Loud engine rattle at (cold) start-up?
 

Sorry if this may have been discussed before...

I live in Houston, so it doesn't get cold around here too often, and I always have my car parked in garage. Well, I left my car in driveway overnight and all the next day. It got down to about 30 degrees that night and remained cold during the next day. That evening I started my car, and there was a LOUD rattling noise from engine. I'm no mechanic, but it sounded like the lifters tapping. It did it in my old Mustang sometimes, but never THIS loud. It took a few minutes to slowly go away.

Checked oil, it was full. I use synthetic also.

Is this normal?

My guess would be that it does this in cold weather after sitting for a while.

But is it always gonna be that damn loud? :gotme:

it is normal, there is also a TSB for it. i believe its been determined to be the timing chain that makes the rattle. so far it hasnt been a problem, just a nusiance

i have the same exact problem...mine lasts for about a second or 2...it only happens when its really cold and the car has been sittin for a while. i start the car and when the rmps reach there peek i hear that rattle....its very quick. i called nissan and they said i would have to leave the car over night. im really thinkin about it, im gettin annoyed. Also my 2000 max did the same thing to....so well see

i have researched this, and found the true cause is the starter... at least with your 2000 max it was. Somebody on the org did a write up on how to fix it. I dont have the link right now but ill post it later. It has to do with regreasing the starter. As far as your 2k3 that might be the timing chain, but the 2k is definitly the starter.

Has anyone had this TSB done? I am very wary to have the dealer take my engine apart to install the sprocket that causes the noise.

If so, how long does the "operation" take and what is involved?

Same "problem" here as well. I don't think it's anything that can cause any real problems down the road, but it does freak me out every time I hear it.

Me too.....it freaks me out everytime I start my car......it sounded like my pulley's bent or something it rattle like crazy but the rattle fades away when my car warms up......But when I start my car first thing in the morning as soon as u start the ignition when u hear "Vroom" right after that u hear some noise, I can't describe but it sounds like something sucking or something......it's ZzZz~~~~like split second.

Mine did this really bad when I ran a tank of Chevron Techron. Since then I have refilled and done and oil change (from Valvoline Synthetic to Mobil 1) and have yet to hear it again. Usually it only does this after an overnight and it is really, really cold...but with the tank of Techron it did it everytime I restarted the car (probably cleaned the oil off the chain).

Mine does this for less than a second after starting it cold... i.e. when the RPMs drop down immediately after it peaks the very second you start the engine... I can hear a little "rattle". Goes away immediately afterward.

same here, I actually posted the same topic a week ago. Its a cold engine rattle. At first it scared the crap out of me, but its just a annoying thing that wont hurt the car. I rather wait till my next

tune up to have this fixed, the dealers hate to see my car with the intake and other stuff.....

happens to me too, especially if parked on an incline and the engine is cold.

Well, I'm glad to hear it's at least fairly normal to make that noise.

Thanks for the info!

17k, Mobil 1, Chevron Supreme EVERY tank.

Happens only when cold - and not every time.

Still irritates me.