Jeep Grand Cherokee Maintenance and Repair

bmb1373

I have the same exact problem with my A/C. I have a '02 JGC less than a year old w/ the same A/C unit as you. It all started a couple of weeks ago when the temp. hit 90 and I decided to turn on the a/c. I think this is only the third time I actually used the darn thing. Well, it worked for about 2 or 3 mintues with a weak, barely cool blow, then the I noticed the the same vent as you start blowing hot air. What's with that? Hot air? How the heck? Well, I have an appointment next week with the dealership. Hopefully I will have better news than you next week....

greasykid1

Does anyone know what this TSB covers??? Haven't been able to locate it.

98jettavr6

Go here for a complete list with descriptive text.
http://www.wjjeeps.com/tsb.htm

atls4

I just bought a '04 GC Overland this past weekend and I must say I'm VERY impressed with overall initial quality of fit and finish. Also the drive and ride are first rate, I only hope my vehicle is trouble-free and provides many enjoyable miles....

Anyway, I got the RB1 Navigational radio option with Sirius and I think I'm having some issues with the Nav part. First of all, I couldn't pull up the ESN number on the Sirius screen to activate the system. DC's documentation sucks on this unit and their customer service had no clue, thankfully I got the information on wjjeeps.com on how to access the diag screen where the ESN number is logged. Problem is on this screen no ESN number was to be found, only the letters ESN were displayed. At least I had the ESN from the install kit the dealer gave to me at purchase time so it really wasn't a big deal.

The question I have and reason for concern is that the Nav part doesn't work that well. For one, the map background is a medium red color with undefined lines that supposedly represent roads. At the bottom of the screen cross roads are displayed but many times the names are jumbled with ASCII characters which are obviously unreadable. Next, the map show wildly inaccurate information such as showing me in a city some 70 miles away from my current position. Another strange one is that when I try to enter an address or point of interest while parked to route to I can not select a character on the screen. Many time the characters are grayed out or simply do not enter in the impute line via the selector knob. Finally sometimes in Nav mode the unit will "reboot" to the Jeep splash screen and prompt me to select the ok to the warning message. The radio/cd/Sirius part continues to play fine while the nav part reboots.

Now when I picked up my Jeep it was transferred in from another dealer but the nav DVD was missing. My dealer of purchase simply gave me a nav DVD out of a Chrysler Pacifica which he said was the same software. I'm thinking that it *may* not be, in fact it may be the cd version of the software which could be causing my DVD based RB1 system to *wig out.* I was going to bring it by the dealership for service to take a look at but I was hoping I might find someone out here that's seen this problem before.

mdjeepman

The front speaker that sits on top of the dashboard up near the windshield has a rattling sound to it all of a sudden. I suppose this means it is a blown speaker that needs replacement. I have the Infinity Gold speakers in my 99 JGC. Any suggestions on where to go to replace my speaker? Will I have to get both speaker (right and left dash speakers) replaced in order for it to sound OK in the end? Is the dashboard speaker easily replaced? I mean, do they have to remove the whole dashboard or something just to get to it, or can they work right from "top" of the dash leaving the dash basically in place thoughout the operation? Thanks for your comments in advance.

youn0813

Those little speakers under the windshield are tweeters. I'm not sure if they tear.. They're not like the ones under the doors. They don't produce base so it might be just some look cover or some part.. I asked a guy once at Al and Ed Sound, and he said it's better to replace a pair of speakers when you change them. You can go check out a local auto sound store and ask them to find out what the problem is.. I doubt they'll charge you anything. But I think the tweeters come with the low-frequency speakers. meaning you'll have to buy the whole pair (two tweeters, 2 speakers). And installation for the front speakers are always more expansive. OR you can go to eBay and see if anyone is selling just tweeters, and buy that and get just your tweeters replaced for maybe cheaper!

