Valve Cleaner

[N80]

This is a car question but I'm asking this question here because I know you guys will know the answer.

I have a high mileage used car (06 Infiniti coupe, 77k miles) with a tapping sound in the engine. I think it is normal and I'm pretty sure it isn't a valve tapping.

However, a good many years ago I had another car that definitely had a valve tapping. A mechanic recommended an additive to make it stop. It worked perfectly. Within minutes in fact. I know there are several brands that will do this but I don't remember what I used and I want to try it with this current car. Any recommendations?

Note: I know this does not necessarily solve the underlying problem associated with a stuck valve or lifter but I don't think it would hurt to try this on this car. The process was warm up the car. Add the fluid into the valve cover. Run the car a little longer. Valve gets quiet. Then do routine oil change.

Also, I'm not big on any additives but I have seen this work before.

Thanks.

 

[RalphVa]

Several years ago, we sold additives in our service station that would stop the valve tapping. Today, knowing what I know from working 31 years in the lube oil manufacturing industry, I'd be leary of putting an additive in the oil. It might work counter to some of the additives you already have in the oil. Instead, I'd change the oil and go to a 0wxx or 5wxx oil. A 0wxx oil would be best, particularly if the tapping occurs or is worse at startup. This likely means that the oil is not getting in and pressurizing the hydraulic lifters (assuming your engine has them, which it likely does) quickly enough. My VW Cabrio's hydraulic lifters used to pound like mad using 5w30 oil. I went to 0w30, and they're mostly quiet at startup now.

To select the "xx" oil for your engine, consult the chart or recommendations in your owner's manual. Many of today's newer gas engines are recommending even 5w20 oils, and newer diesels are recommending 5w30. A 5wxx or 0wxx oil will be a fair bit lighter at startup than a 10wxx or 15wxx oil or single weight oil, but it'll STILL be heavier at startup than at operating temperature.

Ralph

 

[clemsonfor]

This is a car question but I'm asking this question here because I know you guys will know the answer.

I have a high mileage used car (06 Infiniti coupe, 77k miles) with a tapping sound in the engine. I think it is normal and I'm pretty sure it isn't a valve tapping.

However, a good many years ago I had another car that definitely had a valve tapping. A mechanic recommended an additive to make it stop. It worked perfectly. Within minutes in fact. I know there are several brands that will do this but I don't remember what I used and I want to try it with this current car. Any recommendations?

Note: I know this does not necessarily solve the underlying problem associated with a stuck valve or lifter but I don't think it would hurt to try this on this car. The process was warm up the car. Add the fluid into the valve cover. Run the car a little longer. Valve gets quiet. Then do routine oil change.

Also, I'm not big on any additives but I have seen this work before.

Thanks.

Thats lifter tap if its coming from the top of the engine. Id run some seafoam in the oil for about 500 miles then dump it and refil with oil.

Another thing 77K is not high mileage. Some say 75K is just getting broke in. I have a ranger with 270K just a few more miles on that engine.

 

[EddieWalker]

I have 170,000 miles on my Ford F-250 and use the high mileage oil sold at walmart for it. Supposidly it's formulated for engines that have more wear on them and it provides better lubrication.

Like Ralph mentioned, I'm nervous about additives to your oil. Some will hide an issue and are used when selling a vehicle with issues. There are a few that may or may not help clean out a system just before you change the oil, but what scares me is the people selling the stuff are the only ones making the claims. If it really worked, why doesn't the automotive industry jump in and make money on this stuff too?

If it worked, everybody would know about it and use it. If it doesn't, then the only people pushing it are those trying to make a buck off of it.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[Soundguy]

Thats lifter tap if its coming from the top of the engine. Id run some seafoam in the oil for about 500 miles then dump it and refil with oil.

Another thing 77K is not high mileage. Some say 75K is just getting broke in. I have a ranger with 270K just a few more miles on that engine.

exactly what I was gonna say.

add seafoam to the oil.. and 77k is not high.. if it is.. every vehicle I own, including some with mor ethan 2x that are already dead

( have used mmo as well.. )

soundguy

 

[N80]

Thanks guys. I consider it high mileage having learned to drive in the early 80's where not many American made vehicles would make it past about 75k, but of my four current vehicles it has the least number of miles and I usually run stuff till it dies or until I kill it (my three best vehicles totaled over the years, none of them my fault).

Anyway, I know (from other message boards) that Seafoam will trigger the CEL to throw code on this particular car and have to be reset. Not sure if other oil additives will do this as well.

And I'm with you guys on additives. I never use them. But, I had a used '97 Nissan Pathfinder that had apparently been neglected. It had one loudly tapping valve. I took it to a mechanic and he recommended that I try an additive and if it didn't work to bring it back for valve work. He recommended some fluid, I don't remember if it was Restore or Rislone or what. But after five minutes in the oil the valve stopped tapping and never tapped again. I suspect Seafoam would work the same way.

After listening to my car, and doing some more reading, this is not a valve I'm hearing and is probably normal for this engine.

Thanks again.

 

[skipmarcy]

Possibly Valve-Medic, made by Radiator Specialty. Have seen it work within minutes on a few engines with sticky lifters or valve guides.

 

[AMP762]

How bout a little more info.Does it do this all the time,at first start-up cold,hot.

 

[Egon]

Maybe use one of your Stethoscopes to get a better idea of the location of the noise. Or a screwdriver on the ear.:thumbsup:

What type of timing belt does the car have?

 

[N80]

The car apparently has timing chains and I've been told that the noise I'm hearing is normal for this engine. It is much less of a tap and more of a subtle click. I only notice it at idle but it does it when warm or cold. Unlike a valve/lifter this noise is very hard to isolate. On other engines I've tried a stethoscope but the screwdriver on the ear actually works much better. This engine has got a fancy (plastic) cover over the intake manifold and valve covers and I'm not even going to bother taking it off.

The car, by the way, is an Infiniti G35 coupe. Many folks on a G35 site say this is normal for this engine.