Cold Start Noise

[Jkulin]

Hi All,

My car is going back to the dealers and then onto GrahamPaul in Nottingham to have a number of electrical faults rectified, however there is a start up noise that I have reported to the dealer and he says it is nothing to worry about.

I've attached a sample that I recorded today, is this normal? The car hasn't been driven since New Years Eve, the car has done 25K miles and has been fully dealer maintained.

They are collecting it on Tuesday and I imagine they will want it for about a week as the interior has a number of issues as well.

http://www.goldenchariots.com/downloads/maserati_cold_start_020116.m4a

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[conaero]

Hum, sounds like the throttle body plate rattling or a relay having a spasm. Where about on the engine would you say its coming from?

If you listen, it happens about a second after the engine is started so would not appear to be oil starvation, which is a good thing.

The area you don't want any sound coming from is the variator which is the front of the right hand valve cover if you where stood looking at the engine (Near/passenger side)

 

[Contigo]

Could be number of things. Timing chain, exhaust manifold, cam variator or oil pump. Doesn't sound like a bottom end knock to me.

 

[daverichardson]

Afraid it sounds like variator to me
Hope I am wrong
£4000 and a week off the road
but
the noise stops quickly too and that does not seem like a variator so there is hope
good luck but definitely get it checked out

 

[Jkulin]

Thanks Lads,

It only does it when the car starts after standing for more than 12 hours.

I haven't been able to get anyone to start whilst I listen to where it is, but my hearing isn't the best anyway and when there is someone around it is bloody raining!

The variators were my first worry as I am told that that happens only on overnight cold starts.

I think now that I have a clear recording that I send this onto the dealer and get them to check it out as it is covered under warranty or under my consumer rights

 

[daverichardson]

HMM
May or may not be covered under Warranty
You need to check (sorry to be a Jonah)
But anyway whatever it turns out to be it needs to be sorted
good luck

 

[StuartW]

Graypaul should be able to diagnose this, good luck

 

[Jkulin]

Hi Dave,

If it is not covered under warranty then under consumer law I will just hand the car back as 30 days have not expired yet, I'm not going to buy a car and then have to spend in excess of £4K. Thats deliberately why I bought from a dealer and had a small amount of finance on it as I knew that high end performance cars can be somewhat temperamental.

Yep Stuart I have a list for Stuart Paul to fix and the dealer has agreed to pick up the tab it is just that having Christmas in the way has delayed things.

 

[conaero]

John, you will be ok. Dealers/Grey Paul monitor the forums and this would be extremely bad press for them and they wouldn't let a PR disaster like this happen.

 

[murph7355]

John, you will be ok. Dealers/Grey Paul monitor the forums and this would be extremely bad press for them and they wouldn't let a PR disaster like this happen.

I wish I shared your optimism.

From experience there are no guarantees that bad press on fora will result in anything supportive.

I suspect leaning on the 30 day angle will be the best bet should the worst ensue.

 

[Jkulin]

Thanks for all your advice, I didn't buy the car from GrahamPaul, although they did supply it new, I bought it from a performance specialist in Derbyshire, they had an auto electrician out to it before Christmas who couldn't fix any of the vast number of electrical problems that we believe points to some control modules such as: -

Electronic Boot Opener not working.
Front sensors intermittently failing
Interior door lock switches In Op
USB Socket In Op
iPod Interface In Op

In addition they will be fixing/sorting
No Security Card for Codes
Service booklet not stamped despite proof by way of Receipts of services
Rear Scratch to rear valance to be fixed
All 4 door panels, centre console and B pillars to be renovated due to hide peeling

I bought the car not knowing any of this until I had called to collect the car.

To be fair they had only taken possession of the car a couple of days beforehand and so hadn't had a chance to check things out, I identified these problems when I collected the car.

So far they have been as good as their word and will be collecting from my home on Tuesday to fix everything, i have told them that I am not in a hurry to get the car back as long as everything is fixed which they have given me assurances, they did dismiss this noise as being normal, but I have stuck to my guns and said I want it checked by a Maserati dealer.

So until she comes back to me fixed then I won't relax.

 

[Keano]

Check if your engine number is lower than 148697 as there was an issue with variator noise from the earlier engines. Mine is April 2009 and engine number 139043 and had this issue which is now fixed.

 

[Jkulin]

Many Thanks Keano, I have printed this off and when they collect it on Tuesday will ask them to verify and check the engine number

 

[conaero]

The engine number is stamped on a plate under the engine, I would go record it now just in case they try to tell you it's not.

Any QP experts know if the QP (wet sump) does or does not have the oil accumulator under the plenum?

I am assuming not.

 

[Jkulin]

I'm afraid I will have to rely on the dealer as it is chucking it down here, but thanks for your help.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Curious... mine's an earlier car with a later engine number.

 

[Keano]

Engine number is also printed on the original documentation for wet days like this

 

[Keano]

Curious... mine's an earlier car with a later engine number.

Mine is 4.2 and i am guessing yours is a 4.7 which may explain it

 

[Felonious Crud]

Ah-ha! Yes, probably would. Is the variator issue an issue on the 4.7 as well?

 

[StuartW]

Ah-ha! Yes, probably would. Is the variator issue an issue on the 4.7 as well?

Yes it is, mine were done at around 40k miles so before I bought it fortunately. The replacement is a modified component which shouldn't fail again, I hope!