Fresh Oil = Quiet

JoelB said:
Many times it's simply placebo. I'm curious if anyone has ever done a scientific test on this topic since it is so commonly believed.
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Kind of like those that install a K and N filter and can feel the HP gain in the seat of there pants...
 
The seat of the pants HP increase works best when you add a K&N air filter - K&N oil filter - K&N motor oil.
My old Cuda' would even give me a rise in the seat of my pants.

I could try similar with our two Hyunkia's. But prior to hammering the gas pedal, I need to spray the vehicles' engines with holy water and say three Hail Marys.
;)
 
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Your ears have been accustomed to a louder environment after the time it takes to change oil, perhaps? Instead of waking up and heading out for the day maybe? No clue.
 
Pablo said:
This is always the case. Even 30 years ago. I have not measured with a dB meter.

Some cars much more pronounced that others. Currently - The 1.5L T in the CRV, just barely different, almost the same.

The 3.5L Tacoma, I went from year old SS 0W-30 to Euro 0W-30 (4qts) and 1 qt 10W-30 small engine oil and the difference was astounding. The engine is a loud ticky thing normally. Now just butter smooth.
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This is the case with my Silverado....a very light tick as it's warming up, once the oil has a few thousand miles on it. It goes away once it's completely warm and is usually not noticeable except on initial cold start when the oil is fresh.

However my 1976 Oldsmobile v8 is the opposite....it's noisier just after an oil change and gets quieter after about 1000 miles. It also seemed noisier when I tried the 15w50 muscle car oils. It seemed like it was quieter on 30/40 so I stick with m1 0w40 on both of them now.
This seems like the opposite of what I'd expect as the Oldsmobile has had slightly low oil pressure (10psi hot idle) since 2007, 130k miles ago. The truck has 30psi oil pressure.
 
Everyone is walking around with a powerful tool to answer this question but nobody will take a few minutes to do it. Vibration and noise analyzer apps on their phone. Simple variable control e.g. do it in the garage before and after the change, keep the phone in the same place on/in the engine compartment.
 
TiGeo said:
Everyone is walking around with a powerful tool to answer this question but nobody will take a few minutes to do it. Vibration and noise analyzer apps on their phone. Simple variable control e.g. do it in the garage before and after the change, keep the phone in the same place on/in the engine compartment.
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There have been posts here in the past where people have done that. But it's pretty useless, in order to make meaningful sound pressure measurements (especially ones that correlate to human perception) is a really big deal. It's very complex.
 
kschachn said:
There have been posts here in the past where people have done that. But it's pretty useless, in order to make meaningful sound pressure measurements (especially ones that correlate to human perception) is a really big deal. It's very complex.
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I wonder if the vibration would work?
 
Some people are tone deaf and some are not. Those that are (on here anyway) will never believe those that are not.

I don’t currently have any vehicles that I can tell much difference but I have in the past, my last Jeep for example.

My son in law didn’t know he was partially color blind until he was in his 20s. Similar scenario.
 
KCJeep said:
Some people are tone deaf and some are not. Those that are (on here anyway) will never believe those that are not.

I don’t currently have any vehicles that I can tell much difference but I have in the past, my last Jeep for example.

My son in law didn’t know he was partially color blind until he was in his 20s. Similar scenario.
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Straight from my book
" It's Not The Pleats Stupid" page 87
 
Phishin said:
Why is it that a fresh oil change in my Honda always results in a buttery quiet engine and as the miles rack up (in only do 5k mile OCI's) the engine gets noisier and noisier? Mostly ticking.

I'm running 5w40 HPL SuperCar in my 2010 Honda Accord with 270k miles
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Have you experienced the same issue as HPL racks up the miles? If so, the same noise is probably present the entire time, and it’s just the internal egg timer in your head telling you it’s time to change the oil 😉
 
Regarding the OPs question ...
I believe the underlying answer rests elsewhere, rather than what the thread title purports. The OPs thrust would be that "fresh" (new) oil is quieter; after an OCI, there's a distinct albeit subtle difference in start up noises. OK - but WHY is that happening?

