Anyone have a opinion on using a engine flush to quiet the hydraulic lifters in a high mileage engine. If so what brand would you recommend.
Thanks,
Rick

 

Those years were notorious for lifter noise. Use the old dealer trick. Change oil and filter and substitute 1 quart of transmission fluid for 1 quart of oil. Alternately a quart of blue Rislone or Marvel Mystery Oil. Run the engine a few hundred miles and then change oil and filter again. If lifters are just dirty this will clean them up. If noise persists there's mechanical wear.

An Olds zone service manager once told me that engine flush products work. The downside is after use, you need to drop the oil pan and clean out what the flush product dislodged, and you can also expect seals etc to start leaking since the flush dissolved gunk that may have been helping worn-out seals do their job.

 

It is possible it may not even be a lifter. The rocker arms on these old cars are pretty notorious for wear and making noise. I am not real confident any additive will help but it is inexpensive so I would give it a try. Good luck.

 

Thanks for the advise.
Rick

 

In the past I've had noisy lifters and once time on a trip I used a upper valve lube called B12 and unstuck the lifter in just a mile or two. Once I switched to Rotella 15-40 diesel oil I haven't had that issue. Worn rocker posts will also make a noise like stuck lifters as Glenn mentioned above.....Tedd

 

Flushes work; but, not without the risk of another passage getting blocked by partially dissolved sludge. If the oil pump intake gets blocked it can cause engine seizure. The more sludge in the engine the higher the risk.

Personally, I'd use a diesel rated 15W-40 like Tedd suggested. Change the oil way more than reccomended and change it hot. Adding a 1/2 quart of automatic transmission fluid 200 miles before an oil change would also be ok in my world.

If the car sat for long periods it is probably worth dropping the oil pan to clean it thoroughly.

That's my $0.02...good luck!!!

 

Thanks all. I dropped the oil pan a few years ago and cleaned out a lot of sludge. Does the Rotella 15W-40 diesel oil still need the zinc additive?
Rick

 

Its marginal on the ZDDP, Motorcraft 15W-40 advertises 1,000ppm zinc. I'm not a chemist nor engineer but have read 1,200ppm is the target for ZDDP. Probably be fine with it at 1,000.

​​​​​​Good luck!!!

 

1,000 ppm works for me and for everything on our ranch with flat tappets. We have never lost a cam or for that matter a engine at anytime in the last 50 years using 15-40 diesel oil in all our equipment. Rotella hasn't been around for 50 years but before it came along Delo was used with the same results.... Tedd

 

Tedd, just to be sure that I understand you well, you run your 324 with 16-40 diesel oil, all of it?
Or you substituted just a quart?
I'm not done learning a lot on this Forum...

 

Another oil possibility is Valvoline VR1 Racing Oil. It has all the zinc you will need. Just another option. I run it in my 54.

 

I don't run anything but 15-40 Rotella unless there is a stuck lifter which there hasn't been in years. There are lots of good oils out there to be had but the Rotella has the detergents that keeps MY engine clean and completely free of lifter stick. I also use it in my Miata which are notorious for noisy lifters and I have no issues with it also.

My suggestion is find the oil that works for your engine (10000 ppm of zinc or more), change it often and run the pi$$ out of it and have fun life is a lot shorter than you are lead to believe...... Tedd
.

 

Pat, Yes all 15W-40 not just one quart. My experience is the same as Tedd's, great results with Rotella and also with Chevron Delo. VR1 as stated is also a quality oil with ZDDP.

Good luck!!!

 

Thank you another little trick learned
Happy Thanksgiving to all, and stay safe my friends!

 

All good advise. I have been using a ZDDP Oil Additive 4 oz from Eastwood along with Penzoil 5w-30 (Detergent but not synthetic) in my Olds for years. If I switch to Rotella 15-40 Diesel would it be overkill to continue using this additive. I have a couple bottles left. Is is possible to use to much ZDDP? Just curious. If I switch to a synthetic oil without having a rebuild is it going to be a problem? I have some other cars from the late 20's and I only use non-detergent oil in them.
Rick

 

From what I understand it is possible to use too much ZDDP. Too much will cause you oil to foam. I would do as you have been doing and use the remaining supply you have. I would not change to synthetic. I have read it will cause leaks if you have not been using it.

 

Thanks Glenn,
I have been Leary of going to synthetic oil. I am hard of hearing and my concern started when I was on a cruise with my car club last month and a guy asked me if my car had solid lifters. Until then I thought the engine sounded ok.
Rick

 

I wouldn't use synthetic on an engine with an older rope type rear main seal. Why risk it? There are many very good dino based oils to use.

Good luck!!!

 

And synthetics seem to weep through the cork gaskets on my car which drips a little on a good day.....Tedd

 

OK - I will try the add transmission fluid, then run a couple hundred miles then change the oil again. I will stay with the same oil I have been using and add some marvel mystery oil. and the ZZDP additive. Thanks everyone for all the suggestions.
Rick

 

May want to pull a valve cover and take a look. My 324 was really sludged up, the return holes in head plugged and smoked on start up. Tough decision on adding anything to oil this late in it's life, so just changed oil several times, hard to find a non-detergent oil.

 

I don't understand what the need for non-detergent oil is for.

 

The concern decades ago was that the detergent oil would break sludge and gunk loose, opening up seals, clogging up oil passages, and plugging oil pump screens.

