Oil Recommendation

[Dean Couderc 2]

I have a general question for the forum. I have another truck (non Sport Trac) with 192k miles. I'm running high mileage 10W30 Valvoline synthetic blend. When I crank-up the engine, the lifters tick for about 3-4 minutes then it goes away. I've tried adding 1 qt. of Lucas engine oil treatment, there is no change in the outcome. I'm hesitate to run full synthetic this late in the game as I understand synthetic can actually clean my gaskets and cause the truck to leak oil. Does anyone have any suggestions to quite the engine? I understand the problem might be oil flow, or lack there of, that is creating the ticking noise.

 

[Robert Caffyn]

I don't believe there is any "real" reason for not running full-sythetic oil. All/most oils contain detergents to help remove some of the gunk in the motor. That synthetics would cause leaks seems a bit far fetched. I believe that any oil additive is a waste of money. Many have commented on using the "Seafoam" treatment to help clean the workings of the engine and the good results they get. Whatever you do, just use a high quality oil, perform regular changes with a filter every 3K to 5K miles.(some will say this is too much, its just what I do) Good luck, Bob

 

[Ed Fenwick]

With valve clatter for that long, you need to free those lifters. During those first minutes, will the clatter go away if you rev the engine? I have had good luck with Marvel Mystery Oil, but that was only 1 lifter for maybe 3-4 seconds. You may need several applications of whatever you use. Try adding and run 1 thousand miles then drain and do again. Don't use a thickener, use something that will clean and restore the lifter seals.

Good luck Ed

 

[Ed Fenwick]

With valve clatter for that long, you need to free those lifters. During those first minutes, will the clatter go away if you rev the engine? I have had good luck with Marvel Mystery Oil, but that was only 1 lifter for maybe 3-4 seconds. You may need several applications of whatever you use. Try adding and run 1 thousand miles then drain and do again. Don't use a thickener, use something that will clean and restore the lifter seals.

Good luck Ed

 

[Johnny O]

A filter with a bad anti-drainback valve will cause clatter also, but usually just for a few seconds. Try a different filter and see if it persists. I use Motorcraft.



For cleaning engines internally I've had good luck with Auto-RX.

 

[Dreman]

Not recommending this, but my uncle actually used to do a three stage oil change on his 1967 Chrysler Imperial. He claimed it cleaned everything out before he put the new oil in.



1) Drain the old oil and refill with 5 quarts of diesel fuel (no, I'm not making this up!).

2) Run engine for 1 minute to distribute the diesel fuel. Shut engine off, drain diesel fuel, refill crankcase with cheap 30w oil.

3) Run engine for 5 minutes with cheap oil. Shut engine off, drain cheap oil, refill with whatever he thought the best oil was for that week.



He claimed it kept the engine in tip top shape. I could just see a possible fire in the making and accelerated bearing wear for that minute the diesel was in there. He sold the car before it could wear out.

 

[Bill Koonce]

This might sound a bit out there, but in my day, we used to pull off the intake manifold and do a visual inspection of the lifters, pushrods etc. Don't people own tools any more?



I'd do a compression test first. If that looks good, I'd probably just replace the camshaft, lifters, pushrods (and maybe) rocker arms. At that age, the hydraulic part of the hydraulic lifters is probably shot. And with flat tappets, you really need to replace the whole lot together.

 

[Kevin Lang]

Don't people own tools any more?

No, they don't. They're lucky if they have a garage to work in, which I'd want if I'm disassembling my engine, and replacing all that you speculate is dead.

refill with whatever he thought the best oil was for that week.

...that means he did this procedure weekly?



I also don't see any reason for the "synthetic blend". They even cost close to what full-synthetic does.

 

[Ray McIntireJr]

WHOA! Diesel fuel?

 

[Richard L]

There is no problem switching to a full syntheic oil. You don't need anything fancy or special order. Just get something you can buy at your local autoparts store or even Walmart. My Mercedes came from the factory with Mobil-1 and that's what I used in all my vehicles for the past 10 years.



As for the lifter clatter: Magical oils are mostly hype and only offer a temporary solution (if they do anything at all) Mechanical problems can never be resolved with snake oil additives. If you have a problem with a dirty lifter, there is no problem using something like Marvels Mystery Oil to see if that will clear it out. Your odds are probably less than 50:50, but your problems sounds more serious and I doubt that it would help at all.



Your only solution is to live with the problem or to tear down the top end of the engine and replaced the lifters. Tearing down the top end will give you a much better perspective as to what all may be wrong with the engine and will probably lead to other repairs.



Assuming the vehicle is paid for, and otherwise mechanically sound with the body and interior in good shape, I would just continue to drive it until the problem became a real nusance or if something failed and required repair. Then I would evaluate if it was better to fix it, rebuild the engine, swap it for a used engine, or even sell or junk the vehicle/



...Rich

 

[Ed Fenwick]

Richard is correct, however it costs very little to put a can of snake oil in. You have nothing to loose. A continual clatter like that will wear the cam after time but 'stang said that you should change that anyway. Just be sure the oil is good and let it idle until the lifters stop yelling at you.

My opinion Ed

 

[scott degroot]

JohnnyO,9/29/2010 13:11 MT



A filter with a bad anti-drainback valve will cause clatter also, but usually just for a few seconds

I call B.S. on this. There is no way in hell that a faulty "anti drainback" valve in a oil filter will pull the oil out of the lifters themselves and cause them to tick upon startup...that dog don't hunt. Furthermore the oil filters are vertical on these engines how in the world do you expect oil to drain out of it or does the oil magically get sucked back up out of the filter....NO

 

[EddieS'04]

1tech said,

Furthermore the oil filters are vertical on these engines how in the world do you expect oil to drain out of it or does the oil magically get sucked back up out of the filter....NO

Im glad you said that. I have wanted to say it many times. Just didnt want to hear the nay sayer arguments.

 

[scott degroot]

I try to keep my opinions to myself but sometimes you just gotta let it fly :argue:

 

[Johnny O]

True, I had forgotten about the Trac filter being vertical. My wife used to have a Grand Am where the filter was horizontal and the lifters would clatter on start-up if I had anything but an AC filter on it.

In OP's case it probably isn't the filter since the noise lasts a while but trying a different filter isn't any more of a crapshoot than trying Marvel Mystery Oil. There is no additive of any kind that is going to replace worn out metal that isn't there any more, which with 192k on it is going to be the case. It's also possible that the oil pump just isn't getting much pressure any more.

 

[Richard L]

Years ago (1960's and early 1970's), Ford had a very bad reputation for building their engines with only a few small oil drain back holes in the cylinder heads. At higher RMP's oil would get pumped up into the head and could not drain back to the oil pan fast enough. The oil pump could not pick up enough oil so the lifters and bearings would get starved for oil. Over time it was very common for the lifters to clatter on startup, the rocker covers to start to leak and valve seals to fail. Any sludge or coking of the oil would dramaticly accelerate the demise of the engine.



Ford has resolved those issues, and I hope they have not gone back to those same old design problems in their newer engines?



...Rich