Tick, Tick, Tick - Thicker Oil or Motor Flush?
 

I have what sounds like a stuck lifter in the front passenger side of the engine.

A couple of nights ago I started my car and the sound was gone! After a couple of minutes it was back.

The air temperature was 31 degrees when I started the car so the oil was nice and thick, as the engine warmed up the oil thinned down.

I'm currently running 10/40 oil, what is the thickest oil I should try to run to keep that darn lifter pumped up? I know I'll lose some mpg, but that'll hurt less than an engine tear down to replace the lifter.

Should I use some sort of engine cleaner to hopefully flush out whatever is in the lifter?

Thanks in Advance,

Try an engine cleaner - worked for me in both svx's. Follow the instructions exactly as they are written.

I used "WYNN'S" on my old 1985 Mercedes 200 like 6 years ago, when i used to open the oil cap, i can see the camshaft completely black from sludge... I went against the instructions of using it (which states that i should keep the additive for a maximum of 70 miles before emtying the oil. Well at first i did that, but the sludge never went away and my Tick Tick thing persisted. I put another bottle another time, and kept it for 2500 miles ( :D :D ). after that my engine became as shiny as a silver dollar. Fuel consumption also decreased.

Just to keep you confused, I switched to 5W30. No more ticking. :)

I have found that if a car sits for awhile, they will tick at first and then after they have been driven for a while, they stop. I have used some Marvel Mystery Oil in mine before and that will stop the ticking. I use 10-30 in all of mine. :)

That's because when a car isn't used for a long time, the oil drains in the heads causing the lifters and valves to make that noise. When you use thinner oil, it gets inside and the friction causing this sound disappears.. ;)