When the enigne is cold it makes a loud ticking sound and has no power.

JSPEEDRACER11

MEMBER
1999 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE
129,000 MILES

When the engine is cold especially when it sits over night and you start it up the engine ticks loudly and if you start to drive it you can floor it and it will not go above 20 miles an hour after a mile or so the noise goes away and it runs normal. You can shut it off and start it up and it still will run fine till it cools down again then it will do it again. If engine is warm its not as severe but if its hot it doesnt do it at all. I have checked the oil level and other fluids. The check engine light does not come on at during any of this. What could be causeing this? Hoping its not too expensive to fix because my whole family relies on this vehicle and we have evry little money. Please help

5 Replies

RACEFAN966

MECHANIC
5,029 POSTS

I would have the oil pressure checked. What does the guage show for pressure? If you don't have a guage does the oil light come on? When was the oil changed last and what oil filter is on it? Get back to me with that and I will see what I can suggest ok. Thanks

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Thursday, September 22nd, 2011 AT 4:39 PM

JSPEEDRACER11

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Oil pressure guage on the dash looks normal does not fluxuate at all. The oil is due to be changed but within 200 miles im not sure what kind of filter had it changed at ntb. No indicator light come on at all.

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Thursday, September 22nd, 2011 AT 4:50 PM

RACEFAN966

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5,029 POSTS

It sounds like you may have lifter problems or oil delivery problems. Next oil change you do I would like you to add a quart of Lucas oil stabilize (substitute it for one quart of oil) and use a wix filter. Let me know if this changes things ok.

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Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 AT 4:23 AM

JSPEEDRACER11

MEMBER
3 POSTS

I had a bad upper intake. It was allowing antifreeze into the top of the engine cause the lifter noise. There was water inside the oil fill cap. Changed the plastic upper intake, changed the oil using a synthetic high mileage oil and used lucas oil synthetic stablizer and a mobile 1 filter. Been 2 days and the lifter noise has all but stopped and the oil pressure is actually a little higher. So far so good.

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Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 AT 4:32 AM

RACEFAN966

MECHANIC
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I should have suggested that as it is a problem with GM and dexcool antifreeze. The dexcool eats plastics. Thanks for the update if anything changes just let me know and I will see what I can think of.