I recently changed my oil and have since noticed a Tappet noise.

 

I think I'm going to be opening the old oil debate but I put in 5/50 fully synthetic. I wanted to get 10/50 or 10/60 semi synthetic but these are difficult to get hold of.

Do you guys think that the Synthetic stuff is too thin?? evn though it meets the Spec. I never had this noise before changing the Oil so am wondering whether to Swop it for another grade.

 

Your thoughts,

Jase

hmm, i've just bought some castrol edge 10/60 to replace my oil with. Hope its ok!!

jason - i use 5W40 mobil fully synth in mine without problems

jason - i use 5W40 mobil fully synth in mine without problems

 

same for me, no probs

I recently changed my oil and have since noticed a Tappet noise.

 

I think I'm going to be opening the old oil debate but I put in 5/50 fully synthetic. I wanted to get 10/50 or 10/60 semi synthetic but these are difficult to get hold of.

Do you guys think that the Synthetic stuff is too thin?? evn though it meets the Spec. I never had this noise before changing the Oil so am wondering whether to Swop it for another grade.

 

Your thoughts,

Jase

 

I think its the other way round bud, your oil isnt thining enough when its getting hot and possibly leaving a lifter dry, 5w50 means the viscosity values of the oil 5w is a 5 weight oil the 50 is the hot oil viscosity and means it wont thin more than a 50 weight oil. For example a 0w30 oil will give you better performance as it has less weight and thins more so its more free flowing. I could be wrong but thats my understanding of oil

hmm, i've just bought some castrol edge 10/60 to replace my oil with. Hope its ok!!

 

Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole :(

Oh.......Doh

jason - i use 5W40 mobil fully synth in mine without problems

 

Same for me too, well the grade not the make....... :cool:

Hey guys don't forget that we have a trader on the forum that deals in oil.

 

If you ask them to recommend an oil for you, your car, your mods and your driving style they will come up with a recommendation.

 

Try going to opie oils web site.

 

Darrell

I hope its the oil and not a sticking lifter as the oil is much easier to fix than the lifter.

 

Thin oil should not be the cause of the tappet noise, the holes in the tappet assy are very small, its more likely to be a sticking lifter or a bit of crud has got the little ball valve in the lifter stuck open so its not keeping the pressure in it and allowing it to operate properly :(

I read on here once that you should get the highest second number you could get as our Zed engines get hot. So a 10/60 would be best. This would stop the oil shearing at high temperatures.

So, I went for the 50 but I think Carl is right its took thick when hot for normal everyday use, and I do use my Zed every day.

I hope its the oil and not a sticking lifter as the oil is much easier to fix than the lifter.

 

Thin oil should not be the cause of the tappet noise, the holes in the tappet assy are very small, its more likely to be a sticking lifter or a bit of crud has got the little ball valve in the lifter stuck open so its not keeping the pressure in it and allowing it to operate properly :(

 

Not saying its thin oil causing a noisy lifter, im saying its too thick an oil causing it, as you say the holes in the lifter are very tiny so the oil isnt getting in there, why i said use a thinner oil :)

Not saying its thin oil causing a noisy lifter, im saying its too thick an oil causing it, as you say the holes in the lifter are very tiny so the oil isnt getting in there, why i said use a thinner oil :)

 

I'm sorry Carl, but I have to say I've never read such a silly post. The oil in your car is pumped and therefore under presure. Even if the oil was as thick as treacle it would pass through the smallest of oil galleries unless it was blocked. and within a few minutes of your car starting the oil would be starting to get hot and reaching viscosity offering even less resistance, but more lubrication. Thinner oil may give you a quieter engine from starting (only if your using crap oil) but that is all. A 0 30w or 5w 30 should not be used in a turbocharged Petrol engine because it's viscosity will start to brake down at about 105 to degrees C. The oil passing through your turbos will reach up to 115 degrees C and higher boost and aftermarket turbos will reach even higher temps. So the 5w 30 will be breaking down very quickly and offer no protection as it looses its viscosity. Furthermore if you drive your car hard a 5 30w is so thin that it is thrown into the PCV system with every enthusiastic right hand turn. This then passes through the PCV valve and into the turbo, causing your car to smoke like a Mississippi river boat.

 

Good quality Semi and fully synthetic oils contain polymers that will adhere to the components to protect them from ware until the oil reaches viscosity. Once it is at operating temp (normaly above 79 degree's C) it would pass through a hole finer than a pin prick. I'm sure we've all see engine bays with a thin dirty film in certain areas. That is generally caused by a oil spray mist from either a not fully tightened connector or old porous pipes.

 

Also Mr Nissan spent millions developing the engine and they recomended a 10w 40 semi synthetic at 6000mile oil change intervals or a 10w 40/50 fully synthetic oil depending on driving style and conditions. I'm pretty sure that Nissan knew what they were talking about.

