Engine knocking/ticking

I started my car this evening after leaving it sit all day yesterday...with the exception of a very quick start just to move to let someone out of the driveway. As soon as it started, a LOUD knocking sound in unison with the idle of the engine was going. Within 10 seconds or so, it had gone away. Oil level is fine, Mobil 1 Extended performance barely 3k miles old and ALWAYS 93 octane fuel. Anyone else ever experience this? I THINK the car had done this once before last winter when I first got it and never again. Hopefully it's something random and isolated.

DEALERSHIP.......call them asap!! Did you get any error codes?

Error codes? I don't have any OBD readers...and there was no CEL or anything like that. Car sounds fine now. What are you suggesting it is that you're informing me to call the dealer ASAP?

 

DEALERSHIP.......call them asap!! Did you get any error codes?

Call dealer & have them run a diagnostic.(under warranty)...is your powertrain modified in any way?

Call dealer & have them run a diagnostic.(under warranty)...is your powertrain modified in any way?

 

No modifications on the car whatsoever. I have it planned to go in on Nov 4 for all the dashboard sounds that continue to be there from my windshield replacement nightmare.

 

I think I remember a post here somewhere about someone's shafts being off a tiny bit causing noise and having to fight to get them replaced? Sound right or am I imagining this? (I try using the search function but it isn't always the easiest). Of course when anything like this happens to your own car, when it might be simple, random, or a one time fluke, naturally all the worst case scenarios and ANYTHING you've ever heard related to something like this pops in your head! EEK!

How many miles are on the car?

I have had the same engine behaviour few times. Plus I had the same thing with my Legacy 2000 in a past. I can't explain why it does happen but it reminds me the sound of the A4's engine rebuilt by me when I first time started it. I guess by some reason it's a lack of lubrication at the camshaft.

could also be the AVCS system warming up or something

There are almost 12,000 miles on the car. I'm assuming it's something benign like some of the other posts, but it was odd and VERY brief. It didn't do it again this morning and it was 42 degrees (for the first time!) this morning!

My 2000 2.5RS sounded like a desiel when the temperature was cold out. the colder it was outside the longer it would knock. I think it had something to do with a tensioner on the timing belt.

I have/dont know if its still there... a knocking/ticking on my engine. I only noticed it once the dealer changed the oil in it for the first time. I cant go back to the dealership cause its over 2 hours away and I dont have the time, but I had a place here listen to it, they didnt think it was that bad. So I figure, its still under warranty for 100k, so if anything messes up... They are gonna come pick it up and drop me off a car to drive while they fix mine.

Not going back to that dealership though, had bad luck with them on many levels. I think from now on I'm going to Subaru of Dallas, someone on the forums here knows the owner and from what it sounds like, its a great place to go.

Failing hydraulic lifter? On hydraulic lifter horizontally opposed engines in VW buses(1978)

we have lifter leak down after days or weeks....sounds like hell when you first start it up

and takes anywhere from a few seconds to twenty minutes to pump back up.

 

Never had it so far on my Subaru tho.

 

Cheers, dave

I started my car this evening after leaving it sit all day yesterday...with the exception of a very quick start just to move .

 

I didn't pay attention to this part of your message before, when I first time read it . This may be a clue to this problem. As I remember the same circumstances happened to be in my case - BRIEF START, MOOVING AND STOP before this shit happened next day.

I didn't pay attention to this part of your message before, when I first time read it . This may be a clue to this problem. As I remember the same circumstances happened to be in my case - BRIEF START, MOOVING AND STOP before this shit happened next day.

 

What do you suggest the very quick start and move has to do with this?

My the only think is when you start the engine just for a few seconds the oil pump is not reaching the operating conditions and there is no enought oil pressure to get the oil thru passages to the camshafts. So there is no oil film accumulated on the camshaft(s) surfaces to let them work smoothly when you start the engine next time. I am not familiar with the lube oil schematic in details, so this is only my guess.

My the only think is when you start the engine just for a few seconds the oil pump is not reaching the operating conditions and there is no enought oil pressure to get the oil thru passages to the camshafts. So there is no oil film accumulated on the camshaft(s) surfaces to let them work smoothly when you start the engine next time. I am not familiar with the lube oil schematic in details, so this is only my guess.

 

Wouldn't this technically happen every time you leave the car sit long enough so the oil drips off of the upper parts of the engine and into the pan below? So confused...

Don't forget - we are talking about horizontal engine. Friend of my has 13 years old Subaru STX (6 cylinders boxer). He claims that 2 days of not driving will generate the same sound.

Any way, I'm going to present this issue to my dealership. Let see what we get.

Sounds like maybe a timing belt tensioner to me - only did it for a few seconds & sounded horrible, right? I've had it happen twice (in 65k) on my 04 FXT, both times within a day of an oil change.

 

There is a TSB out for a "timing belt tensioner bracket modification" for what it's worth...

Failing hydraulic lifter? On hydraulic lifter horizontally opposed engines in VW buses(1978)

we have lifter leak down after days or weeks....sounds like hell when you first start it up

and takes anywhere from a few seconds to twenty minutes to pump back up.

 

Never had it so far on my Subaru tho.

 

Cheers, dave

 

Thats my bet, also....

There are almost 12,000 miles on the car. I'm assuming it's something benign like some of the other posts, but it was odd and VERY brief. It didn't do it again this morning and it was 42 degrees (for the first time!) this morning!

 

 

My 05 GT with 24k miles did the same thing last night. Drove it yesterday afternoon, no problem. Start it (was 56 deg f at the time) at 7pm last night and for about 4-5 seconds...CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK...

 

First time it's done it....I ran out this morning and got switched to synthetic oil...

 

Dealer doesn't have a clue.

Sounds like maybe a timing belt tensioner to me - only did it for a few seconds & sounded horrible, right? I've had it happen twice (in 65k) on my 04 FXT, both times within a day of an oil change.

 

There is a TSB out for a "timing belt tensioner bracket modification" for what it's worth...

 

 

do you have the #?

http://www.thel7.com/TSB/02-93-04.pdf

I started my car this evening after leaving it sit all day yesterday...with the exception of a very quick start just to move to let someone out of the driveway. As soon as it started, a LOUD knocking sound in unison with the idle of the engine was going. Within 10 seconds or so, it had gone away. Oil level is fine, Mobil 1 Extended performance barely 3k miles old and ALWAYS 93 octane fuel. Anyone else ever experience this? I THINK the car had done this once before last winter when I first got it and never again. Hopefully it's something random and isolated.

 

 

look this!

http://www.thel7.com/TSB/02-93-04.pdf