What do you conclude about a "loud" oil?

[Silver]

An oil that seems to have a reputation for making an engine louder. I have one of those oils in a vehicle now and it is noticeably louder. Do you believe it's protecting less? More friction?

I don't see how a 'louder' oil could be louder without allowing more friction.

But I'm no engineer.

Thoughts?

 

[Rand]

Thoughts...

 

[aquariuscsm]

An oil that seems to have a reputation for making an engine louder. I have one of those oils in a vehicle now and it is noticeably louder. Do you believe it's protecting less? More friction?

I don't see how a 'louder' oil could be louder without allowing more friction.

But I'm no engineer.

Thoughts?

Which oil is it that you’re running? I prefer moly rich oils that seem to be smooth and quiet. Are they better per se? Who knows,but it’s my preference.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I haven’t ever really gotten a loud oil. I run Castrol 10W-40 GTX in my truck year round the only noise it makes is lifter tick which all the other oils I have tried do too. So I don’t really know of any loud oils lol. Maybe some ingredients are different.

 

[Zee09]

 

[Jetronic]

If one oil meeting the spec is as good as another meeting that spec, there's no good reason not to look for a quiet oil between them....

 

[Imp4]

I concluded nothing.
'Loud' oil is the construct of the uninformed few OCD internet avatars that are looking for both an intangible problem and an unmeasurable solution to that problem.

Cheers!!!

 

[Eddie]

I picked one oil with every new engine and stick with that oil so I don't have a comparison. My oil after an oil change seems to be quieter but, maybe only in my mind. Maybe someone with a Db meter will run some tests. Ha

 

[ABN_CBT_ENGR]

I don't see how a 'louder' oil could be louder without allowing more friction.

But I'm no engineer.

Thoughts?

Probably more false perception and anecdotal reasoning than factual reality PRESUMING all oils in question are in a given class and properly specified for the application and test within the standard.

On the other hand, you veer too far away from recommendations and a wide variety of noises will start ( hear them all the time doing UT)

At that point, isolating them will take various frequency and amplitude measurements to identify the source(s) regardless of the audible volume.

 

[Kawiguy454]

My perception is that heavier moly packs are quieter. Those are also typically heavier weight which may have a sound dampening effect on the mechanicals so appear quieter. I don't think there is more wear necessarily for louder oils. %.02 In my motorcycles there is a perceptible difference in sound and also transmission smoothness when changing out old/worn oil with fresh.

 

[nascarnation]

I concluded nothing.
'Loud' oil is the construct of the uninformed few OCD internet avatars that are looking for both an intangible problem and an unmeasurable solution to that problem.

Cheers!!!

It continues to be interesting that in this era where pretty much everybody is carrying a sound meter in their pocket, all we get are anecdotal observations.

 

[DGXR]

What you are saying makes sense in my head, but there is no proof. We'd have to run a quiet oil vs a loud oil in identical conditions to get anything conclusive. You're welcome to try it, if it hasn't been discussed in previous threads already.

In the Corvette I switched from M1 5w30 to M1 10w30 which cured the lifter tick noise on cold start.
Does this mean M1 5w30 is a loud oil and M1 10w30 is a quiet oil? Hmmmm...

 

[ZeeOSix]

I switched oil brands (both 5W-30) in my 4.0L V6 Tacoma, and one made the engine sound a bit quieter at idle than the other.

 

[edyvw]

Mobil1 is known as loud. Stellar UOA though.

 

[Kawiguy454]

It continues to be interesting that in this era where pretty much everybody is carrying a sound meter in their pocket, all we get are anecdotal observations.

My years as a Sonar operator mean I don't need an SPL meter to tell me there is a difference in output sound with different fluids inside an engine. Various elastomers and fluids can dampen the vibrational "Ringing" of metal parts simply by being in contact. Same result could probably be acheived cutting some sound mat and applying to valve cover/s and block.

 

[Kawiguy454]

Mobil1 is known as loud. Stellar UOA though.

M1 15-50 is not loud

 

[VolkswagenFox21]

I just tell my oil to shup up if it's being too loud.

 

[edyvw]

M1 15-50 is not loud

Yeah, but nothing impressive with that oil.

 

[nascarnation]

My years as a Sonar operator mean I don't need an SPL meter to tell me there is a difference in output sound with different fluids inside an engine. Various elastomers and fluids can dampen the vibrational "Ringing" of metal parts simply by being in contact. Same result could probably be acheived cutting some sound mat and applying to valve cover/s and block.

Remember when we say "different fluids" I'm assuming that these folks are comparing the same spec and viscosity.
No argument that a crankcase full of Lucas Oil Treatment is gonna sound different from 0W16.

 

[4WD]

I like loud oil ... then I don’t need to buy Flowmasters