engine/piston slap

[Phast SVX]

Ok my engine just recently has began to make a thud thud thud sound while idling, that gets louder on load(dosnt matter how much) you can hear it inside and outside the car if you are listening for it AFTER the car is warmed up, nothing while its cold. Im goign to change the oil tommorw to make sure its not that, but its only been 3k miles since my last oil change and the dipstick is showing full. ,it defintly makes a tapping sound that speeds up with the engine. i just turned over 174k miles. and im worried that im having piston noise. I really dont need this right now, as i have no money for then engine and would have to wait till i got the trans fully paid off first. in other words, start praying for a miracle for me peeps, i have had about the worst week that i can remember
phil

[benebob]

So it only does it when it is hot? Is that what I'm reading? If it was making the noise when cold first thing I would check would be for a sticky valve. I prefer Valve Medic. Always fixes the XT6 up.

[svx_commuter]

Is your engine using a lot of oil?
Try a 10w-40?
New oil pump?

[wawazat??]

I saw your post over on nabisco yesterday. Not sure what it might be. I hope it's not a rod bearing. Lifters are usually a more ticking sound. Thuds, as you called them above, usually are more expensive to repair.

I wish you the best of luck. Keep us informed as to what you determine the problem to be.

Todd

PS - I have engines if I can be of assistance.

[Phast SVX]

bob, this is defintely not lifter noise Im going out to my mechanic tommorow night, and we may or may not tear it down depending on the verdict.
Thanks alot todd,im hoping for the best right now too. i will let you know what the verdict is tommorow.
phil

[benebob]

Originally posted by Phast SVX
bob, this is defintely not lifter noise

What the hell did you do to your baby? Starve it of oil?

Originally posted by wawazat??
I saw your post over on nabisco yesterday. Not sure what it might be. I hope it's not a rod bearing. Lifters are usually a more ticking sound. Thuds, as you called them above, usually are more expensive to repair.

I wish you the best of luck. Keep us informed as to what you determine the problem to be.

Todd

PS - I have engines if I can be of assistance.

Hey Todd-

Doesnt this sound exactly like my engine thud thud that you listened to at reading?

Mike

[wawazat??]

Could be Mike, could be.........

Todd

[Phast SVX]

Originally posted by benebob



What the hell did you do to your baby? Starve it of oil?

defintly not, infact im 100% posotive im nicer to my engine then you are to yours. I go 2-3000 miles between oil changes, with full synthetic and lucas oil(i dont daily drive it). Although as with any used car i cant vouch for what has been done in the past. phil

[benebob]

Originally posted by Phast SVX


defintly not, infact im 100% posotive im nicer to my engine then you are to yours. I go 2-3000 miles between oil changes, with full synthetic and lucas oil(i dont daily drive it). Although as with any used car i cant vouch for what has been done in the past. phil

I don't know about that. Mine only goes a few 1000 a year. Oil changed every 4 months, tranny fluid done anually or whenever I go over 210 on the temp gauge. It is used mostly on long trips with an occational shuffle of the fluids between. Wasn't given you the 3rd degree but as a someone who's owned 8 Ru's with a combined milege of well over 1,000,000 miles (not all by me of course) the prime reason I've come to find that Subie engines have such issues is from lack of fluids. Now that doesn't mean there isn't oil in there. Could be that your oil pump is a little on the weak side or of course as you say the previous owner was a little less than diligent about checking/changing their oil.

I'm just very curious to know the cause/problem that you've got as Subie engines are fairly bullet-proof to begin with and the SVX engine is fairly bullet proof compared to Subie engines. Prtobably the second best/ most reliable engine sold here in the US by Fugi right behind the 2.2 Turbo from the gen 1 legacy.

[oab_au]

Just a long shot, but it could be caused be a lump of carbon that has broken off the combustion chamber somewhere, to lodge between the piston and the squish area, in the chamber, that causes the thud.

I had an experience with a engine that had its exhaust manifold off for a time, while some other work was done. When it was finally started, it had a thud thud from a cylinder, pulled the head to find a mud wasp had got in there to build a nest on the piston may just be carbon.

Harvey.

I'm getting mine diagnosed on monday at work. I will keep ya posted.

Mike