cBax's #ynansb thread

[fahr_side]

What PTW clearance are you running? Does it make the same sound when warmed up?

 

 

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[cBax]

The pistons are Manley graded drop ins. PTW is supposed to be .0023-.0031. I used a feeler gauge to match each piston to the best fitting bore, but did not do what I would consider a proper PTW check with proper tools. Block is all Bs, pistons were all Bs.

 

It's definitely more loud when cold. But it doesn't completely go away when warm. It is gone above 2k when free revving or driving, hot or cold. It's the most pronounced when idle drops after putting it in gear and holding brake. That is also the point that the car runs the roughest. I have some maf scaling changes to upload, not sure if that is going to clear up the roughness. AF Learning + AF Corr was only 5%, so I wouldn't think it would make that big of a difference, but I'm going to make the change anyway. I'm also thinking about raising target idle. A quick glance at the logs looks like it goes down to 650 when in gear and on the brake. I see 3 Idle Speed Target maps with 750 in all of them. So not sure why it's going down to 650 or what conditions apply to each map. But I'll play with it.

 

If it was just a "tractor" or "diesel" noise, I'd write is off as the pistons and move on. But it has a squeak/squeal/chirp with it. Literally sounds like a belt or pulley bearing. I hunted for an hour with my homemade stethoscope and the only place that is obvious is the shortblock.

 

I also started my trans flush with Amsoil yesterday. Pulled 5 qts of black fluid out. Going to do it again after a few miles along with a filter change and probably 1 more time after that.

 

I'm going to crawl under it today and check the engine-trans cover. I read a thread last night where someone else's was making a similar noise and found that his bolts had backed out. I've realized that I never even checked the thing when we put the motor in. It is new, but that doesn't mean it's not hitting something.

 

I suppose it could be the starter not completely disengaging and touching the tq conv, but I have no other symptoms during starting that would make me think that.

 

I'll get my wife's help and post a video up today.

 

I've never had forged pistons before and never heard them. If it's normal, I'm cool with it. Just being paranoid that something may be wrong. But most videos I see of a typical forged piston noise is more like a tractor or diesel clicky/tapping/thud noise.

[fahr_side]

Mine sounds like a diesel unless hot. Chirp squeak squeal, not so much. I'd run at lightest a 10W-40 oil on forgies.

 

 

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[cBax]

I'm currently on the 2nd oil change and still running straight 30w break in oil. Sitting at 85 miles or so. I haven't been starting the car when it's really cold out and might go ahead and change it again to some regular dino oil. The dip stick doesn't look as dirty as the 1st 20 min oil change, but I want to be more comfortable starting it in the cool mornings.

 

My plan eventually was to run Amsoil 10w-30 SS or ZROD (I have several cases of both). The ZROD being high zinc and typically my go to for turbo cars. But I can get some 10w-40 if it's necessary with these pistons. I need to place a customer order anyways.

 

I'm also not sure that I want to run too thick with the colder temps we have here most of the year. It might get above 90 for a few weeks in the summer. Currently 45-50ish every day.

[fahr_side]

30W should be fine.

 

 

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[cBax]

Another source of a very similar noise seems to be the timing belt tensioner or idler pulley. The noise seems to be coming from right above the tensioner about 3" back in the block. Yesterday I pulled both outer covers off and stuck the hose in there and did not get louder, but I was not able to get right on either of those pulleys. I may pull the whole cover today, put the crank pulley on and start it with no cover.

 

It all got replaced with a gates kit. And the belt did not seem to have any wear. But you never know. It certainly sounds like a pulley bearing. And I could see where more load on the motor could stress it.

[cBax]

Here she is in all her squeaky glory. It's got exactly what I would expect from a forged piston on startup. Sounds like a diesel. It's the chirp/squeal that I'm concerned about. You notice it when I slightly give it gas and when I put in in gear. It's still in reverse with a wheel chock once I grab the camera and move it in.

