93toyrunner2

1993 4Runner 3VZE 179,400 miles
The truck developed a loud valve tapping noise, so loud that it sounded like the lifters were going to eject out of the valve cover. I changed the oil and filter, using 4 quarts of Castrol 10W-30 Syntec, Mobil 1 Oil Filter, and 1 quart of Slick 50 Engine Treatment ($15.95).
Years ago, I had used Slick 50 in a Ford V-8 with a severe rod knock, and after driving it 20 miles, the rod knock was gone. I eventually sold the car, and the next owner had put 22,000 miles on the engine the next time I met up with him, and still no rod knock. I was sold on it.
Since then, and years later, I have been reading online that Slick 50 had changed their formula, and it wasn't worth wasting the money on it. I went ahead and tried it anyways in my 4Runner.
There was no immediate change in the lifter noise. I drove the 4Runner on a 180 mile round trip ride, and the lifter noise was still there, and even seemed worse as the engine temperature increased! Adding about 150 more miles to the odometer, no change. I went out to go to work four days ago, and started the truck. I shut it off quickly after what sounded like I had thrown a rod. After pulling the valve covers, and dropping the pan, I found no metal at all, and all bearings looked perfect. What a waste of time, but at least I know the bottom end is still clean.
I changed the oil again, praying for a miracle. This time, I used 4.8 quarts of Valvoline SynPower 10W-30, a Mobil 1 filter, and a pint of Risoline Engine Oil Treatment ($3.50). I started the 4Runner up, and the rod knock noise was still there, for about 2 minutes... After 4 minutes, it started going away, and now the noise is completely gone.
So, for those of you questioning whether or not to use Slick 50, I say don't waste your money!

MudHippy

If that were the case then the bearings would not be good, no matter what they looked like. You don't judge that they need replaced by just looking at them anyway. They need to be measured for thickness. Which I have to assume wasn't done.

I could bash on you pretty severely for this whole theory of "a cure for rod knock in a bottle". But I won't. It's definitely not something I would ever do though. So what do I really care...go for it! Good luck!

PS, what was the REAL waste of time was not installing new rod bearings while you had the oil pan off to "inspect" them. They aren't that expensive you know? Now you'll likey mess up your crankshaft and/or rods when they really do fall apart on ya! If they're not messed up already!

tim a.

slick 50 is same old crap its always been.I used to use it in a worn out 2.0 chevy that rattled like a diesel.It would quiet down for a few months,then start rattling again.The teflon wouldnt get into a lifter or help it free up.Rislone is a solvent,it dissolved the varnish keeping your lifter stuck.

93toyrunner2

Sorry that I did not include I used plastigauge to inspect bearing clearances, and they checked out within specs. I did not need to change them and they looked unmarred, no markings whatsoever - what I meant by "they looked good". Thanks for the unnecessary Bashing!

xxxtreme22r

If you have valve noise, rod nose, etc etc, NOTHING on the market is a cure for it. NOTHING. I don't care what ANY manufacture says about THEIR product. ANY MECHANIC knows that.

If anything switch to a DINO based oil and NOT a synthetic. Why? Because a synthetic's oil film is actually THINNER then a dino based oil. Preferably one with a high ZDDP (zinc) content and NOT a paraffin base (ie Pennzoil).

IMO very little on the market in the way of oil additives is compatible with synthetic to begin with.

Don't get me wrong Castrol Syntec is a really good oil. But not in an engine with 180k + miles.

So let me also get this straight, you took apart the rod bearings to plastigauge the bearings and then put them back in? ??????? What MECHANIC actually does this? It's risky to even pop the old bearings out and just slap new ones in, let alone take a set of bearings out that have 180,000 miles on them and put them back in.



Hows that for a bashing?

93toyrunner2

The kind of mechanic who is living on a shoestring budget, barely scraping by feeding a family of four, whose wife has been unemployed for over two years, and is working for his church after his company downsized. I simply created the article to inform anyone else that might have been considering using Slick 50, in order to save them the $15+ of hard to come by funds.
Thanks for the positive attitude, friendly advice, and understanding.

xxxtreme22r

lol.

Attention Folks, SLICK 50 is NOT a $15 cure for a rod knock.

SURPRISE !!!!!!

Guess what THIS is a better cure for a rod knock.


$31 plus shipping. http://www.store.partsdinosaur.com/cgi-sc/order.cgi

How much was that second unneccesary oil change and additive you put into that? I bet more then $31.

Give you another hint, if you had a knocking motor and the noise went away after 4 minutes, it was NOT a rod knock. If you think a $3.50 bottle of engine additive got rid of a rod knock, then you should maybe consider learning more about mechanics and not dis on a product that had nothing to do with the noise going away or staying.

Levinz11

Put some Marvel Mystery Oil in that SOB!! Works like a champ. Gramps used it in the Army motor pool a century ago. Everything from tanks to airplanes. That lifter tick will come back right around the time you need to change the oil. I have an old YJ (4.0 195k) and it's the only stuff stuff that keeps her quiet.

Hilux808

I've spent (wasted) a ton of money in the past on additives, I'm now against using most additives as they can cause more harm then good. Besides Lubegard in my auto transmission for my Nissan Frontier (because the trans has issues), Redline Water Wetter, Lubegard Kool-it & Hy-per Lube Coolant treatments and the occasional Techron treatment in the gas tank once a year I've pretty much banned myself from any engine and other treatments.

In my experience all of them were a waste of money and it will do nothing if any versus a good quality engine oil. I've used many brands of oil too. I've had three cylinder heads on my 22RE and I have had coolant dump into the cylinders and eventually end up in the oil, this can be the death of an engine as the coolant and oil mix will become acidic and create corrosion on engine parts, especially the bearings. I'm pretty sure this is what attributed to the knocking sound in my engine.

Every time I would start it on a warm/hot start I would here a slight tap/knocking sound for about 2 seconds then it would go away, as if it finally received oil to fill the gap. Whatever the noise was it finally went away after switching to Amsoil. All the other oils I ever used never did this, using conventional only made it louder too. I used to use Royal Purple for years, sometime Mobil 1 too and although those are all good I've always heard great things about Amsoil so I thought I'd try it. It's my lubricant of choice now. I didn't switch to Amsoil to try to get rid of the noise, it was just by coincidence that it did. I can't explain it, I also noticed that my 22RE burns less oil now over time with Amsoil.

I remember reading an article a long time ago stating that GM, Briggs & Stratton & Nasa all did studies on the effects of PTFE (Teflon) in internal combustion engines, and they're results were not good. PTFE are solids and these particles will eventually damage the engine and can clog passages and filters over time. I never used Slick 50 and I never intend too. Quaker State/Slick 50 was actually investigated by the Federal Trade Commission too for misleading consumers of their product claims.

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/07/slick.shtm

Stay away from it and just use a good quality oil and filter.

xxxtreme22r

Oil additives are for protection not a cure for something like a rod knock. Do you use a condom before or after you get something nasty? Just because you put a condom on, doesn't mean you no longer have whatever.

Levinz11

^^^^^^ Diggin that Hans Solo quote ^^^^

Levinz11

Bad analogy. Condoms don't fix symptoms. MMO does Cures cost big $$$

xxxtreme22r

You can have HIV and absolutely no symptoms.

Levinz11

Touche. WTF was this thread about???

BMcEL

Haaha

HawkStrong16

Well played xxxtreme22r... Well played indeed
haha.. This thread is awesome.