wow - since we had the snow by pistonslap is really loud!
i cringe before it warms up. even resorted to keeping it in the garage to try and help it.
anyone noticed this?

 

mine is doing it as well, makes me shudder each time as i don't want to see another engine go wrong.

 

What grade oil you using, if it's 15/50 you could try 10/40 for winter ?

 

Two things to ask;

Does it stop when warm?
Does it use any oil?

If it stops when warm, and doesn't use oil, STOP WORRYING!

Its just the way the engine is. Better to have a loose piston than to have it too tight and seize up in the bore because there is not enough expansion space!!!

I've seen the consequence of engine builds where piston to bore clearances were made too tight, and its not pretty!

Lots of modern engines do it, I caught my r32 doing it when de-icing it in sub zero temps (its usually garaged so usually I don't hear it), yet I'm yet to hear of one VW owner moan about slap. Nor Rover owners either, and yet every single K-series I've ever heard slaps when cold, even in the summer.

And if you think Imprezas are bad, start up a GM LS2 engine at this time of year as found in the 6.0 Monaro - trust me you've not heard slap 'til you've heard one of these start from cold in sub zero temps! It was almost embarrasing.

 

mine does it, horrible!!! even the words "piston slap" sounds horrible lol. just glad it stops when its warm!!!!!

 

normal with a 97/98 cars but as above if it goes when warm and dosnt use oil should be ok.