hey

i have a 97 outback with 181000. i had the sprocketed timing belt pulley blow. had to replace my heads. i ended up rebuilding most of the engine except pistons and crank. anyways i have new timing belt and pulleys. on cold mornings i hear a little i guess clatter sound. only when i give it a little gas. goes away when the car warms up. does that sound like a piston slap? any chance it could be an oil pump ?

 

thanks

jake

The best description I have heard was from somebody on Bobistheoilguy. He said his engine sounded like a woodpecker until it warmed up. It would almost be unusual if your engine did not have some piston slap.

is this 2.5 or can it also be in a 2.2 liter motor?

i'm sorry it is a 2.5liter motor with the bucket style lifters and shims.

which are all adjusted correctly

jake

i'm sorry it is a 2.5liter motor with the bucket style lifters and shims.

which are all adjusted correctly

jake

 

sorry jake, i was wondering if piston slap ever occurs with the 2.2 liter motor.

My old EJ22 - 1990 - never slapped.

 

Most newer EJ's slap to some extent. I think the EJ25 are the worst, because of the bore to piston height ratio.

 

 

The sound is similar to a Diesel engine. Clack--clack.

My 95 EJ22 slaps when realy cold only for a short time though- 173,000 miles

 

My 99 EJ22 slaps quite loudly until warmed up- 146,000 miles

 

My 91 EJ22 never slaps regardless of temperature, 180,000 miles

 

-Tim

Cold and how long it has had to drain back all the oil make a big difference in my 99 2.5. If I leave it a week it hammers quite loudly until warmed up and if it get in the high 30s here it is noisier. If I drive it after only sitting overnight in the 40s it only rattles for 30 seconds or so.

I suspect if somebody had this car in Alaska it would really rattle until warm.