5w20 or 5w30

[robbiecox6]

I have a 2007 dakota 3.7 V-6 with 45000 miles, I have been using 5w20 since the truck was new, now the it sounds like the lifters are ticking, is it safe to use 5w30?

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[Blown287]

When I first bought my truck I ran 5w30, now I run 5w20 so you should be ok. I use Mobil 1 fully synthetic 5w20.

[turbot_bird]

yes since it is getting warmer I would advise it anyway.

[cramerica]

I always use 5w-20 in my V6. You sure the ticking isn't the fuel injectors? My truck with the hood open makes a racket; the injectors are pretty loud. With 45K miles, maybe some fuel system treatment would be a $6 experiment to see if the noise lessens?

[graythang]

I use Mobil One 10W30 Full Syn. and change my oil at 12k with a filter change at 6k. 90% of my driving is highway to work so its easy clean millage.

[mprohr]

They're not lifters ticking, they are valve lash adjusters. Our trucks do not have lifters. They sit in the top of the head, and act as a self-adjusting shock absorber for the rocker arms. They can get crud, or air bubbles in them...or the check valve will get weak and lose preassure. They will start to clatter like you have marbles in your engine. They should only do it on cold start. After they get warm, they re-pump themselves with oil and quite down. If they do it all the time, they need to be replaced. Very very common with these motors.

Either oil will be just fine.

[graythang]

I like the design and not having lifters & pushrods it is a plus for any engine. To bad the valve lash adjusters aren’t of better quality. I wonder if there is an after market VLA out there that are high performance quality.