 

 

 

Today I checked the starter, lower shield, change oil to Castrol, checked all over by ear. Got nothing. Looked into the timing cover with my phone while it was running and I don't think it's the tensioner. If it is, the noise travels directly through the bolt and into the block and is not heard in the cover and there is no erratic movement. Timing belt looks good. Car runs great otherwise. The trans fluid helped big time. Shifts smooth and firm now. Engine sounds great at WOT. Got another warning for no inspection.

[cBax]

After showing a co-worker, I'm realizing that it's much harder to hear in the video than I thought. When I first put it in gear with the brakes applied at the 2:00 mark is the best example of the noise.

[fahr_side]

Mine sounds pretty similar if the weather is cold enough. You have a stock header and exhaust eh? That makes it stand out a bit. When hot you'll still have some clip-clop sound at idle, especially with the a/c on. I run forged motors at slightly higher idle than stock, like 100rpm higher minimum in all tables. So, raise 650rpm cells to 750, the 700rpm cells to 800rpm. Warm up well before driving. I like to see idle fall below 1k0rpm before moving off from a cold start.

 

 

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[cBax]

I have stock exhaust manifolds with a GS crosspipe, GS uppipe, Cobb catted DP, stock catback.

 

I played with the 3 idle tables yesterday. Seems like A is for normal idle and B is for higher load. Not sure what C does yet. I can get it to idle at 1k in gear by setting the B map to 1200, but I'm not going to leave it like that. The squeak is still there at 1k when loaded in gear. I'm going to drop the B map to 1000 and put A at 750 or so. The higher idle does help in gear. It wont even budge without pressing the gas.

 

I'm going to run it for a little while and see if it changes. I may still pull the cover and run it to verify the timing tensioner isn't bouncing around.

 

When I put the hose on the block right behind the tensioner is where I get the most obvious squeak. And it sounds very similar to other youtube videos. So I can't help but wonder.

[fahr_side]

The various tables (A, B, C etc.) for idle are to set different targets for when you're in gear, in neutral, a/c on, a/c off and so on. I would only play with the targets with the lowest values in each table, which are for the highest coolant temps. There's no need to increase targets for the warm-up phase. You can try bumping them up first 50rpm and then 100rpm. It doesn't get rid of the noise but it does reduce it a little. Since you're an auto, you don't want to raise the idle targets too much or the car will creep too much in gear.

[cBax]

agreed on all accounts. I changed them one at a time and went extreme on the changes just to make it easier to tell which one is used at what time. And only changing the bottom few rows. Still not sure when C is used. But it doesn't matter. I'll just make it the same as A or B.

[cBax]

0 miles since last update.

 

Got a new valve cover gasket that I am going to try and install tomorrow. Talked w/ a tech at the dealership for a little while. (Owns a stg 2 lgt ) He suggested smearing some grey across the entire bottom and said he only puts a very slight amount on the seams of the half moons. I'm pretty sure it's mostly coming from the rear. There is a slight residual drip on the bottom front too. Both land directly on the exhaust and that is the pass/fail rule. Any tips would be great. I see some folks saying they use black rtv..

 

I just need that sticker so I can drive this thing!

 

Also picked up a new OEM timing tensioner and idler. I have to try to fix this chirp noise. I'll just sell the new gates parts if it doesn't work and just drive it.

[cBax]

102 miles since last update.

 

Installed a new passenger valve cover gasket yesterday. Spilled oil on the header wrap. What a pita that is to do in the car. Seems to be fixed.

 

Visited my buddy's shop today to get on a lift, get an inspection sticker and use the wagon to haul and mount some wheels/tires. Definitely have a list of things I need to address with the car. But he thought the motor sounded good and healthy. Said not to even worry about my "chirp". Bad news is that I confirmed that I've got an oil leak in the driver's side of the timing cover. Appears to be exhaust cam seal. Will inspect tomorrow. If I have to pull the timing apart, I'm installing the OEM tensioner and idler.

 

AF Learning is <2% in today's logs. Couple sporadic areas of FBKC and FLKC, but nothing that concerns me.

[cBax]

Small update. The XT is now in full DD mode since my wife's 2.5i decided to pop a head gasket. I'm still in Subie recovery mode, at least 2 weeks from popping the 2.5i's hood again. Gives me time to get ready for the 1st race on the 1st anyways.

