So boys.. I was all excited after changing my oil for the first time (myself) over the weekend. Quite the accomplishment for my anxious ways but now I'm not so sure.. it appears that I've developed a tick after the oil change and I don't know what to do. My Rover typically had 5W-30 running in it but this weekend I switched over to Rotella T6 5W-40 as I live in a fairly cold climate. I have noticed that Emma is running smoother since the change but, after start-up, when the engine starts getting warm I hear the ticking underneath the driver side. This puzzles me too because isn't 40 thicker than 30?..

So here I was trying to be proactive and now I feel as if I did something wrong.... I should add that I've been checking the level daily and the level is right on the cusp of 'add oil'. Would a half quart of oil make enough of a difference to result in this noise?

Any input is appreciated, thanks.

 

5w40 is fine to use. What kind of filter did you use? did you use the larger capacity one or the regular sized one? did it make a strange sound like the oil wasn't getting through the engine right away on the first start after you changed it? I don't mean to insult you by asking but did you add enough oil? How cold is cold is the climate that you operate Emma in? i had a ticking but it was a lifter and I changed the oil about three times and just about have up then I threw in some marvels mystery oil and that cured it! A product that actually did what it's supposed to do, very surprising. One more question before I conclude my post but when the ticking occurs is the engine warm or is it just at first when the engine is cold?

 

Thanks for responding Fantom - appreciate it. I used a Napa Gold Filter. It was a bit larger than the filter that was on before and I filled it up at least 3/4 the way. I say that because it was full and the seal was lubricated but a bit spilled out when I put it on (installing that thing is difficult to do as it's on an angle..).

I live in an area where the temps dip below freezing at night. It has been a mild winter thus far but I expect the weather to get colder in the near future. Last winter we had mornings with -5 degrees F or so. It's not North Dakota or Minnesota but it's cold.

As far as the engine making a weird sound upon initial start-up, no.. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. I was in a heated garage working on it and it started up fine.

The ticking isn't upon start-up, it's after the Rover has been running for a while - I can really hear it when I'm idling and it sounds like it's right underneath the driver side. You're not insulting me by asking that question - that's why I stated the oil is right on the cusp of 'add oil' upon the first draw on the dipstick. After that it gets smeared and is hard to read. Repeatedly on the first draw it's at 'add oil'. I'll add a bit more oil tomorrow and see if it changes anything. If not I guess I'll try the Marvel Mystery Oil. Just a little paranoid because changing the oil just seemed too darn simple (although a bit messy) and now I'm wondering if there was more to it.. ready to head to the quick lube and have them re-do it. That's sad, isn't it?..

 

Always so elusive about your location.....
How much oil did you put back in? It takes 7 quarts.
It could be a lifter tick or it could be an exhaust leak at the downpipe.

 

Your truck is fine. Don't worry. These engines tend to tick anyways. Unlikely to harm anything. Fill it to half or full and see what happens. As long as the oil light stays off then you have oil pressure and it'll be fine. That Rotella is good oil so you did a good thing.

 

Personally if it were my truck id throw a quart of marvels mystery in and drive it for 500 miles or how ever many it says on the back of the bottle and change the oil again. I wouldn't recommend taking it back to a quick lube cause as soon they'll give you crap about putting the diesel oil in. Oil changes are a no brainer, quite lax worthy if you've got a set of ramps. I agree with fish that it's either a lifter or exhaust but my money would be on a stuck lifter. Rotella has a ton of detergents in it and rover engines love them, helps to keep things flowing and not build up, it probably loosened some sludge up and it got stuck in the lifter is all

 

this.

old motors make noise.

 

if i read correctly you were using 5-30wt Dino oil and switched to 5-40 synthetic and you now have a tick when it warms up? or were you running synthetic all along?

 

fishEH, I live in my head most of the time.. you know that Added enough oil, yes, thank you. I left out probably 3/4 of a quart as I figured I didn't want to overfill it. You know the RAVE states that it is a definite 'no-no'. God, I hope I don't have an exhaust leak. I don't think I'd know what to do with that..

Eric & Fantom.. I'll drive it for a while, see what happens, add some mystery concoction if I have to and drive it again.

drowssap - yep, you read it correctly.. this is the first time with synthetic - I was running the cheap stuff before with no tick. And I only hear it after the engine has warmed up a bit.

Merry Christmas you guys!

 

Just a little update on my fabulous ticking noise boys.. I decided to do absolutely nothing and it went away. I don't know where it went, or if it will come back but it vanished like a fart in the wind....