SVX oil pump worn out?

I think my SVX's oil pump is worn out. I start it in the morning and makes unpleasant noises for a couple of minutes. I think that it shouldn't take so long to quiet down. The engine sounds great after its running for a couple minutes. What gives?

Thanls in advance

[Chris]

Would that be a clacky ticky noise that goes away after a few seconds? If so, never fear. ITs just the HLAs (Hydraulic lash adjusters AKA Lifters). They get a bit weak over time and dont hold pressure as well as the do new. You also might want to make sure you are using a genuine Subaru SVX oil filter or one tha has the check valve in it like the factory one does. I have found cheapie filters to cause this noise, yet Subaru filters lessesn the effect.

Just my $0.02

Chris

I am using a fram oil filter I have a Subaru one I'll try next oil change. It seems to last a hole lot longer than a few seconds more like a few minutes

Kevinl,

If you are running a heavier oil (20/50) and if you live in cooler climate the oil will be its thickest early in the morning. When the oil is thick it has difficulty flowing to the lifters and "pumping" them up.

My old '89 would clatter pretty much on cold mornings. My neighbor would give me funny looks but it would stop after about 10 seconds. The car ran forever that way.

I am running thick oil. I think I am just paranoid the engines going on 127,000 miles and I don't have the money to fix it if anything should happen to it. So I am trying to cover my a$$

Kevinl,

As long as you keep oil and coolant in these engines they last longer than anything else on the car. However, one area you want to make sure you are current on maintenance is the timing belt. Mine shredded (luckily) at idle. Even at that it was an expensive repair to replace the water pump and idler pulleys. If you are unsure if it has been replaced (scheduled 60,000 miles) then save up your money and have it done if only for the peace of mind.

As far as the clattering goes, as long as you don't hear it after the car warms up you should be okay. If it continues after warm up you might have other problems like low oil (shame on you) worn oil pump or leaky seals.

Good luck.

JP

Thanks I appreciate the help

[svxxx26]

Another observation on oil - and the different effects of weight:

On my Legacy (2.2 liter, 155,000 miles) it recently began making loud noises on first start up - like the lifters weren't getting oil. After a few miles, it would quiet down. I switched from Mobil 1 10W30 to 15W50 and it hasn't done it again.

BTW, my SVX also makes similar lifter noises. Originally I thought the worst and assumed impending disaster, but that was 25,000 miles ago. Noises have not changed or worsened in the meantime and the engine runs fine.

[eddycat2000]

Originally posted by svxxx26
Another observation on oil - and the different effects of weight:

Well, if you'd really like to hear a story about oils and the different viscosities and strange noises they can cause I could tell you a fairly long winded story about a very nasty customer with a 2.5 outback and the wrong oil. But only if I wouldn't be bugging you guys, I don't want to force feed you any tales that you don't want to hear.

[Chris]

Im game.. Hit me!

Chris

[svxter]

Nah, eddycat, we've got time to listen. Lay it on us.

Go ahead and tell us.

[eddycat2000]

Originally posted by suby_qa
Go ahead and tell us.

I will, but late tonight, the wife is due home any moment and i have to pretend like I did something today. (I'll do 'er around 2 a.m. when I get up).

[eddycat2000]

Jeez, first time in years that I actually slept in till 6 a.m.

Anyhoo,

This person brings in their outback because of an engine knock. The 2.5 motor in the outback's then had a normal acknowledged (by Subaru) knock when cold. There were many TSB's concerning this knock. One stating that the pistons were lighter and that while somewhat annoying the noise would not affect the performance or durability of the engine, so Subaru considered the noise "normal". Another one of the TSB's stated that using 5-30 weight oil would help lessen the duration of the knock in the morning and that all 2.5 engines should use 5-30 oil. So whenever a customer would come in for an engine knock the first thing that I'd do is check the oil and the lube sticker. This person had had the oil changed at a quicky lube and they put in 10-30 oil, so then I went to check the level, it was at least one quart over full. I suggested to the service writer that the customer should have the correct weight and *amount* of oil put in the car and drive it for a couple of days and then we could recheck it. The customer flew off the handle, told us we didn't know sh!t (and I do mean those actual words were spoken), and even when shown all the TSB's and that the oil level was clearly way too high left mad as hell. Not only did the owner of the dealership get a nasty letter, but they filed a report with the BBB and then had the nerve to write another letter several weeks later claiming that they had the engine replaced under warranty at another dealership. Basically trying to rub our faces in the fact that we didn't know anything. However, as a dealer you can pull up a warranty history on any Subaru under warranty, guess what, after checking daily for several weeks, that VIN showed no warranty repairs of any sort. So unless some dealer gave this person a free engine out of the goodness of their heart, this jerk off had lied to us.

What gets me is, how much money do these people think we make by not doing the work? If Subaru says something is normal, then the dealer can't do a darn thing about it. If the manufacturer sees that you replaced the short block for an engine noise then they will call for the part back and they will inspect it, and if they don't find anything wrong (remember they considered this knock normal), then the dealer gets charged back the repair costs. Not only that, I'd replace short blocks on Subaru's all week, they paid really well, way better than telling someone to get a decent oil change done.

[svxxx26]

Eddy, please give me your learned opinion on this, because I am now (still?) totally confused on the effects of engine oil weight.

I "seem" to have cured, or at the very least improved my Legacy's early-morning cold start knocking by going to a heavier weight oil - yet, Subaru advises that the fix to a similar-sounding knock problem with the Outback is to go to a lighter weight.

At the time I switched to the heavier weight, my reasoning was that the heavier weight oil wouldn't drain out of the hydraulic lifters as easily.

Am I way off base, or what?