Recently serviced my 03 sportka, euro car parts had an offer on Shell Helix so I went for 5ltrs of HX6 (5W30), ever since the oil change once the engine is warm its started being a bit noisy around 3,000 rpm, sounds a bit like tappets to the untrained ear. Car previously had some very good value tripleX which is euro car parts own brand cheap oil, engine ran nice and quiet on this. Realise the cars getting on in years and its just topped 73,000 miles so not looking for perfection but it just feels a bit too noisy.

The engine is a 1.6 8 valve Duratec (Zetec Rocam), everything I've read on these engines points to them being pretty tough lumps, and the cars not a hard life.

any suggestions welcome, currently planning on swapping out the oil and reverting back to cheap and cheerful tripleX

Cheers,

Ed

goto a motor factors and buy some tappet additive. all you do is pour it in with your engine oil & leave it there as you

dont have to change the oil. it will lubricate the tappets but may take a few weeks to work but it does work.

its not the new oil you used it's the tappets that has got a little wear on them and has started pinking.

it maybe been a good idea to do an engine flush on the next oil change at 12k or 12 months

then add another bottle of valve lifter

this is what i am on about but an autofactors maybe a little cheaper

http://www.halfords.com/motoring-travel/engine-oils-fluids/fuel-oil-additives/wynns-hydraulic-valve-lifter-350ml

Thanks. Will get some in this week and see if it quietens down.