lifter rattle at startup and Marvel Mystery Oil in crankcase

[sNaKeYeZ]

Hi all! This is my first post here, so bear with me.

I've searched this forum extensively and I'm still looking for some encouragement.

I have a 1998 Chevrolet Z-71 with the 5.7 liter V8. I got this truck brand new in August of 1997. The oil was changed exclusively at the dealership with Quaker State 10w-30 for the first oh 40,000 miles or so. Then I began changing it myself with Quaker State 4x4 synthetic blend 10w-30. Never has this truck gone over 4,000 without an oil change - never. Around 97,000 miles it developed a lifter rattle that was persistent, even after the engine warmed up. It worried me, but when I changed the oil it went away - completely. I was happy, but after about 2,000 miles on the oil change the lifter rattle came back only at startup for about 8 seconds on cold starts only.

After reading on this forum, I switched to Quaker State 4x4 synthetic blend 10w-40. I'm now at 108,000 miles and the lifter rattle at cold startup does come back, only after the oil has been through 1,500 to 2,000 miles.

After having a lot of tune upping done to my truck by my father-in-law (plug wires, fuel filter, timing, crankshaft position sensor, and intake manifold gasket) he heard the slight lifter rattle at startup and recommended me try adding Marvel Mystery oil to my crankcase 100 to 200 miles before I change the oil. He said it would likely clear the lifter rattle right up.

I've purchased a pint bottle of MMO but I'm scared to put it in my oil. After reading here, I'd have no trouble putting it in my gastank, but apparently that would do nothing for the lifter rattle.

Someone please tell me it's ok to put this stuff in my crankcase oil a couple of hundred miles prior to an oil change...

 

[Alan]

What brand of oil filter are you using?

 

[edvanp]

I have done this in the past on many vehicles I own. It darkens the oil in a hurry. It has never caused any problems and I think it helps to clean things up. It won't hurt to go a few hundred miles with it in your oil before a change IMO.

 

[sNaKeYeZ]

Heh, please don't kill me, but I'm using Fram filters. Always have. I know you guys hate them.

I've used them exclusively on my wife's suv with no issues, and my father has used them on his Jeep with over 180,000 miles since day 1.

You think the Fram filter may be letting oil flow back down too much?

 

[GoHeels1981]

What oil is spec's for this engine........you may need to use a 5w-30.

 

[Blue99]

Both Marvel Mystery oil & Rislone, in the yellow bottle, are commonly used for a lifter noise quick fix.

These Chevy V8's tend to run at fairly low rpm's and it may be some debris from carbon deposits that is obstructing oil flow & generating the noise.

Give it a try - will not harm your truck engine!

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Get your crankcase one quart low & buy the Rislone quart... not the smaller bottle concentrate. I know Murrays sells it. Run it for 1K - then use a 5W-30 high mileage oil from Pennzoil or Castrol for two OCIs with a half-quart of Rislone the last 1K. The 5Ws are actually thicker than 10Ws in alot of cases & flow better than 10Ws in extremes.

I'll bet your tick gets cured in the first Rislone application. The rest is preventative medicine.

Wal*Mart sells Motorcraft filters real cheap (around $3.50). It has the threaded-end valve. Much better at start-up & has better filtration than Fram. Quit using that QS. It's 2nd tier oil in the Pennzoil-Shell family. Pennzoil is 1st tier.

 

[Dr. T]

Go for it! I would love to see how MMO compares to LC for the same lifter knock problem. I currently use LC for the same cold start knock in my BMW with good, but not exemplary results. Would love to try MMO to see if it helps even more...Keep us posted.

 

[unDummy]

MMO/Rislone are available almost everywhere. And, I would use them 1st over any mail order product.
Both are 20wt-ish oils.
Use one full quart for a full 3k OCI with your 40wt motor oil.
Keep the oil topped off as there might be a little consumption.

I agree that these engines rattle with thicker oils. After running either MMO/Rislone, I'd switch right back to the 5w30 blend or high mileage oil. And, play musical oil filters. Try different filter brands over your next 4-5 OCIs. Don't be surprised if you find a filter that sounds better.

 

[glennc]

Since you've already bought the MMO, put it in. It won't hurt and might very likely help.

Definitely get another filter, now that you know others are better. Save back the difference by either extending your OCIs or using any number of inexpensive-but-excellent oils that are available. My current favorite is Chev Supreme on sale at $0.49/qt at Checker, if you have one in your area. Though many people use them, few argue that synth blends are a good deal.

I'd be interested to hear about your results.

- Glenn

 

[sNaKeYeZ]

Guys, the ONLY auto parts store chains here are AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, O'Riley, and the occasional mom n pop NAPA. That's all. Wal-Mart sells stuff, but charges some stupid oil recovery fee that you never get back. I don't do auto maintance biz with Wal-Mart.

In other words, I'd love to buy a different brand of filter, but all I ever see are Fram, AC Delco, and generic. Of course, I could easily miss something.

Oh, and the truck called for 5w-30 or 10w-30 when new. The 10w-30 is the preferred oil around here, just about everyone uses it in everything. Hot summers and winter never gets below 25 degrees F here.

 

[mdocod]

quote:

---

I've used them exclusively on my wife's suv with no issues

---

maybe this issue on your chevy, is parcially related to the fram filters... It would be more likally, that a fram filters anti-drain back valve would become less effective after 2000 miles, than the oil itself...

Try a purolator for 1 interval, just to make sure. You might pay $0.50 more for the purolator, it's worth a shot.

MMO isn't really ideal for the crankcase... but... it might clean up a little bit... just take it easy on the vehicle while it's in there....(it will thin out the oil some)

I'd suggest LC20, or ARX for the crankcase long before mmo, i'm sure you may have already gathered by reading around on here, that those are the prefered methods of sump system cleaning.

 

[Alan]

I think you should try out an ST filter along with some 5W30 in the engine for your next oil change.I bet it could fix it.

 

[hannaco]

OK, then try an AC Delco filter next.

 

[Alan]

The AAP house filters are decent,pretty cheap and made by Purolator.

 

[GeaugaFletcher]

quote:

---

Guys, the ONLY auto parts store chains here are AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, O'Riley, and the occasional mom n pop NAPA.

---

So you can get Mobil 1, STP, Bosch, Wix, the Napa in-house brand and whatever Advance sells (don't have those around here). AwfulZones here also sell Motorcraft.