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Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

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Old Jul 8, 2002 | 02:53 AM
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Default Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

After getting over the initial jubilation of actually owning my first Z28 (it only took about a year <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> ) I'm finally hearing the dreaded tick...tick...ticking during cold starts. It goes away after the engine warms up. I'm guessing it's piston slap.
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Old Jul 8, 2002 | 11:22 AM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

I have heard that it will cause scarring on the exterior piston wall. There is a website dedicating to piston slap around here somewhere, if somebody could chime in.
I don't know how much weight this statement holds though, because mine doesn't slap, and I have slight scarring on my exterior walls at 50k anyways.

If you are like most on this board though, you'll be into a rebuild before this becomes a problem. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
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Old Jul 8, 2002 | 04:24 PM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

NoGo,

That makes me feel a little better...problem for me is that I can hear it, but don't have the money to fix it. No check that, I could fix it but then wouldn't have any money for rent, food, etc <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> ...thanks for the reply though !
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Old Jul 8, 2002 | 04:31 PM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

GM's statment is that it's not serious enough to cause a problem. It's a common problem with the later cars. My 99 Silverado (5.3) did it, my wife's 2000 Tahoe (5.3) does it, but my 98 Z28 doesn't do it. I bought it used so I don't know if it did when it was new.
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Old Jul 8, 2002 | 05:04 PM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

My '02 SS does it. I keep thinking that I have forged pistons from the factory. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> It's easily as loud as my T/A 383 was on cold starts with forged pistons. It had a slight amount of piston slap the day I bought the car, and it got louder after I added headers. I have over 9,000 miles on it, and the car doesn't use a drop of oil. I just make sure that it's up to full operating temperature before I go beating on it. My '01 GMC has piston slap and lifter noise upon startup. The lifters quiet down after they fill w/ oil, and the slap goes away once it has some heat in it. The slap isn't as pronounced in my truck as it is in my car, but the aluminum block in the f-bodies is going to "help" you hear it more over the iron block.
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Old Jul 8, 2002 | 07:16 PM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

Trevor D

So you're saying my used '98Z may have come with forged pistons? Hot damn! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
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Old Jul 8, 2002 | 08:14 PM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by MTWallet:
<strong>Trevor D

So you're saying my used '98Z may have come with forged pistons? Hot damn! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">LOL It never hurts to dream does it? <img border="0" alt="[angel]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_angel.gif" />
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Old Jul 8, 2002 | 09:11 PM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

My 02 T/A does it with 4000 miles on the clock. I love the car but between the piston slap and the rear end howl, i don't see me and this car having a long term relationship.
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Old Jul 9, 2002 | 01:17 AM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

Changing to 10W30 oil next time 'round...hope that does the trick...if not <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" />

LastTA02...try and think positive, that's what I'm gonna be doing since I can't pay to have my problem fixed. Good to hear some folks have racked up quite bit of miles on their ls1's so maybe there's hope

<small>[ July 09, 2002, 01:20 AM: Message edited by: MTWallet ]</small>
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Old Jul 9, 2002 | 07:49 AM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

Heres the link tot hat website:

http://www.angelfire.com/tx5/gmpistonslap/index.html
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Old Jul 9, 2002 | 10:17 PM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[whiner]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cry.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[whiner]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cry.gif" /> I think I have piston slap, thats what my engine sounds like <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[whiner]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cry.gif" />
Sucks when a 21 year old kid gives out his life savings for a dream car, then gets it and pays top dollar because its the last year and then gets a defective engine <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[whiner]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cry.gif" /> Any chances that when I do take it to my pontiac dealer that they will fix it correctly?
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Old Jul 9, 2002 | 10:41 PM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

There's a possibility that you can have it fixed at the dealership, but it all depends on how cooperative they are. I personally would NOT want a dealership rebuilding my engine! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" /> I'd only accept a new crate engine if it were me.
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Old Jul 9, 2002 | 11:40 PM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

I have a 2000 SS and it was doing it with 13000 on it. The dealer ask me about the noise I brought it in for some other stuff they had it overnight and heard the noise themselves. They ordered some new updated coated pistons and all other nessary items and when they went to rebuild it they found a defect in all four cylinders in the left bank where the rings never seated in a 3/4" wide strip all the way down the bore. so they replaced the whole engine.
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Old Jul 10, 2002 | 06:27 AM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

hey thanks for the posts folks. and the link. Glad to hear one dealership is honest and up front! My car runs great and uses no oil so I'll keep my fingers crossed...
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Old Jul 10, 2002 | 08:46 AM
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Default Re: Does Piston Slap cause long term engine damage?

55k miles on my piston slap motor and it runs strong and burns no oil. I wouldnt worry about it.
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