I received this information attached to an emil for a cam recommendation from Lazar Cam. Just would like to pass it alone:
Under pressure from the major Detroit automakers, the engine oil manufacturers have removed the zinc additive from engine oil. The really bad news is that this increases camshaft and follower failure rates enormously during the break-in time. If you can find a zinc additive for engine oil, that helps greatly. GM's EOS break=in lube has been a faithful option, too. I have heard that the Valvoline racing oil that's labled "not for highway use" may still have the zinc in it. Napa has made a commitment to keep this oil in stock.

There have been no changes in camshaft or follower materials or heat treatment from ANY of us in the racing aftermarket. The increased failure rates are due to the missing zinc in addition to the usual assembly related problems we've been discussing the last thirty years or so. Keeping open spring pressures as low as possible is now more important than ever.

WOW! Yet ANOTHER theory/explantion(?) added to the mix for all the cam failures. The explanations keep mounting up!

There have been no changes in camshaft or follower materials or heat treatment from ANY of us in the racing aftermarket

Well,,,,,I guess this means Hi Tech didn't go out of business & there are no foreign lifters being sold with cams & none of the cam guys are having a lifter shortage problem & all the lifter hardness testing a well known & respected valve manufacturer did is just a myth,,,,,and the tooth fairy will save us all :D

Earlier this year I sent several samples of new oil into a lab to have them analized....ALL of them had Zinc ( ZDDP ) in them.....

The new GF-4 specs that are to replace the current GF-3 specs may require a decrease in an additive but I'm sure that there will be other additives to added that are more EPA friendly..... Moly , Boron , Antimony ect... This wont likely happen till Summer of 2004.No question that oils will be changing in some way or another....I will be surprised if they drop ZDDP all together....They have been dropping Phophrous levels... ( another AW additive ) as it " Could " lead to Cat Con contamination.... Either way the current oils are going to continue change to some degree into the for seeable future.

There are also other oils out there that have chosen not to become API certified .... That wont need to comply with these mandated chemical changes..... They wont be allowed to display the " Sunburst " For Gasoline Engine lable but may have an add package better suited to most older non emmission type engines....Should be intresting what the various polititions and engineers can come up with a compromise...