BOBBY G

Hi Guys,

Got a 53 plate wrx ppp wagon. It has done 58,000 miles.
I had it in the local subaru garage for it's 60,000 mile service yesterday and they said that there is a possible slight bottom end knocking that they think they can hear when started cold. I personally have never noticed it, and my wife uses the car, i will listen tonight to see if i can hear something.
I instantly got that sinking feeling and asked their advice. They said that I should never start her with reving the engine and let her warm up to allow the oil to circulate (which i do religously - although who knows with previous owner...) They also said i should check the oil every 1500 miles to make sure it is at right level.

To be honest, I do not know what to think. If there is a problem, is it not best to identify it for sure, and fix it to save possible further damage and greater problems?

I did a search on bottom ends and scared myself at cost and got confused over talk of different blocks.

If it is a big fix, then i am not after extra power, I just want my wrx ppp to run as normal and hopefully be good for 10's of thousands of miles to come........

All advice grately appreciated.......... I am sure it will not take long for someone to mention David at API ...LOL


Thanks

Bob

JDM_Stig

iTrader: (3)

Hope it wasnt after they had given it a oil change lol
Not sure of ur location but you wont go wrong with David at API.

shogo10

iTrader: (1)

if the garage started the engine from cold then the noise could be just piston slap which is common as mine does that but then goes away after a couple of miles when the engine warms up.

Ash burton

check the crank pulley mine has eaten the key way and sounded just like bigends i was so worried but luckly just needs a new pulley

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

My thoughts entirely - Well spotted Shogo

David

BOBBY G

Thanks for the advice guys, I really do fear the worst though.

Will check it out tonight and report back on any funny noises when cold or otherwise.

Am I being naive in thinking that a subaru dealer should know what they are on about???

Bob

STI Mav

HaHa - that's a joke right !!

AMC Subaru in Chelmsford had my car two days, doing what they called "extensive" tests on the vehicle including 2 sniff tests and told me they couldn't find anything wrong with it at all.

1 day later, I took the car to my prefered performance garage (Torque of the Devil) who had the car for 3 hours, and they were able to inform me the head gasket had gone after doing a sniff test. And they were indeed correct when the engine was stripped down.

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

Some of them are better than others. The problem is that they mostly do servicing and so on with cars that are within warranty. So they don't get to see too many of the day to day older cars that we, the independents, thrive upon.

Hence diagnostics of larger problems tend to be hit and miss.

As for your noise, piston slap is exactly that, a light sound best heard by blipping the throttle manually whilst you have your head under the bonnet. lt will just be audible on the lift off, so flick the throttle cable quadrant by hand to just bring the revs up by 500 or so and listen carefully as the revs come down. It'll be loudest at the point of change from revs up to revs down.

IF it is a big end then the car will not last long, as once they start to go they fail completely in no distance. At 70 miles an hour literally 100 yards.

SO, you could try kill or cure. If the big ends are going, it is too late to save anything, as the damage is done during failure. The loud noise comes after failure and by then the crank is wrecked.

Kill or cure. Go for a hard drive, 2 or 3 miles should be enough. If it's the big ends, they'll start rattling properly. If they don't, it'll be piston slap.

Piston slap only becomes a problem when you put as much oil in as petrol when you visit the pumps. It is a noise, just a noise and is not really doing any harm.

If you do provoke the big ends into a full up failure you will not have done any more damage than expected and the cost to fix will be the same. Almost certainly: New crank, new crank bearings, 1 con rod and gaskets and seals. Total cost if done at API £1400.00 + VAT = £1645.00 after Jan 1; with the new, friendly, 17.5% VAT rate

Call for a chat if you like after tonights developments.

David 01926 614333

BOBBY G

Hi again,

Well, Just back in from a test of the car.

Listened to her from cold and did not hear anything that sounded really out of place. Was a regular ticking noise....but no knocking type noise.

Took her out for a great drive and no worries... pulls well and no noises.......

So stumped!

Thanks for the good advice Dave....

Bob

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

Merry Xmas from the Fairy Godmother.

p1doc

you cross dressing now david or just for xmas panto lol
martin

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

You didn't know ?? Where you bin lately I haven't seen you at gays-R-us for some while.

djwrx

wouldnt be the injection system "ticking" would it...audis do the same...slight ticking you can hear when engine runinng