1997 850 GLT loud clicking/ knocking at start up

[erikv11]

Oh, good idea rmmagow. It would be good to hear from more people who have experienced that problem.

It really doesn't sound like lifter tick, especially if it comes "from the bottom" as OP said. At any rate it needs attention if it is as loud as the sound in either of those videos. A little knocking up top is acceptable, but not like a blacksmith's shop!

[holmie_da_clown]

It's definitely NOT the usual lifter ticking noise, I am aware that they are hydraulic and that the lifters will make some noise. This noise is much louder and more of a knock than a tick. I'm going to try to record a video soon, but don't know how good the sound will be.

You say that you don't have much money but paying $700 to have the heater core done sound like you have money to burn.

When the core went last summer with the steam coming from beneath the hood and with refrigerant from the A/C switch everywhere I thought that at the moment I had a coolant problem (A/C refrigerant looks exactly like antifreeze btw), so I had the car towed to the shop. The shop also inspected the entire car so I'm sure that added to the $700. Had I known it was only the heater core and A/C switch I would have most likely done it myself. Since then all repairs/ maintenance short of this problem I've done myself. The o-ring replacement is something I might attempt during my spring break. I don't have anywhere to work on a car while at school.

When the car was inspected apparently everything was good other than they said tranny and PS fluid needed to be flushed, and front brakes replaced (which I knew when I bought the car); I've since done that. They did say the PCV system was one of the cleanest of any 850 they've had in their shop. The previous owner had the top end rebuilt at around 180,000 miles (I did get proof of this work) along with some other maintenance (including timing belt), but the bottom end has been untouched since the car was new as far as I know.

As far as what kind/ viscosity oil: it's 5W/30 Valvoline Max Life Synblend high mileage oil, the filter I'm using is Bosch. It did quiet down slightly after removing the full syn but not much, it's still pretty damn loud at start up. The thing that gets me is the noise almost disappears once the engine is up to temp.

Great looking car by the way "holmie". I use to have a red 83 VW GTI with the Gold BBS RA 192.

Thanks! I've always been a fan of BBS wheels. I just have some Technomagnesio Detroit wheels on the wagon now.

[erikv11]

Just for the record: the bottom ends of the "white block" only rarely have problems, they usually go for many many miles.

Do you know where that thermostat is that rmmagow referred to, for the oil cooler lines? Get the car up on jack stands and pull the passenger wheel, you can look right at it while the engine is cold and just started up. On your break that is, I understand you don't have access to garage space right now ...

[holmie_da_clown]

I'm not exactly sure where the thermostat is but a quick google search should fix that. Am I just listening for the noise I'm hearing to be coming from this thermostat?

[erikv11]

It's this thing, held on by the two torx screws, the oil cooler lines are inserted on the right side of it but just barely out of the picture:



It usually doesn't click rather it groans so this is a longhsot, but worth looking at.

[holmie_da_clown]

Yeah I listened to a video of one making noise and it didn't sound similar but I'll check it out anyway.

[abscate]

Oil thermostat, iirc??

[holmie_da_clown]

Alright, here is a link to a video of the noise from my actual car:

As you can hear it speeds up with rpms also isn't as frequent when rpms are higher.

[MoVolvos]

Alright, here is a link to a video of the noise from my actual car:

As you can hear it speeds up with rpms also isn't as frequent when rpms are higher.

Since this occur with the oil change go with a 15W-40 ASAP. One poster on the link below on page two said his problem began with an oil change. I was going to purchase a Suburban a couple of years back but found that GM had quite a few Piston Slap problems and the sound reminded me of that so I thought yours might be the same. The link is for Subaru's however. Take a listen. They also mention Tensioner Bearing.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthr ... ?t=1990365

I would not be driving that around with that noise till you try a few things to see if you can reduce it considerably! The blow by is gone on my S70 T5 240K motor and oil consumption is way down since using this oil after purchasing the car. I've used this oil for over a dozen years now. You may want to use the 505 to try and save that motor if it is something internal other than the top end. I only change the oil once a year with a WIX filter.

SWEPCO 306
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/sho ... co_pg8.htm

SWEPCO 505
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/sho ... _pg7.htm#2

Blessings,

BKM
_

[erikv11]

This exact point (15w-40 in turbos) has been posted about before, and with oil there is always a matter of opinion or subjectivity but: IMHO, 15w-40 is a very bad idea for a turbo car in a cold climate. I might try a 10w-40 high mileage oil in this situation, there are plenty of good ones.