Would my Accord benefit from thicker oil??

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Originally Posted By: CATERHAM
Since it happen when the engine is cold or hot that rules out a thicker oil as a possible solution.


that obviously is not good news to me. I changed out the Ultra with SynPower today - it is still 5W20 since I already had it on hand. I replaced the PureOne with and M1 filter, but the clacking is still there. No surprise, I guess.

Not sure if it is just in my head, but it actually might be a bit more prevalent when the engine is warm.

Is there any additive at all that anyone here would think is worth trying?
 
sr71: The word you chose to describe the sound you're hearing -- i.e., "clacking" -- is classic piston slap in a high-mileage Honda motor. To confirm this, you can Google "Honda piston slap" and listen to various sound clips. It is irratating but harmless.

And, to answer your question, IME nothing you can pour from a plastic bottle will repair a mechanical ill. A heavier weight oil (5W-30) will drop the decibel level slightly, but it will not eliminate it.
 
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Originally Posted By: Hounds
sr71: The word you chose to describe the sound you're hearing -- i.e., "clacking" -- is classic piston slap in a high-mileage Honda motor. To confirm this, you can Google "Honda piston slap" and listen to various sound clips. It is irratating but harmless.

And, to answer your question, IME nothing you can pour from a plastic bottle will repair a mechanical ill. A heavier weight oil (5W-30) will drop the decibel level slightly, but it will not eliminate it.


Yeah, I'm kinda wondering this too! Is sr17 hearing "Clacking" or injector "ticking" that may be a bit louder than the norm.

My wifes Lexus experiences injector ticking in the winter only and I can only hear it from inside the car, not under the hood. And the noise is there from the time I start the engine til I shut if off. This winter, 10W30 seems to help for the cold, IDKY! 5W20, or just about anything Mobil 1 makes it the worst and 5W30 dino or syn is OK! Maybe it's really a lifter! Quiet as a mouse in the summer on any oil grade.

I don't use 5W20 in this engine(1MZFE) but I did try it for 1 OCI.
 
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does it happen both at idle and under load? any chance you can post a vid on youtube with sound?
 
btw when I hear "clacking" I think of a sound like a mini-diesel, not the "tick-tick-tick" of valves.
 
Thanks guys, a lot of great input here, I really appreciate it!

I think the ticking is pretty minimal at idle, and not audible when coasting on the freeway, but revving the engine going uphill under light load is where it is most pronounced. Warm or cold engine seems to make no difference.

Valves have been adjusted twice in less than 10K miles, so I'd think we could rule that out as a source?

Looking at the pictures in the other thread I think makes it pretty evident that the engine is maintained above average.

I will see if there is a way to record the sound, but it may be difficult, considering it is not very audible at idle.
 
If you are getting a clicking/ticking/clacking under load, wouldn't that indicate detonation?

I do a de-carboning treat ment of some kind - water, Seafoam, MMO and see if that helps the engine.
 
Originally Posted By: addyguy
If you are getting a clicking/ticking/clacking under load, wouldn't that indicate detonation?

I do a de-carboning treat ment of some kind - water, Seafoam, MMO and see if that helps the engine.


I have actually been using MMO fairly consistently over the last year and a half or so, although I have been dosing it well below the recommended dose most of the time. Spark plugs were replaced 10K miles ago - Denso irridum plugs.
 
did you have the valves adjusted because of the clacking, or did the engine start clacking after the adjustment?
 
Originally Posted By: k24a4
did you have the valves adjusted because of the clacking, or did the engine start clacking after the adjustment?


I heard a clacking (have no idea if that is the right word for the noise) and had the valves adjusted a little more than 10K miles ago. The noise persisted, so I thought it was the valve adjustment, so I just had the adjusted again, but the noise is still there at the same rate, so I think I can rule out the valves?

I don't think that adding mmo is making any noticeable difference either in this regard either, but I am using it more to keep it clean, and clean it is!
smile.gif


I have never done a UOA on my car, maybe I should have one done next time, just to see if it points me to something, based on what kind of wear metals they find?

Maybe I am just making too much out of it - my Accord is a high mileage vehicle, it runs great, has cost me next to nothing in repairs, and the noise is such that 90% of drivers would not even notice.
 
I'd like to add that, I realize that MMO can be added to either gas or oil. If your adding it to your oil, I'm wondering if this is one reason for your ticking/clacking! Thinning the oil too much? Beyond what you may realize. IDK!

In the fuel? IDK this either! Lowering the octane too much causing detonation?

I never used any addative in my Honda's except for some Techron FSC because it needed it once and the FSC helped/fixed the issue!
 
Char Baby,

I am using MMO in the fuel - stopped for a couple of fill ups, and then recently added it again, and it seems to run smoother with MMO.

I have tried running premium gas, but that seems to make no difference in anything.

I now have 500+ miles on the car since changing from PU back to SynPower, and the engine has really quieted down a lot. I don't know why that would be, but it really seems to me that the Honda K24A4 does not like PU?

I was disappointed right after changing back to SynPower, because the engine was still noisy, but as the miles have been added on to it, it seems to have gradually quieted down, so as of today, I am very pleased.
 
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I have an 03 accord with > 250000km, but my experience is that SynPower and Mobil 1 (both 5w30) work best in my car. The car run quieter and smoother and uses less oil when both of those oils. PP, and a number of other synthetic brands were noisier in my car.
 
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Originally Posted By: Sworkhard
I have an 03 accord with > 250000km, but my experience is that SynPower and Mobil 1 (both 5w30) work best in my car. The car run quieter and smoother and uses less oil when both of those oils. PP, and a number of other synthetic brands were noisier in my car.


Sworkhard,
my observations are similar - based on experience, my second choice for oil would be M1, but SynPower is my favorite for sure. I have always used 5W20.
My Accord usually burns very little oil - half a qt for a 10K km (6.2K mi) oci on M1, none with SynPower, but with PU it went through 1.5 qt.
 
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