When you put "fresh" oil into a warm engine, there are a few things present ...
- the new oil is cool; hence it's fairly thick in viscosity
- the engine is warm; the parts are fully at their largest normal/operational dimensions (because of material mass expansion with thermal energy)
So you're getting relatively thick oil that's going into the tight oil clearances; in the bearings, between the piston and cylinder walls, etc ...

Normally the engine and oil are reasonably close in temps. They start out cool, and then warm up together. And they cool down together. But not during this unique OCI sequence when cool oil is put into a warm engine. The noise reduction isn't due to "fresh" (new) oil. It's just because of the temp disparity of the oil and the warm engine. If you saved the used oil which was drained out and let it cool overnight, and then reintroduced it back into a warm engine, it would have the same effect for the most part.

It's not that "fresh" oil is quieter. The reality is that the temp disparity between oil and engine is what's causing the perceived noise difference.

Don't confuse the correlation with causation.
 
KCJeep said:
Some people are tone deaf and some are not. Those that are (on here anyway) will never believe those that are not.

I don’t currently have any vehicles that I can tell much difference but I have in the past, my last Jeep for example.

My son in law didn’t know he was partially color blind until he was in his 20s. Similar scenario.
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I definitely understand the “prove it” crowd. But I also understand people probably don’t care enough to actually set up a good quality test and prove the hypothesis… and even if they did folks on here would likely break it down and nit pick it to death.

The absence of evidence doesn’t necessarily mean the evidence of absence it this case. I think it is entirely plausible. Never had this happen to me until it happened to me.
 
I have had it go both ways. The classicm, often reported "Mobil 1 clicking and ticking racket" 20 years ago, a noisy Supertech 5W20 batch 10 years ago, then recently a noisy batch of Valvoline Advanced 5W30.

My Ford dealer supposed recently put in semi 5W20 Motorcraft.
I sort of doubt it, but I didn't verify the bulk tank - but whatever they used, it is a heck of a lot quieter and velvety-r than the Valvoline - even approaching my preferred 10W30 Quaker State FS for the warm seasons ahead. And don't forget the beloved and gone away Castrol Magnatech, what I have used was a quiet, smooth-running oil.
 
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350Rocket said:
This is the case with my Silverado....a very light tick as it's warming up, once the oil has a few thousand miles on it. It goes away once it's completely warm and is usually not noticeable except on initial cold start when the oil is fresh.

However my 1976 Oldsmobile v8 is the opposite....it's noisier just after an oil change and gets quieter after about 1000 miles. It also seemed noisier when I tried the 15w50 muscle car oils. It seemed like it was quieter on 30/40 so I stick with m1 0w40 on both of them now.
This seems like the opposite of what I'd expect as the Oldsmobile has had slightly low oil pressure (10psi hot idle) since 2007, 130k miles ago. The truck has 30psi oil pressure.
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Brings back memories in high school in the early 80's... I remember a few 70's Olds that would pass me in the parking lot with a tick.
Wonder if using Mineral oil would help as my older 90's slightly modded Harley can't run M1 synthetic V Twin oil as I get a bad tick, I get zero top end noise with same wt Dino oil...
 
ARCOgraphite said:
I have had it go both ways. The classicm, often reported "Mobil 1 clicking and ticking racket" 20 years ago, a noisy Supertech 5W20 batch 10 years ago, then recently a noisy batch of Valvoline Advanced 5W30.

My Ford dealer supposed recently put in semi 5W20 Motorcraft.
I sort of doubt it, but I didn't verify the bulk tank - but whatever they used, it is a heck of a lot quieter and velvety-r than the Valvoline - even approaching my preferred 10W30 Quaker State FS for the warm seasons ahead. And don't forget the beloved and gone away Castrol Magnatech, what I have used was a quiet, smooth-running oil.
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That mystery 5w20 SS Motorcraft is amazing stuff...it will go the long haul too...that's why it ain't cheap
 
I would hear a difference between an extended OCI close to 7-8K + on the Toyota 2.4 2AZ-FE engine. Valve train was definitely louder and a new oil change always resolved the noise.

edit: This was using semi-synthetic back when dealerships charged $30 an oil change.
 
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