3.6L PentaStar valve clatter on startup

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BigDogTrain

Jeep Owner
I am wondering if others have heard a 'valve-clatter' or mechanical clatter for a few seconds on start up? My Wrangler, with the PentaStar...is only 4 weeks old (1500 miles).and when I start it up, it has a 3 or 4 second clattering sound. I know that the oil filter is mounted high, but is there an ANTI-DRAIN valve built into the housing that is SUPPOSED to keep the oil in the valve train?


I asked the chief mechanic at my dealership and he said there are no service bulletins regarding this sort of noise or problems with the oil draining out of the valve train...

I just had the oil and filter done, too...It's been making that noise since right after I got the Jeep...so, no idea what's going on...

Should I worry? :nerd:
 
Pthorpe84

Pthorpe84

Moderator
Staff member
I have a little noise with mine as well but have always assumed it is just part of the engine. Had mine for over a year with no issues....but I am only at 11k miles and most of that on the trail.


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BigDogTrain

Jeep Owner
Pthorpe84 said:
I have a little noise with mine as well but have always assumed it is just part of the engine. Had mine for over a year with no issues....but I am only at 11k miles and most of that on the trail.


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Click to expand...
So as an "EXPERT" you just assumed it was part of the engine? WTF kind of ask the expert section is this?
 
Pthorpe84

Pthorpe84

Moderator
Staff member
I am not the expert in this area. I was simply agreeing with you that I have had the same issue. Again I am the short bus guy on here! Just trying converse. I apologize for wasting your time.


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Cloaked Willys

Cloaked Willys

Jeep Fanatic
There are a few things that can be causing noise upon startup but it is not something that I have encountered with the later Pentastar motors. The early ones did have some head issues that included ticking but it didn't go away after a couple of seconds. It might be worth filing a claim for the should with the dealership just in case something fails.


BigDogTrain said:
I am wondering if others have heard a 'valve-clatter' or mechanical clatter for a few seconds on start up? My Wrangler, with the PentaStar...is only 4 weeks old (1500 miles).and when I start it up, it has a 3 or 4 second clattering sound. I know that the oil filter is mounted high, but is there an ANTI-DRAIN valve built into the housing that is SUPPOSED to keep the oil in the valve train?


I asked the chief mechanic at my dealership and he said there are no service bulletins regarding this sort of noise or problems with the oil draining out of the valve train...

I just had the oil and filter done, too...It's been making that noise since right after I got the Jeep...so, no idea what's going on...

Should I worry? :nerd:
Click to expand...
 
J

jkk9

Jeep Newb
to the OP. Like many others, I too have the cold start up clatter. My JKU is 2012 auto with 7K miles on it and has done this for 4 1/2 yrs. What I have noticed was that if I turn the key/ignition on, all the way without starting it, let it sit for a couple of minutes. My personal experience has been that it starts without clatter or the clatter time is greatly reduced as compared to a straight cold start up. The vehicle is garaged here in north Florida for what thats worth. Luck on your end.
 
B

Brian

Jeep Fanatic
Cloaked Willys said:
It might if it is not am OEM style but it sounds like it was doing it before your oil change.
Click to expand...
jkk9 said:
to the OP. Like many others, I too have the cold start up clatter. My JKU is 2012 auto with 7K miles on it and has done this for 4 1/2 yrs. What I have noticed was that if I turn the key/ignition on, all the way without starting it, let it sit for a couple of minutes. My personal experience has been that it starts without clatter or the clatter time is greatly reduced as compared to a straight cold start up. The vehicle is garaged here in north Florida for what thats worth. Luck on your end.
Click to expand...
So Cloaked Willys, with JKK9's post.... Could some of this clatter people are hearing be a lack of fuel rail pressure causing the fuel injectors not to have a good spray, in some way causing the noise?
 
B

BigDogTrain

Jeep Owner
I habve learned more here than any other place on the web. Thank you every one. Well, almost everyone... Not pthorpe84... he just makes me take more meds.
 
DirtyDawg

DirtyDawg

Jeep Newb
I have no advice to offer, only experience, for what that's worth. I have noticed the same kind of issue on my 2012, but have also heard the same thing on many other motors over the past 30-odd years of driving and messing with rigs. In older motor designs, I know the noise stemmed from the oil draining out of the heads while sitting. I have assumed that this was the same source of the noise in the 3.6, and have not worried much about it. As someone else said earlier, mine has been doing it for over four years with no catastrophic results. I bought it brand new and it now has about 37k on the odometer. I can't tell that it has gotten any worse over time, which is also encouraging.
 
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jkk9

Jeep Newb
Dirty Dawg makes a very good observation point.Equally noted, here, in spite of low mlg, , neither duration nor volume of clatter has changed (for the worse) over the years, in my instance either. Coming in play may also be residual coating between more frequent startup days verses once a week. (And FWIW in the battery longevity debt. Mine is still original factory, picked up after special order from dealer on Dec 1st 2011). Best of luck.
 
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