RW> I'd plan on a plug change in the near future for both cars.   
      
   The Monte just had new plugs about 4k miles ago when the engine was swapped   
   with the Jasper engine.  Unless the truck had new plugs before I bought it   
   (around 67k miles), they have never been changed.     
      
   RW> Here's a trick I recently learned from the boys at   
   RW> MalibuRacing.com...I've   
   RW> done this with kerosene before, but never ATF.   
   RW>    
   RW> Remove the oil filter and replace it with a new one, but fill it with ATF   
   RW> first, but don't use Type-F...Run the engine up to full temp and leave it   
   RW> run for 10-15min before shutting it off and changing the oil and filter   
   RW> with new oil.   
   RW>    
   RW> In the old days, we used to clean the sludge out of engines by filling   
   RW> them with kerosene and one quart of detergent oil. Let it come up to full   
   RW> temp and hold there for 20 minutes. Drain and refill, again replacing the   
   RW> filter.   
      
   That sounds sort of like what is in the Marvel Mystery Oil.  The thing is, the   
   engine is new (Jasper rebuilt), so there shouldn't be any sludge or junk in   
   there yet.  It looks clean inside.  I almost thought the opposite - where it   
   doesn't have enough gunk built up yet to keep the oil on the valves when   
   turned off for long periods of time.     
      
   It only does it for around 20-30 seconds on a cold start in the morning or   
   when leaving work to come home.  Other starts that don't allow it to sit long   
   periods of time, it won't do it.  It runs and idles totally quiet, too.  Just   
   that initial cold start for 20-30 seconds.  It is less now that I am using   
   synthetic, though.  I used 10W-30 synthetic.  The thicker made it louder on   
   the cold starts.  Not sure if it is value tap, piston slap, or what.  Just a   
   tap-tap-tap and then it goes away.   
      
   - Mark   
      
   --- WWIVToss v.1.50    
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