Ratling When Warm, 0W/40 Or 5W/50?

[thomassen7]

Hi! I am living in a cold part of Norway where we easily gets -10 and sometimes -20. But this November/December has been warm. I recently bought a 2.4 liter automatic 2002 model Grand Voyager with 122.000km. That's about 75k to 80k miles. When I start the engine it sounds pretty smooth, but after some minutes a soft/not so strong ratling comes from the engine. For all I know it can be a lot of strange things like the AC, but it is off all the time. I was thinking about rod or crankshaft bearings or hydraulic valves. I think that the engine now have some Castrol 5W/30, but I am not sure. Should I try to go up or down on viscosity? They have a pretty wide range of oil where I buy for reasonable price, so I am open for other oils than the ones in the headline.

 

[bignev]

Hi there!

My current 3.3 does that, but the previous 2 models didn't do it.

It's on 5w30, but I've tried 10w40 as I was also concerned when I first got it.

But a lot milder in the UK than where you are!!!

I wouldn't worry too much, mines been at it for 40,000 miles now, up at 129,000. I can only guess but on mine it could be the valve mechanisms, ancient tech - overhead valve - not cam - and pushrods. Or it could be the chain drive for the cam, I'm not remotely tempted to tackle that.

However definitely give it an oil and filter change, or if it's cheap enough and the old stuff has been in for a while, and looks horribly black, or hasn't been done too often in its life, do it twice within a small number of miles.

But don't use an oil flush additive, because if it's never been done before you can disturb gloopy crud that you don't want to shift too quickly, better to dilute it slowly over a few oil changes.

[thomassen7]

Hi there!

My current 3.3 does that, but the previous 2 models didn't do it.

It's on 5w30, but I've tried 10w40 as I was also concerned when I first got it.

But a lot milder in the UK than where you are!!!

I wouldn't worry too much, mines been at it for 40,000 miles now, up at 129,000. I can only guess but on mine it could be the valve mechanisms, ancient tech - overhead valve - not cam - and pushrods. Or it could be the chain drive for the cam, I'm not remotely tempted to tackle that.

However definitely give it an oil and filter change, or if it's cheap enough and the old stuff has been in for a while, and looks horribly black, or hasn't been done too often in its life, do it twice within a small number of miles.

But don't use an oil flush additive, because if it's never been done before you can disturb gloopy crud that you don't want to shift too quickly, better to dilute it slowly over a few oil changes.

Okey, yes, I wan't try any additive. Oil is pretty new, looking good. The reason why I told about the weather is that I was thinking maybe to use 0W/40 now in the winter and change to 5W/50 in the summer. My friends here are afraid that if I put a too thick oil I will have problems, for example with valves. What is your opinion, thick or thin? in my ware house they also have fully synthetic 10W/60 for a good price, but that is maybe too crazy... I guess maybe you had the same noise on 10W/40, no differnce, and thats why you are back with 5W30?

[bignev]

I'm not an oil expert, but I'd check what temperatures the oil grades say they are suitable for, the bottom end being the most important one in your situation for cold engine starts. 

A very quick search reckons the 5w is good down to -30C.

However I guess that even 10w 60 possibly covers it if your local warehouse are selling it!???

Maybe summer only though hey! But from my experience it's unnecessarily thick at the hot range end.

 

I had no change in the noise on 10w40, none at all.

[bignev]

Hi again @@thomassen7 , just been idling away a few minutes this morning and had a thought.

On mine I did also change the auxiliary pulleys and tensioner, one was a very tiny bit whistly, not much but even I could hear it and I've got dodgy hearing.

Do you know if they've ever been changed, given its age not mileage?

Also has the cambelt and pulleys been done? The 2.4 has them, mine is chain driven with tensioners.

[thomassen7]

Dear Taxi Driver, bignev!

 

My wife and daughter arrived from Pakistan 2. of January. I was almost a nervous wreck on how to get them back into Norway again due to the corona, if I was not in trouble having them in Pakistan in the first place;) I am out of mental hospital now, thats a joke, but it has been extremely busy. I will come bak with a complete answer during the weekend, but I will give you a taste and that is that I am probably over from cheap oils to Valvoline Max Life 10W/40 for high mileage vehicles.

[thomassen7]

Good evening

 

At my house we have been down to minus 16 last week. around zero now, but expecting cold week coming. Yes, I was also thinking that 5W is for me, but now I have had some advice from my local garage. Was there to take the two year EU-control. Thinking that was a good place to start to see if I shall spend some money on the car or nor. It passed pretty well, only problems with brakes on right front wheel and ABS-sensor both left and right side front. So, I am going ahead with engine oil now and gear oil when I find out how to do it. This is one of my first cars with auto gearbox, at least he first one I am planning to change oil on. Yes, I hav some  experience with  a bad bearing and whistling sound form tensioner and pulley. Not much experience, but I had a bad bearing in the tensioner pulley for the alternator on my last car. I think it is not that this time. The cambelt has been changed recently by the former owner, but I must contact him to find out which pulleys he changed. The sound in my car seems to come from under where the oil sump is. I tried to listen left, right and from above the engine, but it was most clear from when I put my head under the engine. Then I tried to increase then idling/revs. I am not sure, but it may be the noise then disappeared. Or it disappeared because of more natural engine noise. Difficult to say, but I am starting to be more convinced about low oil pressure. Anyway, I asked my mechanic about this noise. He told me that had very good experience with Valvoline 10W/40 on  a relatives car, an older Volvo S80 with turbo engine, maybe it was a 2.0 liter. That I dont remember clearly. Like they always says in the garages, go for quality oil. I have not listened much to that earlier, but when i came home and checked Valvoline's website I got this feeling that I will go for this. Actually Valvoline recommend 5W/40 for my car. New stop at the garage, but the mechanic urged me to go for the thicker 10W/40 even if I live in a cold area. Then  I will surely find out if a thicker oil is helping, or if it maybe is the oilpump itself. My next check on Valvoline also revealed that their Max Life 5W/40 is fully synthetic and the 10/40 Max Life is Semi Synthetic. I have some hope that semi synthetic is better in this case. The oil will be changed during the coming week, I hope, will come back with the result!

[bignev]

OK good info above!

On mine if the revs are increased just a little the rattle goes away.

It will be interesting to see if a fresh oil change has any impact on yours.