So I started up my 09 Civic during this brutal cold (was around 18 degrees) for the first time in about a week. The starting was really sluggish, as if the battery was dying, I was shocked because this battery is relatively new (about half a year old). Once it caught, the idle shot up like a rocket ship far higher than it normally does before coming back down quickly. Made me cringe thinking of the wear it did after not having the car run for a week.
As I was stopped at a red light, it spontaneously started making a really loud ticking noise. This was not a normal sounding fuel injector ticking. It was so loud I could hear it clearly outside with my window rolled down. It didn't seem to change with the RPM as I took off, but driving would drown the ticking noise out completely, then I would hear it again as I slowed down. Eventually after driving a while the ticking sound went away. I even turned the car off and back on a few times and I never heard it again the rest of the day.
Does anyone have any idea what that was? I'm concerned something broke. I did put fuel treatment in a month ago and this is the same tankful of gas with the treatment in it. Not sure if the treatment messed with the fuel and it didn't play well with the temperature. I know the car shoots up idle by probably dumping fuel to start in such cold weather. Not sure why the idle shot up so high though and why it started making a ridiculous ticking sound that it hasn't made in the five years I've owned it.
Really loud ticking sound?
- Thread starter Omahaug
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Cold, thick oil. Nothing more. Just took a while to get it pumped to the top end after sitting for a week in the cold. A quality synthetic will help. The Sonata in my sig had an initial idle of about 1750 this morning at around 0 degrees. Nothing to be concerned about.
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I exactly know what you are talking about, I started my 06 Civic(same motor - R18) on Sun after a few days and it was in single digits - exact same symptoms.
After couple of miles it was gone, Valvoline synthetic Blend 5W20 is inside it. Not to worry and usually idle stays around 1-1.2 krpm and then drops down eventually.
Plus, you and me are in the same boat - BITOGers thing, people drive these Civics like [censored] and still get 300k 
No lifter just finger following a solid cam. That's what .03" clearance sounds like and yes injectors can get REAL noisy when cold as the rubber O-ring is hard.
My rogue has a solid cam with SUB. That's noisy too. They all are.
But what filter do you have in there?
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BTW, if you have ever started a 7th Gen Civic in weather like that, you would feel you have started a diesel truck. How do I know? Because I have it
18F aint that cold.
I swear the 05 Matrix is the nosiest out of the Civics mentioned here. Shoots up to a good 2000 rpms but doesn't stay there long as I put it in gear which drops the rpms down to about the 1000 range. VWB 5w30 seems pretty good with about 2800 miles into this 5000 oci. It was 2 degrees out the other morning and 6 degrees this morning. Whew! I'm more concerned about myself freezing than the car.
Did the car start on the first try? Yes. Nothing to worry about.
Originally Posted By: NoNameJoe
It currently has PP 0W-20 in it, that's not thin enough?
Piston slap. The cold shrinks the pistons, and they make noise until the engine warms up and they expand back to their normal size.
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
18F aint that cold.
We in the Northeast are having a VERY cold temperature and weather event in the Bomb Cyclone the next few days. I have been starting up 15 minutes prior and there sure is some noise at first, I think it's just the engine as it's 5W oil and it is new. Car is about three ticks up on the temperature gauge after those 15 minutes of idling. Normally, we start it up only a minute or so before taking off and of course when it's warm out we don't warm it up at all.
I am curious as to how everyone's vehicle sounds when they first start it up in this cold, if you are affected by this cold weather event.
Engines make alot of weird sounds when they are cold.
I wouldn't worry about it.
I doubt it's permanent. Just adjusting to the cold.
Originally Posted By: maverickfhs
I exactly know what you are talking about, I started my 06 Civic(same motor - R18) on Sun after a few days and it was in single digits - exact same symptoms.
After couple of miles it was gone, Valvoline synthetic Blend 5W20 is inside it. Not to worry and usually idle stays around 1-1.2 krpm and then drops down eventually.
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But what filter do you have in there?
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18F aint that cold.
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Sump temps prolly stayed low the whole time, so the oil being pumped was somewhere between 0W and 20 the whole time. Even 0W is many, many times thicker than a 20 at op temp. So something in the engine was sluggish, but cleared as time went on. If it come back, then be concerned. If not it was just a transient thing.
You have an oil film the whole time, everywhere, so wear was/is not a great concern. Those motors last a long time. Almost no matter what we do to them. I would not worry
Al motors with solid cams are noisey when cold if you arnt allowed to run a 30 or a 40. That oil wrapped the cam, the thin oils don't have as much traction and act differently. A SAE 20 group III at 0F is not the same as a SAE 40 group I at 32F. The 40 would be better. It acts differently.
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