When starting my car it sounds like the engine knocks for a split second. It happens about 50% of the time. It doesn't seem to matter if the engine is cold or warm.

Anyone else?

Tony

 

there is a TSB for engine knocking....does it happen during driving? do u use 91/92 gas?

 

sounds more like a vibration issue (starting) than oil starvation (ouch).

 

Never happens during driving. I use Chevron 92 gas virtually all the time. By the time I turn the key from crank back to the regular on position, it has stopped. It's very brief, maybe 1/4 second long.

Tony

 

I'll check that. Thanks.

Tony

 

When you say virtually, do you mean sometimes you use lower octane? Or just other brands.

 

Other brands. I always use supreme unleaded. If I can't find a Chevron and I'm almost out of gas then I'll use something else, but that very rare.

Tony

 

I just had the spark knock TSB done on my car. During acceleration there was knocking coming from the engine. When I took it to the dealer the other day they said that everything showed up normal on the diagnostics but when they drove it they heard the knock and noticed the car did not accelerate smoothly at all. They replaced the coils per the TSB (if not they would have told me I had bad gas) and now the car runs like a champ again.

 

My '94 GXE (150,000 mi) has been doing exactly the same thing for about 3 months and I hate it ........it's possible that your oil filter is draining overnight. The filter has a check valve (aka anti-drainback valve) that's supposed (!) to keep the oil in it. The valves don't always work too well.

Try some aftermarket filters. Max.org people are recommending Amsoil and also Mobil1 as high-quality filters with good valves. If that doesn't end the knock, I'm thinking I might install Amsoil's remote filter setup so the stupid thing can be upright, like it should have been when Nissan designed the stupid engine! (It's actually a great engine, it's made Autoweek's best 10 world engines for about 10 years in a row.)

If I ever get around to put in the remote filter mount, I'll post a thread about it.

You can also put in a pressure gage and see if the pressure lags on cold startup. You'll see when the filter is filled; the pressure should lag for that 1/2 second, then shoot right up to nominal. Put a pipe tee into the port where the pressure switch is located and route the gage line into the tee. Put the stock pressure sender into the other port on the tee.

lol I'll check back in a few days/weeks to see if your motor still lives.........

 

Hmmm....I forgot about this thread...it's been awhile. Actually, I haven't noticed my car knocking at all any more. I don't know what would have changed, though. I added a Y-Pipe and did some suspensions mods, but that's it.

Maybe the problem has fixed itself!

Tony

 

My 03 with 45k miles rattles (knocks) at cold or semi warm start up too. I hear the rod bearings rattle a 1/2 second or so and there is also what someone said is the timing chain tensioner noise when it's oil starved too at start up. To be honest, this oil starved knock or rattle makes me sick. I've tried different 5W-30 oils both dino & semi-syn and full synthetic as well as several high quality oil filters including Amsoil, Mobile 1, and Nissan's. My jeep with 145K miles on it doesnot make as much noise as my Max. I hate it. I'm thinking of just selling the car because of the sick feeling I get every time I start it.