First time clatter at start-up in cold weather.

[Popinski]

THis is the first winter and first time my car made a clatter noise for 1-2 seconds on cold start. IT scared me... is this a sign of failing oil pump? I always use 5w30 in the winter... do you guys think I need something thinner? Last winter, the car has been in -5 degrees F and it never clattered before. Sounds like failing Hydraulic Lash adjusters or something. Oil filter is Hyundai Genuine which is high quality. BTW, I always use synthetic.

Help?

 

[Scienceman]

Honestly, on older cars, it's just normal for an occasional cold "clatter"

 

[OVERKILL]

My power steering pump sounds like a moose in heat for a couple of seconds when it is below -15C.

Part of the fun when dealing with the cold.

 

[grease_monkey]

Its just the cold dude. I wouldn't worry too much. I would be concerned if it lasted longer than a minute or two as that could be signs of a collapsed lash hydraulic lash adjuster

 

[daman]

where do you live???

try some 0w20 or 30.

 

[CourierDriver]

When I was 20 , u could jump out of the rack and hit the decks running on general quarters, now 43 years later, and jump out of bed and bounce off the wall twice,,now how do u think ur engine feels with its what nots frozen stiff and u want it to run like a teenager in heat, I dont think so guys,,,let it warm up or put a heater in the crankcase,and my old bod, a shot of whiskey or better warms me up ( I like it at sunup) u can take that to the bank lol.............now where are my teeth Margret...

 

[AcuraTech]

We're looking at temps of -15F here tonight, trust me when I say that when it gets this cold, even brand new cars will make funny noises for the first few seconds and maybe more.

Gasoline has a hard time igniting when it gets this cold too, so the engine may sputter and have a slightly harder time starting than usual.

Make sure to let the engine run for a minute or two before taking off, but letting it run until its "warm" is a waste of gas and engine wear.

 

[youdontwannaknow]

Originally Posted By: Popinski
THis is the first winter and first time my car made a clatter noise for 1-2 seconds on cold start. IT scared me... is this a sign of failing oil pump? I always use 5w30 in the winter... do you guys think I need something thinner? Last winter, the car has been in -5 degrees F and it never clattered before. Sounds like failing Hydraulic Lash adjusters or something. Oil filter is Hyundai Genuine which is high quality. BTW, I always use synthetic.

Help?


How many miles already on this oil and filter ?
Had it been sitting out in the cold much longer than when in -5F it did not clatter ?

Could be the filter. Is the oil level ok ?

 

[JHZR2]

Id try a different filter...

 

[Popinski]

Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
When I was 20 , u could jump out of the rack and hit the decks running on general quarters, now 43 years later, and jump out of bed and bounce off the wall twice,,now how do u think ur engine feels with its what nots frozen stiff and u want it to run like a teenager in heat, I dont think so guys,,,let it warm up or put a heater in the crankcase,and my old bod, a shot of whiskey or better warms me up ( I like it at sunup) u can take that to the bank lol.............now where are my teeth Margret...


THanks for serving our country.

 

[Popinski]

Originally Posted By: youdontwannaknow
Originally Posted By: Popinski
THis is the first winter and first time my car made a clatter noise for 1-2 seconds on cold start. IT scared me... is this a sign of failing oil pump? I always use 5w30 in the winter... do you guys think I need something thinner? Last winter, the car has been in -5 degrees F and it never clattered before. Sounds like failing Hydraulic Lash adjusters or something. Oil filter is Hyundai Genuine which is high quality. BTW, I always use synthetic.

Help?



How many miles already on this oil and filter ?
Had it been sitting out in the cold much longer than when in -5F it did not clatter ?

Could be the filter. Is the oil level ok ?


THe oil and filter has 2,900 miles on them. I never let the oil level below full. The car was sitting for two days.. it's rare becuase I usually drive everyday.

 

[willix]

It is really, really cold in Minneapolis today and my 100,000mi Northstar engine is noisy on start up for a couple of seconds. The good thing is it pumps up oil and you can hear it oil reach the valve buckets and quiet them within a few seconds. The cold piston slap takes a little longer to go away.

 

[swalve]

Yeah, sounds fairly normal to me. I always just assumed it was the various metals had shrunk overnight and are exposed to wear areas they aren't normally exposed to. And the residual oil being more viscous than usual. If it goes away after a few seconds, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: willix
It is really, really cold in Minneapolis today and my 100,000mi Northstar engine is noisy on start up for a couple of seconds. The good thing is it pumps up oil and you can hear it oil reach the valve buckets and quiet them within a few seconds. The cold piston slap takes a little longer to go away.


The N* is very prone to carbon buildup in the combustion chambers,the noise is often diagnosed as piston slap.Seafoam and like products down a vacuum hose will not cure the problem.
Removal of all 8 plugs and pouring 1/4 of a can of GM top engine cleaner down each hole on a warm motor and leaving it overnight usually does the trick.Drive it hard and change the oil afterward.Running redline Sl on a regualar basis afterward seems to keep it away for a good while,mine went 2 years before coming back.

OP valve clatter is normal in many engines using hydraulic lifter/lash adjusters during cold weather,nothing to worry about if it clears up in a short time after starting.

 

[Popinski]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I feel much better.

 

[mechtech2]

Oil filters are not NASA inspected. It still may be a marginal anti drain back valve.
And it could also be simply the cold weather. Engines can get a click sound at start up here and there in winter. Sometimes it is because of WHERE the engine stopped last time. If a lifter is a little loose internally, you'll get a quick click that goes away rapidly.