2008 OB ticking until warmed up

[brus brother]

Recent discussion on oil weights got me thinking.

Especially on colder days. Has 5W30.

Ticking until car warmed up, after about 5 minutes then fine.

136K miles. 

Never had valves adjusted but if these aren't self-adjusting, is there a reason that they would quiet after warm?

[forester2002s]

Time for an oil change?

[brus brother]

36 minutes ago, forester2002s said:

Time for an oil change?

Almost due. Trying to remember if made any difference but easy enough starting point.

Any merit to draining 2 quarts oil then adding same amount  tranny fluid run for 10 minutes then do a complete drain/filter change?

Edited November 24, 2022 by brus brother

[Daskuppler]

10 minutes ago, brus brother said:

Almost due. Trying to remember if made any difference but easy enough starting point.

Any merit to draining 2 quarts oil then adding same amount  tranny fluid run for 10 minutes then do a complete drain/filter change?

I would add SeaFoam if you're going to use a cleaner/solvent. My 02 will tick and the oil light will flash on startup for a while when oil is due for a change. Usually goes away after fresh oil

Edited November 24, 2022 by Daskuppler

[idosubaru]

16 hours ago, brus brother said:

Recent discussion on oil weights got me thinking.

Especially on colder days. Has 5W30.

Ticking until car warmed up, after about 5 minutes then fine.

136K miles. 

Never had valves adjusted but if these aren't self-adjusting, is there a reason that they would quiet after warm?

It’s piston slap. It’s benign and unfortunately no easy solution.

headgaskets or major work, is a good time to consider having the pistons knurled or new Subaru block installed to address it 

[heartless]

1 hour ago, idosubaru said:

It’s piston slap. It’s benign and unfortunately no easy solution.

headgaskets or major work, is a good time to consider having the pistons knurled or new Subaru block installed to address it 

i thought they had resolved the piston slap thing by 2008
heck, even my 2004 doesn't slap like the 02 did.. that one sounded like it was going to blow itself apart on a cold start in the winter until it warmed up...
and for the record, the 04 has the same engine family as the 02 did - EJ251

 

[idosubaru]

7 hours ago, heartless said:

i thought they had resolved the piston slap thing by 2008
heck, even my 2004 doesn't slap like the 02 did.

 

It wasn’t resolved. Maybe less common than older models, but it still happens on newer ones.

Yes there’s lot of piston slap diversity - some have piston slap, some don’t, some worse than others, some were repaired under warranty, some have had engines or pistons replaced since new, some shops install updated pistons, coated pistons or knurl the pistons when doing a headgasket job, at least two shop owners on here do it and others do as well…etc.

[idosubaru]

On 11/24/2022 at 2:35 PM, brus brother said:

Recent discussion on oil weights got me thinking.

Especially on colder days. Has 5W30.

Ticking until car warmed up, after about 5 minutes then fine.

136K miles. 

Never had valves adjusted but if these aren't self-adjusting, is there a reason that they would quiet after warm?

Only other thing id check is timing tensioner but you have fairly classic piston slap by the current description. 

[heartless]

if it is anything like my 02 Forester was, the colder it gets, the worse it will sound, but as ido said, pretty benign, just sounds terrible.

in the summer months, mine barely made any noise at all, but in the dead of winter it sounded like it was going to blow any second..  once it was fully warmed up it was as quiet as a church mouse..

[moosens]

Learn to be patient and let the other folks leave before starting the car. But if you moved to my town you’d fit right in. Maybe need noisy exhaust. Belt squeal. Clicking axles. But we’ll welcome you as you are. 
 

Now see if your town will welcome me. (Roaring laughter) 

 

Fresh oil pump reseal , rev the engine to get all the lifters pumped up and you’re good. 
See ya at the ShopRite where we’ll both try to sneak away from the parking lot. 

[1 Lucky Texan]

used oil analysis could be definitive. high aluminum = piston skirt