-in.

Spring in New England is too beautiful for words, (unless you're Walt Whitman), so my REAL driving season is just around the bend. I've got about 700 more miles to complete the break-in, then I'll come down to see you for a beer!

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On their death bed, nobody ever said, "Gee I wish I'd spent more time at work!"

'68 Sprite 1275
'76 Midget 1500

poolster,

I really like the poly mounts for the TR-6 Differential. They don't allow so much rocking around as a result of torque loading. But, whichever you use make sure you check the right front mount bracket atatched to the chassis for cracking. It is common. If you have it you'll have to get it welded up and then add gussets along the sides. We will often add these gussets even before the thing cracks if we are working in the area.

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

Been doing a bit of research myself for motor oils still containing the ZDDP EP (extreme pressure) additive.  For conventional oils, use the new Moss 20W50 product, add their ZDDP additive to anything, or the Valvoline VR-1 20W50 stuff (1400 ppm ZDDP).  For synthetic oil, Castrol has just come out with their Syntex 20W50 with ZDDP, or any Red Line product.  There's probably more, but that's all I've seen so far.  Any oil with a API "SM" rating or a label of "energy saving" (ie, little to no ZDDP) is no longer suitable for our archaic motors.

It appears the Brit car community is way ahead of the curve on this issue compared to others.  I've been passing on this information to the local hot rod and collectors car club in town (mostly American iron), and it's news to them.

Motorbill, you've seen your share of those cracked diff. mounts, I bet?

 That's what brought on this job, I had a fellow over to weld up the right front and put in a gusset a couple of weeks ago. But since I was on his schedule, I didn't have the new mounts. So, knowing better, I gambled and put the old ones back on even though the metal bushings in the rear mounts had freed up.

 A few days later while I was driving, I had to suddenly let up on the gas. That's when I heard the clank of the bushing against the thru bolt.

 So, I ordered the Poly mounts from Our Sponsor, Moss. They came in yesterday and I installed them this morning.

Quite a difference, between the repair and the poly mounts,it feels like the whole drive train is acting in unison, without wasting torque.

 I also had my dizzy rebuilt/recurved by Jeff at Advanced Distributors and what a difference that made.

 Before the Summer gets here I want to check out the bottom end, for peace of mind.

  Happy Motoring Guys. You too, Rita.

 davey, if you do show up, all you'll need is gas to get back home.

  

Ok guys (and Rita), are you ready for this one!

Taking Dr. Motorbill66's prescription, me and my ZDDP have been driving! With every trip, the oil burning is less and less...AND LESS! Connecticut back-roads are the type of roads for which there cars were made, twisty and hilly through farm pastures lined with 300 year old stone walls, and also through wooded areas with trees that pop out at you! The car has been so good that I suggested using it to take me lady out for a good North Atlantic lobster dinner on the shores of Long Island Sound (18 miles from home)....here it comes....

6 Miles into the trip, while waiting for red to go green, the car just dies and will NOT restart - I lost ELECTRICAL!!!! ME, I LOST ELECTRON FLOW!!! After a short period of head scratching and fiddling under the bonnet, I tried her again and she fired right up (sans directionals, rev counter and fuel gauge). Ladybird looked at me and uttered, "How'd you fix it?" to which I could only respond with my wings extended in pride, "It's what I do", all the time NOT having a clue as to what went wrong or why it started back up.

New England lobsters are not LA crawdads; they require focus, fine motor skills and concentration in order to be properly consumed. Needless to say, my concentration was intense, but focused on the Sprite rather than the crustation. After dinner, SHE wants to drive along the coast and watch as Spring erases the ravages of winter, I of course, would much rather be with meter in hand back at my shop. Guys, I don't have to tell you who won this one.

Eventually, gastro-intestinal forces being what they are, she suggests to head North for home....."ok"... We arrive alive, and it's right into the shop I go. As fate would have it, even though I had just replace the dashboard and was SURE that I missed a bullet connector somewhere under there, the problem turned out to be some oxidation on the fuse holder contacts! It seems that shaking the wires around under the bonnet (refer to paragraph 3), DID do something after all.

I just got back from a 50 mile solo test drive and am pleased to say that all systems are go with no oil burning! Now I have to go to the bathroom!

Cheers!

  

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On their death bed, nobody ever said, "Gee I wish I'd spent more time at work!"

'68 Sprite 1275
'76 Midget 1500

davey:

Ok guys (and Rita), are you ready for this one!

...  I just got back from a 50 mile solo test drive and am pleased to say that all systems are go with no oil burning! Now I have to go to the bathroom!

Cheers!

  

Uhh, davey, this isn't just some scheme to reopen the t.p. debate is it?

First I thought you had lost a ground, then when you mentioned the lack of instruments after getting it restarted I thought of  the fuse block.  Usually that will not case it to stop running but will knock out your instruments just as a blown fuse would.

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1973 MGB Tourer

OURMG, Yes, a bad ground came to mind for me too. Who knows, perhaps I actually had 2 intermittents but only solved 1 so far.

I still can't figure out why the engine died. On second though, maybe I can. I'll have to check the schematic but if Petronix is on the same circuit, that'd do it! 

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On their death bed, nobody ever said, "Gee I wish I'd spent more time at work!"

'68 Sprite 1275
'76 Midget 1500