 

XT is sitting around 320 miles on the rebuild. Still has the slight oil leak at driver's side cam area, haven't looked into it yet. Still has the chirp when cold, planning to replace tensioner and idler pulley w/ OEM during cam seal fix. It threw a P0030 (slow AF correction) code on her yesterday. Research suggests bad upstream o2 sensor or possibly a weak ground signal. I had it pop up once when I 1st got it running, but not since. There was no codes in the 2 days I drove prior to original failure (I don't think..). So I'm going to start with a ground strap on an exhaust mani bolt. If that doesn't work, I'll pick up a new o2 sensor.

 

Learning View is 100% clean. All fuel trims are still +/- 2%. I hope I'm not tuning around a bad o2 sensor...

 

Plan is to keep checking oil and have her keep driving it until the race car is ready. Then maybe she can drive my daily and I'll shoehorn the kid seat in the back of the G. Non-reclinable fixed buckets w/ no sliders...lol Or she'll just keep nursing the XT. ha. Then 2 weekends of 2.5i head gasket fun. Then I'll dig back into the XT's "problems".

 

busy busy

[rebourne]

ugh, bummer on the 2.5i. I fit two car seats in a 2 door Integra, and just drive squished to day care to drop them off, and slide the seat back when they're out. Harder to do with fixed seats!

 

I do love that you are using a G to race, just because it was marketed as a (near?) luxury car, and you're turning into a race car. Not sure why it still has back seats though

[cBax]

Only because I can't take it out in ESP. HA! If I moved up a class, then I'd spend another fortune on another car boosting it! My Evo's back seat got taken out regularly during the season. Made for a great utility hauler. My co-workers thought I was nuts. Gutted 1/2 interior of a 4 door with belt harnesses laying around and covered in cone marks.

 

I'm pretty much straight piping the thing this weekend. Every bushing in the front end is now poly, parts ready to install. Rear is just getting some diff bushings for now. And I'm putting some springs in because a Subie got in the way of me getting the DA Konis and 1100f/800r springs I wanted this year. AC is coming out as soon as it's convenient. I never bought this thing for luxury. Back seat area will hold 3 <315 hoosiers, so I'm told. That may come in handy next year.

[rebourne]

That VQ is gonna sound amazing!

[cBax]

I've got some Berk HFCs on it. And wasnt going to do exhaust this year. I had to pull it all off to get the diff out. So heavy! I think the stock cat back is over 70lbs. Then a nasty Z rolled by my house and goosed it cause he saw me working on the G. That was enough. Exhaust landed yesterday and this morning at 5:30 at the gas station...same guy comes ripping by in the cold quiet morning giving it hell, could hear him for miles. Yup, made the right choice!

[cBax]

Obligatory OT pics

 

 

my "test drive" (I bought it a week later). Coneage on the test drive has to be a good sign.

 

http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu139/sti__this/G35/Loring2015-340.jpg

 

 

Couple weeks after purchase

 

http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu139/sti__this/G35/2015-08-30_4.jpg

 

Cant wait to run it this whole season with a few more upgrades

[rebourne]

Oh, a G35 coupe! I kept thinking sedan. Can't imagine fitting a car seat back there an a non-slider seat!

 

I think pics of the backup car are never off topic in a #ynansb thread.

 

Pics of the backup car doing cool things, is just, well, cool.

[cBax]

Well...this is the backup/daily. (same day/corner from above)

 

http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu139/sti__this/ZoomZoom/Loring2015-250.jpg

[seanyb505]

Ha! I'm also driving a vq as backup, '08 FX35.

[cBax]

Wife found out a couple days ago why I wanted to take her for a ride before she started driving it regularly. Aside from the couple failed attempts at trying to drive my old Evo, this is the fastest car she's ever driven. Said it surprised her coming out of the store into traffic the other day. Still on wastegate pressure too. lol I told her to wait until I tuned it.

 

The rest of us don't wait a week to test a turbo car's ability to accelerate. haha

 

I imagine it's sitting around 550 miles now. I'm planning to do a quick oil change this weekend and look it over, check LV and put some miles on it myself.

[Rhitter]

What turbo did you end up installing?