Re: New available motor oil

Posted by Dave Brownell On 2014/8/4 12:59:02

Early Sunday morning, while on my way to a car show the outside temperature was about seventy F. The trip is about 35 miles and all was quiet until I hit a long stretch of hill at about 45 mph. Lifter clatter started about mile 27 and resolved itself by mile 29 and all was quiet for the rest of the trip to the show. On the way home, temps had climbed to mid-80s and the clatter started about mile 15 after a mild hill climb. I pulled to the side and let it idle a bit because that has helped in the past but not this time. I turned off the engine and let it sit for about five minutes, hoping the misbehaving lifter might burp, but no dice. Eventually, I drove the clattering V-8 all the rest of the way home as gently as I could. I am running 20W-40 Valvoline with no additives, and running it about a half quart above Full per forum instructions. Later, once things had cooled a bit, no clatter. My Chrysler mechanic friend with a garage full of older Hemis and 440s, suggests using 20W-50 in summer months, just to see if that helps like it does with his MoPar motors..

My 374 was redone about five years ago (new rings, bearings, timing assembly but no oil pump) by the previous owner, another Chrysler mechanic. He also put in new equivalent Dodge truck lifters because of the clatter he had before the rebuild. Both of us have experienced it since, so I could presume that it's the oil pump/vacuum issue, but want to try something before changing over to the Olds solution and losing my vacuum wipers in the process.

Any harm in trying the overfilling of 20W-50 in summer driving? Reading some of the miracle cures on bottles a the parts store, I am also tempted there, too. The fact that this is the first time the noise did not resolve itself has concerned me. I want to do no harm.