Hope this helps!
The covers might just pop out like with my old 93 JGC. Try if it works?! Never tried to open up the cover on my new one.

tloke1

The dash tweeters are very easy to replace, takes just a couple of minutes and anyone can do it. Best place to buy a replacement would be from an online discount dealer like jparts.com or tenaflyjeepmoparparts.com. No problem in just replacing one. The part # is 56038411AC. I found some directions on replacing them here: http://www.wjjeeps.com/audio.htm#DASH

tloke1

atls4, you definitely have a major problem with the NAV unit, the symptoms you describe are not normal at all. You may have a bad disc or a defective unit. I have the RB1 in my Jeep and it works flawlessly, it is dead accurate and the screen and characters are very easy to read. As far as the "rebooting" goes, that sounds like a total power loss, loose wire or something. I would tell them to pull that unit and give you a different one from another vehicle, and also a different disc.

atls4

I was going to spend some time this weekend *playing* with the unit and possibly call DC customer support. If that failed I planned on running it by the service manager at the dealership.

If they yank out my head unit I'm concerned they may damage the U-connect module installed to the left of the unit. I bought my Jeep out of state and I'd have to trust my local dealer's service department to treat me right so this may be a problem.

I was hoping my problems were a bad DVD but I fear you're right. In fact when I called DC customer support about the lack of an ESN the tech on the line suspected a bad unit and that I should return it to the dealer. Thankfully I had picked up the Jeep the day before so returning it to the purchased dealer was no big deal...Wish I had of pushed for a replacement then.

Other than that I've been extremely impressed with initial quality and fit and finish; this coming from a former Audi owner.

jecasaz

While my son is fighting in Iraq with the Marines, I am "babysitting" his '94 JGC. I rarely drive it but one night when I drove it I noticed the turn signals blinking very, very fast. Diagnosis lead me to find that they blinked at a normal rate with the headlights off, but fast with them on. All other electrical appeared to work fine, including the hazards. Then I noticed the voltage gage on the dash was reading about 18 instead of the usual 13-14. This reading stayed this way under all conditions, but the blinkers still went fast only with the lights on. Any suggestions so I can get it fixed before my son returns? Thank you.

dachshund2

Try removing the turn signal bulbs and filing the contact points. Also check and clean the socket. Corrosion can effect the function of the circuit. The front ones are the most likely culprit unless you have a cracked rear lense. Consider replacing the bulbs if this doesn't work. I don't think this is a problem with your alternator, but output is easy to check with a Multimeter and most autoparts stores will do this for you as a courtesy if you don't have one.

bw2003

I have been getting the run-around from my dealership over A/C problems, too. On days over 90 degrees or so, the A/C blows warm/cool air off and on. Sometimes the compressor trips off, and cannot be restarted with the "A/C" button, the fan control must be turned off and then back on for the compressor to engage again. The dealership tells me to bring it in when it happens again!!! Is the answer from the dealerships that the evaporator is undersized?

jefferson1964

The Jeep Tech did a great job and after several tries found the problem and no more noise, YIPPPEEEE... Will post soon exactly what tech said on repair order also, my airbag sensorlight kept coming on. This was not showing up on the computer and was found to be Air Bag Control Module and all is well. JEEP DEALER DID GOOD>>>>

phlee13

I have a 94 Grand Cherokee with 115000 miles. The check engine light goes on in the morning and starts to idle fast. I have replaced the oxygen sensor eight times with the last five years. The last time was three weeks ago, it seems to fix the problem for a little while, but the check engine lite reappears. Help!

bw2003

lcenova, is the dealership planning to replace the evaporator if it has a so-called "hot spot?" I get a 10-degree temperature difference across 2 adjacent vents, but I agree about it not making sense. Mine is going back in on Monday, visit #3. What is really aggrevating is that if it happens to be overcast or raining, the problem might not surface and the technician cannot "duplicate the problem."

