ticking after adding stabilizer

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7duster4

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After seeing all the discussions about what oil to use I decided to add Lucas stabilizer. I had about half a quart sitting in my garage. I have heard that it's really good stuff and being as thick as it is it prevents metal from touching metal and will always remain at the top of the engine instead of flowing down to the pan when sitting for a while. I pulled the car on the lift to drain one quart of the oil. The car wasn't even close for an oil change. The 318 has I believe over 1,000 miles since rebuilt and around 500 miles on the current oil. Im positive the oil in it is castrol 10w-30. I mixed half a quart of the castrol I had left in my garage to the lucas bottle and shook it up so it wouldn't be as thick. After adding it in, the dipstick registered just a little above "full". When I started it to pull out of the shop I could easily hear a ticking sound coming from the engine. After running for a couple minutes and pulling outside it didn't stop. Anyone know why this could be happening? It has never done it before. I won't be starting it again until tuseday so i'll see if it's still doing it. I hope this won't turn into a problem down the road. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks
 
Sounds like a lifter. Was it still running smooth.

You know more after the motor gets cold and you start it. If its OK cold but ticks when hot, its a lifter bleeding down. What type are in there? Some do tick once warmed up.

If you have headers it just might be a header leak.
 
i wouldn't drive it with too much oil, better to have little less, my 318 was screwed after oil change place put on wrong filter which made oil be overfilled by a little
 
The cam is a 340 with lifters. It always ran smooth, never a problem. I am only starting the car to get it in and out of my shop at school four nights a week. So Im not really driving it much. I did overfill it just a little passed "full" There has been some cold days the past couple weeks where it started fine no ticking what-so-ever. I don't have headers, just manifolds but a very, very minor exhaust leak on the drivers side. It's just a noticably loud ticking sound. It wasn't doing it before I added the lucas. Maybe I should let some oil out.
 
My 318 Duster ticks a bit, but it's been pretty much like that since I got it and only really at idle. I added some STP goop to my oil just this last oil change and it does tick a teeny bit louder now, but the power is still just the same and it only ticks at idle. I figure hey, it's a 318, only 107,000 miles, it should AT THE VERY LEAST last another 50,000 without any problems.
 
So now your oil is so thick it cant oil things. Evil snake oil! Most of that goo is now clogging your oil filter. As for being so thick it stays in the top of the engine goes, anything that doesn't drain back to the pan (to be circulated and filtered) is SLUDGE! Thicker is not better with oil. Plain, simple, end of story. Run the appropriate viscosity for your clearances.

Here's a hypothetical to ponder... You buy a new car on warranty, add the recommended amount of Lucas goo and the engine starts ticking. Take it to the dealer and they tell you the engine is toast due to oil starvation and poor flow. They won't warranty the engine because you added something other than the recommended oil. Will Lucas buy you an new engine? I somehow doubt it.
 
Well, I did lower the oil viscosity to 5W-30 to compensate for the goo. A buddy of mine from another forum recommended I do that on my next oil change, and he's been doing it to his cars for a while. Just a though though, how high should it measure on the dipstick when running? Mine is either coated all the way up if done while running or just above the "add" line if I shut it off then measure.
 
A half quart of Lucas is not going to alter your oil's properties that much. But being it's cold and the car is not getting warmed up much, you've probably managed to get just enough of the lucas goo in it to stick a lifter.

I'd run it for a good 30 minutes or so on the road to get it completely warmed up and see if it clears out. Probably will.
 
Don't even try to check your oil with the engine running. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
 
I don't think that much thickner will make the oil not drain back. But they do give you that HUGE bottle. Should be like a 14oz. can/bottle tops.

But I think the problem could be from oil aeration. Go down to the store that has one of those lucas gear box demos. Now spin it real fast for a hold minute or more. You'll see the bubbles in the oil. Air bubbles will not pump up the lifter to the right spot.
 
1/2 quart of Lucas with 10w-30 shouldn't cause your problem but overfilling it might as you may now have some foaming.

It may just be coincidence that now a lifter is ticking or you have an exhaust leak which sounds just like a lifter.

Oh and I've used Lucas oil additive and have never seen air bubbles or foaming on my dipstick. That gear thingy demonstration is a joke!
 
If you never had a problem before why did you add the Lucas? I Don't believe in those mystery oil additives much.Why would a company make a cute little plastic gear combo to try and show how much better their oil additive is verses regular oil anyway? I don't think there are many of us running plastic gears in our engines:) I would start from the beginning again. If you didn't have problems before then change the oil and filter without the Lucas and see what happens.
 
Are you sure that half a bottle had actually lucas in it,and not something else?Unless I open it I don't use it in my car
 
Dart-swinger said:
Are you sure that half a bottle

*actually* had lucas in it,

and not something else?
Click to expand...


Like nitroglycerine!!


And that "ticking" is the lil' alarm clock

ticking away the seconds before it blows!!


(j/k)
 
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