What weight oil would help this start up noise?

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Have a '93 Ford Ranger 2.3L with nearly 300,000 miles. Doesn't burn much oil but on cold starts I hear a lot of top end noise for 2 or 3 seconds. Right now it has 5W30. Would 10W40 help? Or go the other way with 0Wsomething? Either the thinner oil would flow better and thus reach the top end faster, but on the other hand it would drain off more when you shut down the engine and wouldn't reach the top end fast enough on the next cold start. But the thicker oil might stay longer in the top end after shut down but may be more difficult pump up to the top when cold.
 
Originally Posted By: Marco620
Why not just run either PYB 5w30 or Valvoline Maxlife with a bottle of liquimoly mos2 ? Lots of reviews on Amazon say this helps a lot.


I added Kreen 1200 miles ago which helped a good bit to the point now where most times there is no noise but on a few occasions there is. Only happens when cold leading me to believe it's more viscosity related. Time for an OC anyway and have some cheap 10w40 semisyn just taking up space and thought I could get rid of it this way.
 
My Ranger went to auction at 253K. It was noisy until I changed to Delo 400 15W-40.

Make sure the filter is known to have a good anti-drain-back-valve like a Wix or Baldwin or something
smile.gif


There is no "faster to the top end". It's a positive displacement pump. If it's fluid, it all gets there pretty equally time-wise ...

I know from any years of experimenting that some synthetics have lower surface tension (in part, that's how they get to 0W) and they do drain off faster. They also leave a thinner film (capillary fill) for the same reason. Quality Dino's are usually better at capillary fill, hence quieter on cold start.
 
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Originally Posted By: atikovi
Have a '93 Ford Ranger 2.3L with nearly 300,000 miles. Doesn't burn much oil but on cold starts I hear a lot of top end noise for 2 or 3 seconds. Right now it has 5W30. Would 10W40 help? Or go the other way with 0Wsomething? Either the thinner oil would flow better and thus reach the top end faster, but on the other hand it would drain off more when you shut down the engine and wouldn't reach the top end fast enough on the next cold start. But the thicker oil might stay longer in the top end after shut down but may be more difficult pump up to the top when cold.


Truth be known, your engine is worn but you made it to 300,000 km. What is your end game? How are the other issues such as rust etc. At this point you don’t have much to lose. You might even want to run a 15-40.
 
I got a slight grind on warm re-stats but it's not consistent enough to even qualify as an issue, imo. But it's mechanical and not oil related.
 
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Why is there no oil at or near the engine top end before starting up? Doesn't this engine have oil retention valves in the head?

Do engine components that get oiled during operation lose all clinging lubrication within a relatively short period of time?

How long do 10W-40 and 5W-30 respectively take to reach the top of the engine and how long to they take to drain into the sump?

What results in less upper engine wear, oil that reaches the top end more quickly, or thicker oil that leaves a thicker film behind?
 
Originally Posted By: atikovi
Originally Posted By: Marco620
Why not just run either PYB 5w30 or Valvoline Maxlife with a bottle of liquimoly mos2 ? Lots of reviews on Amazon say this helps a lot.


I added Kreen 1200 miles ago which helped a good bit to the point now where most times there is no noise but on a few occasions there is. Only happens when cold leading me to believe it's more viscosity related. Time for an OC anyway and have some cheap 10w40 semisyn just taking up space and thought I could get rid of it this way.


Run 8oz of Kreen for a 3K OCI. Sometimes it takes more than one application to shift sticky lifters/lash adjusters.
 
Originally Posted By: Snagglefoot
Like this one. It’s SM rated.





Have to clear up an error. The T4 is not SM rated like I mentioned but there are other 15-40 oils that are suitable for gasoline engines.
 
Originally Posted By: atikovi
Hmm, I do have 5 leftover quarts of Lubrigard 15W40 SM laying around. So that would be a better shot than 10W40?


Probably. 15 is 5 more than 10.

20W50 might be better still but there's probably more VII in that and you might not already have some.
 
Originally Posted By: vavavroom
Why is there no oil at or near the engine top end before starting up? Doesn't this engine have oil retention valves in the head?

Do engine components that get oiled during operation lose all clinging lubrication within a relatively short period of time?

How long do 10W-40 and 5W-30 respectively take to reach the top of the engine and how long to they take to drain into the sump?

What results in less upper engine wear, oil that reaches the top end more quickly, or thicker oil that leaves a thicker film behind?


I make that 3 PhD theses, a persistent fallacy, and a possible patent.
 
Originally Posted By: vavavroom
Why is there no oil at or near the engine top end before starting up? Doesn't this engine have oil retention valves in the head?

Do engine components that get oiled during operation lose all clinging lubrication within a relatively short period of time?

How long do 10W-40 and 5W-30 respectively take to reach the top of the engine and how long to they take to drain into the sump?

What results in less upper engine wear, oil that reaches the top end more quickly, or thicker oil that leaves a thicker film behind?


Lots of engines don't

Some drain-off is expected, but a film still remains. How thick depends on the oil in question. Delo 400 15W-40 leaves a nice thick film
smile.gif


Any liquid oil that will flow into the pump will get there in the same time. It's a positive displacement pump.

Residual oil film is always the most important factor. Pumped oil only covers a portion of the engine. Usually bearing journals. All else is splash or sling oiled ...
 
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