This is from the "Nopistons" list. H= oward=20 Coleman used to race a Daryl Drummond powered RX-3.

The June issue of Hot Rod magazine (page 125) contain= s an=20 article entitled: "When Good Cams Go Bad." While the report discusses an=20 alarming 3 year trend in camshaft/lifter failures the significance of the=20 primary culprit probably should be considered by all rotary owners. Anti wea= r is=20 at least as important if not more so for the rotary.

A major eng= ine=20 builder is quoted as seeing more camshaft/lifter failures in the last 3 year= s=20 than the prior 30.

While a number of reasons are considered one of th= e=20 key conclusions is the recently reformulated standards for motor=20 oil.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to copy the article but here's=20= an=20 executive summary:

Approximately 4 years ago the auto manufactu= res,=20 oil companies and the government (always bad to get them together) met to=20 discuss an issue the regulators had re the effects of the PRIMARY ANTI-WEAR=20 ADDITIVES in oil and their effects on catalytic convertor life.

The=20 additives are primarily zinc and phosphorus (referred to as ZDDP) they act a= s=20 sacrificial items and take the mechanical wear in lieu of the engines=20 components.

Due to the fact that today's motors use roller rockers th= e=20 industry didn't need as much wear protection as in the past and=20 capitulated.

The article features a table showing % of the 2 elements= =20 going from .13% in 1996 to .087 in 05 (Zinc) and .12 (Phosphorus) to .08 in=20 05.

Rotary engines NEED these additives. the law going forward remove= s=20 more ZDDP until there is almost no remaining ZDDP.

Racing Oil does no= t=20 fall under the restrictions.

Quaker State Q Racing, for example,=20 contains .2 of Z and .18 of P. Over the road trucks are exempt until 07. you= can=20 buy Shell Rotella T at Walmart (Truck oil) and it contains .14 and .13. Penn= zoil=20 Racing oil is .196 and .18.

I have used Mobil One since 1983 and= =20 will be checking with them Tuesday to find out what the specs are.

Yo= u=20 can tell which oils have reduced wear additives.... a Gold Starburst label a= nd=20 designation ILSAC GF-4. it is safe to conclude all non racing ex-trucks oils= now=20 fall into the no no category.

Rotary owner had best steer clear of st= reet=20 legal oils.

Another option is to add GM Camshaft and Lifter Prelube=20 PN12345501 4 ounces about $6 at the time of your oil change.

I p= ass=20 this info on, knowing it's importance to the rotary community and of course=20 looking for additional input.

There is perhaps no subject more=20 written about it than oil. I hope that there will be no posts on this=20 thread about loving some type of oil. let's focus on ZDDP and add additional= =20 info here, as rotaries need all the anti-wear they can get .

Going=20 forward, I will make my choice of oils based on ZDDP content.

Ho= ward=20 Coleman