Recommend me suitable oil please (thicker)

[Roger Chatfield 13]

Afternoon chaps,

My Storm has started making strange noises recently, it's a tapping noise under load and is worse over 3k,
I took it to a local enthusiast (has owned 3 VR6 golfs) and he's fairly convinced that it's not the chains and asked what engine work I've done to the car since I've owned it.

The only thing I've done is change the oil, he has suggested that maybe because of the high mileage that the oil is too thin and that I should try a thicker oil.

Can anyone recommend a suitable oil?? I'm currently using the stuff VW recommend which I think is 10w 40. 

Rog.

[CALICO 130]

Thicker oils are not necessarily better as the thicker oil could put more of a load on an already worn oil pump. Have you tried to flush the engine maybe something is sticking.

[Lukey. 381]

If you do want to try there is a Mobil oil for high mileage engines which is 10w60 I think it's called extended life. A lad on here has put some in his recently but hasn't run it a lot yet for an opinion on it.

[EnthusiastOwned 7]

My car had a sticking tappet on cylinder 1 and also a tired valve stem seal on cylinder 6 so my car puffed blue smoke after the over run every once in a while.

 

I used the old ATF fluid trick first to clear out any gunk. Wait until you are due an oil change then drain 0.5l - 1.0l of oil from your engine. Top up using the cheapest ATF fluid you can find and run it for 50odd easy miles (no track day style thrashing); then drain and change your oil and filter.

The science - An engine flush oil additive just breaks off any built up gunk so it just floats around the engine and can block other oilways. Automatic transmissions have a very fine tolerance so can't afford any build up of gunk, as a result the ATF oil used also acts as a cleaner which breaks down any gunk. The cheaper stuff loses this cleaning property over time so the cheaper ATF's are made with more cleaners from the start and since you are only using it for 50 odd miles it's better for your application. Obviously the risk with any cleaner is that if you have a build up of gunk against a seal, it could dry the seal out and the gunk could be acting as a barrier stopping oil leaks etc. You do this at your own risk - Although I've never had an issue and my 135k engine on the original head gasket is going strong after this, it quietened it down and when I took the cam/timing covers off to inspect, the engine was ridiculously clean - non of that burnt brown oil stain anywhere.

 

I've also been using Castrol Edge fully synthetic 10w60 (designed for the BMW M engines) and my engine became seriously quiet, smooth and stopped the slight smoking on the over run. Been running it for 1,000's of miles with no issues. Old VR's love thicker oil.