[jaap]

Last week the car was in for a service and the oil was also changed. However they also swapped from shell helix utra 0w-40 (used for the last 8 years) to castrol ?? 0w-40. Now upon startup I have a ticking noise, which sounds like lifter noise I had a few times when not using the car for a long period, but not as hard. The noise goes away after some driving but is there after each cold start. Both oils are 0w-40 so could a different brand cause this?



Jaap

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[bob blackwell]

Jaap, you are right, it shouldn't make a difference but it sounds like it did. I would change back to the Shell oil used previously and see if it goes away. It could be just a coincidence that one or more of ;your hydraulic lifters started showing wear after the oil change. Over time they will eventually require replacement as the seals wear and allow the oil to leak down. Usually a recommended replacement item during an engine overhaul. As long as the clicking goes away after the engine warms up there is no damage in driving it this way. Good luck, Bob Blackwell.

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[RPM]

How many miles on the car?

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[jaap]

Thanks Bob,



RPM,



[quote name='RPM' post='30810' date='Feb 10 2007, 03:56 PM']How many miles on the car?[/quote]



Around 180K km (112k miles). Prior to this recent oil change I never had any lifter issues except for the few times it happened after not using the car for weeks. I immediately noticed it after driving off at the dealer and it does it everytime after a cold start now.



I only found out about the different brand after asking but they claim it should not make a difference. Probably go back to the shell oil. One question though; would it be better to go to a thicker oil like a 5w-40 to prevent oil leaking away from the lifters? One thing is different from the few occasions were I had lifter noise because then it was right after the engine starts, but now it first is quiet and start to tick after about 10-20 seconds. And also less load as completely drained lifter(s) So it seems oil is not leaking out but is not circulating fast enough to keep it filled? So maybe the castrol oil is not as thin as the shell?

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[flash]

just to check the obvious:



how is the pressure? you sure it's full?

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[jaap]

[quote name='flash' post='30819' date='Feb 10 2007, 05:57 PM']just to check the obvious:



how is the pressure? you sure it's full?[/quote]



Checked the level and is at the top mark, pressure is 5 bar at idle right after start up and between 2 and 3 when warm. Between 4 and 5 when warm and medium to high rpm. So I assume this is ok. The engine otherwise seems to run ok (no obvious power loss or smoke) although I am carefull and keep it at low revs untill noise goes away.





Jaap

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[mike]

There is some information that may be of interest in the April 2007 edition of Excellence tech forum on page 34 and then another long article on oil starting on page 169 of the same issue. In the letter to the tech forum, the reply says:



"Use only those oils recommended in your owner's manual -SAE 0W-40, SAE 5W-40, or SAE 5W-50. Porsche is so sure of the decision that it came out with a bulletin recommending these oils for all of its older models as well."



The writer suggests that oil choice (mainly vicosity) can have an effect on engine performance and that the wrong choice could make your engine run poorly which sounds a little odd to me. And maybe most of this concerns the newer models. One specific example of an engine running poorly due to viscosity choice was in a 2001 996 Turbo which was the first Porsche to use VarioCam Plus technology. I don't know what the Plus system is but it is apparently sensitive to oil viscosity.



BTW - Neither my '91 944 or my '95 968 owner's manuals make specific oil reccomendations. I have been using Mobil 1 15W-50 and haven't had any oil related problems that I know of.



mike

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[flash]

cool - numbers are right - that's good news



the viscosity of the oil you are now using may be too light, or the composition of the formula may not be right for your engine's needs - was one synthetic and one dino?



i agree with going with the recommendations of the manual

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[stian968]

Hi



All the members, and dealers who do work on clubmembers cars tell me that Mobil 1 5W-50 is the only choice for all Porsches ! I was sceptic, but i now believe them. I had the cold start ticking myself, but than changed from Shell to Mobil 1, and after 3-4 weeks the ticking disappeared, and I never heard it again.



The dealers I spoke to were selling Shell oils also, but they said that if th engine was run hard the Shell oil

is too thin, and you get a layer of "skim" which will evaporate an cause humidity in the engine. That was enough for me !



Good luck with all the advises. I only use Mobil 1 !





Stian <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/rolleyes.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[jaap]

Flash,



Both are full synthetic oils but since the oil change is the only thing I can think of that would influence the lifters I think I will go back to shell oil. I assume the oil filter does not have a valve or something in it which when faultly could influence oil getting at the lifters without being detected by the oil pressure dial?



Stian,



For some reason oil is very expensive here in the netherlands (between $20 to $25 a liter) so although I would like to try the mobil oil I think I will stick to the Shell because that did not give problems before.



Jaap

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[bob blackwell]

Wow! Sorry to hear that oil is so expensive over there Jaap, we forget how good we have it here in the U.S.A. Good luck, Bob Blackwell.

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[Larry Currie]

It may not be the oil. I've had the same noise a couple of times after my car had not been run for a while. I run Mobil 1 5-50, and think it is the best choice. Did you run the car long enough to see if the noise quit?

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[stian968]

Hi



Also sorry to hear about those prices, it`s a robbery. Well, the ticking on my car started when I started

up my car after it had been stored for 6 years. Of course it had a goood overhaul before I got it. But the first 2 monts I ran it on Shell, but as said, it disappeared after changing oil brand !



The valve guides are the problem, and the ticking is a sign of worn lifters. Good luck



Stian

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[RPM]

Sort of OT but...

Also sorry to hear about those prices, it`s a robbery.

I'm not so sure about that. My experience living in Europe (5 years total) has lead me to believe that the high tax on petroleum (and darned near everything else for that matter) works out in the long run. Europeans never got addicted to stupid giant SUVs that get 12 mpg, they have beautiful well-paved roads that get constantly repaired and expanded, and the public transportation system is cheap and efficient. A good trade off for high gas prices I think.

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[flash]

YES!



off now to drop off the yukon at the shop

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[jaap]

[quote name='Larry Currie' post='30906' date='Feb 13 2007, 01:25 PM']It may not be the oil. I've had the same noise a couple of times after my car had not been run for a while. I run Mobil 1 5-50, and think it is the best choice. Did you run the car long enough to see if the noise quit?[/quote]





Yes, when I run the car for a (few) minutes the noise quits, but appears on the next cold start. I will give it a few more days and then probably change oils.





The high oil prices is for the full synthetics which most shops and also the OPC only sell by the liter. You can get much cheaper oils but don't think I would like to put these into the 968



Jaap

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