Lubrecon, like you I have a background in lubricants. Thanks for being here, but don't take the beatings to heart, they're only tiresome.
That's why I usually choose not to get involved with the perpetuation of wives tales.
Fixit, Lubrecon will probably answer you himself, but the "screw up big time" answer is weaved within his previous posts. The biggest potential victim of ND
oil is the cam shaft because of the lack of ZDDP (zincdialkyldithiophosphate if you ever see it). You probably do a good job of slathering the cam with "cam lube" so that likely has added enough anti-wear to the
oil to continue protecting the cam in the short run. EMPHASIS on the short run. As for the idea of not wanting "junk" suspended in the
oil, why not? That's the point of the filter, get that stuff out of the engine. That's why a very short interval on the first lube charge is essential. The detergent/dispersant only holds the "microscopic" sized particles anyway. The rest that might travel with the oil are going to do so by virtue of the fluid movement, which you get from the ND oil also. All in all, non-detergent oil is 1920's tech. Like your old mentor, it's time has passed.
Asnake. Not sure where your builder got the NASCAR/non-detergent notion, it's bull. The Union 76 20w-50 you can buy at GI Joe's is EXACTLY the same stuff the good ol' boys use, and I know that for a fact. The other brands out there have a similar experience. As an aside there is no 50w, the w only goes with the first number in the multi-grade nomemclature as that is the low temperature grading indicator. The confusion occurs because a lot of folks think the w stands for weight, but it really stands for winter.
Scottj, have the guys check the spec sheets on the oil. My guess would be that the viscosity is too light, the "
synthetic" base stock is not of a shear stable variety (?), or the ZDDP level is lower and not affording enough protection for high pressure loads.
The increase in measurable hp (BTW thanks for varifying it's a modest number) is a result of the lower viscosity meaning less parasitic drag.
Hang in Lubrecon!
PS; Lubrecon looks like you were responding while I was. Good answers. Don't worry about BinB, he thinks I'm an idiot because my truck has stripes and my replica doesn't. Oil guys don't know *hit!