What oil should i use for a Caravan 1997 3.0?

[jbrooklyn]

I have a lifter noise only in the morning. I'm using PP 10w-40 and Lucas. Should I use a thinner oil. The noise is only in the morning. After warm up there is no more noise. I live in Brooklyn New York. Any advice, I will appreciate it.

Thank you very much.

 

[Titan104]

Use 5w30.

 

[PT1]

Get rid of the Lucas and go with 5w30. You may have a bad lifter.

 

[jbrooklyn]

Thank You I will change the oil tomorrow.

 

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: jbrooklyn
Thank You I will change the oil tomorrow.


You might still have the lifter noise and have a gunked up lifter which is not pumping up fully. I would try changing the oil to a cheap 5w30 like supertech and cheap filter and substitute 1 quart for a quart of marvel mystery oil. Run this for 1500 miles and see if it cleans up the lifter. Then change the oil again using a better 5w30 and good filter. You might get lucky.

 

[levi]

Originally Posted By: PT1
Originally Posted By: jbrooklyn
Thank You I will change the oil tomorrow.


You might still have the lifter noise and have a gunked up lifter which is not pumping up fully. I would try changing the oil to a cheap 5w30 like supertech and cheap filter and substitute 1 quart for a quart of marvel mystery oil. Run this for 1500 miles and see if it cleans up the lifter. Then change the oil again using a better 5w30 and good filter. You might get lucky.



+1

 

[jbrooklyn]

Thank You for the Info.
I will try it tomorrow.
Thanks Again

 

[Gary Allan]

Describe your lifter issue. Some are immediate ...as in until the pressure comes up and others linger. Mine would be silent upon cold start THEN start ticking. It would cycle until the oil got fluid enough. It didn't matter what visc I used, nor weather it was conventional or synthetic. I tried everything (Gunk, Seafoam, and MMO). None of them worked at my problem. Auto-Rx did it the first time. I'm uncertain if the other products would have worked with continued use.

You can use any weight oil you please in that engine. From 5w-20 to 20w-50. The variable will be shorter trip fuel economy. It's a great engine if you keep your cooling system up to snuff. Longer term cooling system neglect can result in external head gasket leakage.

 

[VK56VD]

Originally Posted By: PT1
Get rid of the Lucas and go with 5w30. You may have a bad lifter.


I second this advice. If it still doesn't take care of it, give Auto-RX a shot at the end, if all else fails.

 

[ZGRider]

Who uses PP in an old Caravan? Unless you are going with extended OCIs (10,000 mi) you don't need that quality of oil in a Caravan. Just use a good quality Grp II oil like PYB or Motorcraft.

 

[VK56VD]

Originally Posted By: ZGRider
Who uses PP in an old Caravan? Unless you are going with extended OCIs (10,000 mi) you don't need that quality of oil in a Caravan. Just use a good quality Grp II oil like PYB or Motorcraft.


Nothing wrong with PP in an older vehicle especially after some of these ridiculous rebates. Maybe he wants to keep the vehicle for a long time and wants to maintain that engine.

 

[jbrooklyn]

I made a mistake on the type of oil the one I am using is Pennzoil
in the yellow bottle. The noise is as soon as I put on the van but after a few minutes the noise goes away.
Thank You

 

[ZGRider]

Piston-slap? Or carbon build-up in the combustion chamber?

What rebates? That's what I use and I never see rebates --

ChinaMart ain't got no stinking rebates...!

 

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: ZGRider
Piston-slap? Or carbon build-up in the combustion chamber?

What rebates? That's what I use and I never see rebates --

ChinaMart ain't got no stinking rebates...!


Those Mopar 3L engines in the mini vans are notorious for sticky or leaky hyd lifters that won't pump up fully when cold and click away. I had a 3.8L that did the excat same thing. Cleaned it with MMO & Rislone and kept it going another 10k until I had the valve cover off and could simply replace the lifter. They are very sensitive to dirt/sludge which s why I recommended trying the MMO solvent for 1500 miles. But he will find out if the lifter is dirty it will clean up and work. If it is leaking, no oil will help as it will need to be replaced. 3L Mopars are good candidates for synthetic oil to keep them clean.

 

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: ZGRider
Who uses PP in an old Caravan? Unless you are going with extended OCIs (10,000 mi) you don't need that quality of oil in a Caravan. Just use a good quality Grp II oil like PYB or Motorcraft.


PP is exactly what I would use to keep the lifters clean in that engine.