bmb1373

So, I finally bring me Jeep in, for some odd reason I chose a Volvo/Chrysler dealership that has a huge banner in front, "WE ALSO WORK ON JEEPS." A little worried but gave me a 7:30am appointment. I tell the guy about the common problems we are all having with the AC and I figure since its there anyway might as well throw in the typical brake problems (shaking steering wheel, pulling to the right, and the brakes do one more turn before a complete stop) even though I didn't have them, but you never know... The guy tells me there's no charge for the AC check up unless a rock hit the compressor or condensor (whichever a car uses), but there will be a charge of $42 if they have to take the brakes apart. Fine, $42 isn't bad for a thorough check. 9 hours later, I get a call, "Nothing seems to be wrong with your vehicle." I tell the guy, it took you 9 hours to figure that out? He tells me, "we looked at you AC and now everthing seems to work, but the brakes is what took so long." So, they pick me up in the new Crossfire, which is almost worth waiting all day for my car, they bring the Jeep around and the first thing I notice is the wheels. They're spotless even the little holes which are impossible to clean and the rotors are spotless no rust what so ever. The guy tells me one of the symptoms I gave them was an ABS problem, so they had to take the whole brake system apart and before they put it back together they clean and inspect every piece and that takes them a couple of hours to do. I get into the car and the AC is freezing. The guy says they took apart the AC and now its working... I'm not quite sure what that means.... But it surely does seem to be working and they seem like they really didn't want to tell me what they did... Well, all I can say is the AC is still working fine and for $42 I have what feels like brand new brakes, stiffness and all... not a bad deal... So, if you're ever in the Chicago area, Highland Park Volvo/Chrysler isn't all that bad of a dealer to go to...

bw2003

So I guess every summer we'll be punished for owning our JGC's??? We'll see what happens Monday when I bring mine in....again. I asked the Service Rep what he drives, when he asked why, I said "because we're going to trade vehicles and you can sweat your butt off while driving around in a brand new vehicle!!" The dealership owner drives a nicer vehicle, maybe I'll swap with him!! It's 95 F here with 90% humidity usually.

atls4

All...Just thought I'd let you know that I found out why my RB1-Nav unit was acting very funny. According to my local Jeep tech, (and 5 hours with DC tech on the phone,) the problem was incorrect software on the DVD. They tested a new DVD out of a new RB1 kit and everything worked as advertised but I have to wait the week for the dealer to send my disk to Alpine and them to return a new disk. I thought this was a little lame but they wouldn't break up the new DVD to the spare RB1, I thought about pushing the issue but it's only a week.

They also upgraded the software on the head unit also which changed the display on the Sirius module. Before the upgrade I had to switch screens to get the song/artist name and all the fonts were small, now the info is all on one screen and the fonts are larger.

jefferson1964

Looks like we live close, as I also purchased my 03 at the same dealership as you. Soon after purchasing i had a loud noise coming from the rear end on slow speed turns and the airbag dash light came on and beeped if i had the jeep running for 10 minutes or more. I took it back the dealership and was told the noise was common and said they fixed the airbag sensor problem by reseting the computer. Well needless to say after a week the airbag light started doing the same thing and of course the rear-end noise never went away. I got fed up and took it to Don Davis dodge/mitsubishi (also work on jeeps) on Lamar & Cooper in north arlington. I brought it in and they quickly found the rear end problem which was the track lock system. Also found the airbag problem which was a faulty airbag module that had to be ordered directly from detroit. I highly recommend them if you live close to north arlington as the service and treatment have been top notch.

tloke1

atls4, what was the disc version that you ended up with, was it P/N 56038624AF? You mentioned that they also upgraded the software on the unit, but I thought this is usually done with the upgrade disc as opposed to another method like DRB for example. Did they describe exactly was was done on your work order? Also, what is the firmware version on your unit? There is a screen that will display that from the main menu.

atls4

I don't know what version the replacement disk will be, I haven't gotten yet. The dealer gave me an ETA of a week so I figure Weds or Thursday of this week. The tech told me my DVD looked different than the one they pulled out of a spare RB1 kit in parts. They didn't show me the *new* version of the DVD and I'm sorry I don't know the part number.

As for upgrading the code on the unit, the service manager mentioned to me that they had upgraded the software on the head unit and I assume that software came from the *new* DVD. How do I find the firmware on my unit, how do I get there? The included manual for my RB1 is lacking, the info I've found to this point I got from wjjeeps.com so I'm not sure. The service manager and tech seemed to think that my old DVD was the source of the problems solely. After they upgraded the code on the system my Sirius display was completely different; the screen for PTY, SET and the other tab have been adjusted. Now I have Set and PTY up the top but the other tab is gone. Also, the top left part of the screen said Sirius before service but now says Sat. Does this make sense.....?

tloke1

atls4, what the dealer did was to simply load into your unit the newer DVD disc momentarily, which would have upgraded the firmware to the latest revsision that was on the new disc.

To view the version numbers you need to have the disc loaded in the unit.

