My 06 Escalade ticked and had a rough-ish idle with the new PP. Switched to M1 and everything was fine again. Which is counter to the historical view. Maybe it's the new PP brew or maybe the old girl is getting picky
Motor oil and engine sound
- Thread starter Carguy21
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I'm a firm believer in this theory IF you have good ears and pay attention to your vehicles. I've proven it many times in my fords and Hondas. When I run M1 products the engines in MY vehicles make so much more audible noise that my wife hears them and she is oblivious to what oil was used and any other maintenance I have done.
I'm not knocking the quality of Mobil 1 products whatsoever, I know they are good oils and have been proven time and time again over the years BUT they are KNOWN to cause much more noticeable noise in engines of many types. Therefore, I will not use their products again simply based on that fact.
I'm not knocking the quality of Mobil 1 products whatsoever, I know they are good oils and have been proven time and time again over the years BUT they are KNOWN to cause much more noticeable noise in engines of many types. Therefore, I will not use their products again simply based on that fact.
If the noise difference is that noticeable then maybe it can be recorded on your smart phone or MP3 player.
My MP3 player does an excellent job of picking up subtle noises that can only be heard when you turn up the volume on playback, noises that I did not hear on my own.
My MP3 player does an excellent job of picking up subtle noises that can only be heard when you turn up the volume on playback, noises that I did not hear on my own.
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: Oregoonian
QSUD... has about three times the molybdenum... as most other major synthetics...so I'm thinking that could the reason for my quieter engine.
Except that it is "regular" moly, whilst the premium synthetics from Mobil and SOPUS use tri-nuclear moly, which is several times more effective and subsequently requires a much lower treatment rate for the same effect.
Thank you for explaining that. This whole sound thing is almost a joke, as opinions vary widely from engine to oils.
Originally Posted By: Oregoonian
QSUD... has about three times the molybdenum... as most other major synthetics...so I'm thinking that could the reason for my quieter engine.
Except that it is "regular" moly, whilst the premium synthetics from Mobil and SOPUS use tri-nuclear moly, which is several times more effective and subsequently requires a much lower treatment rate for the same effect.
Thank you for explaining that. This whole sound thing is almost a joke, as opinions vary widely from engine to oils.
A few years ago I bought a 99 Chrysler Sebring for resale that had low miles but was rough. The motor was a little noisy and the oil was opaque black. It belonged to an old guy and I'm sure the oil was in there for a few years at least. Since I was reselling it, I just went with cheap SuperTech 5W-20 (as per oil cap) and a cheap Walmart Purolator filter. The car was amazingly quiet after the change - one of the very few that I've ever even noticed any difference.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Originally Posted By: Leo99
Originally Posted By: LX289
Yes some do. Like if you use a conventional oil compared to a synthetic such as a Grp. 3 or above. That is because of the reduction of the friction coefficient.
I'd love to see a blinded test of this. I'll remain skeptical that engines can sound different based on different brands of oil.
Me too. Also include acoustic waveform measuring instruments to see if the engine noise signature really is different when filled with different oils. Sounds like a job for the Mythbusters.
Here's a funny thing about engine sound. I had two bottles of AFE 0W20 and 0W30 side by side, they look identical. I grabbed the 0W20 by mistake last spring when I changed the oil and put my snowblower away for the winter. I knew as soon as it started running that something was wrong by the sound last week when it snowed. Sure enough I checked the bottle in my cabinet and I put the 0W20 in the machine. I swapped it out for 0W30 and the engine sounded better. Hearing has always been a good diagnostic tool, especially when you're working in a small garage. Opinions vary.
I just switched from 5W 30 to 0W 30 Mobil one in my snow blower and hear not one whit of difference.
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Originally Posted By: Leo99
Originally Posted By: LX289
Yes some do. Like if you use a conventional oil compared to a synthetic such as a Grp. 3 or above. That is because of the reduction of the friction coefficient.
I'd love to see a blinded test of this. I'll remain skeptical that engines can sound different based on different brands of oil.
Me too. Also include acoustic waveform measuring instruments to see if the engine noise signature really is different when filled with different oils. Sounds like a job for the Mythbusters.
Here's a funny thing about engine sound. I had two bottles of AFE 0W20 and 0W30 side by side, they look identical. I grabbed the 0W20 by mistake last spring when I changed the oil and put my snowblower away for the winter. I knew as soon as it started running that something was wrong by the sound last week when it snowed. Sure enough I checked the bottle in my cabinet and I put the 0W20 in the machine. I swapped it out for 0W30 and the engine sounded better. Hearing has always been a good diagnostic tool, especially when you're working in a small garage. Opinions vary.
