Am I using the wrong oil?

[oceanpro]

I have a 95 SE V6 4x4 pickup. I have owned it since it was new and I have always changed oil and filter every 3 to 4 thousand miles. The local oil change place uses Pensoil products. and has been using convetional 5w30 and once a year I would add Slick 50. It has 160,000 miles on it and runs like new. I decided to do my own oil changes and to switch to a synthetic. I started out with Valvoline synthetic blend for high mileage vehicles. every time I started it up I had a slight tapping sound until it started to warm up about 3 or 4 min then it was gone. after 500 miles I drained the oil and put Mobil 1 5w 30 full synthetic. Now I still have the tapping sound and it smokes a little for about 4 or 5 min. after it starts to warm up no more tapping or smoke. I did not have this problem with conventional oil. Should I switch back to conventional, switch to a 10w 30 synthetic blend, a 10w 30 full synthetic or some other weight of oil.

[RT22]

1 thing about synthetic on older engines, it is slick and thin. I have heard of, never seen myself, of leaks starting on high mileage engines swapping to synthetic. After yrs of use some sludge builds up and around seals it can actully block minor leaks supposedly. Now synthetic can break that up and also leak easier. Again this is not first hand just stuff I have read and heard. I ran full synthetic Mobil one in my 300ZX twinturbo for yrs no issues. But I had a fully reman engine and new turbos so all seals were new. it is easy find, go back to regular oil next change and see if the ticking stops. It may just be the synthetic being slicker and better at cleaning broke loose a sticking spring or something and it is now ticking. Not sure. Also the weight of the oil is not the same for dino oil and synthetic. Synthetic usually runs thinner as it does not loose viscosity when hot. So they use lighter weight for better performance less drag etc. I have a feeling the swap just broke some sticking stuff loose. the small smoking at first few minutes may br the slickrer syn getting past worn seals that dino oil would not pass. I personally see no need for high dollar syn in a non supercharged or turbo engine. or in one that does not tow large loads. Dino is fine for basic use. Syn is for high heat conditions as it will not sludge or break down under HIGH heat. I have run 30 weight castrol in over 8 vehicles for 30 yrs and never had a oil failure. change on time and the basic is fine for simple non heavy duty every day use.

[Desert Rat]

Yeah, after that many miles, stick with the dino oil.

As for fliters, buy filters with an anti-drainback valve. That'll keep some oil on the top end of the engine and should reduce that tapping at startup. OEM filters have this, as do some of the better parts store ones like K&N, Mobil 1, etc.

Your cheapy Fram filters don't have it.

[oceanpro]

Thanks for all of the info. I think that I will switch back to conventional oil on my next change, maybe sooner. The reason that I wanted to run synthetic is the fact that it is thinner and Winter temps can get to 35 below for weeks at a time. I have a block heater and an oil pan heater. I plug them in when the temp gets to 25 deg or colder so sticking with the conventional should not be an issue. After doing some research I understand how important is to use a quality oil filter like Purolator, K&N or Mobil 1. It does not make much sense to put in high dolar synthetic and use a $1.99 Fram filter. Thats exactly what filter you get when you go to most quick oil change places. Even though I am not very mechanically inclined, I am glad to be doing it myself so I can save a little money and know that it is done right. Thanks again for the input

[PEZi]

i know i'm a little late... but i run AMSOIL 100% synthetic 5W-30... no issues whatsoever... except it runs cooler and takes longer to warm up

[oceanpro]

I use Amsoil in my 05 Dodge Diesel and my wife uses it in her Durango. I like synthetics because they dont loose viscocity at extreemly low temperatures. I think that Amsoil stays fluid to about 58 below zero. Most people living in interior Alaska would not even think of using conventional oil in their vehicles or heavy equipment because in extreem cold it turns to gel and burns up your engine. I have always ran Conventional in my Nissan. and have not had any issues but it does not get as cold in southcentral Alaska as the interior. I have a block heater and an oil pan heater. If it is going to get below freezing I plug them in. I wish that I could use Synthetic oil in my Nissan But with 160,000 miles using Conventional, It just did not like it. As long as I plug it in cold weather i should be ok. If I ever have to rebuild the engine I will be using Amsoil in it after the first 2 oil changes. Thanks for the replyJeff

[PEZi]

i'm wondering if a few cans of restore would help you out... my truck has fewer miles than yours (112,000) but its 25 years old now... i had the system flushed and started using synthetic (with a can of restore at every change) around 90,000... then switched to AMSOIL around 100,000

basically... i know i have less miles... but i think the restore was what made it run ok with synthetic

[oceanpro]

Since I switched back to conventional oil, I have not had any problems. The truck is really running good so I don't really want to monkey with it. I would consider using Restore if it starts using oil or blowing smoke. I am not sure why the synthetic caused the tapping noise and smoke. When I switched back to conventional, It stopped. The oil filter may have had something to do with it because I used a Mobil 1 filter with the synthetic and when I changed back to conventional I used a K&N. The K&N has an anti drain back valve and the mobil 1 does not.

