I have a 2003 Pontiac Vibe, which is basically a Toyota Matrix, with 135,000 miles on it. This past winter on a cold start it would knock for a minute or three, depending on how cold. A friend who is ...

Q: I have a 2003 Pontiac Vibe with 135,000 miles on it. This past winter it would knock for a minute or so on a cold start. A GM tech told me that it has a cold piston slap and it will go for a long ...

KNOCK, knock, knock, knock. No it's not the neighbour at the door. It's the disturbing sound of piston slap coming from your car or truck's engine. Is it a problem? Maybe -- it depends on whom you ...

Question: I have a 2001 Chevrolet Lumina with 48,000 miles on it, and a 3.1-liter V-6 engine. When the engine is cold, I can hear a knock, which sounds like a rod. When the engine warms up, the knock ...

Today we will update our last installment with Bubba the 1971 Plymouth Road Runner, as big things are happening to it after our initial assessment. But first, let’s mix it up with an answer to a fresh ...

QUESTION: I have a 1999 Buick Park Avenue with 47,000 miles. It started to make a tapping noise. It goes away in a few minutes. I went to the Buick service department, and they claim all GM engines do ...

Thanks for your 2023 article on piston slap. Yes, people will always ask that question, whether they drive a classic car or not! If you REALLY want to get to the root of your question of, “Is Piston ...

Q. I am writing to you about the problem you answered for another reader (Transportation, Dec. 23) regarding a noise from the engine when started cold. You said that it may be piston slap and that it ...

Q. You have written about the diesel-type noise found in gasoline engines called piston slap but I don’t recall you writing about the cause. Also, would a certain type of oil help this condition? D.S.

I have a 2003 Pontiac Vibe with 135,000 miles on it. This past winter it would knock for a minute or so on a cold start. A GM tech told me that it has a cold piston slap and it will go for a long time ...