I just switched from 5W 30 to 0W 30 Mobil one in my snow blower and hear not one whit of difference.
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
I just switched from 5W 30 to 0W 30 Mobil one in my snow blower and hear not one whit of difference.
I easily heard the difference between 0W20 to 0W30. It took a few minutes to figure out why. Then when I looked in my cabinet in the garage I saw a full bottle of AFE 0W30 and a bottle missing about 20 ounces of AFE 0W20. Then I realized when I changed the oil in the spring after fogging the engine I put the wrong oil in. Like I said before hearing is a very important tool in diagnosing engine problems.
I just switched from 5W 30 to 0W 30 Mobil one in my snow blower and hear not one whit of difference.
I easily heard the difference between 0W20 to 0W30. It took a few minutes to figure out why. Then when I looked in my cabinet in the garage I saw a full bottle of AFE 0W30 and a bottle missing about 20 ounces of AFE 0W20. Then I realized when I changed the oil in the spring after fogging the engine I put the wrong oil in. Like I said before hearing is a very important tool in diagnosing engine problems.
Nick1994
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I've used a lot of different oils, have yet to hear a difference.
I've never noticed a difference with my cars mixing brands of the same viscosity.
When switching from 0w-40 to 0w-30 (both 229.5 approved oils) I only noticed additional top-end noise (tapping sound) after running at speed for 30+ minutes, after coming off Interstate and idling at a stop light more specifically.
When switching from 0w-40 to 0w-30 (both 229.5 approved oils) I only noticed additional top-end noise (tapping sound) after running at speed for 30+ minutes, after coming off Interstate and idling at a stop light more specifically.
Yeah, well then there is hearing range and sensitivity to certain frequencies, and everyone's auditory system is wired slightly different; so what may be annoying to one person is not even really recognized by the next ...
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Originally Posted By: racin4ds
I'm a firm believer in this theory IF you have good ears and pay attention to your vehicles. I've proven it many times in my fords and Hondas. When I run M1 products the engines in MY vehicles make so much more audible noise that my wife hears them and she is oblivious to what oil was used and any other maintenance I have done.
I'm not knocking the quality of Mobil 1 products whatsoever, I know they are good oils and have been proven time and time again over the years BUT they are KNOWN to cause much more noticeable noise in engines of many types. Therefore, I will not use their products again simply based on that fact.
This was my experience as well when I used to run Mobil 1 and I was a Mobil 1 fanboy back in the day. I'm not saying it doesn't do a good job protecting but I don't like how my engines sound when using it so I don't.
I'm a firm believer in this theory IF you have good ears and pay attention to your vehicles. I've proven it many times in my fords and Hondas. When I run M1 products the engines in MY vehicles make so much more audible noise that my wife hears them and she is oblivious to what oil was used and any other maintenance I have done.
I'm not knocking the quality of Mobil 1 products whatsoever, I know they are good oils and have been proven time and time again over the years BUT they are KNOWN to cause much more noticeable noise in engines of many types. Therefore, I will not use their products again simply based on that fact.
This was my experience as well when I used to run Mobil 1 and I was a Mobil 1 fanboy back in the day. I'm not saying it doesn't do a good job protecting but I don't like how my engines sound when using it so I don't.
Originally Posted By: wtd
Originally Posted By: racin4ds
I'm a firm believer in this theory IF you have good ears and pay attention to your vehicles. I've proven it many times in my fords and Hondas. When I run M1 products the engines in MY vehicles make so much more audible noise that my wife hears them and she is oblivious to what oil was used and any other maintenance I have done.
I'm not knocking the quality of Mobil 1 products whatsoever, I know they are good oils and have been proven time and time again over the years BUT they are KNOWN to cause much more noticeable noise in engines of many types. Therefore, I will not use their products again simply based on that fact.
This was my experience as well when I used to run Mobil 1 and I was a Mobil 1 fanboy back in the day. I'm not saying it doesn't do a good job protecting but I don't like how my engines sound when using it so I don't.
A 20-50 oil may also help quite an engine down, if you have that type of engine that's noisy by design.