Just a P.S. for you Jase M

 

If your cars turbo's are high milage ie + 70K and it has always been run on semi synthetic then changing to a fully synthetic could see the seels off and then thats new or recon tub's.

 

This has happened to me with a couple of T5's I've had. Always better to play safe and stick to what its used to. My Blue TT is run on 10w 60 fully synthetic, but that has fully fordged internals, bigger turbos and 1.2 bar boost. My NA's I run on 10w 40 semi.

I'm sorry Carl, but I have to say I've never read such a silly post. The oil in your car is pumped and therefore under presure. Even if the oil was as thick as treacle it would pass through the smallest of oil galleries unless it was blocked. and within a few minutes of your car starting the oil would be starting to get hot and reaching viscosity offering even less resistance, but more lubrication. Thinner oil may give you a quieter engine from starting (only if your using crap oil) but that is all. A 0 30w or 5 30w should not be used in a turbocharged Petrol engine because it's viscosity will start to brake down at about 105 to degrees C. The oil passing through your turbos will reach up to 115 degrees C and higher boost and aftermarket turbos will reach even higher temps. So the 5 30w will be breaking down very quickly and offer no protection as it looses its viscosity. Furthermore if you drive your car hard a 5 30w is so thin that it is thrown into the PCV system with every enthusiastic right hand turn. This then passes through the PCV valve and into the turbo, causing your car to smoke like a Mississippi river boat.

 

Good quality Semi and fully synthetic oils contain polymers that will adhere to the components to protect them from ware until the oil reaches viscosity. Once it is at operating temp (normaly above 79 degree's C) it would pass through a hole finer than a pin prick. I'm sure we've all see engine bays with a thin dirty film in certain areas. That is generally caused by a oil spray mist from either a not fully tightened connector or old porous pipes.

 

Also Mr Nissan spent millions developing the engine and they recomended a 10 40w semi synthetic at 6000mile oil change intervals or a 10 40/50w fully synthetic oil depending on driving style and conditions. I'm pretty sure that Nissan knew what they were talking about.

 

Mark i think you miss understood what i was meaning, Fry1 mentioned crud blocking the tiny holes up so what i ment to say in reply was if the holes are blocked and the oil is too thick (when cold) it wont get in, i nhave had this experience.

 

Good quality Semi and fully synthetic oils contain polymers that will adhere to the components to protect them from ware until the oil reaches viscosity. Once it is at operating temp (normaly above 79 degree's C) it would pass through a hole finer than a pin prick. I'm sure we've all see engine bays with a thin dirty film in certain areas. That is generally caused by a oil spray mist from either a not fully tightened connector or old porous pipes.

The polymers are added to prevent the oil from thinning too much when it gets hot. When the oil is cold the polymers allow the oil to flow more freely as its thicker when cold which is the low W number. when the oil gets hot, the polymers react to prevent the oil from thinning too much. So therefor the higher second number is the rating the oil will only thin to when hot. So the higher the number the thicker the oil will stay when its hot, if its still too thick when its hot any blockages will stop or slow the oil flow down. Especially if changing from mineral to synthetic oils can cause deposits in the engine to get dislodged and causing all sorts of problems if the engine hasnt had a good flush first

The polymers are added to prevent the oil from thinning too much when it gets hot.

 

And when you switch your engine off it is hot, is it not. So the thicker oil containing polymers does what?

 

When the oil is cold the polymers allow the oil to flow more freely as its thicker when cold which is the low W number.

 

Which is what i said and you didn't in your previous post. You actually said

 

as you say the holes in the lifter are very tiny so the oil isnt getting in there, why i said use a thinner oil

 

Your inference was that thicker oil wouldn't pass through fine oil galleries. I know you did mention deposits in an earlier post, but if it has a blockage it needs sorting. ie flushing and praying.

 

So therefor the higher second number is the rating the oil will only thin to when hot.

 

Irrelivant as to how thick the oil is, the number relates to the temp rating at which the oil viscosity starts to break down. Which is it ability to prevent mechanical ware and damage. Once the temp exceeds viscosity limits then the oil starts to burn and this then causes damage by friction and carbon deposits which can build up and block oil galleries. The lower number would have more bearing on the oil thickness.

 

The lower number is more to do with the temps at which the oil becomes effective (reaches viscosity) which is why it has a W rating after it to indicate it is more or less effective at cold temps. ie a winter rating.

 

I said what i said Carl because I think your post was miss leading and I also know from bitter experience that 0w 30 is a very bad ideal for a Turbo charged Petrol engine and is usually used for low reving low presure TDI's

If all you have got is noisy lifters, try some lifter lube from harry,s about six quid; worked on mine.

Sounded like a sewing machine on start up, but after putting tha in and ran it for few hundred went away. does come back now and again but only lasts a minutes.

TBH, sometimes a small capful of ATF is enough to cure noisey lifters :)

Thanks everyone but I think this is the least of my worries - see next thread