Help! Problems After Switching to Synthetic

[UNC017]

There's no harm at all in switching to synthetic. I also don't believe that oil BRAND makes any difference to the way engines sound, but oil viscosity might so the change in viscosity might be responsible for what you're hearing. Or you might just have been listening more carefully ;-)

At any rate, what is the factory-recommended grade? Being as this is an 05 van, I'm assuming that its a 3.8 v6- its not going to be overly picky- but I would go with the recommended grade.

 

[Lex94]

Synthetic saturated hydrocarbons will make the engine a bit noisy especially at cold start. It should quiet a bit when the engine is hot. just use Pennzoil conventional 10w30...smooth and quiet.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Tony_Mack
However, I started to get a strange sound from under the hood whenever the engine hits 1500 RPMs.



Clicky ---> HERE

 

[Vikas]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Mobil 1 is a good cleaner, its probably cleaning the lifters/adjusters. Make sure its full and keep going.
At some point it will probably stop and the engine may be quieter than ever.
Deja Vu! Somebody named Frank used to say *exactly* the same thing about another product!!

 

[jcwit]

Clogged cat.

Will do that under heavy accelatration.

 

[Tony_Mack]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

I installed a new Bosch Distance Plus filter. I did pre-fill it a bit as I recall.

The van 3.8L V6.

My wife normally gets the oil changed at Walmart so it had 5W-20 bulk oil in it from there.

I'm just concerned that switching to 5W30 has caused the problem, whatever it is.

I've driven it around the neighborhood a bunch (about 10 minutes) but I haven't put any serious miles on it since the change because of the weird sound.

Wondering if I drive it around a lot more to see if it gets better?

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Tony_Mack
I'm just concerned that switching to 5W30 has caused the problem, whatever it is.


It's not the viscosity, it's the viscosity in THAT brand. Use a little bit of physical exertion and click on that link I posted. You will find that 5 million other people have had the same problem with Mobil 1 5w30 causing noise.

 

[Tony_Mack]

Merkava_4, I looked through those posts before. I would say that in general the engine is a little noisier with the Mobil 1 in it than before but the noise that's worrying me is intermittent. I don't think that is what most of those posts are discussing.

 

[Merkava_4]

Tony_Mack, I'd advise you to get that oil out of there regardless. That oil has been the subject of many many noise complaints here on BITOG. Wear is usually proportional to noise. When something mechanical is noisy, that's a telltale sign that the machine or mechanical device is not getting lubricated properly.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Tony_Mack, I'd advise you to get that oil out of there regardless. That oil has been the subject of many many noise complaints here on BITOG. Wear is usually proportional to noise. When something mechanical is noisy, that's a telltale sign that the machine or mechanical device is not getting lubricated properly.


Good lord man, are you seriously still trying to peddle that tripe? GM, along with numerous other OEM's have used that product, WITH CONFIDENCE, as their OEM AND service fill. It was the first oil to carry Honda's HTO-06 certification for high heat deposit control and despite your fear mongering in this thread you really can't prove any of what you claim.

You suggested he search BITOG using Google for Mobil 1 noise. I suggest he search BITOG using Google for posts you've made. I think that history lesson would be really telling as to the value to ascribe to your input here

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Wear is usually proportional to noise.

I'd be interested in seeing your equations, Merk, especially with most scales used for reporting noise levels not being linear.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Good lord man, are you seriously still trying to peddle that tripe? GM, along with numerous other OEM's have used that product, WITH CONFIDENCE, as their OEM AND service fill. It was the first oil to carry Honda's HTO-06 certification for high heat deposit control and despite your fear mongering in this thread you really can't prove any of what you claim.

