reduce normal "clatter" on start up/VSOT?(Elantra)

[97tbird]

The car drives strong and fine, first of all, but I have always noticed that as soon as the rpms go down after initial "high idle" at start up, wife's Elantra always has this rather clickety clackety idle...it has pretty much always been like that, and a bit noisier when it's cold...

I can never "feel" a rough idle, it's idling smooth, it's just the racket i am wondering about. (another friend's Elantra of same year idles the same way, so i know it's normal)

Car always gets 5w30 every 4000 miles or so, and oem Hyundai oil filters.
Oil brand is whatever the dealers puts in (most probably Castrol).

wifey still keeps getting o/c's at the dealer religiously, even though car has 140k miles and out of warranty now.

I never wanted to use any additives before to see if I can get rid of this clickety - clackety, but now that the car is out of warranty, I am thinking why not play with it a bit?

I have 4 bottles of VSOT still, that I managed to get hold of before they disappeared. I was wondering if I should add a bit of it? the sump is probably around 3 qts I think...

how much VSOT should I add? I just want to smooth out the racket at idle a bit.

Would this make the 5w30 too thick at this time of year in NC? I gets down to about freezing in winter sometimes, but not too often.

what do you guys think? should I dump in a bit of VSOT?

 

[HTSS_TR]

I used 1oz per quart in my cars when I changed oil. It would not thicken the oil at all because it is only 3% of total sump.

 

[97tbird]

Thanks, HTSS !
... waiting for more feedback on experiences with VSOT in reducing engine "rackets"

 

[demarpaint]

I have and use at times VSOT. Aside from boosting moly levels, and in whole bottle applications [dampens noises] I'm not sure if it is going to help you or not. In 1 ounce/qt dose it certainly isn't going to hurt anything. I'd be afraid to add more than an ounce/qt during the winter. One thing I don't want to do is thicken up my oil in the winter.

This "clickety clackety idle", I'm guessing it's a noise? Is it a lifter noise, piston slap, or possibly FI noise? Have you tried any of the products designed to clean engines and free up lifters? My favorite for freeing lifters and or quieting them is MMO, and added to the gas sometimes helps with injector noises. Piston slap is another animal. JMO

 

[97tbird]

i really don't know what the noise is...i lean towards valve clatter or something - it's not piston slap - all Elantras i have heard at idle do this. I have a hard time thinking that this engine is dirty - it's almost always driven hwy speeds, and oil changes have been frequent, but i guess you never know..
The oil sure LOOKS clean, i can hardly see it on the dip stick..

 

[demarpaint]

Some engines just make noise, you might be looking for a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. I've heard noise come from a pollution pump that sounded like an engine knock. Only after putting a mechanics stethoscope all over the engine I discovered it was a pump.

 

[mechtech2]

You actually may need THINNER oil for that clicking period.
Try it and see.
You won't break anything, and you already own the stuff.