[SRS]

I have a problem I hope you guys can help me out with. My car has 61,000miles and has the oil changed every 2500miles since new. Although the car has been driven hard and autoX alot, it has seen proper maintanence

Now every morning when I start it up, it makes a loud ticking/knocking sound coming from the engine. The sound stops when the engine has reached full temp, and doesn't happen again until the following morning or after sitting for along period of time.
When the car is warm it is quiet as new. This is becoming very frusterating and worrying. I have tried different spark plugs, oil grades and specialty lubes, to no luck.

Please advise if you can. Thanks-------Scott

 

[crash]

Sounds like piston slap to me.....

Although I thought that RS's didn't have this problem, only the Legacy 2.5 engine???

Take it to a dealer...

-Nathan

 

[yamarocket630]

You're not far out of warranty, if you take it into the dealer and ask/beg nicely, you can probably get it fixed for free. And, yes I agree it sounds like piston slap.

 

[Peaty]

I had the same problem and it turned out to be the cam tensioner pulley. Mine was fixed under warrantee. Do a search here and on the i-club you can get more details I'm sure.

 

[Peaty]

This is not an uncommon problem. The tensioner is supposed to keep pressure on the belt but when it's cold and it's bad it lets the timing belt slap the plastic shroud at the front of the motor and sounds scary as hell. Here is what it looks like

 

[SRS]

Thanks for the advise guys, I will look into some of these problems. How much does a cam tensioner pully cost, and hard is it to install? How do you resolve the piston slap problem? does the engine need to be rebuilt?

thanks-----Scott

 

[Peaty]

The belt tensioner involves removing the belts and possibly the pulley. It would be a good idea to inspect the timing belt too to see how bad it is after smacking the shroud. I'm guessing a few hrs. I think I may have the directions in the Haynes. I'll look toinght.

 

[Cone Eater]

I had the same noise...It was the Tensioner Pulley...Fixed under warranty...Just checked the invoice but all it said was no charge. I probably drove for 3 months before I had it fixed, of course, I only had 6000 miles on it.