Myki why would you want to use thicker oil? Standard oil for us is 5w 30 (costs way too much btw) but if you go with thicker oil that won't get everywhere it is supposed to.....
As for the ticking sound I read the thread and your explenation, but I have trouble understanding what you mean. Many of the descriptive words for the parts are so different as to what we use in Dutch that I wouldn't know what you are talking about.
However if you can hear it above the spool then it gets annoying. I also know what you mean by "I can't
help but hear it now" I have that too....whenever something sounds different as it always did bothers me like crazy until it stops lol!
Good luck with it though