I've owned my MY01 for about a year now, and I fear that I may have done some damage to it over the cold winter months in Winnipeg.

There were some brutal days in January this year and I left a few times before the car was fully warm. On these days, if I were to increase the engine RPM to about 3500RPM there would be a terrible metallic noise coming from the engine. Sounds a lot like valve train noise/piston slap/???.

My car burns a lot of oil, about 1 litre per 2000km. I'm afraid I did some serious damage to the car over the winter. I didn't own the car long enough before winter to get familiar with all of the noises, I have a fair bit of valve train noise until I've driven the car for about 15-20 mins.

Am I just being paranoid? Can anyone share their experience? I've done a fair bit of reading on the forum, but I can't find anyone with the same problem.

 

Get the valves and retainers inspected. If the car hasn't had a valve adjustment then it probably needs one. It's difficult or nearly impossible to make a 100% certain diagnoses based on noise descriptions, try posting a video.

 

What overnight temps are we talking about and what engine oil do you use?

Btw.. idling to operating temp is not the best (= the worst) you can do.
Start & wait +/- 10 sec. to let the high idle settle a bit - then drive it to operating temp keeping revs below 4000 rpm.
Your transmission will thank you.

 

Assuming that there is nothing mechanically wrong with your car, I recommend trying a different oil to lesson your drivetrain noise. When API changed the level of ZDDP additives in SM rated oils, many experts thought this would lower valve train lubrication protection. I'm not an expert, but my personal experience with valvetrain noise in the S2000 leads me to believe it might be true. I don't normally recommend specific oils to anyone, but one I think may work for you in Canada is Castrol Syntec 0W30 (European Formula/made in Germany). It is a fully synthetic SL rated oil and has reduced valvetrain noise in my car. It is still readily available at Canadian Tire from what I understand. Another oil that you might look into is AMSOIL 5W30 HDD. It is a fully synthetic HDEO that is loaded with ZDDP and might help with your oil comsumption. Good luck.

 

With our needle roller cam followers.. ZDDP levels are IMO less important.
The "German" Castrol 0W-30 oil is good stuff though, I read nothing but good results on the oil forum.
Amsoil makes a 0W-30, don't they?
When cold, oil flow is most important.

To KerryF: search for Timing Chain Tensioner. (TCT)
That thing may make noise too, allthough from what I read, when they do make noise they make noise all the time, also at idle.

 

Seems to be a lot of these cases popping up.


*edit*

KerryF: Does your car sound like this? If so, I believe it's the TCT.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7YWObOi5zQ

 

This is basically exactly what I did.

I'm not sure what oil was originally in there. I now have redline 10w30.

It got down to -40 degrees C on many occasions.

 

I might try some Amsoil - what temps is 0w30 ok in? In the summer I normally run 10w30.

It doesn't sound like the TCT. It's only really noticeable around 3500-4000RPM. And it goes away when the car is fully warm. It's worse in the winter months.

 

[QUOTE=KerryF,Aug 9 2007, 08:17 AM] I might try some Amsoil - what temps is 0w30 ok in?

 

90crvtec Posted on Aug 9 2007, 03:22 PM
You know as wel as I do that it is best to run 0W-xx oils in any climate
I'm using a 0W-30 year round.

Btw.. 0W-30 oils usually flow faster with temps lower then +20C or so.

Amsoil series 2000 0W-30 seems like good oil.
(not just because of the "2000" reference)