I would like some opinions on what oil your rovers are liking in the warmer months. I live in the pacific northwest, so summers are fairly mild.

I understand the basic properties of different weighted oils, but not sure whats best for a rover in summer. I have been using what some people suggest on Forum.

I think my engine is finally cleaning out. Took about 15,000 miles and i lost track of how many oil changes. I just realized my dip stick was stained brown when i bought rig. I never thought much of it (probably should have) But now its clean. Hopefully there wasn't to much damage to engine parts, so it will run for me for awhile.

Right now (winter) I am running 5-40 synthetic Rotella, and engine sounds better than it did last summer. Either because Gunk is clearing, or Rig likes it. But i think I found my winter oil.


I tried the Rotella 15-40 last summer and Mobile 10-40. My rig seemed to like the 10-40. But the engine had been gummed up badly by previous owner, so Maybe the 15-40 will sound better this summer?


My main question is, if my rig likes the 10-40 this summer, would there be any benefit in trying a 10-30? I lately have noticed there are some guys on Forum that run 10-30.

Or am i better off just experimenting with a 10-40 or 15-40 in the summer months?

Thanks All

02 Disco II
4.0 liter 90k miles. Runs great, has had a tick. But it has slowly lessened
New wires, plugs, serpentine belt, hoses, 100s' of oil changes

 

I think any 30 weight is too light for these engines personally. I'd stick with 10W40. I'm interested in hearing how you got your tick to lessen though just with a lot of oil changes. Any cleaners/additives? Also, where was the tick? Mine is mostly around 2500 RPM or under load.

 

I am in the PNW also, and I run either 5W-40 T6 Rotella, or 10W-30 (Mobil1 or Rotella T5) whichever is in stock/on-sale. If you live on the west side of the mountains it doesn't ever really get hot enough (or cold enough for that matter) to worry about switching for summer/winter.

After several oil changes, my Rover seems to behave the most with T6 5W-40 year round.

 

www.bobistheoilguy.com

Check that site out.

 

Hello Snafu.

My engine noise was really bad at startup. Then it would tic, or almost knock at really low RPMs', ESP in drive when brakes were on.At a drive through it was the worst, it would echo off walls. Sound mostly Came from drivers side, and u could hear sound really well echoing from above tire. If i gave it gas i could hear it accelerate with engine to about 1800 RPMs then it was hard to hear, and sometimes I couldn't hear it at all. Had oil pressure checked, and its good.


I ran MMO for a few cycles at first and used Wix filters once I learned of good filters. Didn't seem to help the sound. It did seem to remove some sludge slowly. Oil was a little darker at changing. Did 1 cycle with reslone, about same result as mystery oil.

I really like the WIX filters. never paid attention to buying good ones till I got my rover and u guys told me how important good filters are. They were def catching some build up because they had more weight to them at oil changes than the cheapies I used at first.

So sound was still driving me nuts. Ran great, but sound was disturbing...lol. Sounded like a lifter, but it was almost a light knock. Tried lucas with a Rotella 15-40, this made it sound worse. Took Lucas out right away.

Tried a regular generic engine flush, i think it was called "engine flush". I idled it in park for 15 min with RPMs up to recommended amount (1500-1800) i think. This didn't help either. It didnt even really make oil dirty. So I basically just thought it was going to tick for ever.

Around beginning of this winter I went to auto store. I had 5-40 Rotella in rig at the time. (This was the first time i had run 5-40). and was due for a change when i got home.

At store, I saw "Valve Medic" by Gunk on shelf. First time I had seen it for sale at a store. It was like 4 bucks, and said it "works fast". So, i was like, "whatever, I am trying it" directions said, poor into hot crank case and drive. Didn't say how long or how far. So I figured I would only drive it home, then change oil.

I drove home, I took long way and it was pretty cold outside. Probably drove 35-50 MPH most of the time. with some stops for lights etc. I did this for about 50-60 minutes.

Changed oil right when i got home. Filter was heavy. No joke, It felt like it was same weight as quart of oil. I kept it, and am going to cut it open.

Put in new Rotella 5-40, and it sounded better right away. It was already warm. When starting cold, i still have some noise at start up. But it sounds like a normal clatter from all lifters. Goes away in a couple minutes, Then she sounds awesome, almost perfect for awhile, then, when it gets really warm, at a low idle, I will still hear it from time to time. but it is more of a tick. Before it was more like a light knock at low idle. It is now hard to hear, unless your into engines. My wife cant hear it at all. But you know how that goes.

I am happy now, as sounds seem like normal wear and tear. Before, It drove me nuts because i kept thinking I would need a new engine within a year. And its a daily driver, And I hadn't had rig long.

So I am not sure if the Valve medic combined with the Rotella 5-40 did it on that drive home? Or if it was a combination of everything i did over the past 15,000 miles; and the Valve medic finally busted through sludge that wouldn't remove before.

Sorry so long, but i tried so many things. I even tried Greased lightning with PTFE. don't tell anyone, lol

Let me know if you try the valve medic what happens?

 

Great info an thanks! I've only had her about 1000 miles now, and bought it as my extra vehicle to have some fun with. Looked for months for one, and they all seemed to have some type of tick. I just figured it was an old style engine with 100K so it would have it. The previous owner did a ton of work about 8K ago to the engine, so I figure things are OK. But, there is a tick mainly about 2000rpm or under load. Really sounds like a lifter or valve, but hard to tell. So far, I ran seafoam thru (one in the oil for maybe 50 miles, 1 thru the intake and 1 in the gas tank). I also put Lucas in the gas tank at each fill up. I don't have the tick at all at idle, and it is not loud at all even during the coldest start ups. The truck has spent more time at the airport in the past month than driving, and both times sitting for 4 days each below zero and she was quiet starting. I'm using M1 10w40.
I know the tick might not go away, but I am figuring she is sludged up in there pretty good to sound like that. She sounds a bit like a diesel at idle, but no knocking or anything. Fuel mileage is OK, she runs clean from what I see and otherwise the engine seems solid. I do want to trying *something* though!

 

Snafu, let me know if anything helps your engine noise. I think my rig sat for awhile also before i bought it, and the previous owner neglected maintenance.

The MMO is also good for gas to, and its a lot less expensive than he lucas fuel treatment. You Only need to add like 4 ounces of it at a fill up. And a decent size bottle is inexpensive. Good luck.

 

Thanks Rob and Mike.

Rob, I live on Camano Island. So I'll keep using the 5-40 through the summer and see how she behaves.

Where did you get your roof rack? I need one.

 

Good stuff, Rotella's nice and cheap to. Check out http://www.pnwadventures.com/ ,there is a run out near Ellensburg on Mar 19th if you want to join in on the fun.

I actually got my rack of Craigslist from a guy in Gig Harbor...he said it was custom made, but after doing some research it might actually be a genuine Land Rover rack, I've seen the same/very similar on some Defenders in the UK and some Discos in the States. I was considering selling it if you're interested...

Here's a Voyager rack for sale in Redmond --> http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/pts/2236500414.html

 

Send me some pictures of the rack, and let me know what you want for it. Does it block the sun roofs at all? Not sure i am ready for one just yet, but def in near future. If I like it would work out great, no shipping etc.



I looked at the Ellensburg event. Looks nice. Is it serious off roading, or is it pretty mellow trail riding? I would probably have a 3 year old along for the ride.