YACT: Should it be making that scraping sound?

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,777
3
81
Every morning, when starting the car, something grabs my attention.

1) The car doesn't start immediately. i can hear the starter chug about 5 times before.
2) The car struggles at first, but does not turn off.
3) I hear this awful, yet quiet scraping noise inside the engine bay.

This ONLY seems to happen when I start it up in morning(cold). I haven't noticed it during the day;Even after cold starts.

I will probably right in assuming that it is an oil related problem. I JUST changed my oil recently(less than 500miles), but it was some el cheapo brand that my friend got me for 79Cents/quart:disgust:

Anyways, I have NO money right now, but as soon as my check comes in, I will definitely check the oil and get some good stuff.


Basically, I need confirmation that this is the problem.



In addition, my mechanic informs me that I have a damed piston ring, which is letting some of the oil through. I see some vapor ejected at the beginning in the rear and if I TOTALLY floor it, but it clears up. Just wondering if that helps in diagnosing the problem.


Thanks


 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,422
8
81
eh...

Unless you filled 'er up with 3-in-1 oil, or it has completely lost all/most of its oil.... there shouldn't be any "scraping" sounds, period. :p

Record it for us. :D
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,422
8
81
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: Gravity
My oil is $5 per quart.

Scraping is bad.

Let us hear it.

*cough*bullsh|t*cough*

Who the FVCK pays $5/quart!? Jesus Christ!
If I currently owned transportation that was worth it, I would happily pay ~8.50/quart for AMSOil. :)

5 - 8$/quart is pretty normal for high quality synthetic.
 

NikPreviousAcct

No Lifer
Aug 15, 2000
52,763
1
0
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: Gravity
My oil is $5 per quart.

Scraping is bad.

Let us hear it.

*cough*bullsh|t*cough*

Who the FVCK pays $5/quart!? Jesus Christ!
If I currently owned transportation that was worth it, I would happily pay ~8.50/quart for AMSOil. :)

5 - 8$/quart is pretty normal for high quality synthetic.

Jeez you guys are fvcking crazy. I DO own transportation, but if I were to pay for six quarts at that price, I'd double the retail value of my rig!
 

Nutdotnet

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 2000
7,721
3
81
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: Gravity
My oil is $5 per quart.

Scraping is bad.

Let us hear it.

*cough*bullsh|t*cough*

Who the FVCK pays $5/quart!? Jesus Christ!
If I currently owned transportation that was worth it, I would happily pay ~8.50/quart for AMSOil. :)

5 - 8$/quart is pretty normal for high quality synthetic.

Jeez you guys are fvcking crazy. I DO own transportation, but if I were to pay for six quarts at that price, I'd double the retail value of my rig!

Haha....VW 2001 1.8t w/ APR Stage III Turbo....if I can afford a $4000 turbo upgrade I can afford $5 quarts of oil.
 

NikPreviousAcct

No Lifer
Aug 15, 2000
52,763
1
0
Originally posted by: Nutdotnet
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: Gravity
My oil is $5 per quart.

Scraping is bad.

Let us hear it.

*cough*bullsh|t*cough*

Who the FVCK pays $5/quart!? Jesus Christ!
If I currently owned transportation that was worth it, I would happily pay ~8.50/quart for AMSOil. :)

5 - 8$/quart is pretty normal for high quality synthetic.

Jeez you guys are fvcking crazy. I DO own transportation, but if I were to pay for six quarts at that price, I'd double the retail value of my rig!

Haha....VW 2001 1.8t w/ APR Stage III Turbo....if I can afford a $4000 turbo upgrade I can afford $5 quarts of oil.

But can you actually tell a difference in performance? With that kind of hardware, do you honestly think that it will last long? Dude, some semi is going to run over you while you try to steal the cargo! ;) :p
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,422
8
81
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: Gravity
My oil is $5 per quart.

Scraping is bad.

Let us hear it.

*cough*bullsh|t*cough*

Who the FVCK pays $5/quart!? Jesus Christ!
If I currently owned transportation that was worth it, I would happily pay ~8.50/quart for AMSOil. :)

5 - 8$/quart is pretty normal for high quality synthetic.

Jeez you guys are fvcking crazy. I DO own transportation, but if I were to pay for six quarts at that price, I'd double the retail value of my rig!
Yep.. and you're right, it's only worth it in very specific circumstances....

Most gearheads like the peace of mind though.

In reality, all modern oils are perfectly capable of lubricating well beyond 3,000 miles. The most important thing is your oil filter. The best oil on the planet is rendered useless if it has solid particles in it.

Therefor, for the average person.. I recommend buying the cheapest oil you can find, and spending a few extra dollars on your oil filter, while sticking with a 3-4k change interval.. especially if you do a lot of city driving, have a lead foot, live down a dusty driveway or in a dusty area, etc...

IF you want the high quality stuff, of course you also need a top of the line oil filter to go with it, if you want it to make any difference.. and then you need to change your oil filter at regular intervals while monitoring your engine oil via oil analysis.

That is the only real way to know if your engine oil is "used up" or if it can safely lubricate longer.
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
But can you actually tell a difference in performance? With that kind of hardware, do you honestly think that it will last long? Dude, some semi is going to run over you while you try to steal the cargo! ;) :p
With a performance setup like that.. It's more about the performance of the oil, than making the car last 300,000 miles... although high quality synthetic will go a long way towards making that goal with a turbo'd car. ;)

You want to use a high quality synthetic in a turbo'd car because the oil sees extremely high temperatures due to the turbo.

Only synthetic oil can take such abuse for long periods of time without breaking down on a molecular level.

