Best oil for noisy engine

[Scout1]

I've had some cold lifter tap in my Honda which goes away when warm. (Yeah, I've adjusted the valves a couple of times and it goes away when I set 'em tight, but I got too nervous about burning a valve so I set them back to spec) I've found Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 does the best at quieting that down...

Personally, I don't think I'd go as far as a 40 wt in an engine calling for 20 wt. but I suspect you're right about it making it quieter!

 

[45ACP]

I could have put (topped up) 5W-20 in the SUV today, rather i went with Supertech Full Synthetic 5w30. Could have chosen from Valvoline NextGen 5w30 as well.

 

[jorton]

Originally Posted By: greystone
I have the same engine. PP made a dramatic difference!!!


Same with my 2.0 Focus, but I've run synthetic only once.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Doc Holiday
guys I'm not talking about a rod knocking. Just a noisy engine. Some engines are that way. My old Suzuki sidekicks for example. Was just looking for an engine old to hush it a little. Maybe a high mileage oil?


Try 10W-40. Thicker usually makes engines quieter.

 

[Maxima97]

Use Maxilife 5W-20. High HTHS with a lot of moly. Moly is a good friction reduction which may reduce metal to metal friction (noise). Maxlife is also syn blend and with seal conditioner.

 

[addyguy]

Yeah, I'd start with one of the HM 5W-20's - Maxlife or Pennzoil specifically.

 

[jorton]

Replies from folks with Fords like

Rotella T5
Havoline 5w-20
Pennzoil Platinum
Mobil 1 0w-20

I've been watching for info like this. Narrows oil choices down to 4 for next oc on both cars.

 

[Doc Holiday]

Think I've decided on Valvoline conventional (white bottle) in 5w30 due to the CST @ 100C being 11 which is higher than most and still get the EC label. If that doesn't do the trick I'll go to HM next....maybe the new QS Defy

 

[jorton]

Those would be good choices. Valvoline is very popular, QS red bottle even has a cult like following.

I believe we're in the same boat if you prefer using jugs of conventional from walmart like I do.

 

[Doc Holiday]

ok I lied. After reading several posts about how good Pennzoil Conventional is and is full of moly to make an engine quite...I went with it....but sorry to say no change. I'll have my wife take it by the dealership to see if anything is wrong with it. If in fact it is normal, I'll go with a High Mileage oil or 0w40 synthetic. If there is something wrong and they fix it...may go with Quaker State Ultimate Durability 5w20

 

[tig1]

I have the same designed engine as yours in both Duratechs and use Mobil 1 0w20. Both engines are fine to me.

 

[Highline9]

Half and half with T6 5w40 and the sn 5w20 ultra. Does that ford have an exhaust leak?

 

[ChrisW]

Have both my Mom's and sister's '10 Mazda3 with the 2.5 motor, both on Pennzoil Platinum 5W-20 SM. Pretty quiet by my standards. Though I have my Mazda6 on Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0W-20 and its much quieter than the 2.5L, I attribute that to the V6, also, I've noticed that Mazda put quite the sound barrier on the hood of my Mazda6, whereas the hoods on both the Mazda3 have little sound barrier

 

[Doc Holiday]

no exhaust leak. I've noticed that the "noise" is louder under load (put in drive while idling with foot on brake) then when just idling........

 

[nitehawk55]

Originally Posted By: Doc Holiday
no exhaust leak. I've noticed that the "noise" is louder under load (put in drive while idling with foot on brake) then when just idling........


Actually if you do have a small exhaust leak it will be noisier under load so I'm wondering if that is what you are hearing . Not unusual for a very small leak at a manifold or pipe to manifold to make what sounds like a ticking noise from the pulses of the exhaust , many times it is mistaken for a mechanical noise .

Thicker oil or additives is no cure for a mechanical issue and certainly will have no effect on an exhaust leak .

 

[Doc Holiday]

Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
Originally Posted By: Doc Holiday
no exhaust leak. I've noticed that the "noise" is louder under load (put in drive while idling with foot on brake) then when just idling........


Actually if you do have a small exhaust leak it will be noisier under load so I'm wondering if that is what you are hearing . Not unusual for a very small leak at a manifold or pipe to manifold to make what sounds like a ticking noise from the pulses of the exhaust , many times it is mistaken for a mechanical noise .

Thicker oil or additives is no cure for a mechanical issue and certainly will have no effect on an exhaust leak .


Well it don't sound like an exhaust leak I've ever heard. More of a slight "knock". If you've ever heard say an old Triumph Spitefire or better yet more like the old (say 2000) Kia Sportage SUV.....noisy engine like that...hated the way the "knocked"

 

[Doc Holiday]

Just an update to this post, I did take the car in, they deemed it normal. So I'm just living with it. I don't like it, but the little 2.5 is getting 30.4 avg MPG (sticker said 28 MPH HWY) so it's hard to get rid of her. I now have 65K on the clock and it doesn't use any oil. Pennzoil Conventional is a little better at making her not a noisy, but not by much. And I still haven't tried a High Mileage oil or a 5w40/0W40 oil yet. Just been running 5w30.

 

[coolbird101]

Give it a few days on the new oil, it may quiet down. Our 2.5 is a little noisy compared to 6's and 8's we have had in the past, I would say typical of a 4 cylinder sound wise. It was its loudest on the factory fill, which was Mazda new high moly 0w20. First change got AFE 0w20, that was even louder for a couple days than got quieter than with the Mazda oil and remained that way. Now it has a load of Synpower 5w20 mixed with 2 quarts Synpower 5w30, it was louder for a couple days again with the fresh oil but now its even less noisy than with the AFE. It appears to me up to this point, thicker oil will do more sound insulating on this engine than moly.
We have a carport and I always walk my wife out so I am out there in front of her car as she starts it up and leaves everyday and yes I listen to her engine. As far as driving the car, you really cant hear the engine nor the differences in oils.
These observations were all made outside the car.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: Doc Holiday
Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
Originally Posted By: Doc Holiday
no exhaust leak. I've noticed that the "noise" is louder under load (put in drive while idling with foot on brake) then when just idling........


Actually if you do have a small exhaust leak it will be noisier under load so I'm wondering if that is what you are hearing . Not unusual for a very small leak at a manifold or pipe to manifold to make what sounds like a ticking noise from the pulses of the exhaust , many times it is mistaken for a mechanical noise .

Thicker oil or additives is no cure for a mechanical issue and certainly will have no effect on an exhaust leak .


Well it don't sound like an exhaust leak I've ever heard. More of a slight "knock". If you've ever heard say an old Triumph Spitefire or better yet more like the old (say 2000) Kia Sportage SUV.....noisy engine like that...hated the way the "knocked"


Is it similar to the noise in my RAV4?



Someone on youtube told me it could be exhaust noise, but I was not able to test for that. The problem is the noise happens only on cold engine under load. Does yours sound similar?

 

[KCJeep]

Since my original post I've noticed that oils high in boron tend to run even quieter than moly loaded oils.

For your next fill you could try Motorcraft, Peak, Quaker State Green bottle or Trop Artic, you may get some improvement from those boron loaded offerings. I'd try the 5w30 variety if you try one.