Originally Posted By: racin4ds
I'm a firm believer in this theory IF you have good ears and pay attention to your vehicles. I've proven it many times in my fords and Hondas. When I run M1 products the engines in MY vehicles make so much more audible noise that my wife hears them and she is oblivious to what oil was used and any other maintenance I have done.
I'm not knocking the quality of Mobil 1 products whatsoever, I know they are good oils and have been proven time and time again over the years BUT they are KNOWN to cause much more noticeable noise in engines of many types. Therefore, I will not use their products again simply based on that fact.
This was my experience as well when I used to run Mobil 1 and I was a Mobil 1 fanboy back in the day. I'm not saying it doesn't do a good job protecting but I don't like how my engines sound when using it so I don't.
A 20-50 oil may also help quite an engine down, if you have that type of engine that's noisy by design.
If you go back in time, I posted that M1 0W40 made the 3VZE in my 4Runner sound like a tin can full of rocks...and that was before the comment became popular...never experienced it with any other oil before or after.
That being said, the oil made no apprciable difference in my Nissan (but it's pretty clattery being a diesel).
Put M1 5W50 in my mower today after a run of straight 30, and it was appreciably quieter...ran hotter though.
That being said, the oil made no apprciable difference in my Nissan (but it's pretty clattery being a diesel).
Put M1 5W50 in my mower today after a run of straight 30, and it was appreciably quieter...ran hotter though.
Originally Posted By: Shannow
If you go back in time, I posted that M1 0W40 made the 3VZE in my 4Runner sound like a tin can full of rocks...and that was before the comment became popular...never experienced it with any other oil before or after.
That being said, the oil made no apprciable difference in my Nissan (but it's pretty clattery being a diesel).
Put M1 5W50 in my mower today after a run of straight 30, and it was appreciably quieter...ran hotter though.
That's a down side of thicker than necessary oils. Chevrolet had an engine in the late 80s or early 90s called the Quad 4 and it was very noisy. I had a couple of Dodge Slant 6 engines in the 60s and 70s that were noisy as well. Some engines are and some aren't
If you go back in time, I posted that M1 0W40 made the 3VZE in my 4Runner sound like a tin can full of rocks...and that was before the comment became popular...never experienced it with any other oil before or after.
That being said, the oil made no apprciable difference in my Nissan (but it's pretty clattery being a diesel).
Put M1 5W50 in my mower today after a run of straight 30, and it was appreciably quieter...ran hotter though.
That's a down side of thicker than necessary oils. Chevrolet had an engine in the late 80s or early 90s called the Quad 4 and it was very noisy. I had a couple of Dodge Slant 6 engines in the 60s and 70s that were noisy as well. Some engines are and some aren't
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: tig1
That's a down side of thicker than necessary oils.
Could you expand on what you mean here ?
M1 0W40 is "excessively thick" ?
Why wasn't Delo 400 noisier then, being thicker everywhare ?
Heavier oils tend to increase oil temps a bit. Not that they produce more noise.
Originally Posted By: tig1
That's a down side of thicker than necessary oils.
Could you expand on what you mean here ?
M1 0W40 is "excessively thick" ?
Why wasn't Delo 400 noisier then, being thicker everywhare ?
Heavier oils tend to increase oil temps a bit. Not that they produce more noise.
Originally Posted By: tig1
Heavier oils tend to increase oil temps a bit. Not that they produce more noise.
Yes they do...SAE 30 in my mower after mowing, and sitting on the governor for a few minutes on SAE30 was 87C oil temperature. M1 5W50 after mowing the other yard, and sitting on the governor for a while was a neat 100C.
(That's thermocouple down the dipstick hole)
Heavier oils tend to increase oil temps a bit. Not that they produce more noise.
Yes they do...SAE 30 in my mower after mowing, and sitting on the governor for a few minutes on SAE30 was 87C oil temperature. M1 5W50 after mowing the other yard, and sitting on the governor for a while was a neat 100C.
(That's thermocouple down the dipstick hole)
Originally Posted By: Leo99
Originally Posted By: LX289
Yes some do. Like if you use a conventional oil compared to a synthetic such as a Grp. 3 or above. That is because of the reduction of the friction coefficient.
I'd love to see a blinded test of this. I'll remain skeptical that engines can sound different based on different brands of oil.
Yeah meee twooo...
If friction were causing enough noise to make a difference, the engine would be worn out before the next OCI, hilarious...
Originally Posted By: LX289
Yes some do. Like if you use a conventional oil compared to a synthetic such as a Grp. 3 or above. That is because of the reduction of the friction coefficient.
