Villiska

Alright, about Wednesday of last week I started having problems when my car was starting in a cold start. It would do the whole wompwompwompwomp as if the battery was dying and then it would start really rough, make a slapping sound and then after 15 seconds be fine until the next cold start.

Now, I soon found out the slapping noise was my pistons due to running low oil. I remedied that before any damage was done. I changed the oil, oil filter and the air filter as well Friday night. Started the car up and heard a little noise while the oil started to flow in. Haven't heard a slapping noise since or any clanking noise from permanent wear. Saved my motor on that one.

However, my car still has a hard time starting in a cold start. It wompwompwomps then has a rough start but with no noise other than a little squeel that my friend says isn't the serpentine belt.

I'm assuming its the battery and hoping its not the starter but I'm not very car savvy so I'm not sure. My friend thinks the rough start is the battery and the squeel is a vacuum line. However the battery surely isn't 5 years old.

What do you guys think? Its a bit embarrassing startin' her up before work in my parking lot and sounding like a piece of junk. Hopefully able to remedy this.

Thanks for any help before hand. So far I've had nothing but great help from every one.

BabyGT

Squeal will most likely be from a worn serpentine belt. Go have your battery tested at a local parts store, most will do that for free.

Villiska

My friend keeps insisting that if it was the battery going, it would just stop starting rather than recharging while I drive. He says this because it only happens on a cold start, when I go to bed and wake up the next morning for work. When I go to work, then come out of work and start it, it's fine. It's just that overnight length of time that does it.

I don't know what else it could be, but to me, that sounds like a battery that's on it's last legs or something. It's beginning to not hold it's charge over long amounts of time. But, I don't know much so I'm just assuming.

If it was the starter, what would I be noticing for sure? Is there any way to know if it's the starter or the battery or something else? I know you said to check the battery at that shop, but I'm not really sure where I'd go or how I'd go about doing that. I rarely get help with this.

Part of me wants to take it to a shop and be like "Hey, can you look at my car and tell me what's wrong with that" but I know they'll return with horrible news making me buy a bunch of **** that I wouldn't need until 5 years down the road.

I just need this damn car to last me another year. Ugh.

BabyGT

Is your friend a certified mechanic?? A cell in a battery going bad will give the symptoms you describe. I just replaced the battery in my 04 for this exact reason. It would be fine for a whole day, let it sit overnight and it had to be jumped. Once jumped I could drive wherever I wanted for a day without worrying whether it would start or not. Then without fail I had to jump it again the next morning everything. The dead cell will take the charge for a while but it will drain faster from things such as the 12 volt constant to the stereo and power to the security system. It's still taking a charge it's just taking a lot less to use it up since the cell is dying. Would take you ten minutes to drive to a parts store and have them test it. What's it gonna hurt?

BabyGT

Autozone, napa, advance, oriellys, etc..... Any parts store tests batteries for free.

Villiska

Oh! Thank you so much man. I'll go get it tested. You've been a huge help on these forums and you've relieved a lot of stress off my mind. I truly appreciate it. I think you're right about it being the battery as well. I looked up a diagnosis of it being the starter or the alternator and none of them fit the bill.

Sounds like I'm a few starts away from needing it jump started. Any idea which battery to get or should I let them pick? I don't want to get ripped off or anything. Also hoping its not over 100 bucks. Mother's day coming up and I wanted to do something nice for her lol.

BabyGT

Just tell them what year make model and engine vehicle and tell them you want the cheapest battery to fit your car. Don't need anything fancy.

Villiska

Hey, GT can I ask one more question to you please? Concerning the lifter/piston or whatever slapping noise I had when I was running low oil, I didn't have any noises until today when I was at the drive thru picking up some lunch. I was moving slowly through the line and I heard a bit of...ticking or like a VERY mute slapping noise that I heard that day. If I go over 5-10MPH I can't hear anything again.

How serious of an issue is this? Is this relevant?

BabyGT

Prolly exhaust leak. The passenger manifold is prone to cracking due to a poor comdensate drain location. Keep an ear out for it. watch your oil and how the car feels, I have a cracked manifold myself. I'm just to lazy to replace it.

Villiska

Apparently I don't have an exhaust manifold, I have BBK headers?