You suggested he search BITOG using Google for Mobil 1 noise. I suggest he search BITOG using Google for posts you've made. I think that history lesson would be really telling as to the value to ascribe to your input here

This BITOG Search Link paints a very vivid picture of the history of Mobil 1 5w30. There's no denying it ... it's right there in black and white. Lot's of people with varying degrees of vehicles have had noise with that oil. I'm just doing my part to save people from the detriment of mechanical noise. Instead of sitting there at your computer raking me over the coals, you should be thinking of what kind of online community service award I should get. Or maybe a super hero's cape. Yeah, just send me a cape, a cape would be good.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Good lord man, are you seriously still trying to peddle that tripe? GM, along with numerous other OEM's have used that product, WITH CONFIDENCE, as their OEM AND service fill. It was the first oil to carry Honda's HTO-06 certification for high heat deposit control and despite your fear mongering in this thread you really can't prove any of what you claim.

You suggested he search BITOG using Google for Mobil 1 noise. I suggest he search BITOG using Google for posts you've made. I think that history lesson would be really telling as to the value to ascribe to your input here

This BITOG Search Link paints a very vivid picture of the history of Mobil 1 5w30. There's no denying it ... it's right there in black and white. Lot's of people with varying types of vehicles have had noise with that oil. I'm just doing my part to save people from the detriment of mechanical noise. Instead of sitting there at your computer raking me over the coals, you should be thinking of what kind of online community service award I should get. Or maybe a super hero's cape. Yeah, just send me a cape, a cape would be good.

Merkava_4, if noise is attributed to wear, and Mobil 1 was noisy, wouldn't we be seeing all these awful UOA with Mobil 1?

I haven't looked into it, because I've never used Mobil 1

 

[boundarylayer]

I really think its because its a Dodge with 135,000 miles, not the motor oil choice making this sound.

Synthetics don't really do anything different than conventional oils except put down less deposits as miles go by and the oil lasts longer. Other advantages of synthetics are relatively minor.

 

[OVERKILL]

Yes, and you've certainly done your part in the noisy engine threads, like recommending SAE 30, 20w-50....etc. In fact, if you search for engine noise threads on BITOG and your name, you are mentioned 4,830 times!

Merkava_4 BITOG engine noise search

All kinds of fun stuff in those links.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Merkava_4, if noise is attributed to wear, and Mobil 1 was noisy, wouldn't we be seeing all these awful UOA with Mobil 1?

I haven't looked into it, because I've never used Mobil 1


There have been lots of used oil analysis with reported high iron levels ... and being that piston rings are made out of iron, the rings are probably wearing out. I know one thing for sure, BITOG has saved my engine from the grueling affects of Mobil 1. I owe this board a great deal of gratitude.

 

[tig1]

My son bought a 2007 Dodge Ram 3.7 V6 last summer with 129K. Right after he bought it he changed to Mobil 1 5w30. Last week he changed it out with 12K on the oil. Only one qt was added in that OCI. His engine runs very quite. Mobil 1 5w30 is one of the best 5-30 oils there is, and has the Honda HTO-06 high heat low deposit spec.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Merkava_4, if noise is attributed to wear, and Mobil 1 was noisy, wouldn't we be seeing all these awful UOA with Mobil 1?

I haven't looked into it, because I've never used Mobil 1


There have been lots of used oil analysis with reported high iron levels ... and being that piston rings are made out of iron, the rings are probably wearing out. I know one thing for sure, BITOG has saved my engine from the grueling affects of Mobil 1. I owe this board a great deal of gratitude.

Frankly, post like this gives BITOG a bad name.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Yes, and you've certainly done your part in the noisy engine threads, like recommending SAE 30, 20w-50....etc. In fact, if you search for engine noise threads on BITOG and your name, you are mentioned 4,830 times!

Merkava_4 BITOG engine noise search

All kinds of fun stuff in those links.


Ah com'on man ... not all of those search results have my posts in them ... just the first two pages.

 

[boundarylayer]

Originally Posted By: Tony_Mack
My wife drives a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan with 135K+ miles on it. The engine has always had a bit of a moan to it but now there's a ....


That happened to me once last year. Turns out my mother-in-laws foot was caught in the door. Opened door, no moaning anymore, problem solved, (except for the complaining later).