It technically does raise performance, particularly if you use synthetic throughout the whole drivetrain... but we're talking about less than less than 1 to maybe 3% if you're lucky... not very significant.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,422
8
81
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Heh. I've had my truck for 2 years and have driven less than 2000 miles on it since I've had it. :)
Believe it or not, that 's actually reason to change your oil more often..

Oil oxidizes as it sits. Combustion acids and other byproducts go to work destroying the chemical additive package in your oil. Cold weather depletes the cold weather fluidity additives.

Driving frequent, short trips exascerbates the problem, because the oil does not reach operating temperature long enough to boil off unburnt fuel & other impurities that slip past the rings, and condensation that forms inside the engine...

Adding those components further accelerates its breakdown....

Engine oil has a pretty tough job, and we expect a lot from it. It's no wonder its remained somewhat a mystery fluid with much myth surrounding it.
 

Alchemist99

Golden Member
Oct 15, 2002
1,172
0
0
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Heh. I've had my truck for 2 years and have driven less than 2000 miles on it since I've had it. :)

WTF man? you got to get out more! actually not driving your car much is very hard on it. When it just sits around unused for long periods of time the seals etc go bad. Also not totally warming it all the time like taking short trips of less than 10 miles is terrible for you engine as it never gets all of the fuel contaminates out of you oil, so your oil becomes less than protective.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
The type of your car may help goosemaster. IE, if it had a timing chain the timing chain tensioner can make a grinding sound on cold starts.

In the maxima I give it mobil 1 synthetic and walmart sells it for a hair under $5/quart. It needs 4 quarts, and with the OEM oil filter I end up paying about $22 per oil change to do it myself. I change every 5k miles (possibly overkill...). Sentra gets valvolin maxlife (3.5 quarts non synthetic) and a supertech filter. I give it 5k miles as well and an oil change costs me $9.
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,777
3
81
Originally posted by: Skoorb
The type of your car may help goosemaster. IE, if it had a timing chain the timing chain tensioner can make a grinding sound on cold starts.

In the maxima I give it mobil 1 synthetic and walmart sells it for a hair under $5/quart. It needs 4 quarts, and with the OEM oil filter I end up paying about $22 per oil change to do it myself. I change every 5k miles (possibly overkill...). Sentra gets valvolin maxlife (3.5 quarts non synthetic) and a supertech filter. I give it 5k miles as well and an oil change costs me $9.

I have a 1990 Honda Accord Lx. It is using some Car quest(ShiTTY) air filter and some Car Quest oil(appearantly not so Sh!!ty)

It uses a rubber timing belt like every other POS out there:D


I will get some better stuff in there now that I will be getting paid soon, so any recommendations would be nice. I really do not remember the benefits/problems with adding Synthetic to a car that has always used organic oil, so please enlighten me. I am leaning towards Vavoline's Maxlife organic.


Also, anyone have any idea WTF is wrong with my car? :D
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,422
8
81
Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Originally posted by: Skoorb
The type of your car may help goosemaster. IE, if it had a timing chain the timing chain tensioner can make a grinding sound on cold starts.

In the maxima I give it mobil 1 synthetic and walmart sells it for a hair under $5/quart. It needs 4 quarts, and with the OEM oil filter I end up paying about $22 per oil change to do it myself. I change every 5k miles (possibly overkill...). Sentra gets valvolin maxlife (3.5 quarts non synthetic) and a supertech filter. I give it 5k miles as well and an oil change costs me $9.

I have a 1990 Honda Accord Lx. It is using some Car quest(ShiTTY) air filter and some Car Quest oil(appearantly not so Sh!!ty)

It uses a rubber timing belt like every other POS out there:D


I will get some better stuff in there now that I will be getting paid soon, so any recommendations would be nice. I really do not remember the benefits/problems with adding Synthetic to a car that has always used organic oil, so please enlighten me. I am leaning towards Vavoline's Maxlife organic.


Also, anyone have any idea WTF is wrong with my car? :D
If you just changed your oil, there isnt much point in changing it again so soon.. it's almost certainly not the cause of the noise.

If it is.. you have problems. You need to stick your head under the hood while its happening and see if you can pinpoint the noise better.
 

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
27,033
545
126
Originally posted by: Skoorb
The type of your car may help goosemaster. IE, if it had a timing chain the timing chain tensioner can make a grinding sound on cold starts.

In the maxima I give it mobil 1 synthetic and walmart sells it for a hair under $5/quart. It needs 4 quarts, and with the OEM oil filter I end up paying about $22 per oil change to do it myself. I change every 5k miles (possibly overkill...). Sentra gets valvolin maxlife (3.5 quarts non synthetic) and a supertech filter. I give it 5k miles as well and an oil change costs me $9.

Wow. I find it strange the 'max only takes 4 quarts. Hell, my old 2.2 took 4 quarts and the new one takes 5. Anyhow, glad OS found that deal on Mobile1 for <$4/quart:D

And Goosemaster, there are many advantages to a timing belt;)
 

Quixfire

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2001
6,892
0
0
Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Also, anyone have any idea WTF is wrong with my car? :D
It sounds like a belt or tensioner noise more than a worn or damaged piston ring. Is it a scaping noise or more like a clatter?
 

TechnoKid

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2001
5,575
0
0
Hmm..my guess is a worn out starter gear. It's not catching all the time its spinning because the teeth are worn out.

Eli knows what he is talking about when he talks oil. More importantly, when you replace the oil filter, the top up oil you use replenishes the additives in the used oil. Top up oil has been shown to be essential in extending the life of oil.

If you would like to read up on oil, filters, gear oils, etc, then head over to Bob Is The Oil Guy There is a boatload of information there (in the Forums), including tons of used oil analysis.

Also for an interesting read, check this out: Synthetic Oil Life Study. Mobil 1 5w30 can make it to 18,000 miles.