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Hello for Rich. Va. I've just joined USMB.

I have a 95 Outback with 57K miles that is making an ever increasing engine knock, especially when cold. Have tried different visc. oils (0-30 to 15-50) with no apparent effect. I've heard the noise/knock for a few years and have taken the car to 2 dealers to fix/ID the problem. No help at all. Neither could "hear anything"?? With the cooler nights in my area now it has become much more obvious then before. Almost sounds like a rod knock but isn't continuous. It occurs primarily on engine decel and is not nearly as loud once the engine is at temp.

 

I've looked thru many treads and what I've found as possibilities so far are: lash adjuster, flex plate, timing belt, timing belt adjuster, Seafoam??. Any other suggestions? It's my wife's car and I travel a lot so would really like to fix this before she's stuck on the side of the road. Hell hath no fury as that of a women's scorn!

Thanks in advance for any help anyone might offer

Cheers, BDitt

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These engines are known to develop piston slap when they get older, primarily due to their piston skirt design. It's not really something to worry about until it gets much worse. My mom's Outback started slapping a little at cold start last year, and switching to Mobil1 Synthetic helped a little bit.

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Which engine do you have? If it's a 2.2 they ALMOST never develop slap. Can you localize the sound to either the left or right bank or possibly from the front?

I'd consider taking it to the dealer for an overnight and ask the service manager to PERSONALLY start it up and take it for a drive in the morning. Then see if they hear it.

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  • 1 month later...

I have an '05 Baja, 2.5 liter with 9,000 miles on it. I also have a knock for the first 10 or 15 minutes when it's bitter cold out. The dealer says it's normal. I've owned close to 30 cars in my life, and build prototype engines for GM, and have never heard such a noise. It seems to last too long to be piston slap. But if Subaru says it's okay, I guess I'll just drive it til it grenades itself.

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