Not a happy camper right now at all. The 2002 Grand Am I traded in on the Pursuit had audible piston slap for a few minutes at startup. One of the main reasons why I got rid of the car actually.

I have 1663kms on the GT now and did a Mobil 1 oil change last week. Now, at startup, I get a clatter for about a minute that sounds identical to piston slap.

Anyone else experiencing piston slap?

 

I've been running Mobil 1 in mine for the last 3,000 miles or so. All I hear is the "ticking" sound that I've been told is a normal Ecotec thing.

I'd definately get it checked out by the dealer.

 

2 questions:

1) Did you get the oil changed at the dealer? You damn well should have if you only have 1663 km.

2) Are you using 91 Octane? You better be.....

 

Piston slap...I think that may be what I had in my old car. Almost sounded like a floppy belt or something when the engine was cold. Had it for as long as I can remember...never seemed to affect the car at all. Ran it to 153k miles before I traded it for the Cobalt. What exactly can it do to a car?

 

Piston slap scuffs the cylinder walls and piston skirts on cold starts. It takes many many thousands of miles for there to be damage worth worrying about IMO.

It happens when the clearences of the piston to cylinder wall are slightly excessive, allowing the piston to rattle in its bore during ignition. Once the pistons heat up the noise typically goes away.

With the Ecotec, there's a timing chain tensioner that's dependent on oil pressure. This tensioner moving might be the noise you're hearing. Also, Mobil 1 is a bit on the thin side for a 5w30 synthetic so the engine is a bit more noisey.

 

Hell no I didn't get the oil changed at the dealer. I did it myself in our 14 bay shop. No sloppy apprentice that the dealer uses for oil changes is touching my car.

The car has 1/2 tank of 91+ octane gas. Not that it would matter since the computer retards timing to safely use 87.

 

I have the Wiseco forged piston installed in my Ecotec and they are very loud when cold. The Cam Ground shape heats up to fit the cylinder correctly at operating temperature. Wiseco coats the pistons in an effort to try and reduce the extra wear when cold. It is pretty noisy.