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sounds like classic piston slap, could be rod knock. 

 

piston slap should change a little bit from cold (start up) to warm (after it's been running awhile).  it should quiet down some. 

 

rod knock will not quiet down.

 

in rare cases the timing belt tensioner hydraulic mechanism is weak and allows the tensioner to slam metal on metal and can sound awfully ominous.  i doubt that's the case here, as i said it's rare, but i have heard it before and it sounds more terrible than i'd guess before I ever heard it.

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You wont get a code for a mechanical condition that the computer can't monitor. The computer cant check bearings, pistons, or most other mechanical parts. 

 

If it goes away when its warm, then its piston slap and isn't a problem. 

 

Sounds more like a bad timing tensioner or rod knock to me. I would pull the timing cover off and see if the tensioner is bouncing around when its running. 

 

Did it start making this noise suddenly? Or has it been making it for some time and has slowly become louder?

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I just talked to the previous owner and they said it has always sounded like that as far as they know ( was owned by her grandma since it was new) so I'm thinking piston slap but going to check the timing tensioner anyhow. also going to run some seafoam through it to try to clean some sludge out of it being that it only has 34,000 miles on it maybe there is some kind of build up in it 


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