Noisy Chev. 3.1 Motor

I own a 2001 Lumina sedan with 65,000 miles on it's 3.1 V-6. I bought it as rental return about five years ago, and have put about 45,000 miles on it, and I generally take good care of the car. The problem is that when the engine is cold, I have a fairly loud tapping noise (moreso than a click) coming from the motor. It is hard to pinpoint the location, but it is not in the immediate area of the rocker arm covers. It's loud enough that I like to let the car warm up some before I drive it. Typically the motor is quiet when it first starts, but then it gets noisy in less than a minute. It settles down after the engine gets to full temperature. The car drives fine. I have been told the engine is a bad design. Motor oil brands and types (synthetic) do not make any difference in the smoothness of the motor. I am reluctant to use additives. I need to keep this car, but I am not familiar with the workings of the valve train or lifters, etc. If someone is has had some experience with this motor and can offer an opinion or conjecture, I would appreciate it.

Thanks,

Scott

Reply to
scseaquist
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It may pay you to spend the money to have a pro check it out. If you can't pinpoint the noise it may not be the engine at all. I have one car that sounds like you describe, but it is the pollution pump valve, not the engine itself that makes the noise. Quiets down after it runs for a couple of minutes.

Not being able to hear it, none of us can say for sure what the sound is.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

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Reply to
Shep

You will be wasting your time and money taking it to a mechanic. This is a typical problem with these engines, just turn the radio a little louder and maybe it will muffle most of it out. Or you could redesign GM's engine with longer piston skirts and get it to stop. I had one with 173,000 miles on it and still running strong that made the same noise.

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Reply to
Doug Adams

Piston slap. You could have the engine rebuilt with better pistons but it is probably not worth it.

Reply to
Paul

If it is what I am thinking about, this was a known problem with older 3.1 engines. It is said to be wrist pin clearance causing the noise. I would have hoped that they would have fixed it by your year. GM says that there is nothing to worry about. My '93 does it when cold when giving anything but a very light throttle.

Reply to
Scott Buchanan

As far as I can recall, it's actually a common problem with the newer

3100's, not the 3.1 you would have in your '93. I had two 3.1 motors in 2 different Grand Prix's. Keep feeding them gas and they'll run forever. On my second Grand Prix, the engine drove the rest of the car all the way to the junk yard, after the body started getting bad. Kicked my 1997 Cutlass Supreme's ass all the way there too...
Reply to
80 Knight

Could be piston slap that these engines are know for when cold. But its not really all that loud, just annoying because you know it shouldnt be there. Doesnt seem to effect performance or the life of the engine.

Reply to
Bubba Obama

Could be piston slap that these engines are know for when cold. But its not really all that loud, just annoying because you know it shouldnt be there. Doesnt seem to effect performance or the life of the engine.

Reply to
Bubba Obama

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