I have a lot of valve noise, especially when I first start the engine. It goes away after long drives but
tends to stay during stop and go driving. Should I worry? Given reasonable oil change intervals with the proper weight oil and oil filters, your V6 should be smooth and quiet and
not make any ticking noises. A common and easy to check problem is the oil level. While you should be careful not to overfill
the oil, you should never let the oil go below the minimum mark on the dipstick.
Assuming that your oil level is OK, you probably need to replace the oil check valves under the valley pan. These valves keep
oil at the top of the engine after it shuts down, so that when the engine is started there is adequate lubrication at the top end.
The part numbers for these valves should be no earlier than 078 103 175D.
