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Jan 14, 2003 | 07:16 PM

MOBE

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From: Bailey, Co

Help Please!

This morning when I started my car (99 t/a) to go to work it made this weird tapping sound for a few second (roughly 10) and then stopped. Then again when I started it up to come home from work it did it again. Since my car has never done this before it weirded me out a little. Now, some of you that may know me already think I'm a little paranoid when it comes to my car, but this
is different. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

...anyway! After it did this the second time I popped the hood. The car seemed to run fine, idle fine, etc. BUT, I noticed that the oil in my pcv catch-can looked strange. Upon further inspection, it appeared to look like "chocolate milk," although it looked more like coffee with cream & sugar to me. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" /> This REALLY freaked me out! I checked the oil... Looks good (changed it last weekend). I checked the coolant... That looks good too! WTF!!!

I emptied the catch-can, cleaned it out, and put it back on. Since the car was running fine, and
everything seemed to check out ok ( - the thimble full of "chocolate milk") I drove it home ('bout 15 miles). It ran fine all the way home.

So... What could that "tapping" be? I thought maybe just cold start, but its never done that before! And why was there "chocolate milk" in the catch-can?

Any thoughts or ideas on this are much appreciated.

Thanks!

Brian

Jan 14, 2003 | 07:25 PM

jmX

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From: Los Angeles

Re: Help Please!

The catchcan will look like that because hot oil is going into a container, and its cold outside. Condensation does that. Catch cans always seem to get that chocolate milk water/oil mixture in there.

As for the tapping, maybe you're finally starting to get some cold piston slap? Also, when the oil is cold it takes a sec for oil pressure to build up and pump up the lifters, and the valvetrain will be noisy until that happens. Unless its real loud or doesnt go away after a few seconds on cold startup, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Is it more of a topend taping or more like knocking on a piece of wood type of noise?

Jan 14, 2003 | 07:47 PM

MOBE

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From: Bailey, Co

Re: Help Please!

Hey jon!

Not sure what you mean about topend tapping, but it is deffinately not like a knocking on wood noise.

As far as the catch-can goes... I thought about that, but the old one never did that (replaced the old one when i changed the oil last weekend).

Jan 14, 2003 | 08:16 PM

jmX

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From: Los Angeles

Re: Help Please!

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by MOBE:
 Hey jon!

Not sure what you mean about topend tapping, but it is deffinately not like a knocking on wood noise.

As far as the catch-can goes... I thought about that, but the old one never did that (replaced the old one when i changed the oil last weekend). <hr /></blockquote>Topend tapping sounds like a sewing machine. Piston slap sounds kinda like knocking on wood.

As for the catchcan, it seemed when I drove my car with the catchcan it'd depend on weather, specifically temperature and humidity. It's been really rainy and cold here recently so maybe that was enough to let it build up a milky substance. My camaro did the same thing after about a month of having the can on. <shrug> The can design probably affects it too, mine had a big breather on it which allowed lots of cool air and moisture in.

Jan 14, 2003 | 08:26 PM

minivette

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From: Austin, Tx.

Re: Help Please!

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by MOBE:
As far as the catch-can goes... I thought about that,<hr /></blockquote>oh you did, did you? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="gr_images/icons/tongue.gif" />

Jan 14, 2003 | 08:37 PM

finalymodded

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From: MS.

Re: Help Please!

if he had the sewing machine noise what would that mean?

Jan 14, 2003 | 09:05 PM

MOBE

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From: Bailey, Co

Re: Help Please!

Yeah I get that topend (sewing machine) noise which is just valvetrain clatter.

I guess I don't know how to describe it right. Maybe you could say it is kind of a tap/knock.

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Dr Debacle:
QUOTE]oh you did, did you? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="gr_images/icons/tongue.gif" /> [/QB]<hr /></blockquote>Ok, ok! Wes brought that to my attention! But I agreed! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="gr_images/icons/tongue.gif" />