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454 bad lifter

johnathan

1/2 ton status
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Posts
376
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Location
Ocean Springs,MS
I have a lifter that is tapping 30 sec. at startup. It started after switching to thicker oil 10w 40 to 15w 50 Mobil 1. The engine has about 5,000 miles on it. Would it be O.K. to swap the lifter with so few miles.
 
Sea Foam would cure a build up or sticking lifter right? Would a engine with so few miles have that problem. I was thinking it may be a clearance issue.
 
wondering if it has some junk sticking it that it would help clean up. Worth a try. What happens if you change your oil back. Why are you using such a thick oil?
 
Hav'nt changed back yet. I guess I should try. I do prefer the thicker oil though. This is not my DD and does not get driven in the cold as it is full conv.
 
Really shouldn't need that thick of oil unless it is a endurance engine. I would suggest more of a 10-30.
 
Go back to 10-30 or even 5-30 Mobil 1 and the problem will probably be fixed. A whole lot cheaper and easier than the alternative.
 
is this a flat tappet cam?? If so I would recommend putting in a bottle of GM EOS or Crane cams cam concentrate. Oil companys these days are being forced to take the zinc out and its killing cams. The BEST oil you can run in that engine is Rotella T 15w40 or any of the Brad Penn Oils as they still have some zinc in them. I run Brad Penn Racing oil in all my motors as it has history that Non of these newer companys have and is proven to work.
 
Mobil 1 high mileage oil is best for flat tappet cam motors because it has the right amount of zinc in it. You can read about it on the mobil 1 web site. I run it in my 383 cu. in. and in everything I drive.
Tarey
 
Mobil 1 high mileage oil is best for flat tappet cam motors because it has the right amount of zinc in it. You can read about it on the mobil 1 web site. I run it in my 383 cu. in. and in everything I drive.
Tarey


Actually, Mobile 1 Now has LESS zinc than rotella.... Just fyi
 
And even the Rotella has less zinc than what we had just a couple of years ago. In fact from what I can gather it takes two cans of EOS to get the zinc level up to pre SJ spec oil.

Definitely a good idea to use some kind of additive in motors with flat tappet cams especially those with stronger than stock valve springs. Just be careful some additives can leave bad deposits and cause just about as many problems as they cure.

The other option is to go with a "racing" type of oil, they don't usually meet the latest SM spec and have extra extreme pressure additives such as zinc and moly.

In my motors that use a flat tappet cam I use Schaeffers full synthetic 5-50 racing oil that has extra zinc and add a bottle of their moly additive just to safe.
 
That shaffers oil is the BEST. We use that in every engine on the farm, 15-40 semi-synthetic, its expensive but the best in my opinion!!
 
def use oil with higher zinc content, also regularly start the truck and warm it up even better to drive it aroudn the block. what happens is when it sits the oil drips off the cam and lifters and they are dry on startup.
 
def use oil with higher zinc content, also regularly start the truck and warm it up even better to drive it aroudn the block. what happens is when it sits the oil drips off the cam and lifters and they are dry on startup.

Sound like that's the original posters problem.. the engines sits, the oil runs down into the pan, and then on startup it's trying to push a 50 weight oil back up to the top. It wouldn't surprise me if the pistons were slapping a bit too..

I'd def. go with a thinner oil..at least if you switched, and it still ticked, then you might be onto an actual mechanical issue, not related to lubrication.

Guys like to choose a thicker oil because it's assumed they protect better - problem is, thick oils don't flow good when they're cold. You can have as much zinc in there as possible, but if the oil isn't getting there, it's hello wear and scuffing.

What you want is an oil with film strength - If you haven't seen it, check out my vendor thread link below.. check out our Quantum Blue oils.. we can blend them with as much zinc ( or as little ) as you need, but here are a few things about us that are more important:

1) Combustion temps won't cook out the additives, or fracture the basestocks, which is why lubes break down...even synthetics aren't immune.

2) Our oils contain no PTFE, MOLY, boron,or any crap that leaves deposits. No solvents either..

3) Our lubes are tacky - which means they cling to surfaces when the engine just sits.. we're talking wet cylinder starts, regardless of conditions - and the higher film strength means you don't need to run a 50 weight.. we can whip up a 30 or 40 weight full zinc oil for you that'll outperform any name brand oil you can think of.

4) Our anti wear capabilities exceed those of mobile one.. there's an article in my vendor thread describing how we beat mobil one in some dyno testing in the GM Z06 crate motor.

Now, some are gonna call BS.. that's fine.. but look at my thread at least.. if you see something of value, PM me.
 
I won't call b.s. I know for a fact that the new diesel oils are coming with less and less zinc to prevent particulate filter plugging. I use Brad penn in everything for the simple fact that its avalible and contains lots of antiscuffing products. I really believe on a older engine worrying about synthetic is a waste of time.
 
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