I'd love to see a blinded test of this. I'll remain skeptical that engines can sound different based on different brands of oil.
Yeah meee twooo...
If friction were causing enough noise to make a difference, the engine would be worn out before the next OCI, hilarious...
Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: Shannow
If you go back in time, I posted that M1 0W40 made the 3VZE in my 4Runner sound like a tin can full of rocks...and that was before the comment became popular...never experienced it with any other oil before or after.
That being said, the oil made no apprciable difference in my Nissan (but it's pretty clattery being a diesel).
Put M1 5W50 in my mower today after a run of straight 30, and it was appreciably quieter...ran hotter though.
That's a down side of thicker than necessary oils. Chevrolet had an engine in the late 80s or early 90s called the Quad 4 and it was very noisy. I had a couple of Dodge Slant 6 engines in the 60s and 70s that were noisy as well. Some engines are and some aren't
The Quad 4 was a Olds engine and the Chrysler slant 6 had solid lifters, they all ticked (or clacked if valves were out of adjustment)... Using 20W-50 would likely somewhat muffle the noise of rockers striking valve tip...
Originally Posted By: Shannow
If you go back in time, I posted that M1 0W40 made the 3VZE in my 4Runner sound like a tin can full of rocks...and that was before the comment became popular...never experienced it with any other oil before or after.
That being said, the oil made no apprciable difference in my Nissan (but it's pretty clattery being a diesel).
Put M1 5W50 in my mower today after a run of straight 30, and it was appreciably quieter...ran hotter though.
That's a down side of thicker than necessary oils. Chevrolet had an engine in the late 80s or early 90s called the Quad 4 and it was very noisy. I had a couple of Dodge Slant 6 engines in the 60s and 70s that were noisy as well. Some engines are and some aren't
The Quad 4 was a Olds engine and the Chrysler slant 6 had solid lifters, they all ticked (or clacked if valves were out of adjustment)... Using 20W-50 would likely somewhat muffle the noise of rockers striking valve tip...
Originally Posted By: TFB1
Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: Shannow
If you go back in time, I posted that M1 0W40 made the 3VZE in my 4Runner sound like a tin can full of rocks...and that was before the comment became popular...never experienced it with any other oil before or after.
That being said, the oil made no apprciable difference in my Nissan (but it's pretty clattery being a diesel).
Put M1 5W50 in my mower today after a run of straight 30, and it was appreciably quieter...ran hotter though.
That's a down side of thicker than necessary oils. Chevrolet had an engine in the late 80s or early 90s called the Quad 4 and it was very noisy. I had a couple of Dodge Slant 6 engines in the 60s and 70s that were noisy as well. Some engines are and some aren't
The Quad 4 was a Olds engine and the Chrysler slant 6 had solid lifters, they all ticked (or clacked if valves were out of adjustment)... Using 20W-50 would likely somewhat muffle the noise of rockers striking valve tip...
Even when I adjusted the lifters on my Slant 6 they still were noisy by comparison to engines with hyd lifters. The downside to 20-50 syrup was not worth the quieter engine. Actually I first used M1 5-20 in my 78 Dodge Slant 6 and the engine was smother and quieter than 10-40 dino at the time.
Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: Shannow
If you go back in time, I posted that M1 0W40 made the 3VZE in my 4Runner sound like a tin can full of rocks...and that was before the comment became popular...never experienced it with any other oil before or after.
That being said, the oil made no apprciable difference in my Nissan (but it's pretty clattery being a diesel).
Put M1 5W50 in my mower today after a run of straight 30, and it was appreciably quieter...ran hotter though.
That's a down side of thicker than necessary oils. Chevrolet had an engine in the late 80s or early 90s called the Quad 4 and it was very noisy. I had a couple of Dodge Slant 6 engines in the 60s and 70s that were noisy as well. Some engines are and some aren't
The Quad 4 was a Olds engine and the Chrysler slant 6 had solid lifters, they all ticked (or clacked if valves were out of adjustment)... Using 20W-50 would likely somewhat muffle the noise of rockers striking valve tip...
Even when I adjusted the lifters on my Slant 6 they still were noisy by comparison to engines with hyd lifters. The downside to 20-50 syrup was not worth the quieter engine. Actually I first used M1 5-20 in my 78 Dodge Slant 6 and the engine was smother and quieter than 10-40 dino at the time.
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