Hello to everyone.
I've had my Bolt for about 3 months now and
at 300 miles started to get the infamous cold start "knock"(lasts for 2-4 minutes). 2 mechanics at a local ford dealership thought nothing was wrong with the engine and said I should ignore it...Hmmmm.
Well about 3000 miles latter a certified SVT technician (at a Mercury dealership)listened to the knock and immediately ORDERED a new engine assembly (with blower).Talk about being very depressed and upset. The technician and shop manager were supernice and said I could take digital pictures of the whole install process. While there saw a new lincoln navigator (less than 1000 miles on it)getting a NEW 5.4 engine.
Maybe I'ts time for me to get out of Ford vehicles. My 99 Crown Vic was a LEMON and I had to hire an attorney to fight this case.
My 96 cobra had a warped driveshaft and undersize cooling system (all fixed)SO, after healing up my ford induced wounds I go out like an idiot and get the Bolt and here we go again !!!!I take these situations seriously,
I'm just fustrated and !@####!.
Look, I love my Bolt as much as any of you, but lets face it, issues like piston slap are not minor little difficulties and are direct factory expressions of poor quality.
The new engine is due in maybe thur and 2 days to install. The technician said the Windsor engine plant had made some improvements in the piston assembly but they would not explain an any detail.
Sorry to dump on all of you but this can happen to you too! My blue oval blood is starting to change colors....
Georgia_Moon

 

Georgia_Moon

The Chevy LT1 350's have the same thing. But, it only happens when cold and stops when engine reaches temp. The reason the LT1's do this is because of the reduced piston skirt depth i.e. shorter piston. This is not a defect, just a characteristic. I traded my 96 Z28 for a 97 SS and the exact same situation. No oil issues...nothing bad. Both of those LT1's screamed; I abused them both handily, all the time with no problems. Now, I don't know if the 5.4 is showing the same deal; I do know that our L's have forged pistons....different pistons than stock. Maybe they heat up and expand slower than the block, thus the noise when cold until the pistons expand enough to fit tighter. The LT1's pistons are made of hyperuetectic alloy that expands slower than the cast iron block does. When I took my 96 Z in after a few thousand miles, they immediately replaced the motor and the new one had, after a few thousand miles the same characteristics. Sometimes dealers will replace a motor only to get the work and money from the manufacturer; believe me, they do this stuff. Just some info.

 

BadBolt:
Thanks for the reply. I agree with you. The SVT technician recommended that this problem be taken care of now instead of latter. I trust his judgement. The shop manager also cautioned me that ford cannot declare that it wont happen again with the new engine. As a side note the technician felt that my "abnormally" low gas mileage could be a product the "mystical piston slap"....oh where are you obewhankanobee !

 

Georgia_Moon- I have the same Clod Start (Knock) but it last more then a few minutes like you had. The sound seams louder under the car around the oil pan (Diesel Sound)? I never notice it before because I'm in the cab when I start the truck. It now has higher RPM's for its warm-up Idle then before (Notice in the last few days). I have just over 1100 miles on this Truck.

P.S. I also have the "Clunk" drivers washer on control arm has moved.

Dave

 

Georgia,

I think you're the first/only 2000 to report any piston slap problems. I thought that was a "solved" 1999 problem?

My engine somtimes sounds different for the first 30 seconds or so after startup, but soon as its running a little bit, kind of more of a raspy sound, then it goes back into its soft purr.

Daniel

 

Hey GM, don't give up on the truck. I have a 99 that runs perfect and it's the best new vehicle I have ever owned. On this site you here some problems about the Lightning but it's superior to any chevy I have ever owned and this is a focal point for info concerning what goes wrong. Yeah there are problems with the production but it sounds like you got a good dealer who is willing to work with it. I was, and still am a chevy fan, but Ford does make a quality product.

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99 L
Mobil 1
Tires rotated

 

To thepawn:
Yes these problems were supposed to be resolved in late 99 and for sure in 2000.
Ford is very secretive and so is SVT about how many ACTUAL engines are affected.

To Shorty:
I have not given up on the truck; it's just very upseting to have such a nice beast experience this problem. What I'm grateful is for a very honest and competant dealership thats really trying to do the right thing. In fact the mechanic said I'd could help him do the install. After the Engine was ordered went back to work (and feel sorry for myself),I called SVT. Their response was that piston slap does NOT effect engine durabiliy. I dont agree with that. These are marketing people and not heavy line mechanics.

 

to BOOOSTING-DAVE:
My bolt will show this knocking anytime after sitting for 1-2 hours. Of course It's more noticable in the morning but will do it most any old time.Thanks for the reply.

 

Georgia_Moon- What was your Low MPG?? If I drive with only having a few boost seconds (8-12 seconds in boost) during a 150 miles leg I'll get 13.5 MPH +/- .5 MPH. The Worst MPG was when the dealer had the Truck to install a Bed Cover. Thier Hot Roding Driver(cold engine with Boost) driving for a few miles gave me 11.3 MPG in a 170 miles leg. The weather is cool and I'm close to Sea level so the weather is not a factor.

Dave

 

Hey Boosting-dave I'm in carmel mountain
White 00 Lightning what color is
yours I'll keep my eyes out

 

DanHavens- My 00 is Black, let me know a meeting place and well talk Lightning stuff.

Dave

 

BA is right on with the piston slap thing. I had it in my 95 Z28. There are always problems with any type of car. In general, that wasn't the major problem for me with that car. A friend of mine has one with over 100,000 miles on it and flogs the crap out of it on a regular basis. No problems to date. A little piston slap is nothing to worry about at all. At 17,000 KMS in my truck, the sound has lessened to it being almost inaudible.

Paul G.

 

Sounds like Windsor had a bad week. My '00 had an engine date code of 2-29-00. That one got pooched after 1500 miles. Was an oil leak. The new engine has a 4-12-00 build date if memory serves. I also believe that they have an improved intercooler after 4-1-00.

Took my SVT Tech. 23 hours to R & R. He doesn't want to do another one.

Since then, I've gotten a new tranny and everything is A OK.

Good luck with it. Certainly can be discouraging!!!

------------------
2000 Red Lightning Born 3-8-00 / Delivered 3-22-00
22% Window Tint, Clear Corners, MPulse LoPro Tonneau, AIM 2" Drop Shackles, Bed Rug, PSP Filter Kit

'99 Yukon Denali - Silver, Lowered 1", Borbet CW4's, 285/60R18 Toyo Proxes S/T's, Hotchkis AntiSways, Edelbrock Shocks

2000 Red Trans Am Ram Air WS6, 6 Speed - Delivered 2-15-00 - Awesome Looking Car

 

TO WHAT04:
Thanks for replying.
I guess Windsor had a bad hair month for both of us. In regard to the improved intercooler; I called SVT yesterday and asked if any improvements had been made to the intercooler. Jason (think that was his name)said "NO improvements had been made since the field problems experienced by Bolt customers were so "small" that a design change was NOT warranted". This is contrary to good info we have all heard.
Thank you for the words of encouragement WHAT04.

BTW.....If any of ya'll in this Bolt group would like some digital pictures of this "surgery" let me know. My Mercury dealer is great and said I could take all the pictures I want for this Newsgroup...

 

the bottom of this link has pictures of Sal's experience with his "slaphappy" 99. luck of the draw
http://members.aol.com/NLOCsvt/tune.html