jake91 Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 okay so for the last month or so my engine has been knocking on startup it is finally annoying me and worrying me. i have checked the oil and it is fine. it will start knocking about 10 seconds after i start it and continue untill i get off of idle. and then it will be gone for good once the engine is warm. what could cause this and is it hurting anything im thinking it might just be sme piston slap. which wont hurt anything right? thanks jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carkhz316 Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 Knocking or ticking? I ask since there are major differences in sounds and all to often people confuse different engine sounds with the atypical "Rod knock". Also, there's some simple math involved to figure out if it's in the valve train vs. the lower end. Usually valvetrain noises will occur at a slower rate than the the lower end since the cam(s) revolves once for every 2 revolutions of the crankshaft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted November 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 i want to say it is a knock because it makes its normal lifter tick also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 BURNOUTS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted November 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 i forgot to clarify that was in my dads mustang LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carkhz316 Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 Well, you can certaintly narrow it down somewhat with a mechanics stethoscope (if you have one or can find one; they're relatively inexpensive) Just probe around and you'll probably be able to pinpoint it. If you're for sure it's a distinct lower end knock, and can verify it, then you're probably fuxored. But, you can gimp it along by dumping some heavier weight oil (like 10w30 instead of 5w30) in and or adding any kind of additive of your choice. Might keep you going awhile longer. EDIT to both posts: (I just reread OP more closely) sounds like it's your typical piston slap, but why you've only noticed it in the last month is peculiar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93cutty Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 When the 4.3 in my blazer went it sounded like a tick in the bottom end. I drove it 700 miles that way before it spun the a main. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadfoot Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 More info on the Mustang...Year, engine, miles, anything else important? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted November 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 EDIT to both posts: (I just reread OP more closely) sounds like it's your typical piston slap, but why you've only noticed it in the last month is peculiar could it be due to weather since i live in az it is finally just getting cool out. because in the summer it has been known for us to park the car at 11pm and the engine still be warm at 8am so it is finally getting cooler starts oh and note. it didnt do it this morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted November 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 More info on the Mustang...Year, engine, miles, anything else important? the knock is in the cutlass the burnouts were in the mustang but if you were just interested in the mustang it is a 98 gt with 62k miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Fury Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 EDIT to both posts: (I just reread OP more closely) sounds like it's your typical piston slap, but why you've only noticed it in the last month is peculiar could it be due to weather since i live in az it is finally just getting cool out. because in the summer it has been known for us to park the car at 11pm and the engine still be warm at 8am so it is finally getting cooler starts oh and note. it didnt do it this morning No weather in AZ is cold enough to do any harm!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted November 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 LOL youd think. you should here my car on a 40* morning. the suspension creaks, the powersteering groans, and the engine whines a bit. its like the car has adapted to the climate LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regal_GS_1989 Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 LOL youd think. you should here my car on a 40* morning. the suspension creaks, the powersteering groans, and the engine whines a bit. its like the car has adapted to the climate LOL Sounds like your car is a wuss Bring it up here and have it experience a -40 start in the morning, and it'd probably blow out every single gasket there is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 the -15 mornings we have here occasionally are bad enough.... i can't imagine the noises an engine would make at that temperature... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regal_GS_1989 Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 Surprisingly...it is not all that bad (depending on your car obviously). Other then a few extra seconds of valve noise, all I get is an extra whiney power steering pump for the first few minutes. You need to let it run for about 10 minutes before you go anywhere though, otherwise you can cause all sorts of issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank b Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 My Lumina does the same thing, slight light knock at cold startup but goes away once warmed. This car had the typical intake gasket leak when I bought it so I figure the noise is just a slightly worn piston(s) due to the coolant getting into the cylinders and washing out the oil enough to wear it out. When the engine warms up, the aluminum pistons expand enough to fit the cylinders better. I've been driving the car for three years, and I'm not easy on it either! Just let the engine warm up for a few minutes and be good about changing the oil. Oil weight didn't matter with my car so stick with whatever your using. My wife just bought a 2003 Olds van with the 3.4 and that one has a bad lifter rattle at start up! Strong engines but noisy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91LuminaEuro Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 I agree it just sounds like its piston slap. However, try to get a good video if you can! It never hurts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 failed oil filter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted November 28, 2009 Report Share Posted November 28, 2009 Surprisingly...it is not all that bad (depending on your car obviously). Other then a few extra seconds of valve noise, all I get is an extra whiney power steering pump for the first few minutes. You need to let it run for about 10 minutes before you go anywhere though, otherwise you can cause all sorts of issues. Gotta love the month long -40 starts haha...Lumina always starts but sometimes pukes the power steering fluid hahaha...TSX doesn't really care. The engine mounts are so cold though that the dash rattles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted November 28, 2009 Report Share Posted November 28, 2009 Surprisingly...it is not all that bad (depending on your car obviously). Other then a few extra seconds of valve noise, all I get is an extra whiney power steering pump for the first few minutes. You need to let it run for about 10 minutes before you go anywhere though, otherwise you can cause all sorts of issues. Gotta love the month long -40 starts haha...Lumina always starts but sometimes pukes the power steering fluid hahaha...TSX doesn't really care. The engine mounts are so cold though that the dash rattles! This is what the TSX sounds like turning over lol...all my LCD displays are like his too - half show up,etc. When you turn the radio up and down the display just scrambles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted December 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2009 why was this moved to other cars? oh and i had my neighbor look at it since its intermitent and its location make him think it a bad (idle tensioner pulley or something like that) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euro Posted December 1, 2009 Report Share Posted December 1, 2009 Apparently now they think cutlass convertibles are no longer w-bodies? Nothing surprises me here anymore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted December 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2009 LOL isnt that the truth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted to eaton Posted December 1, 2009 Report Share Posted December 1, 2009 i thought it was the ford you were talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoomZoomFan Posted December 1, 2009 Report Share Posted December 1, 2009 I think he meant to say he did burnouts in the Mustang, not the Cutlass. I think the knock is in the CS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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