Many posts regarding this subject, so there's so much to absorb. In a nutshell, my 1999 Silverado (4.8L) usually doen't make much noise during start-up. Always been very smooth. But recently, we've had a brutal cold snap in sourthern Ontario. My truck, first thing in the morning sounds unbelieveably brutal. Kind of like a whining combined with some chattering. I'm afraid it's going to wake the neighbours up. Didn't sound like this last winter, or ever. After it warms up, sounds fine. I use 4.7L 5W30 with 1L of 5W30 synthetic thrown in (same brand - (Motomaster Formula 1), kind of like my own blend. Oil made by Shell. Oil change volume as per manual is 5.7L. Filter is Valvoline MaxLife which may be a Purolator Pure One in disguise (too restricitve?) Didn't use this filter last winter, no noise. Is it the filter, oil or something else. If the specs call for 5W30, can I safely use a 0W30 in the winter, or would 100% or a "true" synthetic blend help?
Terrible start-up noise with extreme cold
- Thread starter rocketman
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Try having your belt tensioner pully changed, that's when my 99's first started acting up, when it got real cold out.
It could be the filter. Most likely a piston slap problem (annoying, but not likely engine damaging). Exactly how cold is it getting? If it's say, below -10 to -15F, then a full synthetic 5w30 or 0w30 would probably help. You'll only find 0w30 in full synthetic. From what I've seen from product data sheets, synthetic blends really don't give you THAT much better cold weather performance (short of Schaeffers etc.).
Hey JohnnyG, now that I think about it, that's where I think some (but not all) of the noise is coming from. In the past, I've had to use a small amount of belt dressing when it's been cold due to "suealing or whining" (yes, I know , a so called no-no), but the engine still sounds pretty rough. Would the belt tensioner adjust ment make that much of a difference? Thanks for the suggestion. I'm still curious about the oil & filter situation.
If it's truely squeeling, like an old V-belt often does in extreme cold (from lack of tension from coldness), then you may need a new tensioner. The GM ones have a little gauge on them; they're easy to figure out if you take a peak at it.
Hey Drew99GT, its been getting -16 degrees celcius (about 4 F) but there has been an incredible windchill factor. Can't wait for summer and the opening of the pool.
Hmmmmmm, that's not even pushing 5w30, especially since you have a quart of synthetic mixed in. Some cars are just very noisy when started cold. Practically every GM we've had has been that way, except the 3.8L ones and 4.3L ones. I bet my Corolla is WAAAYYY louder than your truck..........
Hey Drew99Gt, what do you mean by a gauge on the belt tensioner? I'll have a look at it tomorrow if it's applicable to my truck.
How does the GM belt tensioner guage work?
Jim
CYWG
Jim
CYWG
You may have to get a Haynes/Chiltons for model specificity, but the base of the tensioner will have a mark on it. When you look at the tensioner, you'll also see a notch that holds one end of the spring. When that notch goes past the mark on the base (from the spring getting weak), then it's time to change.
JHZR2
Staff member
startup noise that comes and goes is almost always related to restrictive filters. Of course a thinner oil would perhaps span the difference in restrictiveness, but thats just a bandaid for a filter that IMO isnt doing much (but may be keeping your oil really clean).
Id suggest swapping filters to see how that does.
Belts of course will make a lot of noise when cold, but much of that has gone away since v-belts arent used as much.
Fortunately, windchill doesnt work with vehicles... so it wont have an effect.
JMH
Id suggest swapping filters to see how that does.
Belts of course will make a lot of noise when cold, but much of that has gone away since v-belts arent used as much.
Fortunately, windchill doesnt work with vehicles... so it wont have an effect.
JMH
Alternators will also make a whining noise in extreme cold.
I had a lot of noise last winter with my sunfire 2.2 and i have partially cured it by switching to mobil 1 full synthetic 5W30 from dino 5W30 of unknown brand. Pretty happy with it but not sure if it's worth the extra 6 dollars a liter, haha
If you think your engine is loud, listen to a older 4.0 Jeep engine start on a 20 below 0 morning-after it has sat all night and everything is frozen. Talk about loud. The first 3-5 seconds is a nail biter.
Maybe a bad Power steering pump.
Actually, my Jeeps are not noisy at all after switching to Amsoil and Baldwin filters-even when we had the cold snap a couple weeks ago and my 1996 sat at the Des Moines airport for 4 days while I was in Seattle. When I came back it was -8 and it fired up like normal-no unusual startup noise.quote:
Originally posted by 99:
If you think your engine is loud, listen to a older 4.0 Jeep engine start on a 20 below 0 morning-after it has sat all night and everything is frozen. Talk about loud. The first 3-5 seconds is a nail biter.
Due to the description of a whining chattering noise I agree with the previous suggestions of belt/tensioner/alternator noises. The belt is usually easily removed and replaced on GM's with a belt tensioner. So you might consider removing the belt (when you have a little spare time) then cranking it on a cold morning,if the noise goes away you've (PROBABLY) eliminated internal engine noises from suspicion. Replacing with a new belt at this time might be a useful test. Of course if it still makes noises with the belt off then it's another matter. Does your vehicle have an air injection pump? It would be plumbed into the exhaust manifolds and if so equipped only runs (and could make noises) when the engine is cold. GM has taken to operating these air pumps with an electric motor instead of a belt,and it would be under control of the ECM. This pump's electrical connector could be unplugged as a diagnostic. Of course that would probably set a trouble code which should be reversed after replacement of the plug followed by 3 or 4 normal drive cycles. And going back to the possibility of a bad alternator (bearing): with the belt off you should be able to spin the alternator pulley freely by hand. If this test produces any noises that would probably be a smoking gun. Bad water pump bearings usually also produce coolant leakage. Power steering pump? Possible but not likely in my experiance. Good luck. Rickey.
www.pistonslap.com re GM engines
Thanks to all. One question remains. Can I safely run a 0W30 if my engine calls for 5W30? The manual says I can in extreme cold, but I was wondering about running it more than that. The 30 represents viscosity when hot(?) and the 0 when cold, right? So why wouldn't you be able to run it (0W30) all of the time? I'd like the oil to get to the engine parts as fast as possible. Probably a stupid question, but I'm just learning this oil thing. Logging in to this forum has become quite the hobby.
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