knocking in engine 1999 Malibu LS

[redhot63042]

Mechanic said to get a new motor, but another opinion told me it was the oil pump? Does anyone know how hard that would be to fix, and the estimated cost? Or any other suggestions of what could be causing the problem please let me know asap thanks red

[geojoh]

I have a 1997 Malibu LS with a 3.1 lt V6 at about 80,000 miles. Now it has developed a light knocking noise or tapping type noise. This happens when the engine is started cold. I have listened around the engine with and without a stethoscope. The sounds seems to coming from the top of the engine near the air inlet to the TPI system. It really sounds like valve tappet noise but it goes away after about ten minutes of driving and then isn't heard again until the next day after the car has set, not running, for about ten hours. I have been told it might wrist pin noise but it's not coming from that part of the engine and it's a lighter sounding noise than that. I'm wondering if it could be injector noise. I'm using a synthetic blend 10w 30 oil. I change the oil and the filter every 6000 miles.

[peterdash69]

hey i have a 2002 mailibu and i have the same problem , just to let you guys know its the lifters i know because i replaced them .

[geojoh]

Thanks for the info. I tend to agreee with your anaysis of the problem. Did you do the lifter replacement yourself? How did it go?

Thanks again

[peterdash69]

car is quiet cant even hear it

[wymi]

Try this first, get rid of the synthetic oil, 3.1L GM engines do not operate well with it at all. I don't know where you are located but try and get your hands on some Havoline 5W-30 GF-4 rated regular motor oil not the synthetic. Make sure the Havoline oil reads "GF-4" on the back of the bottle, use a Purolater white standard oil filter, the one that is the part number equivalent to the PF52, it's L201 something I can't remember right now. I have an 01 Malibu that had the same ticking sound, sounds like a slight lifter clatter right after start up but then goes away after a short while, this oil and filter combination completely eliminated the start up clatter within a few hundred miles of my first oil change wiht the Havoline and the larger Purolater filter. According to my sources the problems stems from poor oil flow to the top of the motor, the stock small oil filter serves as a restriction, this is where the higher capacity and higher flowing white purolater filter helps. The havoline oil was hit on by me after trying lots of different oil and filter combinations in my Malibu, the motor was always the noiseist with any kind of synthetic oil, hope this helps.

[viacin]

after buying my 99 malibu in 2003, i was happy. It ran good, sounded good, and for $4000, you can't beat it.but before i could make my first payment a slight knocking sound appeared. at first i didn't think it was much, maybe a valve, or lifter. Well after about two weeks of knocking, the sound got worse and eventually, KABOO! motor blew. Turns out, it was a factory defect, a faulty cam shaft bearing that galded up, broke, and in turn sent metal shavings into my oil pump (stopping it up and blowing it as well) so, with no oil, my motoir ran for about 3 seconds before locking up and completely ruining it.

long story short, i replaced the motor for about $1,800 with a 98 motor. Now i have another slight knocking sound....but this time i had it looked at. it's a lifter. apparently chevy picked the parts for their malibus from the scrap bin.