[hora]

Ok. Early morning. After the car has been stood up overnight in the cold.

For the first circa 5mins it sounds like a noisy set of rollers (not squeel) but an occerlation sound.

If I rev the engine (gently of course) - sounds normal but if I engage a gear and pull away for a few metres - it makes a slightly rattly sound. So i.e. when I set off.
Out of gear and rev- nothing. fine.

There is no thunk when I select first gear.
There is no knocking noise.
The gearstick doesnt jump out of gear.
It isnt hard getting the gearstick onto any gear. (its a manual)
After a few minutes the car sounds fine.

Piston-slap? It honestly sounds like the rollers at the front- as though they are dry/stuck from the sub-zero overnight until fully freed?!

If the car has been stood for say 3hrs during the day- its fine.

Engine is a 2.0 non-turbo so it cant be oil starvation?

 

[flstffxe]

2.0L hydrolic lifters?

 

[hora]

What are those/what do they do?

Would Wynn's help?

Hydraulic Valve Lifter Treatment

Or..

http://www.wynns.be/product.aspx?nav=&g=0&s=25&b=513&p=51344&l=EN

Ps. It does not sound like this. That would alarm me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p98AqJhH9Qs

From cold its only when you pull away. Not when stationary. You can rev the engine freely and it wont make any rattle when stationary immediately from cold.

 

[Woody '04]

When stationary, does it make any difference in the noise if the clutch is depressed or not (with gear shift in neutral)?

 

[hora]

When stationary, does it make any difference in the noise if the clutch is depressed or not (with gear shift in neutral)?

No difference at all. Only when I set off in either 1st or reverse.

Last night I added in some Wynns valve lifter and will note the sound tomorrow am (if there is a difference).

 

[SkateandDestroy]

I'm having similar "noises" on my 04XT on cold starts also...Doesn't start until I put it into gear (I have an auto trans though). Goes away after a few minutes. Seems like its coming from the driver's side of the engine.

 

[AlleyCat]

Driver side oiling and piston slap. Subaru used to replace just the DS pistons - in the US, in GB it would be PS.

 

[SkateandDestroy]

Would the piston slap only be present when in gear and not just at idle?

My older Subaru (1999 Outback) would have piston slap right from startup, didn't matter if it was in gear or not.

 

[Kevin]

When you put a load on it the piston slap may become more obvious. I'd be checking for loose exhaust shielding as well - but that can only be done under the car. Are you running the right oil for your conditions?

Does the 2L engine really have hydraulic lifters?

 

[Kevin]

Hi Kevin,

A friend recommended checking my plugs and leads, "make sure they arent champion plugs and check the ht leads also.

Check those plugs for the hunting idle, also on those engine they suffered from cracking on the ht leads and arcing out when damp, so i would wet the leads with like a squirty bottle on each lead to see if they are."

Thing is - how do I do this? I'm a good/quick learner however I dont know what to pull out to check this?

The car is not very old is it?

Here is a bit of a guide to get to the spark plugs:
How do i change the spark plugs on a 99 subaru forester? - FixYa

One trick for crook high tension leads is to start the car at night in a dark place and open the bonnet and look for any arching, i.e. flashes of blue light shorting out from the black rubber coated spark plug leads to the metal of the engine.

 

[hora]

When you put a load on it the piston slap may become more obvious. I'd be checking for loose exhaust shielding as well - but that can only be done under the car. Are you running the right oil for your conditions?

Does the 2L engine really have hydraulic lifters?

Again, this morning. Only when I came to set off (under load). Loose exhaust shielding? Could be you know. A while ago I had some loose shielding (found thread) and it was alot of noise:
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f88/exhaust-noise-when-giving-car-fair-few-revs-front-49430/

The Subaru garage located and (removed). Now I hear 'tinking' as the engine cools down after a long run.

The 2L does have hydraulic lifters.

Will do tonight when its dark- engine running. Although in our area I will have someone sat in the drivers seat incase someone tries stealing the car :chair:

SkateandDestroy- Yours does sound different if it occurs when you put the car into gear (but not move?). Could it be the auto-box? :icon_frown:

 

[Kevin]

Now I hear 'tinking' as the engine cools down after a long run.

That's normal.

 

[2003suby]

I thought this was just common subaru flat 4 engine cold start valve noise. that commonly goes away after about 5 min of warm up and after good oil circulation has begun after standing overnight ... and also the cold thickening up the oil a bit .

 

[Jarradd-s]

Have you had any luck with fixing the noise?

I have an 04 outback, manual, which has similar problems... about to go book it in at the mechanics

 

[hora]

TBH on the mornings it happened I actually had trouble just opening the car doors as the ice was sealed them shut.