Engine Clatter at start-up 2004 CV

[hombrewdude]

I have a 2004 Crown Vic that now has 14k on it.
Here is my oil changes.

1k 5w30 castrol and motorcraft filter
3k 5w30 castrol and motorcraft filter
6k 5w30 Mobil 1 blend with motorcraft filter
10k 5w30 Mobil 1 blend with motorcraft filter

I notice when I first start up there is some clatter from the engine.. until the oil pressure builds up.
Is this normal?

Should I change the oil or filter I am using?

 

[mdocod]

I was under the impression that motorcrafts were known for having pretty good anti-drainback devices... Though- some people might point to the filter as the problem... Could try a Pure-One, but i think they are pretty similar build quality... only thing that would be a significant step up from the motorcraft would be a Mobil 1 filter.. but those are expensive.

If you like blends... could try the Motorcraft (or trop arctic) 5w30 synblend. If you like the idea of using ford oil and filter in your ford.

 

[hombrewdude]

My local walmart does not carry Ford oil, or I would have bought it...

I was thinking of trying a Napa filter (Wix)

 

[Dad2leia]

Definitely a good choice on the filter!

 

[hombrewdude]

Is this a filter problem or a synthtic oil problem?

I noticed it after I switched to synthetic oil

 

[Gary Allan]

Are you saying that you've had to startup rattle through all of the mentioned OCI's??

I've rarely seen oil selection cause immediate "startup" noise. Sure HLA's can rattle until the oil gets hot ..but usually when you have a brief rattle at startup ..it's the filter's ADBV being lame. Even the good filters have an occasional defective one. To have 4 bad ADBV fitlers in a row ..I would have to see if I bought them all at once from the same lot.


That's just my experience.

 

[Ugly3]

What is your definition of "Mobil 1 blend"?

 

[hombrewdude]

I have always used Motorcraft filters.
Actually all purchased from different stores.

I noticed it after I swithed to Mobil 1

 

[hombrewdude]

I don't really know all the difference in the Mobil oil products.

This is not the full synthetic stuff.
it is not that expensive.
And it is not the standard oil stuff..

If I seen the bottle, and I tell what it is.
I think it comes in 5qt bottles.

 

[hombrewdude]

This is what I am using..
I guess it is not a blend.

Mobil 1 5w30
The Mobil 1® 5w30 grade delivers the viscosity recommended for most General Motors vehicles and many imports. Mobil 1 5w30 is the approved and the first choice of premium car manufacturers, including Corvette. Mobil 1 5w30 meets:

GM 6094M, GM 4718M (Corvette spec)
Ford WSS-M2C929-A
ACEA A1/B1
ILSAC GF-4 (API Certified - Starburst)

 

[Jim 5]

I noticed this on my 170k mile chevy with a 5.7L vortec engine during my first and last M1 5w30 OCI. Exactly the same issue. The clatter happens for the first block or so as I drive away, then the sound goes away.

Went to dino 5w30 and the noise is almost all gone. Still there a little, but my engine has 170kmiles on it.

Other people have noticed clatter with M1 5w30. It's a pretty thin 5w30.

 

[The Critic]

I'd give the Havoline 5w-20 a try, and see if you'll eliminate the noise.

If I'm not mistaken, someone said that they had a similar problem (some type of noise upon startup) when they used a 5w30 in an application calling for 5w-20. Upon returning to 5w-20, the noise mysteriously went away.

The Havoline 5w-20 has >400ppm of MoDTC, so that may help the engine run smoother.

Best of all, its only $1.50/qt at Walmart, so it'll cost you about $12 (CV takes 6 qts right?) provided that you use a Supertech Oil Filter, which makes it cost-effective for 3-4K drains.

Michael

 

[pushrod]

I have a 2004 ranger 3.0 with 8000 miles that has start up clatter with mobil-1 5w30 or any 5w-20.
Using motorcraft filter and any dino 5w30, sounds good.

 

[hombrewdude]

I shouldn't use Synthetic oil??
I do a lot of highway miles, and I wanted to prolong my oil changes...

 

[Geoff]

Could be just a bad filter. It happens. Its not like they are a close tolerance product. Put another on.

 

[The Critic]

Warranty limits your service interval to 5000 miles, and a quality conventional can easily achieve this service interval with highway driving. In addition, a 5w-20 is required by your warranty and is the most logical choice as most 5w30 conventionals already shear to a 5w-20 like viscosity, and the 5w-20 would also allow maximum fuel efficiency!

Michael

 

[hombrewdude]

That would mean I had 2 bad filters in a row??

 

[Curious Kid]

Call me crazy, but can't oil also drain out through clearences between all the lubrication points??? Air allowed in to take it's place, then a momentary pump-out of the air would be required before full lubrication pressure can build and be obtained.

Just a thought.

 

[mechtech]

I think the filter and oil you use are top quality, and the problem is a high leak down rate in a lifter.

 

[ekpolk]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Michael Wan:
Warranty limits your service interval to 5000 miles, and a quality conventional can easily achieve this service interval with highway driving. In addition, a 5w-20 is required by your warranty and is the most logical choice as most 5w30 conventionals already shear to a 5w-20 like viscosity, and the 5w-20 would also allow maximum fuel efficiency!

Michael

---

The 5w-20 is not "required by [his] warranty". It is called for in the owner's manual. Beyond that, Ford can word their wty however they want, but they are powerless to alter the terms of federal law. In particular, the Moss-Magnuson Warranty Act (MMWA) places the burden of proving that something that the owner did or did not do (but should have) is the cause of a wty claim before they can deny that claim. Thus, you can actually have an engine failure while using something other than 5w-20 and still not have a problem because it's going to be very difficult for Ford to meet its burden under the MMWA. Certainly, as a matter of gamesmanship, many will stick with the recommended oil simply to avoid the chance of having to fight that fight, but that's a different matter. This "warranty requires . . ." stuff is one of the most persistent myths here at BITOG. They've got our brains washed pretty clean.

As to the rattle, I'd recommend changing only one thing at a time so you can isolate what's going on. Personally, I'd try the filter first, as I have noticed differences between filters with the same oil. If a couple different filters produce no change, using the same filter, change to a different oil.