Piston Slap

Beer Belly · August 23, 2004

Looking for some info on "Piston Slap" and what GM is doing about it. I've been told "It's normal", sorry, but I can't agree that Piston Slap is normal and will do no damage, if there is a noise, there is damage being done by a piston bouncing around in its sleeve.

NOS#9BIGMAC · August 23, 2004

I agree piston slap is not normal. And should definately be looked into further I've heard a read a few posts on this forum about it. So it seems to be a common problem. sorry I have no solutions though. but it should be coverd under your warrenty. If a dealer tells you it's normal then I would want to see some documentation. Good luck

REMF · August 23, 2004

Should have investigated it prior to buying. Piston slap has been around since 1997, probably longer.

Not only in the V8's either.

Get used to it is all you can do. Dealer and GM are going to give yo uthe TSB about piston slap. No you willl not get a new motor, no they will not even tear it down. They may give you a piece of paper backing the motor for 100K if you go by normal maint. policy. Other than that what you hear is normal and live with it.

Sorry but that is how it is. They are not failing and the miles are racking up on them, in fact they seem to be holding up far better than the Gen1s did.

When you use hypereutectic pistons piston slap is very common, and face it with the EPA and CAFE every ounce of energy that can free up they are going to. Consumer complaints are way low on the list when you have to fight the government. They ain't failing and GM ain't changing the path they are on.

Not being mean or anything but geez this is about an old dead rotted horse.

Remf

NOS#9BIGMAC · August 23, 2004

My roomates 97 chevy EC SB Z71 sounds mint no ticks or clicks he blew the rearend out once but thats it. I think he was doin to many burnouts

Beer Belly · August 23, 2004

I've owned many GMs with many, many miles and never had a problem until this. It may be and "old" problem to some, but to me, after owning over a dozen GMs, this is new.

NOS#9BIGMAC · August 23, 2004

now that i think about it I had a 2003 SLE EC loaded rent a wreck (actually it only had like 3000 miles on it) for like a month after some kid totaled my dakota with his daddys cherokee (long story) and I dont remember any funny noises at all but it had low miles too. I'm not sure if this noise came "out of the box" or after miles of use. either way it seems like quite a few people are concerned and GM doesn't seem to be helping out to many people. they should at least have a better excuse than saying it's normal. Another one to add to the list of reasons I don't want a new truck. I'm sure someone will eventually come up with a viable excuse, till then try begging for an free extended warrenty or try contacting a GM customer service rep. Let us know how it turns out, good luck

Cool Zr2 · August 23, 2004

Ask for an extended warranty, piston slap isn't a "problem" so gm gives out better warranties becasue they know it won't wear out the motor.

I have had at least 6 vortecs that had piston slap, ran like a top and never burned oil.

miket · September 9, 2004

It is a problem...mechanical or not. Noone would buy a vehicle with this problem if they knew about it before hand.

Do a search on the internet...all the info will be there.

A class action suit is under way and if you want the attorneys contact info pm me offline.

lrymal · September 9, 2004

Here y'all go, make bunches of lawyers rich and happy:

Go to the pistonslap website. Put the www and .com on either side of ''pistonslap''. This site puts #### on the URL when I tried to make it linkable. WEIRD..... http://www.#####.com

This is indeed an old horse. No point of re-hashing it. Just do a search.

Silverado4x4 · September 9, 2004

I had a 2002 6.0 and it ticked bad sounded like a bb's in a milk carton (embarrasing when starting it up around people), I started adding fuel injector cleaner carbon reducer to the tank at every oil change and once inbetween and the tick all but went away, what chevy is saying its a carbon build up on the piston walls. A friend of mine has almost 80,000 miles on his ticker and is still going (no problems yet) ive have since traded mine in on a 2004 D-MAX.

Cool Zr2 · September 10, 2004

I had a 2002 6.0 and it ticked bad sounded like a bb's in a milk carton (embarrasing when starting it up around people), I started adding fuel injector cleaner carbon reducer to the tank at every oil change and once inbetween and the tick all but went away, what chevy is saying its a carbon build up on the piston walls. A friend of mine has almost 80,000 miles on his ticker and is still going (no problems yet) ive have since traded mine in on a 2004 D-MAX.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That has nothing to do with piston slap.

CHVYPWR · September 12, 2004

My '97 4.3 Silverado had the "normal" slap too. It was still running VERY strong when I got rid of it at 120K miles. Never burned a drop of oil either. If the wife didn't want a d**n minivan, I would have kept it

Silverado4x4 · September 15, 2004

WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT COOL ZR2, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PISTON SLAP , SO YOUR SAYING MY MECHANIC BUDDYS AT OUR LOCAL DEALRSHIP WERE MY WIFE WORKS DONT KNOW WHAT THERE TALKING ABOUT ONE OF TOLD ME TO TRY IT AND IT MIGHT WORK WHICH IT DID. I KNOW WHAT PISTON SLAP IS AND 2 OF MY FRIENDS HAVE THE SAME PROB. ONE OF THEM DID WHAT I DID AND IT TOOK CARE OF HIS PROB ALSO, THE OTHER ONE DOESNT CARE ABOUT IT

miket · September 15, 2004

WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT COOL ZR2, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PISTON SLAP , SO YOUR SAYING MY MECHANIC BUDDYS AT OUR LOCAL DEALRSHIP WERE MY WIFE WORKS DONT KNOW WHAT THERE TALKING ABOUT ONE OF TOLD ME TO TRY IT AND IT MIGHT WORK WHICH IT DID. I KNOW WHAT PISTON SLAP IS AND 2 OF MY FRIENDS HAVE THE SAME PROB. ONE OF THEM DID WHAT I DID AND IT TOOK CARE OF HIS PROB ALSO, THE OTHER ONE DOESNT CARE ABOUT IT

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey 96---I read your post twice and based on the "tick" description I thought it sounded like it was valve train related---and maybe ZR2 did too. Mine doesn't sound like a "tick" by far and I heard the carbon buildup theory too but, honestly mine started after 1500 miles, hasn't stopped yet at 52k and drinks 3 quarts of oil between 3k oil changes.

Silverado4x4 · September 15, 2004

YA HE MAY NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD WHAT I MEANT ITS HARD TO DISCRIBE A NOISE IN A FORUM BUT THIS IS THE NOISE. GO TO PISTONSLAP. COM. THATS A LOT OF OIL TO DRINK IN 3000 MILES. MINE DIDNT START TILL ABOUT 2200 MILES WITH THE SLAP AND WITH THE CARBON REDUCER I ADDED TO THE TANK IT ALL BUT WENT AWAY BUT WAS STILL THERE ONCE IN A GREAT WHILE BUT WHEN IT WAS THERE IT WAS VERY FAINT AND DIDNT LAST LONG. I SINCE TRADED THE TRUCK IN ON A 2004 2500 HD EXTRA CAB DURAMAX 4X4 ONLY BECAUSE I NEEDED MORE ROOM AND I SAID WHAT THE HECK IAM GETTING A DIESEL. JUST TRYING TO HELP THE GUY ON WHAT WORKED FOR ME. SORRY COOL ZR2