Scrubb Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 Just put some Castrol GTX 20W50 in my 4G32 after getting my valves adjusted. I was running Shell Helix 14W40 (but apparantly they didnt really need to be adjusted but were done anyway) and now they're alot noisier than before.. they go tap-tap-tap clickety clack and it dosnt seem to stop. Anyone else had these problems running this oil? caboonatlarge said his was noisy running this oil.. guess this is what he meant. Do ya think this would be an easy fix by just changing oil? And is it ok to drive like this because I'm probably gonna be doing alot of driving.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unclejake Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 If the problem started as soon as you changed the oil then going to a different oil should solve the problem instantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFI_LC Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 You could try an additive like wynns for oil as this sometimes helps but if its really loud then i doubt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay GTi Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 Castrol oil is known for giving you a rattly top end, especially the Magnatec crap. You could live with it, I ran Magnatec for a while in my old GTIR, but if you don't want the rattle then it's an easy enough fix. Also be wary of additives, unless it's a proven product that you know works, my advice is to stay away because either they do sweet fa, or can actually do more harm than good (the ptfe based treatments for example). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaMpylobacter Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 ogre, and I, have found shell helix 20w50, in the red bottle = win. better than gtx hard. seems to not burn as much as gtx in old engines too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8Pete Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 ogre, and I, have found shell helix 20w50, in the red bottle = win. better than gtx hard.seems to not burn as much as gtx in old engines too. Always pisses me off that it doesn't have a windscreen reminder sticker on the bottle though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QCADTA Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 Have you tried "racing" the engine as mitsubishi call it. When i had my evo you had to give it a canning after changin the oil to remove an airlock up top or something. Either that or change oil again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaMpylobacter Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 ogre, and I, have found shell helix 20w50, in the red bottle = win. better than gtx hard.seems to not burn as much as gtx in old engines too. Always pisses me off that it doesn't have a windscreen reminder sticker on the bottle though only used one of those tings like once, ever. always remember when change etc are due Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuel Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 Are you sure the noise didn't start after the engine warmed up fully after setting the tappets on the new oil? I can't see how a different brand of oil can actually physically alter the clearance of the tappets - cause that's what would be making the noise. The newer mitsis are picky with oils due to their hydraulic lifters, which the 4G32 doesn't have. How were the tappets set - while the engine was dead cold or with the engine hot? What were they set to? The manual specifies 0.15mm for intake and 0.25mm for the exhaust but I've always done 0.1 and 0.2 respectively. I am pretty certain the clearances on a few tappets are just too big, either that or you have something worn in the rocker gear (either camshaft, rocker arm foot, or the tappet itself). If you are so certain it's the oil, change it back to whatever you were running previously. Just for reference, 15W40 is a thinner oil than 20W50, so if anything switching to a thicker oil will bridge gaps more and make for a slightly quieter engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishtailfred Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 ^ what he said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay GTi Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 I can't see how a different brand of oil can actually physically alter the clearance of the tappets - cause that's what would be making the noise. Yeah doesn't make much sense when you think about it like that, but my GTIR was noticeably quieter with different oil (switched to Millers, which you don't get here) and that had bucket and shim tappets, not hydraulic tappets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishtailfred Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 different viscosity can, and different milage (because of different age). also, if its an old engine with a diaphram fuel pump... that leaking will thin the oil out. that should be obvious though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay GTi Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 different viscosity can, and different milage (because of different age).also, if its an old engine with a diaphram fuel pump... that leaking will thin the oil out. that should be obvious though. Yeah all true, but going from one oil to another supposedly of the same viscosity and firing it up straight after the oil change and hearing a definite difference... can't say I have a clue why the Castrol was noisier than the Millers, but it was immediately obvious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrubb Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 I was running 15W40 Shell helix and it started running a bit low so just topped it up with some 10W40 or something my uncle had lol and I had no problems. I'm now using Castrol 20W40 and its noisier but I dont know if its only sometimes or if its stopped because I havent noticed it today.. will have to let ya know next time I start it up in the cold and then listen when its warmed up.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuel Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 First you say 20W50, then you say 20W40 - which is it? 20W40 is no thicker or thinner than 10W40/15W40 when it's at normal operating temp. If it's 20W40 it would be Castrol Super which is a low grade SE/SF oil, while the 15W40 oil would be SL or SM rated which is good oil. Fact of the matter is, different BRAND oil shouldn't make the tappets noisier, more so the grade or viscosity would have different properties which may slightly hide the sound of a tappet with excessive clearance. At the end of the day, you still have a tappet which is still not spot on, hence the noise. I keep telling you this, but you go off on another tangent thinking it's something else. Just like the ignition timing settings. What's the point of us even answering your questions if you just disregard them? Your call, really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrubb Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 whoops.. meant to say 20W50 Fact of the matter is, different BRAND oil shouldn't make the tappets noisier, more so the grade or viscosity would have different properties which may slightly hide the sound of a tappet with excessive clearance. At the end of the day, you still have a tappet which is still not spot on, hence the noise. I thought that too thats why I asked here.. I'll have to lookup what those numbers mean on the oil.. I just buy what I'm told lol And thanks for the ignition timing info, you helped me set it by myself and I also advanced it 2 degrees.. runs alot better than it did. Sorry if it seems like I ask for advice and then ignore it, I dont. I dont know crap about fixing cars so I'm trying to learn how things work and whats going on but usually I cant fix it myself so I like to find out as much info as I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrubb Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 Soo.. Its better to have the valve clearance adjusted smaller rather than larger? Other than noise whats the reason? Oh I forgot to answer your question fuel, they were adjusted right after I had been driving it so engine was hot and they were set to 0.15mm and 0.25mm. So you're saying they must just be set too lose fuel and the different viscosity oil is making it more noticable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuel Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Setting the clearances tighter can allow for the valve to open just that bit more and for just that bit extra duration - downside is if you set them too tight the valve doesn't sit on the seat for long enough and can not allow for the valve to transfer enough heat and causes a burnt valve. I found with my old 4G37 I couldn't get rid of a noise coming from one or two tappets, turns out the rocker arm feet on two of them were worn so I replaced the rockers with roller rockers off an import 4G37 and the noise went away afterwards, after setting to 0.1 and 0.2. Thinner oil has a less of a cusioning effect, so if there was a couple tappets with just enough clearance to be noisey a thicker oil can sometimes quieten it up a little bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishtailfred Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 If it's 20W40 it would be Castrol Super which is a low grade SE/SF oil, while the 15W40 oil would be SL or SM rated which is good oil. 20w40 oils are crap, but the castrol gtx 20w50 is rated to the most modern standard. its ordinary, but good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuel Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 I think GTX (white bottle) is only SL specification, GTX Protec 15W40 (black bottle) is SM. Castrol is good, but I found for the same price you could get Valvoline oil which was just as good, if not better in 5L packs as opposed to the 4L Castrol packs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.