Anyone got any idea what proportion of MY98 cars have had new short engines due to piston slap?

Anyone had any warranty problems with their dealer due to exhaust and air filter modifications? (i.e scoobysport rear box and ITG)

My warranty runs out in November and my engine makes a knocking noise when cold but only when load is applied. i.e. at tickover it runs smooth but as you pull away it knocks.

Once warm it runs very smoothly.

Help and advice please. I'm getting worried.

 

Hey,
My car is currently in the surgery having the new ingin fitted. I have a scoobysport straight thru exhaust fitted, but I did this after getting the OK from my dealers, so I havent techically invalidated your warranty. It all comes down to how well you know your dealer to be honest.
I would certainly take advantage of any warranty cover you have if I were you, I shall be selling mine with 'new engine' splattered in the ads, although it wont be for a long time.
Cem

 

Doc I have a my 98 that seems to be at the same stage as yours except if I listen carefully I can sometimes hear it when it is hot too.(15k miles)

I would like to ask the people that have managed to get new short engines fitted how easy it was to convince the dealer they were required,also how noticeable had the knocking become.Somedays mine is fairly quiet and passengers normally find it difficult to hear.

I talked to my dealer about it and they did not exactly fill me with confidence.They said they had never heard of the problem.

They also said if I had piston problems you would hear it when hot not cold,I pointed out that the pistons have more clearance when cold to allow for expansion and so it was more likely to be the other way around but they did not agree.Hmmm! I think I might have a fight on my hands

 

Hi!

Isn't that ticking noise related to the solenoid device that is installed near the left strut tower?!?

I own a MY98 and I do listen to that ticking noise when the engine is cold but I no longer hear the tickling when the engine warms up...

I've read in this forum in another thread that this ticking was due to the solenoid...

One question: what is a "short motor"?!?!?

Regards,

Gustavo

 

A short motor is just the block + pistons etc but not the head.

 

Can you detect piston slap on a warm engine?
I live 14 miles from my dealer. I suppose I could leave it overnight but I don't fancy driving a loaner justy!

 

Doc,
You have to leave your car in overnight I'm afraid. They wont try to hide the problem tho, its so widespread.

I have a Polo at the moment while mines being fixed.
cem

 

go to another dealer, it is a common problem on MY97/98 engines. I have had a new short motor fitted as have many other owners on this BBS.
It is such a common problem that in most cases IM dont need to send anyone to inspect the car.
On a turbo they fit a new short motor on a N/A engine they fit a new No 4 piston. Thats the pasenger side rear pot, it runs hotter than the other 3 and has led to pistons distorting, once distorted thay are knackered for life, most probs show up on the N/A engine at about 8000 miles.

They have changed the engine design on the MY99 onwards and it no longer is an issue.

as a quick test if the noise sounds like it is from the rear passenger pot, start the engine from stone cold, remove the plug off No4 fuel injector, if the noise goes away you have probably got a knackered No4 piston. This test is how the dealers diagnose the problem.

If you need more info email me.

cheers
john

 

I'm starting to get worried now. I have a late 96 WRX STi. It seems to have developed a tappy noise on start-up from cold. It appears to be inaudible when hot.

It sounds like a noisy cam follower. I have been told that an oil change and filter (which are due) will cure the problem. Having read the other notes I'm now a bit concerned!

 

As far as I am aware the piston slap problem only affects MY98 cars.

 

piston slap is an MY97/98 engine problem.

On the STi engines i believe solid cam followers are fitted and do have a slight tendency to be tappety when cold as the clearances are taken up.

you can test for slap as i explained above, you will still have to leave the car overnight or if you are very lucky and have a good dealer like me, they will come to your home and test it there in a morning before you have run the car.

 

Just out of interest... when they fit the new short engine....

Is the new short engine modified so that it won't suffer from piston slap OR is it simply the same as you already have i.e. after another 20K miles you'll get the slap back again...

I'd be interested to know.....

Jason

 

If you get a new short motor turbo spec, you will not have another problem, it is different to the one they are taking out.

On the N/A engine the piston replaced is a different design.

Mine was a bit unusual as they put a new short motor in my Sport N/A engine and put the new spec No4 piston in from day 1 so the problem wont come back in 8000 miles

 

Once the new short engine is fitted, is it covered by any sort of warranty??

My 3 year warranty will have expired by the time the short engine is in place....

Anil.

 

John,

So essentially the new short engine is a modified 98 short engine to take into account the problems ?

Does this differ much from the 99 and 00 short engines or is that essentially what they put in ?

Jason

 

I had a listen to my engine this morning while it was still cold using highly sophisticated diagnostic equipment(ear on end of big screwdriver )

The various noises were easy to identify.As already mentioned the solenoid on the left strut tower ticks quite loudly when the throttle is blipped,the injectors make a high frequency ticking noise and there was a fairly quiet tappy noise from under the rocker covers.
The piston slap noise was very loud through the screwdriver and is more of a doc-doc knock rather than a tappety tap tap.It was worse between 1500-2000 rpm.

I'll have to book it in to be checked although the thought of a Hyundi Atoz courtesy car is putting me off (still got 18 months warranty)

Andy

 

as i understand it the replacement short motor is very similar to the one they take out, however the piston design is significantly different.

The MY99 engine is a new design and a lot of the stuff on the MY98 is not transferable to the MY99.

Never got to the bottom of why a piston replacement on one cylinder is OK for the N/A yet a full short motor is fitted to the turbo?