2.7 engine noise
 

Hi guys
I own an 01 Intrepid base model with the 2.7 engine. So far, I have had 110,000 worry free miles with no problems but the power steering pump replacement. Regular maintenance and oil and filter changes every 3000 miles since new. The other night, my wife comes home from shopping and I could hear a valve or something rpm related from inside the house. She said she never heard it from inside the car. Had her start the car and sure enough, I thought that somehow a valve was bent.
The next day after work, I started the car. To my surprise, no noise. So I let it idle and as it was warming up, I started hearing the noise again. The warmer the engine got, the louder the noise. It seemed like the tappets were starving for oil. Now, I have heard of the engine sludge problems but have never noticed anything wrong during the regular oil changes. Before I tear into the engine to see what is wrong, I would like some valuable opinions from people in the know on this forum. Maybe just flushing the engine would work or changing the oil pump. BTW, no engine light on, no oil light comes on and no engine overheating.Thanks for your help.
Don

Well, 127 views and no one seems to have an opinion. Today, I drained 1.5 qts of oil out of the pan. I poured in a mixture of 1 qt ATF mixed wit 1 pint of paint thinner which is similar to varsol. This is the stuff I used to clean parts. My thinking is that, if it is crud blocking it and I have to swing for another engine, then I will just scrap the car. Fired her up and let idle for 20 minutes till it got nice and warm. Then shut it down and I will let it drain for a few days before removing the oil pan to see how it looks. The noise seemed to go away but did not completely disappear when it got hot. I do wonder why the upper radiator hose was hot to the touch but the bottom one was still cold. I could easily squeeze it and it felt like it was empty. The coolant is up to the right level in the tank. I will post results for those interested in a few days after having removed the pan.
Don

What kind of oil have you been running in it? If you have been running conventional, I would recommend switching to synthetic as Synthetic seems to be less prone to oil sludge problems. A good way to save money on Synthetic oil is to watch adds from your local auto parts store (O'Reilly's, Advanced Auto Parts, Napa, Pep Boys, AutoZone, etc.). The brand isn't that important, just as long as it is from a credible manufacturer (Mobil, Amsoil, Valvoline, Pennzoil, Castrol, Royal Purple, etc.).

Sorry if I never posted back. I was running premium dyno oil. The mixture I made must have dislodged whatever was blocking the oil galleries. When I changed the oil in April, it was not as dirty as I thought it would be. I poured 1/2 pint of AT fluid into the new oil and filter. I have been running it on a daily basis ever since with no problems. I just purchased Quaker State premium synthetic and plan on doing an oil change tomorrow. I never did remove the pan but am keeping a close watch for debris in the next oil change.
Don