Ecotec Engine start up

Originally posted by shockz+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (shockz)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Every morning when I turn my car on, right after the key is finshed with the starting I hear this strange short sound. Its hard to describe... its sort of like a scraping tick sound. It only happens when the car has been off for awhile. Usually its a short sound, but once and awhile it lasts about 2 seconds.


The car is a 2002 and has 32000 miles on it. I'm changing the oil today.

Is this normal. Does anybody have the same problem?
What causes it?

Thanks.
-shockz.[/b]

Originally posted by Final-Reality+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Final-Reality)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>thats pretty vague... but I don't have an ecotec either... I wouldnt worry about it though, if it only lasts for 2 seconds
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Originally posted by brsexton
I have the Ecotec and I don't have that problem. Now my Girlfriends Suzuki Esteem does that, but they said it was where the oil had drained out of the filter had to fill it back up then get to the lifters. So it is a normal sound for her car. But, the Ecotec does not have a normal oil filter so it should not have to ever fill back up with oil. If your oil needs to be changed, that could be it also. Be sure you use 5w30. If the oil is thick it will take it longer to get to the lifters, and cause the lifters to click.. Hope this info helps

<!--QuoteBegin-shockz@

Alright. I'm going to buy the oil tonight. I look for the 5w30.

thats pretty vague

I'll try to explain better....

For a couple of weeks now in the morning I turn the car on. When I put the key in the ignition and turn the car on it starts. However - immediately after the car starts you hear this strange sound. It sounds like a scrape/sneeze sound. Sometimes this sound will go on for up to 2 seconds, however it usualy does it for less then a second.

I am getting new oil tonight, and a new belt on tuesday. Could any of those be the problem? Maybe because its so cold in the morning now?
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<!--QuoteBegin-brsexton

If you have been using anything other then 5w30 in a cold area, that very well could be your problem. See, when you first start the car, it must pick the oil up out of the oil pan, and send it to the lifters. The thicker the oil, the longer it takes, and the more noise the lifters make. I almost bet the noise you hear are the lifters because of the thick oil. I don't think the belt would make a noise like that. I am also unsure why your car would need a belt on it a 32,000 miles??
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Alright. Thank you.

I will get back to this thread when I change the oil tonight.

- shockz

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Something was chewing it all up. We think an animal got up there one night and runied it that way. Whatever happened, its ruined now.

i use 10w30 in my ride and never a prob
sounds like maybe your hearin the fuel injectors tickin but a belt makes a low and then upon acceleration loud squekin noise
do you have any service engine lights on??? keep us updated

10w30 is too heavy for the ecotec and will cause higher engine wear in cold temperatures...

That noise you are talking about does that sound like a tractor running. If it is, it is nothing to worry about, it's the nature of the beast, if you can call it a beast.

[brsexton]

The Ecotec should not sound like a tractor or have any lifter or valve noise like the 3.4 has on cold start up. I have heard many 3.1 and 3.4L and the Ecotec sounds nothing like them. My Ecotec is very quit on cold starts and if yours is making a noise, it should be checked.

all 8 of my eco-techs sound that way, it is a known noise and is not a durability concern. The noise is actually coming from the design of the piston skirts. The noise last momentarily after start up then is gone within 2 to 5 minutes. It's hard to hear in the alero's and grand am's because of how well they are insulated. In a j-car it's easy to hear.

[brsexton]

Oh man...I hope I never hear that noise in mine. So far with 15k mine is the quitest car on start-up I have ever heard. My 99 Mazda Protege knocked on start up and I hated that noise. And the dealership always said it was normal. Oh well, maybe time will tell about my alero.

All of mine have less than 15K on them one with just of 5. The n-body's well insulated passenger compartment, seems to mask it very well. It's not a wear issue, so if you don't hear it you may never hear it.

Its hard to describe... its sort of like a scraping tick sound

It sounds like a scrape/sneeze sound

shockz was the member in the old forum who posted this and unfortunately isn't registered under this new forum (unless he/she registered under a new name). But as you can see, the noise shockz was describing wasn't the sound of a tractor but of scraping/ticking/sneezeing (for lack of better description).

Originally posted by havik@Dec 9 2003, 04:10 PM

shockz was the member in the old forum who posted this and unfortunately isn't registered under this new forum (unless he/she registered under a new name). But as you can see, the noise shockz was describing wasn't the sound of a tractor but of scraping/ticking/sneezeing (for lack of better description).

Its me shockz.

I got it checked out... dealarship says its pretty normal for this time of the year.

Just to make sure - I made them check into it more about 2 weeks ago.. and nothing seems to be wrong with it.