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So guys... on preparing for work one cold early morning (4:30 am). I started my car and for about 2 seconds or so i heard a rattling noise. (Sounded like a diesel starting up)
Sounds like there was no oil in the head. After those confusing 2 seconds the engine picked up idle and carried on like normal. I only notice this happens when the car sits down for awhile and all the oil drains from the head to the sump.
I questioned... is it lifters? Is the timing chain slack? I'm a bit confused soo all the SR20 gurus out there lend a hand/your advice and help a 2nr out

Cheers

SR20VE??

its the Timing Chain making noise...

could be the tensioner or lack of oil when started

Dragsta, it's a SR20DE... honestly doesn't sound like the timing chain,not sure tho... sounds internal. hmm
I checked oil levels.. and they seem fine. It only happens on Cold mornings or when the car sits down for awhile and isn't started.

well afaik, the oil takes a little while to reach up, so within that time, the chain is dry..so will make a lil grating sound until oil reaches

i knw the SR20VE does do that..
my 2c

i mean i've been drivin the car for mths now with this happening and it's still goin strong. thanks tho Dragsta,

My SR18DE in the P11 did the same thing; if it was parked for 2/3 days- got the same kinda noise when started.

i have a sr20de installed in my car 5 yrs now..everytime i start on mornings or when engine is cold its the same thing. rattles for a few second and den back to normal.. its been doing that for over 2 yrs now! and not single problem with engine.
idles smoothe and quiet.

here is something u can do yourself at home to help.

remove engine cover, you will see running ontop each camchaft an oil line.

unbolt each oil line. careful to take note of which bolts and washers going where.

use bars and clean each line. spray inside out. some black sheit gonna run of it. thats dirt and gunk. this clogs the nozzles on the line. replace the line and now a faster heavier flow of oil falls on the lifters and noise and wear will be greatly reduced.

hope this helps.

also, fram oil filters are pretty restrictive. if you use fram try switching to purolator.
or another brand. this may cause the oil to travel a bit more slowly through the engine. and from research and my own experience.. use nothing thicker than a 15w40 grade oil. ideally.. its supposed to be 10w30.

sr's main weakness is oil! take no chances! and i dont have to tell you to change oil on time

Gool,hmmm i use fram with royal purple 20w50

lol! like i psychic o wat? lol well bro.. those stuff wont damage ur engine... but.. it will help slow down ur oil pressure and oil lack on startup will be more prevalent.

no need to drain oil and change asap.. but try cleaning ur oil rail and on ur next oil change try a thinner royal purple oil and another filter.

yuh see.. fram rel good... TOO GOOD! and thats also turns out to be a problem

i have a sr 18 in a p11 having the same problem but what i noticed for that 2 seconds
of rattling the oil light does remain on and after the 2 sec the rattling stops and the light comes off. And i using a fram filter and castrol 20w 50 oil. was using the 10w 30
oil but it gets a little noisy after a while. the 20w 50 was recommended by a few people. I feel its the filter thanks for the insight.

kripplerz, as you know the main problem with sr20s is oil.. soo i was a bit worried about that... but my sr20 is wierd one minute it will make that noise on early morning start up.. next minute it's fine.. gremlins i tell you

Dragsta wrote:SR20VE??

its the Timing Chain making noise...

could be the tensioner or lack of oil when started

its EXACTLY that...
mine is doing the same.

Gool wrote:i have a sr20de installed in my car 5 yrs now..everytime i start on mornings or when engine is cold its the same thing. rattles for a few second and den back to normal.. its been doing that for over 2 yrs now! and not single problem with engine.
idles smoothe and quiet.

here is something u can do yourself at home to help.

remove engine cover, you will see running ontop each camchaft an oil line.

unbolt each oil line. careful to take note of which bolts and washers going where.

use bars and clean each line. spray inside out. some black sheit gonna run of it. thats dirt and gunk. this clogs the nozzles on the line. replace the line and now a faster heavier flow of oil falls on the lifters and noise and wear will be greatly reduced.

hope this helps.

also, fram oil filters are pretty restrictive. if you use fram try switching to purolator.
or another brand. this may cause the oil to travel a bit more slowly through the engine. and from research and my own experience.. use nothing thicker than a 15w40 grade oil. ideally.. its supposed to be 10w30.

sr's main weakness is oil! take no chances! and i dont have to tell you to change oil on time

Good advice dey Gool....

I was supposed to do that long time....

those gremlins i think i have some of those.

it happen to mi fue month ago .d crank shaft drives d oil pump. any time u c the oil light on the dash stays on wen u r driving.u no its time to change it befor it cost u a engine.

Bleed the lifters.

DE-Gunk/Gum the head while u under the tappet pan.

hey guys i had that same problem, but that wen i just built back the engine. the timing chain was a bit slack because the lack of oil pressure, this is due to the engine now starting up and the oil pressure has to build so that the tensioner can tension the timing chain.

this i would say is kinda normal cus wen the oil pressure builds the oil ligh goes of an the noise stops after a few seconds.

u should change ur oil every 30,000 km on a sr20de, and 10,000 km on sr20det depending on how much pressure u put on the engine.

i think dis info should help.

The SR tensioner is ratcheting.

It goes out and is locked in that position, as stuff wears and the chain stretches it will continue to move out, if it can, because it has full oil pressure behind it.