[PEZi]

yeah i always use a k&n filter

[paddlefaster85]

I have a 96 Hardbody 2.4 4x4 se kingcab. I have owned this cherry little workhorse for three years now. I change the oil (myself) always using castrol 5w30 + one quart of lucas oil treatment and the fram tough guard filters. i never had a problem untill i got too busy and took it to my trusted oil change joint nearby who does all of my work on my maxima. as soon as i started the truck at the "lube" i heard the tapping noise on idle, it went away upon accel. and got progressively worse(they used 10w30). i called the "lube" and told them what was going on. i brought it back by watched them put exactly the same mix i put in when i do it myself. I have put 500 miles+ on the truck since the second oil change and it still taps bad at idle. i figured i need to adjust the lifters and check the springs. but i also wondered if im not getting any oil on the topend due to the generic filter they used. ive got 115,000 miles on my lil truck and i hope to see many more out of it.

[N2mesnob]

Your issue sounds simular to mine, i have a 95' WD21 SE w/200,000+ milesand i can only tell you what was told to me.Worst case you may need a valve adjustment, best case you had some build up and when you made the change over it got rid of some of the build up but there may still be build up in the lifters.You have hydralic lifters and until that build up heats up it does't allow your lifters release properly after they compress. My apologies i did not read everyones replies before I posted so i excuse me if i'm wrong or repeating what someone else posted.If not than i hope this helps you.

[paddlefaster85]

heres my next question.... according to the chiltons or haynes manual i have it shows my truck as having rockers not lifters. i gradually fed a quart of marvel mystery oil while running. its getting progressively quieter. anybody got any info to add to this? please let me know thanks

[seang]

Viscosity rating is the true measure of an oils "thickness", regardless of whether its synthetic or mineral, the word synthetic does not mean "thinned out".

I still run regular oil in my truck becuase the oil gets dirty really fast anyway, so I cringe at the thought of running a synthetic, because it holds up even longer. No sense in running dirty synthetic oil for 5000+ miles. To combat the filth, I cleaned the inside of the valve cover with a paint brush and some gasoline, then followed up with a "little spinny scotch brite type thingy" that went on my die grinder. What came out of the valve cover looked like flat black paint, it was sick. I then rinsed the gas out with water, and baked the valve cover dry in a 220 degree oven to make sure all the water was out of the little enclosed breather area. I didn't go above 220 because I didn't want it to warp. It was easy to do, and I'm probably gonna do the oil pan when I get the time to drop the front diff.

heres my next question.... according to the chiltons or haynes manual i have it shows my truck as having rockers not lifters. i gradually fed a quart of marvel mystery oil while running. its getting progressively quieter. anybody got any info to add to this? please let me know thanks

Your ka24e has non-adjustable hydraulic rockers, yes. They can be a little loud when cold, and thats normal. I use a little bit of Marvel Mystery oil sometimes in the crankcase, and its good stuff. I might use some seafoam too, but I would rather just clean the oil pan and valve cover manually because its just better that way, and then if its still dirty, then I can run some Seafoam or Marvel Mystery Oil through it.

I have a 95 SE V6 4x4 pickup. I have owned it since it was new and I have always changed oil and filter every 3 to 4 thousand miles. The local oil change place uses Pensoil products. and has been using convetional 5w30 and once a year I would add Slick 50. It has 160,000 miles on it and runs like new. I decided to do my own oil changes and to switch to a synthetic. I started out with Valvoline synthetic blend for high mileage vehicles. every time I started it up I had a slight tapping sound until it started to warm up about 3 or 4 min then it was gone. after 500 miles I drained the oil and put Mobil 1 5w 30 full synthetic. Now I still have the tapping sound and it smokes a little for about 4 or 5 min. after it starts to warm up no more tapping or smoke. I did not have this problem with conventional oil. Should I switch back to conventional, switch to a 10w 30 synthetic blend, a 10w 30 full synthetic or some other weight of oil.

Whats happening is on a molecular level here. The molecules in the regular oil might not have passed the old valve stem seals, but some of the synthetic ones are. The viscosity rating can be the same, but the molecules must just act differently. If your engine is really clean, it might be worth it to put new valve stem seals in and stick with a synthetic. Of course you have the crank seals to worry about, too. hmmm...

[oceanpro]

Well I think that you are right that their should not be any difference in 5w30 wheither it be synthetic or conventional oil. It started smoking and tapping sound under the hood again. Its an intermintant problem as it only does it for 5 or 10 min. when I first start it up in the morning and after it is warmed up it stops. The motor idles smooth and runs perfect. After 1,000 mi. since the last oil change it has not used any oil. I have owned this truck since it was new and I plan on keeping it for a long time. I hope that the motor will last a couple more years, and when its time to rebuild it I will yank it out and do it right. I may pull the valve covers off and see if its something obvious. Thanks for all the replies.

[mswit209]

valvoline has had issues in the past with ticking on start up because it gets thinner at a high temp then other oils. if you are worried about it switch back to another brand and use a filter with anti drain back.

and what i mean buy thinner at high temps is were most oils only get to there thin viscosity below freezing valvoline will get to it say around 40 or so. so were penzoil will be about 30 weight at 40 degrees valvoline will be more at close to 10 wieght ( if you use 10 W 30 )

i have 245000 miles so i run castrol dino 20 w 50 and i run my truck pretty hard.