?? Engine Piston Slap???

[02legacygt]

I hear this around the board alot and i hear that people need to get there engines replaced becuase of it, now about 15,000 miles ago i had the head gasket go on me. ever since then (after the dealer fixed it) the car hasnt felt right and now of recent i have 85k when i start it esp. on cold mornings i can hear it ticking.. or it actually sounds like a bad lifter. However i hear this is common to. Is there something i should look for or do to help this ????

any suggestions please!!!

[shazapple]

Lighter weight oil.

My car's been ticking on startup every winter since I got it. Lighter weight oil makes it go away faster.

[02legacygt]

really, im putting in 5w30 right now, at least that is what the dealer says there putting in we have life time free oil changes, however i asked them about usig something heavier, you know to coat the cylinder walls better, and they said the can only use what the mfg. recommends. I understand the lighter weight oil will help get oil to the lifters quicker, but isnt that kind tricking the engine?, shouldnt i have the problem looked at or is it a common problem that i shouldnt worry about!?!

[Huffer]

Piston slap typically is only an issue with the earlier DOHC engines...
And the usual cure for that is thicker weight oil - 10w30 or 10w40.

The reason for the piston slap is that the piston is too small for the cylinder and needs time to expand with heat. Once it's expanded, it usually fills the cylinder better.

Lifter noise is different, I guess.

[2.5GT]

Let the car warm up a bit and babied it while driving...until at normal temp. Especially with the cold weather coming..I tend to let it idle for about 5 minutes.

And remember, Cold weather = thinner oil. Hot weather = thicker oil.

I run 10W-30 all year round :grin:

[peugoby]

Let the car warm up a bit and babied it while driving...until at normal temp. Especially with the cold weather coming..I tend to let it idle for about 5 minutes.

And remember, Cold weather = thinner oil. Hot weather = thicker oil.

I run 10W-30 all year round :grin:

Its actually NOT a good idea to let it sit and idle for more than a minute before driving it.
The most harm done to an engine is around start up time. By prolonging the time the engine is cold, the more harm your doing to it.
Its also a big waste of fuel.

I do baby the hell out of it while its cold though.... shifting below 2800rpm, very light on the pedal, all of that.
10W-30 all year round FTW!

[2.5GT]

You should hear my engine running in the mornings...taps loud as hell :lol:

[02legacygt]

yeah sometimes i really think my subaru thinks its a diesel, at least thats the way it sounds when i first start it!

[sexystover]

You should hear my engine running in the mornings...taps loud as hell :lol:

im so glad im not the only one, i thought i had a rod knock for a few days

[1-3-2-4]

almost non existent sideskirts don't help as well but that's the only way.

[02legacygt]

????????????????????????????????????

[Airgne]

almost non existent sideskirts don't help as well but that's the only way.


:smt017

[1-3-2-4]

I guess you never looked at a Subaru Piston then look at another piston from another car make??? Notice how short the sideskirts are?

Only way to keep some distance from the skirt to the counterweight..

I'm sure someone here must know what the sideskirts are used for...

[Huffer]

People don't usually call them sideskirts. Hence the confusion.

And the size of the piston (plus expansion properties) vs. the cylinder is the reason for the piston slap.

TWE have a sleeve kit you can use to sleeve the cylinder walls to quiet the clatter and make the cylinder a little smoother for combustion.

[02legacygt]

... makes so much more sense, thanx.


I was really lost im like side skirt..... WTF they have nothing to do with the engine. mabye making my car look sporty but its not gonna help the clatter coming from the engine.. atleast, hell mabye ill throw some side skirts on there mabye it will help,


then ill look into the ones from TWE :wink:

[J-Rock!]

You should hear my engine running in the mornings...taps loud as hell :lol:


+1 ,,, shes been slappin since day 1 :)

[subba]

Anyone else gets this?

*DUDE WHY IS IT MAKING THAT TICKING SOUND.. !?!?!?*

My Response:
Its a subaru thing......... (tired of explaining lol)

[02legacygt]

yeah, alot thats why i brought this whole thing up, my buddy who drive a evo, was like "holy crap dude why does your car sound like that, its ticking like its was its job."

i got kinda of worried however now that i see that alot of other people have the same thing, im not so worried!

[2.5GT]

just dont be stupid and floor it in the mornings...baby the car until its warm up :eek:

[decke48]

DOHC motor are more know for having piston slap/knock thats why the have longer skirts. so i dont get why no skirt would help the problem
for people that dont know the difference in SOHC and DOHC pistons here you go
DOHC
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/11/piston3_large-1.jpg
SOHC
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/11/piston1_large-1.jpg
other car(honda)
http://old.soliton.net/old/images/turbo/4age-pistonandrod.jpg