metal grinding noise on cold start up?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11-14-2012, 10:27 AM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
bkblitzed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Monterey, California
Posts: 4,961
Car Info: Miata and dirtbikes
metal grinding noise on cold start up?

This happened to me a couple of times. On random cold startups I would hear grinding noises for a split second and then its gone.
bkblitzed is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 10:29 AM
  #2  
Registered User
iTrader: (12)
 
slugrx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: SF Bay Area - Peninsula
Posts: 7,224
Car Info: 04 psm wrx sedan
Same here...happened a few times this week and last...sounds almost like it would if you were to try to start the car when its already on

Don't know what it is
slugrx is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 10:32 AM
  #3  
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
bkblitzed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Monterey, California
Posts: 4,961
Car Info: Miata and dirtbikes
Yea I thought it was like the starter or something going bad.
bkblitzed is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 10:38 AM
  #4  
Registered User
 
STInavyguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: San Ramon, CA
Posts: 200
Car Info: 2006 OBP STI
me too! me and my wife were in the car and we just looked at each other like "uh oh", just the one time earlier this week (actually on the way to pick up BO2). Haven't heard it since...
STInavyguy is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 10:40 AM
  #5  
Technical Know-It-All
 
Brfatal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Sterling, VA
Posts: 2,123
Car Info: '02 WRX + '15 WRX
See if you can catch it on video.
Brfatal is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 11:00 AM
  #6  
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
 
LoidBanks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: 209/916
Posts: 503
Car Info: 06 CGM STI
had this happen to me also, very random. only experienced it twice, once a few years back and then another time maybe a year ago, scared me a little bit. havent heard it since, would be kinda ironic if it happens today when i leave for work
LoidBanks is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 11:03 AM
  #7  
Registered User
iTrader: (9)
 
chimchimm5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 3,311
Car Info: 2011 WRX hatch gray
Check your oil level.

My car sat unused for 4 days, my oil was at low level. When I started it it sounded like a gremlin was inside the engine with a wrench banging and forth on the inside. I think it means the oil has drained down to the pan and the engine is oil starved. It lasted less the 2 seconds (of horror!) and faded away. I've been using the car every day (and topped off with oil) and the sound hasn't come back.

No doubt the sounds are "bad" but since load is low and it lasts for a short time then hopefully wear is low.
chimchimm5 is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 11:06 AM
  #8  
If in doubt, FLAT OUT
iTrader: (33)
 
04GG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Nor Cal SJ
Posts: 7,035
Car Info: 2010 Hatch, 2011 Sedan
Originally Posted by chimchimm5
Check your oil level.

My car sat unused for 4 days, my oil was at low level. When I started it it sounded like a gremlin was inside the engine with a wrench banging and forth on the inside. I think it means the oil has drained down to the pan and the engine is oil starved. It lasted less the 2 seconds (of horror!) and faded away. I've been using the car every day (and topped off with oil) and the sound hasn't come back.

No doubt the sounds are "bad" but since load is low and it lasts for a short time then hopefully wear is low.
That would be my first guess also. Cold weather means harder starts. The fact that it goes away right away kind of sounds like oil flow to me too.
04GG is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 11:06 AM
  #9  
Registered User
 
STInavyguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: San Ramon, CA
Posts: 200
Car Info: 2006 OBP STI
Originally Posted by LoidBanks
had this happen to me also, very random. only experienced it twice, once a few years back and then another time maybe a year ago, scared me a little bit. havent heard it since, would be kinda ironic if it happens today when i leave for work
That's what i thought when I read this thread. I was like, "Weird...me too!". I'm at about 2k from my last oil change. I thought since it was like 40 degrees outside it was just a super slow cold start.
STInavyguy is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 11:22 AM
  #10  
Technical Know-It-All
 
Brfatal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Sterling, VA
Posts: 2,123
Car Info: '02 WRX + '15 WRX
Originally Posted by chimchimm5
Check your oil level.

My car sat unused for 4 days, my oil was at low level. When I started it it sounded like a gremlin was inside the engine with a wrench banging and forth on the inside. I think it means the oil has drained down to the pan and the engine is oil starved. It lasted less the 2 seconds (of horror!) and faded away. I've been using the car every day (and topped off with oil) and the sound hasn't come back.

No doubt the sounds are "bad" but since load is low and it lasts for a short time then hopefully wear is low.
Did these gremlins sound like rod knock?
Brfatal is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 11:36 AM
  #11  
Registered User
iTrader: (9)
 
chimchimm5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 3,311
Car Info: 2011 WRX hatch gray
Originally Posted by Brfatal
Did these gremlins sound like rod knock?
That or piston slap... I'm not sure of the difference. I'm still pretty concerned. I hope it's just the belt tensioner.

Last edited by chimchimm5; 11-14-2012 at 11:44 AM.
chimchimm5 is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 11:47 AM
  #12  
Registered User
iTrader: (9)
 
chimchimm5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 3,311
Car Info: 2011 WRX hatch gray
Mine sounded similar to this guys although his went away faster.

FF to 1:10

chimchimm5 is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 12:35 PM
  #13  
Technical Know-It-All
 
Brfatal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Sterling, VA
Posts: 2,123
Car Info: '02 WRX + '15 WRX
Originally Posted by chimchimm5
That or piston slap... I'm not sure of the difference. I'm still pretty concerned. I hope it's just the belt tensioner.
I ask because on my new engine I had this issue. It was rod knock on start up until the oil pressure built. My engine is currently torn down because of it.
Brfatal is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 12:37 PM
  #14  
Technical Know-It-All
 
Brfatal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Sterling, VA
Posts: 2,123
Car Info: '02 WRX + '15 WRX
Originally Posted by chimchimm5
Mine sounded similar to this guys although his went away faster.

FF to 1:10

Brfatal is offline  
Old 11-14-2012, 01:04 PM
  #15  
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (5)
 
bkblitzed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Monterey, California
Posts: 4,961
Car Info: Miata and dirtbikes
nope its just as slug said, its like you turn the key when the car is already on. That screeching sound
bkblitzed is offline  


Quick Reply: metal grinding noise on cold start up?



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:13 PM.