Mine reads:
Database code: 05.0030.060602.29
Software code: 01.20.00

Yours will no doubt be different as you will have a newer disc when you get it. It will most likely be P/N 56038624AF (printed on the disc). Not sure about the screen changes for "Set" and "PTY", I'll also have a new disc soon so will check to see if my menus will be changed with the new disc.

atls4

I expect to hear from the dealer tomorrow or Thursday telling me the disk came in. If in fact the new DVD's have code updates that has to be what they did, seems silly it took them 5 hours to figure that out. The tech told me this unit is new and very little is known on the dealer level, that I can understand but why DC's tech dept can't figure this one out is beyond me.

Frankly, I'm glad this was such a simple fix because frankly I wasn't happy with the performance of the NAV unit when I picked it up. The dealer where I bought it thinks that the dealer they transferred my Jeep in from kept the DVD on purpose. My dealer hadn't actually had a factory vehicle on the lot with the RB1 so they knew very little and figured the DVD from the Pacifica's were/are the same. I don't really fault the dealer per se but DC needs to communicate a little better with their dealer's and service departments out there.

I'll let you know when I get my DVD and let you know what version of software I have so stay tuned.

jefferson1964

my 98 JGC I-6 has ice cold AC and cools down quickly. However, the new 03 limited v8 i purchased for my wife takes for ever to cool down. The auto controls are a joke because it never cools down enough to shut or slow down the a/c at least so far this summer. I do not have the problem with the hot air blowing from the middle vents just that it does not blow cold air like the 98', oh and i was told this is normal for all JGC. Oh well im not driving it my wife is, LOL....

bw2003

After 2 days at the dealership, the A/C finally behaved "normally," it tripped off and would not come back on. The "mechanic" concluded that the "power head" was faulty, which is the control panel below the vents. Does that explain why in 90+ weather the A/C blows 70 & 80F?????? The next-day part will now take 3 days to get here. We'll see what happens.

stevern

Hi All, I've been reading all of your responses with great interest. I too have been having problems with my '03 JGC Laredo V6 A/C. I now have 11,000 miles on the truck (Leased in 12/02).

Some days (especially the very hot ones) The A/C just isn't that cold. It is very sporadic, at times it will be fine. I did schedule a service visit that I ended up cancelling because I knew what they would find (nothing wrong), plus it has been working a little more consistently. Please let the board know if any of your fixes actually fixes this problem. Thanks....Steve

jefferson1964

This problem you have with your ac must be a very limited few. I went to the dealer today (friday) to get my tires rotated and talked to several techs and asked about your specific problem. None of the said they had heard of this problem although they did admit to lack of or slow cooling ability of the grands. Therefore, either they were lying or it must be a small percentage that have the hot air coming from the center vents. hope they fix your ac problem....

atls4

Database: 05.2002.00.041803
Software code: 02.05.00

With this new software my system works great, very accurate but not all my local roads are in the software yet. Oh well, there is new years release I guess?

jefferson1964

Your welcome, i wish they had of heard of the problem so i could of posted something more usefull to you.

tloke1

atls4, is the number on your disc P/N 56038624AF? The next database upgrade will be almost a year from now, next July I was told.

bw2003

Well after having the "control head" replaced, so far for the last 2 days all appears to be working. Though it has been only 90 F or so, days will tell.

The dealership provided a rental for us, but they were more concerned about how many days I had the rental than letting me know the status of my repairs. The first thing the service "advisor" would ask me every time I called was "how long have you been in the rental?" He even wanted me to bring the rental back before picking up my JGC. I had a few choice words for him.

Is that what "5-Star Service" is all about??

cruiser12

Does my a/c problem sound like the same problem as already posted? I have a 04 JGC for only two months. Last Thursday in 90 degree heat the a/c started blowing warm and I noticed the orange compressor light was off. I turned if off and on, pressed the button in and out and nothing but hot air out of ALL vents. After I few minutes, I tried again and it came on. The next morning I took it to the dealership and nothing could be found. Saturday, it did the same thing and a few minutes later the compressor seemed to kick back on and everything has been fine since. In four days, it happened twice and only for a few minutes.

lcenova

The erratic controls symptoms do seem to be similar to the prior reports. Low refrigerant can cause the compressor to cut-off. I'm not sure the "AC on-orange light" is supposed to go off, even if the low-refrigerant does kick-out. The one's I have driven stay on until switch is manually shut off. It's supposed to attempt to restart automatically (with orange light on). IF they did not find the refrigerant low, it does indeed sound like the same erratic controls issues several have posted here.

