Oil Question

[mastercamper]

03 Disco with over 202, 000 miles. I've been using Rotella for a few years along with Lucas. When I start the truck up its quite till it warms up then I get a tick at idle that will usually stop as soon as i push the gas, its usually at low speeds and doesn't get louder like the chatter from the valves. So i'm guessing its an oil pressure issue. Would another weight of oil help with the tick?

 

[p m]

03 Disco with over 202, 000 miles. I've been using Rotella for a few years along with Lucas. When I start the truck up its quite till it warms up then I get a tick at idle that will usually stop as soon as i push the gas, its usually at low speeds and doesn't get louder like the chatter from the valves. So i'm guessing its an oil pressure issue. Would another weight of oil help with the tick?

I personally found it incredibly hard to diagnose the "tick" noises in RV8 trucks.
A "tick at idle" can be a leaky/worn out lifter, or cam lobe going flat (but not there yet), or a worn rod bearing, or a slipped sleeve, or loose matrix in one or both catalytic converters, or ... bad bearing in the power steering pump (the last happened to me 10 years ago).
Assuming Rotella is 15W40, I don't think going to heavier weight oil will help you.

 

[mastercamper]

I personally found it incredibly hard to diagnose the "tick" noises in RV8 trucks.
A "tick at idle" can be a leaky/worn out lifter, or cam lobe going flat (but not there yet), or a worn rod bearing, or a slipped sleeve, or loose matrix in one or both catalytic converters, or ... bad bearing in the power steering pump (the last happened to me 10 years ago).
Assuming Rotella is 15W40, I don't think going to heavier weight oil will help you.

Its not been constant for a while. I even thought it may be an exhaust leak that opening up once it is warm. I'll dig into it more and see what I find out. Its 15-40 oil.

 

[jvarnadoe]

My personal experience..... I bought my Disco in 2015 with 186k on it and on the first oil change I literally had gel-like chunks coming out of the oil drain due to neglect from the previous owner. I began adding 6oz of Sea Foam about 200-300 miles prior to each oil change which helped clean things up quite a bit and helped reduce some severe ticking I experienced. I run Rotella 15w40 in the summer and 5w40 in the winter here in CO. A member on another forum mentioned adding STP oil treatment, which has ZDDP in it, at each oil change, so I tried it out. It's around $6/bottle at Walmart. I now have zero ticking after utilizing this with oil changes over the past three years or so. I change the oil every 5k miles. YMMV, but it has worked very well for my old ride which is now at 276k on the original engine.

 

[Blueboy]

A member on another forum mentioned adding STP oil treatment, which has ZDDP in it, at each oil change, so I tried it out. It's around $6/bottle at Walmart. I now have zero ticking after utilizing this with oil changes over the past three years or so. I change the oil every 5k miles.

Always up for trying something that has worked with good results. I change every 3k with Rotella 15W40 in the Summer.

 

[mastercamper]

I run the 1540 year around. Added the zddp not long ago. I thought that I read that the Rotella will get thinner with wear. I'll seafoam it then change it again and see what that does.

 

[WaltNYC]

Rotella 15-40 + STP is my method. Also use the larger Wix 1515 filters.

 

[terryjm1]

I have one that is slow build oil pressure in the winter with 10w30. . I’m going to try 5w40 and if that doesn’t help add Lucas oil treatment (I already have some) and the next oil change stp.

 

[Sandyg]

New to the forum today, and as well working on my kids 2003 DII.

Started off easy with oil change, have been a fan of Rotella T6 for years in my race car and Diesel. First order of business was an oil change, so used Rotella 15W-40 as I had plenty for my Diesel Excursion.

I don't know if it's coincidental but I do hear what sounds like a bit of lifter ticking after the oil change, so might toss in a can of STP oil treatment like others have.

If anyone knows do the 2003 4.6 motors use flat tappet style or roller style lifers? One thing I do know over the years is that due to oil specifications some of the formulas for Rotella has changes, and as I recall less zinc/phosphorus mix. Not a problem at all for roller lifter motors, but not sure for flat tappet. I think it still has a good mix more then most oils.

Next up D1 wiper blade conversion!

 

[Blueboy]

I have one that is slow build oil pressure in the winter with 10w30. . I’m going to try 5w40 and if that doesn’t help add Lucas oil treatment (I already have some) and the next oil change stp.

Yes, my D1 is the same. Tried Rotella 10W30 last Winter and couldn’t wait to change it. Not sure what I’ll going to try this year yet like your idea of 5W40 with some STP.

 

[jastutte]

New to the forum today, and as well working on my kids 2003 DII.

Started off easy with oil change, have been a fan of Rotella T6 for years in my race car and Diesel. First order of business was an oil change, so used Rotella 15W-40 as I had plenty for my Diesel Excursion.

I don't know if it's coincidental but I do hear what sounds like a bit of lifter ticking after the oil change, so might toss in a can of STP oil treatment like others have.

If anyone knows do the 2003 4.6 motors use flat tappet style or roller style lifers? One thing I do know over the years is that due to oil specifications some of the formulas for Rotella has changes, and as I recall less zinc/phosphorus mix. Not a problem at all for roller lifter motors, but not sure for flat tappet. I think it still has a good mix more then most oils.

Next up D1 wiper blade conversion!

the D2 4.6 is flat tappet.

 

[DiscoHasBeen]

. Would another weight of oil help with the tick?

Who knows, tick might be mechanical.

In general it stands to reason that as an engine gets older and tolerances increase a thicker oil will be necessary to maintain oil pressure. My Colorado at 230k miles started showing an oil pressure warning light. I went to a 10w-40 and at almost 300k no warning light. Also understand that the higher the difference in viscosity, or the "additives" for high mileage engines, the less actual oil (lubrication) there is in what you are buying.

 

[boxster]

A collapsed lifter is possible especially with that mileage also worn rocker arms can make the ticking as well. I have 319k on my 97 D1 with that symptom and never changed cam or lifters however I did replace the oil pump, timing chain and gears and rocker arms. Looks like I’ll have to dig into the lifters and see what I find.

 

[mastercamper]

Rotella 15-40 + STP is my method. Also use the larger Wix 1515 filters.

I'll give the bigger filter a try. Do you prefer STP over the Lucas? I usually run a bottle of the Lucas per change.