engine tick/tap/knocks...
 

My motor has recently started making this noise, only I dunno what it is or how bad of a problem it is.

what is this sound?!

As you can hear it's the worst when the car initially starts up, then it quiets down a bit, but still ticks. What does it sound like to you? Thanks.

I haven't heard the noise (I can't get to that site from work for some reason), but the fact that it mostly happens when it is cold reminds me of this notice from subaru a few years ago:

Dang, well my car is MY96, so I guess that doesn't really apply to me. But it does it all the time. The video is in Quicktime format, don't ask me why, I don't even use that program, so that may be why it won't work.

I can't listen at work, but my guess is lifters. Time to desludge the engine...

I can't listen to it either, but since everyone else is throwing out wild ass guesses... piston slap.

Desludge? Well I'm finishing up replacing a wheel bearing and replacing an axle tonight after work. I'll let you give a listen when I bring your HD back Dean. And I'll try to make that video a different format when I get home.

I can hear it... that shit is *loud*. Doesn't sound like valve-train noise... more like "bad-things" noise. :( I wouldn't drive it if you can help it until you get someone that knows more than we do about motors to look at it.

I had a 1996 Impreza brighton with a 1.8L (kept outdoors in tahoe) (had up to 90K miles on it ) never heard noises like that . (mine did develop some issue with the valve cover but a different noise, and only while the engine was under load)
Sorry to hear about your engine noises :(

LOL, that shit is loud. Yeah for sure it is.

That sounds like terminal rod knock, man. Mine never got that bad, but I definiteley recognize the sound. For what it's worth, I swapped out my motor so I didn't have it seize on me when i wasn't expecting it :|

Have you let it run low on oil recently? How long has it been making that sound?

It's been making that sound for about a month or so.

:eek:

Mine have been knocking since I graduated from Michigan. :p

JC your car still drives right? I don't remember it making a sound when we went up Old Clear Creek that one time.

DUDE! That sounds like a rod knocking, or a piston slapping. Never have I heard valve train chatter that loud! Either way, NOT GOOD!

Use a stick or long screwdriver against the motor, and the other end at your ear, (cheap stethoscope) and try to see if it's more in the top of the motor, (by the valve covers) or the bottom end (more centered, like by the oil pan). If it's the valve cover area, I'd say piston slap, if it's in the bottom end, rod knock.

It was, it's just that my exhaust and intake are loud. You could hear it at cruise. It wasn't real bad though. Ya it drives fine, just down on powah.

dont worry about a tapping.. that's normal haha ryan's wrx has it all the time.. and with the new clutch, and all that chattering, the motor feels like it's going to jump out of the engine bay when the light turns green!

Listen to the sound in the movie... that's *not* normal.

How bout I just use a real stethoscope? :lol: I shouldn't be laughing this sucks!

most people don't have a real stethoscope just lying around...

I use the screwdriver trick all the time!

No need for a steth/screwdriver, start looking for an engine. When was the last time you checked the oil?

Sp00lns guess.........

duhn duhn da-naaaaaa....


Exhaust leak. I think there is a broken gasket somewhere and as it warms up, the metals expand and it somewhat seals. Does it get faster the higher the RPMs are?

I dont think its your lifters... DSM lifters tick all the time and its not that loud... but mine came from the factory :P

Yeah it gets faster, and it's coming from the top of the motor, so I think it's a fatal rod knock =(

Rod knock comes from the "bottom" of the motor, which on a Subaru is more like "the middle". Piston slap would come from "top" of the motor, which is on either side nearer the heads.

Funny... I think I just said this... :?: