Smoothing out stock M20

[Ahheck01]

What can be done to get rid of the "sewing machine" sound of a stock M20 and give it more of a smooth purr sound?

-Evan

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

get a valve clearancing job done, run 20W-50 if you aren't already.

get new belts?

[Ahheck01]

get a valve clearancing job done, run 20W-50 if you aren't already.

get new belts?

Is that the same as a "valve adjustment"?

What brand oil?

-Evan

[StereoInstaller1]

Evan, back in the days that the M20 was designed, Zinc was a major additive.

Zinc is expensive now, but is still one of the best additives.

Most "High Mileage" oils have extra zinc compared to standard oils, so just find one that is high mileage.

I use WalMart, but my motor is coming out of there soon.

Luke

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

Castrol GTX 20W-50

Always have, always will.

Sometimes if I'm feeling frisky I'll fill 3.5 quarts of the white bottle red cap Castrol GTX 20W-50 and then top off the last quart with a bottle of Castrol GTX High Mileage 20W-50.

Walmart sells the oil SOOO cheap, its like $10.17 for a gallon (which is approx. 5 qts)

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

Is that the same as a "valve adjustment"?

-Evan

Yeah sorry that's what I meant to say, tip of the tongue, tip of the tongue....

[strad]

What can be done to get rid of the "sewing machine" sound of a stock M20 and give it more of a smooth purr sound?

-Evan

Pull it out and put in something else?

An M20 is always going to be noisy due to its design. As the others have pointed out, oil and valve adjustments do help, and you should keep up on those even if they didn't help for obvious reasons.

[Mr Deagle]

put a loud exhaust on it to "mask" the noise

[browntown]

Walmart sells the oil SOOO cheap, its like $10.17 for a gallon (which is approx. 5 qts)

Unless they overfill that bottle, a gallon always has and always will be exactly 4 quarts.

[CorvallisBMW]

Elf motor oil from Germany does an excellent job of quieting down noisy valvetrains (so I hear), but it's super expensive and I haven't forked over the $ to try it. I have been using Mobil 1 15w-50 for a long time and my valves are pretty damn noisy, even with a valve adjust 4 weeks ago :( Maybe I will try that GTX 20w50 high mileage next time.

[Mako18]

noisy valves are the devil!!!! I can't stand it, so the turbo willl be my mask!!

[PiercedE30]

turn up your stereo.

[Ahheck01]

Unless they overfill that bottle, a gallon always has and always will be exactly 4 quarts.

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

Unless they overfill that bottle, a gallon always has and always will be exactly 4 quarts.

o rly?

maybe it's more than a gallon then.

Because the big jug is all I use and I have a little left over after the oil change.

[rcko]

+1 on the Castrol GTX 20W-50

thats what I have been using!