8 Grand- your last video is very clear about what noise you are talking about. It is the same noise (valve tick/flutter) that my car had when new. Mine would stop doing it after about a minute, except for a randome tick until I started driving. I became so annoyed with the sound that I changed out the OEM oil fill early (3300 miles).
AMSOIL 7500XL 10W30 SL rated went in and virtually eliminated the noise entirely.
Valvoline Maxlife synthetic 10W30 SL rated went in for a few fills next with the same success.
After moving to Texas, it became too difficult to find ML syn anymore, so I switched to Pennzoil Platinum 10W30 SM rated (EOP Group V) and it worked great too. This formula didn't stay on the market very long though, and I had to use their new Group III SM oil at 30K miles. The ticking came back.
After only 1K miles, I switched to some ML synthetic 10W30 (now SM rated). It worked no better than the new PP formula.
After trying a couple of the newer SM rated oils, I thought maybe the API mandated lowering of ZDDP anti-wear additives for SM oils might be the culprit. My search for a SL rated oil still sold on the market lead me to Castrol Syntec 0W30. I'm on my first fill now, and after 2K miles, it has almost completely eliminated the ticking/flutter noise on start up. I think if I drove my car daily, it would never tick.
Realistically though, the route cause of the noise may or may not be a TCT issue. It's just hard for me to believe that mine would have gone bad so early on my car. As a minimum though, I plan to get my valves adjusted soon.

cmn- I'm not familiar with the Castrol Magnatec 10W30 formula that you mention. I think I saw on BITOG that there is a European Castrol equivalent to the Syntec 0W30 that we get here in the States and Canada. Maybe SpitfireS knows what it is.

 

Well, thank you ALL a ton! I will try the oil change in the spring... shame, less then 100 miles on the Mobile 1, but I would like to see if there is a problem. I think I might try to locate the Valvoline synth, as my cousin SWEARS by it in his 700+hp vette.

I still think this thread could use more views! This is turning out some great answers!

Thanks again!

Chad

 

I looked at the US Castrol tech specs and the hot 0w30 was thicker than some of the Castrol 40wts. I'm not sure I want to go that high vs. the nominal dino 30 wt. Is the bulk (5l the SL or the SM?) What are your thoughts?

 

Say it with me now folks M-O-B-I-L. Mobil.

Mobile is in Alabama.



BTW, I've been running Mobil 1 10w30 in my S for years. I noticed a smoother idle with less shaking, but we have a noisy valve train from ticking valves. The motor does tend to drink the Mobil 1 (common) and I've just installed Krank VEnt valves. Now I have a new noise from those. I'll trade the noise if I can cut oil consumption though.

 

Sorry, sorry sorry..... REally, sorry. I am actually a stickler for $hit like this.....

MOBIL 1

This is like people calling it a Dodge Cummings..... I cant count how many ppl I have yelled at.... Dodge CUMMINS period!

I accept the reprimand gracefully!

;-)


Chad

 

I might actually try switching the Mobil 1 out in the next week or two..... I am dying to know the results!

So.... Valvoline synth? Dino? Is there really any benefit to running the synth other then the intervals? Which doesnt matter to me, I change it ALL the time (3k tops).


Chad

 

Reference
Oil viscosity recommendations

 

Those are not viscosities per se, they are weights and are not particularly helpful since there are 0w30 that have higher ASTM viscosities.

 

About Castrol

There are 3 engine oil product lines available in the Netherlands (probably in Europe)
Castrol Edge, Magnatec and GTX High Milage.

I have found some (Dutch) MSDS info about those oils and they mention "full synthetic base oils" in the Edge series, "chemically modified base oils" mentioned in the Magnatec series.
I think that "chemically modified base oils" means Group III, hydrocracked or other chemical processes to refine dino oil.

The "German Castrol" is the Edge series here, especially the 0W-30.

INTJ Posted on Dec 10 2007, 11:09 PM
If only car manufacturers would spec an oil viscosity in cSt or SUS to guide us in oil choice.......
But they don't, so till the end of time we'll be stuck with people saying that 0W-30 is TOOOOO THIN!, and all the other comments.
(This is not to anyone in particular )

 

Could be as simple as something you need to get use to.
Synthetics are slippier then normal oil thus a change on valve train noise could be very normal.
It could also be your oil pump that has become more noticable.
If it were me, I put dino oil back in and see if there is any difference.
If there is a difference, I'd put the Synthetic back in and learn to live with the changed sound.
The "new sound" will become normal as you drive and passively learn to forget what your engine used to sound like.