I had a slight tap after the engine warmed up before this weekend. Now after a 4 hour road trip it was very pronounced. I was running 10/30 synthetic and it seemed to be VERY thin after warming. So I changed to 10/40 today and threw in some Lucas. Still there after warming, and seems to start sooner than before. When I did the oil change I ran a bottle of flush through first. Wondering if it may have hurt more than helped, or no effect at all. I plan on doing full head job within couple of months, as well as dropping pan and throwing new bearing in lower end, along with timing cover gasket and front main seal(lots of leaks from front). Unfortunately this is the only car in the house right now so can't really let it go down for more than a day to do everything I need, and don't have air tools to help rush the job along. Any suggestions until I can get to it? Or am I even barking up the wrong tree? This goes along with another post I made about my alternator going out. It happened after I got back from the road trip and was headed to the river for fathers day. Still having some electrical issues there too.

 

Is it coming from valve cover? My tap was just a bad rocker $12 repair? Pics in my thread

Touch a screwdriver to valve cover and touch ear to it should be easy to pin point it

 

I can only hope it's a rocker but I doubt it. I haven't used the screwdriver trick yet. I'm pretty deaf nowadays and have had trouble before being able to pinpoint any noises pretty much anywhere in the engine. I am going to try tonight when I get home. If it is a rocker and I can replace cheap enough I may go ahead and do it now and wait for the complete head job a couple months. It worries me when I hear that loud noise at idle. Almost sounds like a knock but I know its not.

 

put a 15 or 20 wt dinosaur oil in and see if it quiets back down,

 

I put 10/40 standard in. you thinking 15/40?

 

Supposed to run 15/40 diesel oil

 

I had the same. I have a Disco II but same thing. Rotella Dino 15/40 oil fixed it and hasn't hurt my "finely tuned" Buick engine after two years. In fact the first three changes it came out BLACK. After that, it is pretty clean even after 3k. I inferred that I have a very clean engine now, but the proof will be revealed next time I do the head gaskets. May I not live so long.

I know this sounds crazy but I had serious problems after a flush with sea foam (in top end and oil) . When I took the top end off for head gaskets I found a clogged oil passage, and I think the sea foam did too good a job knocking everything loose. Maybe you have semi dry rockers.

 

at least 15-40 rotella, in TX i would run 20-50

 

Wow that seems extreme. I have been going by the manual and it states 10/40 for hottest climate. If other guys have had luck though I'm willing to give it a shot. Wouldn't be the first time I ran 15-40 just because an engine is high mileage. Will give it a try this weekend I think.