Switching to a new oil

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First time poster, please be gentle.

I have a 2002 Ford Explorer. My mechanic just ran a cleaner through the engine and added a mild detergent to my 4.0L V6. I was having a problem with the chain tensioner, and this actually reduced the noise for the first 500 miles. The noise is now back, and so is a new problem. I am having a blue puff of smoke when the engine starts after sitting for a while. It clears up in 1-2 seconds. The mechanic used quaker state, or what I now refer to as devil juice, on the oil change. I want to switch to the best oil for my situation. Just a shade under 100,000 miles on my X. I was looking at Valvoline MaxLife, but I am not sure whether to use a full synth or synth blend. I just bought the vehicle 10,000 miles ago. I do not know what was used prior to the purchase. Will changing to a synthetic result in more problems than cures? Let me know if you need additional information.

Thanks in advance.
 
I would use Valvoline MaxLife blend, or any high mileage oil. Even Quaker State
wink.gif
and see if that helps things.
 
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Never again on QS. Even if it has no correlation to the smoke. Thanks for the suggestion and I see your a veteran. Thank you for that. Brother is currently in the Marines, I always appreciate those who sacrificed for me.
 
My MIL's 97 4.0 v6 has M1 10w30HM in the pan.used to use MC oil at about 1/4qt to 600 miles now it uses none,seems to like it,,try it.
 
Originally Posted By: noles4life002
Never again on QS. Even if it has no correlation to the smoke. Thanks for the suggestion and I see your a veteran. Thank you for that. Brother is currently in the Marines, I always appreciate those who sacrificed for me.


It's not the QS...

Thank your brother for us...
 
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I know it's not the QS, but you have to admit the devil juice line is catchy.

So quick question, I have cold started the vehicle a few times since this and noticed that the blue smoke did not show. Would being parked on an incline have any change on the oil entering the fuel? I thought if it happened once it would continue to happen. Would there be anything wrong with just starting with the Max Life, and if that doesn't cure the problem then looking to a solution like ARX? I don't want to throw another variables in the mix, if I don't have to. Any opinions appreciated.
 
There was a post on here a week ago where someone had a puff of blue smoke on start up. They changed to Shell Dino and BAM! No more puff of smoke. So maybe try some Shell.
 
Whatever the mechanic did tat is 100% the problem. You need to wait and hope it passes.
 
YOU NEED to fix the timing chain tensior not look for a cure in a bottle, and find a real mechanic.
 
The brand of oil is not the problem.

Clean your engine with Auto-Rx exactly according to their directions. If there are no mechanical problems, your engine will likely be quiet and nonsmoking again.

If there are mechanical problems, find a mechanic that can first, find, then fix the problems, not just try something at your expense then try something else.

Quaker State oil maybe isn't Shell's best, but it certainly is perfectly OK.
 
Originally Posted By: ted s
YOU NEED to fix the timing chain tensior not look for a cure in a bottle, and find a real mechanic.


Odd part, it was a Ford Mechanic. He stated that he's never seen a problem with the rattle on the 3rd gen Explorers, ie chain failure. As long as the sound doesn't get worse/happen on start up, you shouldn't have a problem. He did say that this could quiet the noise. Unfortunately, spending over $1000 on this fix, being in the automotive industry that is reducing my hours in half, I don't have the fix as an option. I understand I need to fix it, but I can't fix something if I don't have the money to fix it. The timing chain tensioner is not the only problem on the vehicle. I was much more concerned with the puff of blue smoke.
 
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