Hi guys

Wanted to know if anyone else has experienced this problem and if they have, what it was/could be.

I have a '03 KJ with 18,000km on the clock. On cold start once idleling a tick, tick, tick can be heard and even as you put it into gear this can still be heard but slows as the revs slow (as they do to go into gear) eventually when at normal operating temp this noise goes away and idle settles down to the 3.5's notorius sounding 'chaff cutter' like idle. What could this very annoying, ticking noise be? I was using a 15w60 oil and guessed that perhaps the oil wasnt getting to the tappets, lifters or rockers (or whatever) quickly enough to lubricate them suffficiently when cold. To try and get around this it was suggested by they guy at my local dealership and guy at auto shop to try an oil not as thick. I went with a 5w50 (or 40??) oil and STILL the noise is there..........and ideas whats wrong?

how many oil changes has it had?
if that was the first one i would be putting a engine flush in to the motor and use a 15w 40 oil

I would say its the oil - one thing I have lernt is not to get mitsubishi to do the oil change, they put in utter crap.

I would say its the oil - one thing I have lernt is not to get mitsubishi to do the oil change, they put in utter crap.

It has had all service book oil changes plus i have changed the oil THREE times in 4000ks :bowrofl: Before you start laughing ,i hadn't done it before and was learning and fitted Ryco not genuine filter and didnt want dealer to know i had touched it so i got a genuine filter and did again. First 2 times i used Penrite HPR 10 and the last time when i wanted to go thinner i used Penrite HPR 5.

GTVi Guy, I have a 2001 TJ Magna Advance-in my mitsu manual in the "driving section" it says, "NOTE: A ticking noise may be heard after starting the engine. This is not an abnormal condition. The noise will disappear after a short time of engine running. If the ticking noise continues after the engine is warmed up, have your vehicle checked at Mitsu. "
Hope this is a relief for you mate-mine tick tick ticks like mad initially too!

regardless of what mitsubishi owners manual says NO high quality car with an enginge built to "good" tolerance's should "tick" on startup....sounds like you need a good, thin synthetic oil...try using a 0W or 5W....best to go synthetic...
I am on my third (3rd) gen Magna/Verada (both 3.5 & 3L) and have never had a problem with start up ticking, why? because I use ultra thin synthetics from day 1...ps: you dont have to spend $100+ for a good synthetic oil. Catrol Formula R 5W-30 is about $40 only $10 more than Castrol MagnaCrap marketing ploy :nuts:

umm all the engine workshops that ive come across reccomend not using synthetic oils in new motors or for at least 15000km as its too thin. after 15000 its good idea to use thin oils to keep thoes nasty lifters quiet. the reason you are hearing a lifter noise is because the oil is running out of them while motor is not running when you start up they need oil pressuer to bleed out the air . as long as the noise doesnt hang around for more than few seconds motor is fine if noise stays or gets louder need to run a flush to clean them out or a bottle of lifter free. if noise still there there its too far gorn , you will need to replace them

o and i forgot to say when oil has run out of lifter you will get a rough idle because the valve is not lifting to its full extent. air in lifter will compress oil doesnt.

I would say its the oil - one thing I have lernt is not to get mitsubishi to do the oil change, they put in utter crap.

Why is there oil crap its Bp3000 and its good stuff.

umm all the engine workshops that ive come across reccomend not using synthetic oils in new motors or for at least 15000km as its too thin. after 15000 its good idea to use thin oils to keep thoes nasty lifters quiet. the reason you are hearing a lifter noise is because the oil is running out of them while motor is not running when you start up they need oil pressuer to bleed out the air . as long as the noise doesnt hang around for more than few seconds motor is fine if noise stays or gets louder need to run a flush to clean them out or a bottle of lifter free. if noise still there there its too far gorn , you will need to replace them

the period where u should not use a nomal oil regardless of whether it's mineral or synthetic is up to 1500km NOT 15000km...after you have finished with your "running in" period where the engine uses a special oil without the friction modifiers to ensure everything in the engine beds in THEN u can go straight onto ANY oil suitable for your motor. The weight of an engine oil is determined by it's rating NOT whether it's synthetic or mineral...that said synthetic oils @ the same rating will always provide less friction. Castrol Formula R (synthetic) comes in a very thin blend 0W-40 (what I use) and also comes VERY thick 20W-70...so the choice is there based on your own special requirements or what you think is best...
back to the original topic, u still should not be getting any lifter noise if you are using a thin enough oil and ALL the oil galleries are clean ensuring quick build up of oil pressure to the heads and lifters...on a 6g7* motor even @ high km's (unlike the old Astron's) a motor in good condition (with a good oil) should not tick even for a moment @ startup...(although it should be much noiser than normal)

Why is there oil crap its Bp3000 and its good stuff.
i think people's perception of what is a "good" oil differs somewhat...(as do some people's budgets & care factor)