My mates 03 wrx sti recently started knocking, even at idle. Only 33k mile on engine. Sounds like its coming from the bottom end but not sure. Hasnt driven it since noticing knocking. Any ideas on what exactly it could be and how much it will cost to sort out? cheers

 

does it do it when the car is upto running temp?

 

if when the cars warm it stops then piston slap.

If it carries on and sounds like its coming from the bowels of the engine then it could be the big end bearings, solution:

Engine rebuild at around 2 grand, Or he could do it him self

 

No it still continues when it warms up, though he hasnt let car for for very long incase it causes more damage. Some one had suggested it might actually be the tappets?? Not sure, could these even make that sort of noise??

 

my car makes all sorts of taps and knocks until its up to temp. then its really quite. tell him to run it round the block an get it up to temp before he decides is nackered.

 

Beg/steal/borrow an oil pressure gauge and check your oil pressure BEFORE driving it around the block.

Mick

 

Check the oil level, if its ok then get a gauge. install it. you want 90psi on cold idle really. also when its running get a long screw driver as it will amplify the noises and let you detect where its coming from. hold it on the heads and put your ear on it and listen, Then put it on the block and listen again. you will be able to tell if the knock is coming from the heads (shims) or the block (pistons, rods or big ends). Also when you have it on the heads you will hear a ticking... this is the injectors opening and closing so dont be concerned by that

 

Cheers lads, will prob b chatting to my mate tomorrow, will do as suggested an il get back to you. Hopefully nothing serious!

 

Hope its not the bottom end knocking for your mates sake, on a MY03 33K mile car it shouldn't be

 

unless it's down to the way it's been driven ? oil starvation ? would it not be under some kind of milage warrenty ? sorry for your mate if its nacked .

 

It could be the cam belt tensioner pulley. The bearing on this went on mine a while back and it sounds like death knock.

Much cheaper issue to solve