Changing oil weight to cure tapping lifters

[The_Handier_Man1]

From: mightybooboo  (Original Message)
Sent: 3/17/2004 1:03 PM

I was advised here that my ticking Winnie lifters might be fixed with a higher viscosity oil.Well, I will change it from 10w40 to straight 30wt. today and see what happens.HOWEVER....my Jetta calls for 5w-40wt and at 59000 miles has the infamous clicking lifters(for last 15-20 thousand miles).I was down a qt so I thru in a qt. of 10w-30(Remembering the FINE ADVICE from the CWM Master Mechanics) and guess what?Thats right,no mo' clicking!!So next oil change it gets 10w40,not 5w40 like the worthless Stealership INSISTS it must have(They also claim clacky lifters on startup is fine,yes I understand bleed down,but sheesh...).Thank you Gentlemen for the excellent advice!My Jetta will last much longer with a grade of oil that fits the CARS NEEDS,as opposed to the manuals and dealers crappy advice.
BooBoo



From: denison
Sent: 3/17/2004 1:29 PM

While I am as used to mopar lifter noise as anyone, the ticking I thought was just a worn lifter for 11 years was really a bent pushrod rapping against a corner of the engine head in my 413.  It finally wore into two pieces and fell away.  The cam lobe then pitched the unopposed lifter out of its bore, and my oil could flow freely through the 3/4 inch hole.  Zero pressure on both of my oil press. gauges!  Anxiety!  On my other winny, an early task will be to remove the rocker covers, and spin each of the pushrods to see if any are bent.  On the engine where the pushrod wore in two, I was able to tell that 3 other pushrods were slightly bent when I opened it up.   



From: mightybooboo
Sent: 3/17/2004 8:39 PM

"I was advised here that my ticking Winnie lifters might be fixed with a higher viscosity oil.Well,"

Didnt seem  to helpgoing to 30 wt, but only warmed it upmaybe 10 mins. at idle,I did get driveshaft pulled.....
BooBoo



From: jipjob1
Sent: 3/18/2004 2:01 AM

I use No Smoke additive and it really works great. 



From: denison
Sent: 3/18/2004 7:06 AM

     Besides fresh oil and filter in your winnebago, the next best thing for valve lifter health is to take a nice long drive, maybe a hour on the highway or more, to let the oil get fully warm, the crud get softened, and the cleaning action have time to progress.  And though some test starts and short runs are unavoidable, I try to not start the engine if I wont be taking it for a long enough drive to get fully warm.   
     As far as your Jetta goes - some designs are more susceptible to lifter noise than others, and you can certainly change to a 10w20 or 10w30 oil after 59k miles.  I think the only time and place the 5W weight oil would be important is with subzero starting temperatures on a low mileage motor, in a late model car.   



From: mightybooboo
Sent: 3/18/2004 9:59 AM

"I think the only time and place the 5W weight oil would be important is with subzero starting temperatures on a low mileage motor, in a late model car."

Dave,I think you pegged it with that answer.She was VERY tight when new and took about 20000 miles before she started loosening up and the power output started to noticably increase.Thats why I bought into the 5w-40 in the first place as it WAS appropriate(for break in),just didnt use my head later and graduate from it.Then again,never had a modern engine like the VR6 before,amazing what the newer cars are doing nowadays .My 1991 Chevy seems like a Dinosaur(10w-30,no  problemo) compared to the 2001 Jetta technology.AMAZING!Very disappointed in VW though,they should know better and give better advice to their Techs or Service writers to work with.Thanks again for your help,you(and the other pros here,lefty,Jim,etc(you all  know who you are though I forget names).who understand oil wt.ratings in the real world) truly helped me save a bundle and do I ever feel great when i step on it and no rattles,now thats NICE!

BooBoo



From:
Sent: 3/19/2004 9:29 PM

BooBoo,
     I had a total of three Jettas.  A 1985 Jetta Wolfsburg that had ? miles when I blew the engine, great car with the 1.8.  Should have kept it, but didn't have the time to fix it.  I sold it about 6 months ago.  It had AC, PS, PB, and an automatic tranny.  Pretty rare for an '85.
       Then I had a 1995 Jetta GL with the 2.0. It was a POS.  That car was nothing but trouble.  It had around 50,000 miles on it when the timing belt went, then it went down hill from there.  Lifter noise like crazy, bad O2 sensor, speed sensor, and a bad air sensor.  Not to mention that it didn't run when it rained!!!  Awful car.  It almost ruined VW's for me.
     Then in Oct. of 2001 I bought a brand new 2002 Jetta GLS.  Fully loaded, I loved that car.  That 2.0 would really move.  Then we had the winter of 2003, and I traded it this past July for a Jeep Cherokee.  I miss it.  Great car.  Loved the way it seemed to hug the road. 
     Now Amanda drives the Jeep, and I bought a Dodge Ram 2500 with the Cummins diesel.  Big difference from the Jettas that I grew so accustomed to.  I just got tired of the expense of driving a VW.  There arn't too many dealerships around here, and I didn't like the service I was getting.  I agree that VW needs to change some things in order to keep customer loyalty.



From: jhuey
Sent: 3/21/2004 8:12 PM

Put straight weight oil in your motor-home. Big blocks need 40-wt above 30 degrees air temp and 30-wt down to about zero degrees air temp.(if you insist on camping below zero use a 10-30 if you want to start and use your motorhome). Multi grade oils will maintain a weight of the first number and be able to handle the heat of the top number. So a 10-40 will be a 10 weight oil and deal with the heat of a 40 weight. The lighter weight oils will be less friction, because it flows easer and on modern engines get better gas mileage. We have old industrial engines designed to run oils of the era they were built and gas milage doesn't matter (don't I know that!!!), protecting the motor does. So for most of us use a 40-wt oil this summer. That's my two cents!
Joe



From: Myk-dK
Sent: 3/23/2004 12:14 AM

My dad bought a Plymouth Duster with a 318 new in 73 & a 3/4 ton Dodge truck with a 440. The truck started ticking just after the warenty expired (it had low miles as we used it around the farm) and he talked to the service maniger who agreed that it was a lifter tapping. the service manager puled out a quart of ATF & poured it in the engine & told my dad if it dont stop tickin in a few days to bring it back & theyed look into it. well by the time my dad got home the noise was almost gone & it went completely away in a few days. the Duster started tickin a few years later & my dad did the same thing as well & it solved the problem. Ever since when my dad adds a quart between oil changes he adds ATF on all his vehicles. I have done the same thing all my driving life & iv'e been drivin for more than 20 years. ATF has a very high detergent content & helps keep lifters & stuff clean

myk