Oil Viscosity (Don't worry, I searched first)

[RayDub]

Okay, so I originally was going to post something about increasing the oil viscosity on the G, before I read this:

http://www.club3g.com/forum/eclipse-performance/111733-everything-you-ever-wanted-know-about-oil.html

I also was fishing around the forums and couldn't get a definite answer. I know people have had questions about the lifter tick and such. I got my Galant at 170,000 miles and have since remembered that my car has had a slightly louder tick at idle, or in drive. I know this because I hear other 4cyl Galants and they sound different (quieter?) than mine. It's not just at startup and letting the engine warm either.

I put 10W-30 Mobil 1 Syn High Mileage under the hood since I owned the car. After replacing all my motor mounts with my mechanic today, he noticed the ticking noise. After a small conversation about it later, he told me to try 20W-50 on my next oil change. The whole time I was thinking that sounds like a big increase. I would think more along the lines of 15W-30 or -40 max. All of this to try and quiet the engine tick, or crank, whatever it may be. Does anyone think this would work? I have 223,680 miles on the car right now.

After reading all those chapters, it becomes clear that the viscosity is all the same in the oils at normal engine temperatures, it's the startup that is a different story. This leads me to think that much harm wouldn't be done and doing some experimenting wouldn't hurt, as said in one of the chapters. I just don't want to put something in that is too much or and could cause more work for the engine. I'm not a timid driver, I travel a ways to work and school and do many road trips on the side. Also, I live in AZ where it is warmer.

[dknight3]

i use. 5w30. cuz thats what it says in my owners manual.

[oakrdrs187]

Quotes I loved from the article.


It would be more correct to think that oil thickens when it cools to room temperature and THIS is the problem. In fact this is the problem. It is said that 90 percent of engine wear occurs at startup. If we are interested in engine longevity then we should concentrate our attention at reducing engine wear at startup.



There are some properties of synthetic oils that actually result is less wear than with mineral oils. These help increase your gas mileage as well. Due to a reduction of internal friction of the synthetic oil your engine will run a bit cooler. Wear increases as temperature increases, all other things being constant.

A main advantage that the synthetic has over the mineral based oil is the ability to lubricate at startup.


People sometimes use a thicker oil to minimize gasket leaks. This seems obvious to me. Repair the gasket. Do not destroy your engine with an oil that is too thick for proper function.


People are always asking about adding things as Slick 50 into the oil tank. Do not do this. The oil companies and engine manufacturers work together very hard to give you the product you need. Engines are running hotter, longer with more BHP from less CID. Smaller, more efficient engines are getting us more MPG and yet better acceleration. These engines last longer and are more reliable.


You do not need to use the exact oil type and brand that your car manual tells you to use. Oils are pretty general. They are not that different. Ferrari is married to Shell. If you call them up and ask to use Valvoline instead they will tell you that they have not tested that brand in their cars.


BY using 20w-50 you are doing everything this article says not to. I would personally try Marvel Mystery oil or something of the sort to quiet the tick a bit. I ran a quart of that for a day and a half before my oil change this week and my lifter tick hasn't came back yet, I'm at 213k and I filled up with Valvoline 10w-40. And most would agree that my lifter tick was pretty bad. Some nissan and honda guys labeled my car a diesel and a tractor at times, I told them that because its over 200k on stock engine/tranny it had every right to be loud, LOL! The nissan guys maxima threw a rod at 176k and the honda boy has an engine swap every 50k. Me I'm chillin at 213k with no tranny slips, blowing a/c and heat when I need it.

[RayDub]

I'm just like you! Everything is basically original. Though I have a slight radiator leak and the one I have isn't even original, but that's beside the point... I think I'm going to just do 10W-40 on the next change. I concur to 20W-50 not really getting me anywhere. I have been running on the same oil for about 4k miles now and it still looks clean as hell to be honest.

So Marvel Mystery oil? Let me know what your results are after a while, then maybe I'll try it. I have always been weary of additives since my engine runs well already, except for the tick. Hopefully I'll remember.

OH, and a diesel is the best way do describe how my car sounds. I just remembered a friend of mine saying that a while back and i thought it was cool for a moment, ha.

[oakrdrs187]

Haha^^ like I said, after 200k we can tick all we want. Lol!

[FrozenMBA]

i still use 5w-30 and add a bottle of rislone every oil change to get rid of the tick, it's worked so far.

[John165]

I can tell you this, my ticking happens at start up and continues until about 5 minutes before the motor gets warmed up. I just did my oil change and I was intending to put 10w30 in but after filling with 2 quarts of 10w40 I went ahead and finished with the remaining quarts. I used my oil for my truck but its all good, it seems it quietened the tick down a little at startup but that could be because of the warmer mornings. Me I wouldnt put 20w50 in the Galant. Like you said the max I would go is 40 but remember, the manual says to use specific weight with the considerations that Mitsubishi motors are designed with tolerances between the bearings and crank and etc, that the 50 could be to thick and make it work harder. Now those clearance are going to be greater on a engine with higher miles. But how much, who knows? Thats why I wouldnt go with oil thicke than the 10w40. Thats what I think about it. I will add one more little thing, i have a 94 Celica with 338K miles and the motor ran and pulled like new so i would only use 10w30 in which what the manual called for and not thicker oil because of the higher miles. Point being if your motor still runs and pulls really good then I would stay with what the manual says. But with the Ticking I dont know, I am not that competent when it comes to the lifters, but I too have read on here about the Galant tick, and some have tried new lifters and if I remember correctly that their tick stopped then came back I believe. And others have mentioned about priming those lifters.

[RedGalant2k1]

Waste of time and money to run anything but 5w30. None of our cars will ever undergo the treatment that would require changing oil viscosity so much.