GM 5.3L Piston Slap issue

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quote:

Originally posted by tamu_man:
Not everyone has time to learn every little rule about every single forum that they are in.

Are you for real? That is the most asinine thing I've ever heard.

Do you pay for the bandwidth this forum uses? If you don't have time to follow the rules, then don't post. It's that simple.
 
I would spend money on Auto-Rx and LC and FP to keep the engine free of carbon build up before spending money on various oils.

BTW, my Tahoe w/5.3L has 62K on the odo and NO Slap whatsoever. I don't think it is a fluke, I think that it is a result of my FP and LC use.

Just my opinion.
 
So in your sympathy you COMPOUND the problem by quoting all that material and then give a two line post?
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Ok, I don't get it - but arn't those who quote the entire message defeat the entire purpose why 59 Vetteman made his post in the first place? LOL you guys condem people for replying with the full quote BUT YOU DO IT TOO...
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I for one like to pay for what I use... BITOG forums are one of those things I use a lot.
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EDIT:
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Exactly G-MAN II!!! I don't get it...
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My sympathy was for a very good, patient moderator (59 vetteman) being ripped a new one by a new member for doing his job. The quote was so he'd know what the comment was directed at.
 
I'm thoroughly confused on this quote reply banter, so I'll respectfully stay out of it.

As far as the 5.3L piston slap, mine is doing that right now. I'm running M1 5W-30, just changed the oil and have yet to add its maintenance dose of AutoRX. With the ARX, it realy quiets down. Without, it will come right back within 300 miles. I say that because the slap stopped or quieted down beyond my detection and I just drove 300 miles on the new oil without the dose in it. At lunch this afternoon, we took it out and she slapped like old times again.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Doug C:
I would spend money on Auto-Rx and LC and FP to keep the engine free of carbon build up before spending money on various oils.


Where can I get AutoRx LC & FP?
 
quote:

Originally posted by crashz:
With the ARX, it realy quiets down. Without, it will come right back within 300 miles.

It's the polar esters in the ARX clinging to the pistons and cylinder walls that help the piston slap. Same thing happened during my ARX treatment in my 3.4.
 
So Do 4.8L V8's have piston slap too? Or is it just the 5.3's? I never hear about the 4.8


quote:

Originally posted by tj5450:
To answer the Toyo fans above....
I had a '98 Toyota 4Runner V6 and cured my ails by replacing it with a GMC Yukon. The 4runner had a max speed of 78mph on flat land with two people aboard.


78 MPH?

I call B.ESS. Sure you weren't in 2nd gear? I believe you when you say you like your Yukon better, nothing wrong with that. But you expect me to believe the Toyota only went 78?
 
I just went through the piston slap dilema w/ my 2002 Chevy Silverado, however I had the 4.8 V8 not the 5.3. Changing the oil type WILL NOT cure this problem. I was originally using Mobil 1 5w30, but tried Redline 10w30, Super Tech 10w30, and finally Havoline 10w40. I also did an AutoRX in there in between the Super Tech and Redline, it didn't make a difference. The only thing that made a semi-permanent difference was GM's "Top End" cleaner and the problem returned in the less than 3000 miles. The loud tapping also temporarily went away for about two days after a three hour drive up to the Poconos to go skiing.

I know two people at work, both w/ 2002 Tahoes (5.3L) that are starting to make the annoying noise.

We traded my Silverado last Saturday for a new F150, I almost cried. Luckily the truck didn't make the noise once it was warmed up, however it was by far the noisest ever on that morning in 70F! While the F150 is a nice truck I've always owned GM vehicles and I feel EXTREMELY let down by the company.

~Sail
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Piston slap means hammering on the cylinder wall and eventually,lack of compression,nothing to be taken lightly.Can't figure this out,old MB diesel 616/617 engines would start breaking in by 20,000 miles and with just proper care,would happily last 400,000+ miles on average,now with so called new tech,why do we have piston slap?
 
quote:

Originally posted by SailSkiDrive:
We traded my Silverado last Saturday for a new F150, I almost cried. Luckily the truck didn't make the noise once it was warmed up, however it was by far the noisest ever on that morning in 70F! While the F150 is a nice truck I've always owned GM vehicles and I feel EXTREMELY let down by the company.

~Sail
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I hear ya from a used to be GM man. With GM's lack of quality control and customer support they're shedding old customers like Paris Hilton sheds clothing...
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I just sold my 99 GMC with piston slap. Loved that truck. The piston slap is caused by the short piston skirts. They are short so that they clear the crank on the down stroke. This causes them to rock side to side when they are at the top of the stroke. The piston then proceeds to get rough on the top edge which then chews up the cylinder. The result is lower compression and a damaged engine. Bad design. Chevy was no help. A new Tundra is now in the garage. nevada smith
 
Can octane in gasoline have any effect on Piston Slap? I did some internet searching and someone said that this can be quieted by going up a grade.

My thoughts - for a lower compression - lower octane??
 
It would seem that keeping the pistons clean would help reduce the slap, since the carbon would make the pistons off-balance. FP would help with that (as previously noted). Also, everyone seems to say an oil that is a bit thicker helps. You don't necessarily have to go up a grade, look at the actual viscosity at 100C. Most XW30 oils are about 10cst but some are 12cst. GC is a good one, most High Mileage oils are also thicker.
 
Seem like this would be an easy fix at the factory. Been a problem for a while. Why don't they just use/design a different piston? Seems simple to me. How hard would that be?
 
>>Seem like this would be an easy fix at the factory. Been a problem for a while. Why don't they just use/design a different piston? Seems simple to me. How hard would that be?

Good point. Supposedly, GM redesigned the "redesigned" piston and put it into production in early 2002. My 2002 Silverado was built in December of 2001.

On another note my BMW Z3 seems to LOVE the Castrol 0w-30 I put in it last weekend. The valve train is definitely quieter than when I had Mobil 1 in it.

~Sail
 
My April-made 2001 makes what sounds like a valvetrain rattle on hot starts, but doesn't seem to have the cold-start knock.

About 3000 miles into the last OCI, a louder knock developed on cold startup. I added 6 ounces of LC20 (first use in this engine) and the sound went away within 1000 miles.

While my Chevy so far doesn't seem to be built "Like a Knock," I have been chasing an ignition ping since about 15,000 miles. IF the piston slap is caused by carbon, maybe it's been kept away with all the FP60, Techron, Redline SI-1, and Regane I have used to try keeping the chambers clean.

It's hard to know what the truth is with this problem. First GM changed pistons for some people who really complained (or maybe that was second), then they attributed the knock to carbon and did top-end treatments, then they redesigned the pistons. Then, miraculously, they discovered that the noise is normal, nothing to worry about, won't hurt anything, etc. At least they must be saving money on customer relations/warranty denial training, because service writers read me the same script every time I mentioned an abnormal amount of pinging.
 
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