Ticking after oil change, Is it filter related?

[gotrootdude]

I took my car over to Jiffy Lube a few weeks ago (only drive 16miles/day), they filled it with 10w30 and the lifters ticked for a solid week.. I took it back and they redid the oil change replacing the 10w30 with 5w30, the tick was gone 1/2 mile later but returned before 1/2 a week was over..

Here's where it get interesting.. While checking things over this morning, I decided to check the oil filter.. When I removed it absolutely no oil came out. There was no oil in it whatsoever and it was light as a feather.

I'm believing that this generic oil filter that they sold has no anti drain back valve which is allowing air into my lifters.. Does that sound like a valid hypothesis? If so, what brand filter should I replace this with?

[Chobobulous]

I use purilator oil filters and have never had a problem. I stay away from fram. Cardboard endcaps = no good.

[zoom zoom]

Go with a wix filter for a 89 tracer, they're physically bigger because they're made for the tracer, (still fit festy a fine!)and literally the best you can get. Wix had a hummer at a local parts store a couple weeks ago and they did a good job of selling their product, I think I'm a customer for life. When you see all the different brands all cut up with individual parts laid out on the table, well there's no doubt in my mind that wix is the only way to go. Napa Gold oil filters are wix filters.

[TorqueEffect]

Purolator for life here.

I might try a Purolator Tracer filter next time.

I would avoid any quickie oil change place, especially Jiffylube, heard way too many horror stories of these places. The only one I would trust is actually Walmart, for the longest time my folk's got their oil changes exclusively from there, never had one issue. Grismer one time overtightened the filter cap on our 06' Fusion ruining the o-ring causing oil to leak all over the exhaust eventually ruining the catalytic converter (luckily Ford replaced it free) (We only got the oil changes there because got so many free with our set of new tires.)

There is hardly any reason not to change your own oil on a Festy, you don't even need to lift it off the ground at all, and the filter is easily reachable from under the hood. People whine about disposing of the oil, but EVERY single autoparts chain store takes used oil, it is hardly a issue.

[rmoltis]

Purolator here as well.
%97.5 efficient at filtering out particles 20 microns and above.

And the purolator pure one series.
%99.9 efficient at filtering out particles 20 microns and above.

Love it.

[Zanzer]

I use Purolator as well since they make Motorcraft's filters.


This guy has some good info on his pages and way too much free time on his hands (lucky for us) :mrgreen:

http://minimopar.net/oilfilterstudy.html

[Aaronbrook37]

Dealing with sludge, ticking, and oil issues is always fun... particularly given the tendencies of the valve cover and oil pan gaskets to leak on B3's. I've had great success resuscitating tired old B3's by using a small serving of Seafoam well in advance of the oil change, which should always be done with high quality oil and a decent grade filter. Though I've read that the kerosene soak trick or going at your valves with a shop vac can certainly assist in the effort, there's no need to be that extreme about it if you ask me haha.

[zoom zoom]

I wish I had some pics of the display they had out, lol you guys would be amazed at the differences. I actually just converted

[gotrootdude]

Ticking is gone!

I picked up a Mobil1 filter over at autozone, because the only other ones they had were the cheapy FRAMs, and dropped in a bottle of Auto-RX.. (I've tried SeaFoam in the past but it never stopped the ticking) It ticked for another day and then pure silence.. Don't know if it was the filter or the Auto-RX that did the trick; just glad the sound is gone and the power is back. Thanks for everyone's help.

[loknlode]

I would think the only way a properly made filter would cause ticking is by not allowing enough flow
through for the engines oil requirements. ?????

anyway I had a olds 3.1 that ticked a little and was asked
by a old school mechanic what weight oil I used and I said
10w30 and he told me to go to 5w (which is what book recommended)
and it quieted down. I think festys are 5w too.

that worked for the olds so I think the rx is what did it.

[zoom zoom]

Oh, the wix filter guys also gave me a flyer with info about an "oil filtering class" available online through the wix website. I checked it out and it's pretty neat, I would have done it already if iPhones didn't suck(I want my droid back) but they mail you a certificate of completion for each degree, there's 3 progressively more in depth levels. Might be something to check out, you guys should do it then fill me in on the highlights haha.. Wixconnect.com

I think it was purolator, but I can't remember for certain, that claims they filter more oil, but it's because the cheap bypass valve they use doesn't let much oil get past it, so when your engine needs more oil flowing, it's a restriction. Then if the filter gets plugged up, it's a very bad restriction. Wix has more of the filtering material, and like using a big cold air filter vs a small one, there's less restriction with the big filter because there's more surface area available for oil to pass through....I'm not talking about using a 3"round filter vs a 2.5" filter, if both were the same physical dimensions there would be more filtering material inside. The ones they had on display were all bigger, but they use more material vs oem specs. I do remember the cut up fram filter was by far the cheapest made and worst filter of them all, the grip stuff they put on the outside is what sells those filters. Iirc super tech were internally the same?

[bravekozak]

As long as oil pressure doesn't drop, 100% non-bypass is the way to go.
You don't want any unfiltered oil getting into your engine. It's kind of like having only one kidney. Remote Mecca racing filters had no bypass + a big magnet in the filter housing. You replaced the top filter elment only. No turning from below. Neat.

8 microns. Do an oil analysis.

[avitsefdrof]

My 89 auto had a ticking issue....used valve medic with no results....was using 10w-30 and had ticking still, then tried 20w-50 as an experiment...still the ticking. Finally got to 10w-40 and it smoothed right out after a couple days. I guess each engine/issue is a little different, but it worked for me.

[william]

lots of people talk bad about frame but my b6d has always had frame filters used and Pennzoil
witch is also talked bad about and at 200xxx miles when it was torn down

these are the two worst mains from the motor.
I'm no.mechanic but they looked good to me.

[jason_]

Depends if they're aluminum! They'll always good no matter how worn!

Plastigauge is your friend.....

And then on top of that, as this thread is discussing, sloppy lifter pump up means nothing. I'm sure these pumps can overcome a handful of lifters that won't hold back oil to satisfy the bottom end with at least 10w.

I run 15w, 10 is too thin when hot. Even when I was running 20/50 and chasing top offs with stp, i'd kill the engine, and can hear watery thin oil sounds like pissing in a pot, as it drained from head ports down into oil pan....

Imagine that 5w oil that's like water @70*F......

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