Detergent oil doesn't work that way. It keeps soot etc in suspension in the oil until the oil filter traps it. It might do a minuscule amount of dissolving goo but not enough to create those problems. Now, a butyl cellosolve engine flush is going to dissolve that stuff and can easily create them.

 

I have several cars in the late 20's . They do not have oil filters on them. The only "filter" is a screen on the oil pan drain plug. It is recommended that non-detergent oil be used in those old engines. As rocketraider stated the issue is detergent oil would cause the problems he mentioned
Rick

 

I understand using non-detergent oil in the late 20's cars. You would never want to use non-detergent oil in your Olds. I think you have a good plan for it.

 

This has been a great discussion! Thanks for all the opinions.
Rick

 

Glad we were able to help. Good luck and let us know how it works out.

 

If you are interested in a set of N.O.S. U.S.A. made Valve Lifters --- I have exactly one (1) set of sixteen (16) N.O.S. (ONLY) O.E.M. +++ G.M. +++ in the G M boxes Valve Lifters !!!!!!

Always best to simply call me --- Craig --- 516 - 485 - 1935......

 

I also have a '55 324 with a sticky lifter. I've used Rislone. It goes away after the engine comes completely up to temp. I'll have to try the oil and trans fluid to clean it out. I'd like to not hear it--but 135k miles. It smokes a little but not bad. Runs and starts well.

Thanks guys.

 

Mine has 90,000 on it and to the best of my knowledge has never had any major work done to it. Your 135k gives me hope that it will last as long as I do.
Rick

 

The engine in my 56 was rebuilt in 1992, and then the car was put away for 20 years because the transmission blew up and the previous owner got mad and just put it in his barn in New Hampshire. I found it in 2012. Since I've owned it, it has always had a clicking noise and the engine now has 5000 miles on it. Everyone who has worked on the car agrees that the engine rebuild was very good but that clicking noise won't go away...

 

Worn push rods in a '54

This was the source of my "lifter noise", along with worn rocker arms.
The lifters had previously been replaced with '57 lifters.

 

Hello All: It’s been bit of a while. I’ve touch base w/this site periodically for a few min at a time, been busy w my 54 S 88. Some of time spent on rear suspension and in researching such things such as a ’GOOD’ oil to use. Just wish to add a big ‘Ditto’ to Tedd Thompsons’ use of Rotella. I use Rotella ‘T5’ , which is a synthetic blend in a 10W30. Stats I found - Zinc 1167, Phosphorus 1020. Not usually avail in 10W30 at big box stores. I live in Midwest, find it at Blains’ Farm and Fleet and at Rural King. I use in my ’64 Ply Belv – big block. Good for these flat tappet engines. Had ‘some’ tappet noise (overall, thankfully, not significant noise) in Olds w reg Shell dino 10W30, which seemed to occur when engine cold and diminish when warmed close to operating temp. First time used this Rotella in Olds, significant difference, much quieter when cold, maybe power of suggestion, but to me, it’s a definite ‘Keeper’.

 

Ted, Red,

Thanks very much for you suggestions on oil. I had the '55 out today, spectacular day, 63F clear skies, light winds. (CA.)

Anyway, did the oil change with Shell Rotella 15-40 and 1 qt of Automatic trans fluid, what a miracle! Within 30 seconds the lifter noise was gone. I distinctly remember my grandma, when she had the car, you couldn't hear the engine running at a stop light--its back to that. Smoothed out at idle, can't hear it, the only way I know the engine is still running is the oil pressure gauge is still about 30 psi. I'll run this mix a couple of hundred miles, and change it again. I also have the spin oil filter adapter so coupled with the new oil, I should be good to go for a while yet before I need an overhaul.

However, to my amazement, as soon as I went under the car I noticed one of my sway bar lower washer cups was askew. That's when I noticed the bushing is gone, as in not there...completely missing! I put those bushings in about 15 years ago. I guess I've had it long enough now, I need to recheck old work and bushings!! Never noticed it driving.

 

You got better results and quicker than I expected. Glad it worked. Finding stuff like those bushings is just part of owning and old car. They are what I refer to as perpetual maintenance. Just when you think you have it all done something else will raise it's head. That is just part of owning an old car.

 

Did you use Rotella conventional or synthetic oil?
Rick

 

Rick,
As I recall 15W-40 Rotella is dino only. Synthetic is 5W-40. I wouldn't introduce synthetic to an engine of that vintage except on a fresh motor.

Good luck!!!

 

Sounds like good results from the Rotella 15W-40 I just wanted to be sure it was not synthetic. Going back to your earlier post about zinc. If I go with Rotella should I use a zinc additive? You said Motorcraft has 1,000 ppm zinc. is Rotella the same?
Thanks,
Rick

 

Rick,

Because I'm not a chemist I am cautious with additives, I just don't want to alter the engineered formula. If I were to add ZDDP I'd try to calculate how much to get to around 1200 ppm.

Rotella's ZDDP level should be able to be found through their website on an MSDS or something similar. I'd be comfortable with Motorcraft at 1,000 ppm and not adding ZDDP.

Again, I'm not a chemist so I'm learning through these discussions and others feedback.

Good luck!!!

 

It was the 15W-40, traditional oil. It already leaks quite a bit, I'd be afraid of using even a blended synthetic. But it seems to have done the trick. The rest of the story will be after a couple of hundred miles to see how dirty is gets, and how it reacts with just the engine oil, wo the trans fluid. The car has always been taken care of, so I'm not really sure how much sludge has built up. I have not had the pan off or a valve cover, haven't really had a reason to look.