Had my oil changed last week and since I never hear the engine after it is shut off when I exit the truck, I never thought anything about it. I had the wifer in the truck and got out with the engine running and I hear this "clakkity-clack", I've never heard before. I have always uesed the cheap dino oil at quick-lube places wne I don't have time to do it myself. Anyway, I go to NAPA and get a jug of Lucus synthetic and dump it in, knowing that I'm going to be a quart over. I run it for about 2 miles, and the clatter is gone. Is it just the fact that I added some synthetic to a cheap dino oil? It was Shell bulk oil 5-30, I think. Any thoughts?

 

Well you should be using 5w20. Did the 20/30 make a difference I dunno. I use Motorcraft Syn blend 5w20 or Walmart 5w20 when they are out of Motorcraft.

 

if you want a quiet engine, best to use dino. pros is that it is quiet. cons is that its not long drain interval and not very agessive cleaning so deposit build up quick.

clean engine, long drain, heat tolerance, puts you in the syn oil world.

want a compromise and use a shorter drain than syn, use the recommended blend.

pure synthetic is noisy because its a thin oil base that has molocues that curl as the oil heats up, this results in oil that behaves like thicker weight oil....but in actuality, the shear sthrenth is very low (shear provides cushion) since you still have thin oil as the base product......there are just quaker oats type of floaties in the oil in the form of curled molocues. when the oil cools...the molocues uncurl and your back to pure thin oil stock.

 

When I consider the cost installing another engine against oil changes I've never thought finding time to DIY was that much of a problem. I use a Valvoline Max Life syn blend & Motorcraft FL820S, replacing it all every 3-4K miles without fail. With mostly highway miles I could extend the change interval but buying at the right prices makes this a $35 cost----mere peanuts IMHO.

Over three different Ford trucks and following this same procedure I've yet to have any engine issues. FWIW I've only owned one that did NOT have over 200K on it when it came to live with me.

 

I am of the same mode; 3-4,000 miles between oil changes. The noise is gone so unsure what the issue was.

 

What is the noise though?
Would it be the chain tensioners clattering.

 

Sounded like a valve clatter to me, but not sure I would know the difference between a valve noise and timing chain noise. I can barely hear it now when outside of the cab. I also added some MotorKote to the crankcase.

 

Well, the clatter is back with alot more noise. On top of that, it quit on me at the McDonald's parking lot this morning. I had to jump it and took it over to the Sioux Falls,South Dakota Ford dealer to get a new battery and have them listen to the engine. Their head mechanic said he remembers a TSB on the lifter clatter after an oil change. I recently changed the oil and the clatter started right after that. I am keeping my fingers crossed that a simple sensor replacement or something like that will fix the noise.

Does anyone know of a TSB related to that on a 6.8 or a 5.4? If so please inform us. Thanks.

 

Well, just got the bad news, lower journals gone and it's in a death rattle. New Ford re-man is $7500 installed with a 3 year unlimited miles warranty. Very disappointed that my engine went south at only 145,000 miles.

 

What oil filters have been installed?

 

Well, that just sucks. Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Really I am. I don't hear of the V10 failing very often so I'm curious...

Sioux Falls, eh? So you're, what, 1000 miles from home? Did you change your oil shortly before driving out there? If so were you towing anything?

 

I changed oil evey 3-4,000 miles and used different filters; didn't think if I changed oil that often, the brand of filter made much difference.

Yes, I have towed a 10,000# bumper pull trailer for at least 50,000 miles of the 145,000 total, including many mountain pulls where the engine was reving 4,800-5,500 for long periods of time. I had towed from western Idaho to central Iowa and recently got my oil changed at the 3,000 mile mark. I noticed the clicking noise shortly after the oil change and it got better when I added the Lucas synthetic, but that didn't last but a week and then it got worse. I was headed to Bismarck, ND and had a stop at our office in Sioux Falls, SD, when it got real loud and wouldn't start. Got it to the Ford dealer and the rest is history. I was really hoping to get another 100k out of that engine before doing a reman, but that's the way it goes. I still have alot of faith in that 6.8 engine and love the way it runs and tows. With the new engine, I plan on keeping the truck for a good while. I just won't be able to brag on how many miles I have on my engine anymore. The new engine is supposed to be installed by end of day next Monday. In the mean time I am driving a new Dodge 1500 4x4 with the 5.7 Hemi. Even being a Ford man, this Dodge is damn impressive. Power, good mileage and comfortable to drive.

 

If that oil filter shed fiber it could have been the cause of restricted oil galleries. Increasing the oil viscosity also restricts the flow.
Best to use what the factory does. The VCT V8's are even more sensitive.

 

It would be interesting to see an oil analysis , i recall seeing a thread where they apparently used ATF rather than motor oil, but no idea how the Lucas would affect it. I guess the bright side is you'll have a new one

As for the dodge, a 6.4 would be nice to try out.

 

What brand of oil and what brand of filter did you use on the latest oil change?