L322 Td6 tapping engine what oil?

Hi all and merry Christmas
When I got my range a few months ago at 220,000 miles I felt the engine was a little noisy but not excessive considering the miles.
Lately however it has a distinctive tap or rattle once revved, I'm guessing it's a hydraulic lifter.
Is there any oil thicker/thinner that could help reduce this?
I don't do loads of miles and don't want to start spending loads on an engine rebuild

Without sounding like I am teaching you to suck eggs, have you tried the basics like giving it a good service? The owners manual will outline what oils to use and in what climates.

Serviced it when I got it. Used the correct oil. Just that with the mileage I wondered if I would be better using a different oil to help reduce the noise.
I have read that this engine does suffer from noisy lifters if it does a lot of short journeys which mine does. Doing a long run today so will see if that makes a difference.

It's common to get tappet rattle on the m62 if you only do short journeys or it's left stood for a while . to purge them let the engine get to temperature then hold it 3000 revs for 3 mins then let it idle for 30 secs and repeat until there ok. Usually 2 0r 3 should do it but can take as many as 10 sequences

Ha sorry , just noticed you've got the td6. But prob the same

I've seen that method but also read that it can do damage to the gearbox in some way. Gave it a hard drive for 200 miles today and it seems slightly worse but certainly no better.

You can get oil additives to quieten noisy tappets.

or you can fix the problem,just a thought

I could fix it but is it just an air lock due to short trips or is it a defective lifter???
How do you test the lifters?
And would a different viscosity oil help to fix the problem?
If it's due to short journeys then would a thinner oil be better as it wouldn't need the heat of a longer trip to make the oil thin enough for the lifters to work as they should

Putting thinner oil in an engine that has done 220,000 miles is not a good idea.

Yeah I did wonder that. Although I was only thinking slightly thinner not anything like Mobil 1

youmitegetian said:

Yeah I did wonder that. Although I was only thinking slightly thinner not anything like Mobil 1

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Mobil 1 will have several grades. At that mileage the engine will be a little loose, you need slightly thicker oil to fill the gaps not thinner oil to squeeze through them. Try sticking a couple of cans of STP in the sump.

Does that stp stuff actually work???
I've always been wary of additives in case they cause more harm that good.

youmitegetian said:

Does that stp stuff actually work???
I've always been wary of additives in case they cause more harm that good.

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Try it and find out.

I'd put tappet reviver through it, for a tenner it's worth a punt. However at 220k miles they're going to be pretty weary by now.
You might have to get the spanners out.

I was thinking just a thicker oil might be worth a try. What would be a good grade??

Put a couple of bottles of STP in it, run for a while and see what you get, before you do anything else. I can only advise i can't make you take notice.

Ok I'll give it a go. I just worry about oil additives in case they cause more problems than they fix

youmitegetian said:

Ok I'll give it a go. I just worry about oil additives in case they cause more problems than they fix

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On an engine that has done your mileage it can only help. May aid it in lasting a bit longer before the inevitable happens. 220,000 miles is a lot for a 12 year old car, normally you would expect to see around 120,000 at average yearly mileage.

I guess so. I'll get hold of some later and see how it goes