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New Oil available for our cars

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Another reason to avoid the extra cost of the synthetics, are their extended use interval; not much value when typical Healey annual driving barely exceeds 2000 miles.

Even the BMWs (with synthetics from the get-go) recommend an annual oil change regardless of (presumably low) mileage. My M Rdstrs "factory recommended interval" would be 9k mi., but I've never left the oil in longer than 4500 miles. But that's just me; I know of cars that've gone 15k miles (and the crankcase shows the difference).
 
There's a lot of discussion about this topic on the internet. The short version is very few oils are now safe in our cars. Valvoline VR1 is formulated with the older, higher amount of ZDDP. I verified this in a phone conversation with a Valvoline engineer. He say they called it 'Racing' to set it apart from oils for use in the new catalytic engines.

The new Castrol should be fine as well, but I haven't yet seen it on the shelf, being totally satisfied with VR1.

There's an article online from Hotrod or Motor Trend where a racing cam manufacturer said he'd seen more ruined cams in the last year than in his entire 30+ year career before that.

Most synthetic oils will not be suitable either.
 
From my readings, I believe that the risk to the older engines is due to the lack of ZDDP in the oil. Also, test seem to indicate that it is directly related to how much pressure is put on the moving parts. So an engine with high valve spring pressure is more likely to self distruct than one with less spring pressure and a new engine is more likely upon start up. So in an attempt to maintain what we have been use to, I started using Shell Rotella Desiel Truck oil as recommend by some articles. It's formula has not been changed and supposedly has the appropriate amount of ZDDP. The last summer before I took the car off the road for restoration, I started using straight 40w because I had experienced a slight loss of pressure on very hot days in slow traffic. The 40w puts the pressure right up to about 50 plus or 60. Even though it is here in Pa. I never drive it when it is much below 50 degrees outside so the straight 40w doesn't seem to be a problem.
Why as a side bar, I just bought an '03 Vette. I decided I wanted to experience some of this new technology for awhile since I've been playing with all this precomputer stuff most of my life. It of course calls for synthetic oil. Don't remember the exact service interval on the oil according to the owners manual, and it has a percent of life monitor to give you a warning, BUT... the last thing it says is,, CHANGE IT AT LEAST ONCE PER YEAR... at least. Since this is also a summer time vehicle for me as well. Guess how often I'll be changing the oil. Oh yeh, from I've been hearing, Synthetic likes to leak past anything.
 
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