Several have also reported that dealer was able to find "fault codes" related to "control head" and have replaced control heads. Apparently they did not find any error codes with yours. If it's still not cooling, when you turn it on, IT'S BROKE. DC is supposed to fix it.

I recommend you keep a detailed "log sheet" of the failures and copy it, attach it to the dealer service report. Be sure to write "see attached log sheet of AC failures attached" on the workorder that they give you to sign-in for service. It is reasonable to expect our new JGC's to have AC that actually works. In fact they are "under warranty"... LOL...let us know what happens.

timwe

I just bought a new 03 JGC Overland, and every 20-30 seconds, it seems like the AC compressor kicks in and makes a muffled gurgling noise, which is loud enough to be annoying, to say the least. Has anyone had this problem and is there any TSB's on this? Other than that, this is one awesome SUV.

lcenova

I have not seen the term gurgling sound on any of the posts. Gurgling is not a normal finding. If the refrigerant is low, it could cause the compressor to attempt to auto-restart, if low it would abort the restart. Set controls: engine running, AC on, MAX cool, observe the AC clutch. You can see and hear the AC clutch cycle and possibly hear it may be the source of the gurgling. Caution: Keep your hands out of the powered zones.

If you are not feeling the cool, dehumidified, results; then, the AC is not working--it's broke. I recommend you definitely seek service without further delay.

Low refrigerant, loose wiring connector, faulty wiring, control logic-cpu, power supply issues, clutch relay, faulty low-refrigerant sensor, AC clutch failure, restriction in refrigerant lines or expansion valve, are just some of the items that may need to be considered.

bw2003

Your A/C is behaving as mine did. After my "5-star" dealership told me to bring the JGC back when this event happened again, they determined that the control head was bad. So far, so good, but it has not been as hot this week as it has been. We'll see.

4thjgc

I'm on my 4th JGC and absolutely love them. 1st model, `94 was totalled in an accident 3 mos. after purchase -my husband walked away w/no injury. 2nd, a `95 we keep 4 yrs. 3rd - a 1999 lemon. Chrysler replaced vehicle at no cost to us with a 2000 model -very simple process; thanks to referring to this very forum.

Anyhow, I now have a 2000 with 40k on it, out of warranty of course, and now it's acting strange. The headlights will turn on & off by themselves when it's parked in the garage, no keys in ignition. I also hear some clicking noises in the steering column when driving - sounds like blinkers, but could be lights turning on/off -hard to tell in daylight. I always have head lights on auto, and just recently have noticed this problem. Anyhow have this happen or know what it is?? Thanks.

lcenova

Does your JGC have the auto headlights with windshield wiper auto for detecting rain? If it has that, the "rain sensor circuit" could be the source. "Noises in the steering column" could be faulty wiring or loose connections "arcing--electrical shorting" and making the system malfunction. All the lights, wipers, ignition wiring comes together in the steering column and with the movement of tilt-wheel there is flexing of the wiring. Check for an electrical "short" specialist. LOL

jefferson1964

Icenova, have you gotten your AC repairs completed to your satisfaction. I have had 2 out of 3 of my repairs completed. 1) Air Bag light was coming on intermittently - Loose male/female connection in the passenger airbag compartment/fixed. 2) The rear end had a loud groaning noise on any tight turns. They disassemble rear diff. (Dana 44) and replaced case with track loc and installed side bearings and added synthetic fluid with friction modifier and all is quiet. No more groaning on turns and even got ride of the highway whine talked about by some JGC owners. 3) V8 HO has intermittent taping in engine until the engine is warm and it goes away. I have not been able to reproduce this exact sound at the dealer. However, was told by the service advisor this "tapping noise" was common in the v8 jgc and its the injecters. I say bulloney!! I can see DC engineers sitting around listing to the taping and saying oh it will be fine the consumers will not even notice the noise, YEA RIGHT! As for my A/C its been working much better since its not been in the 100's as of late but IMO that should not matter and it should blow cold even in high temps like my 98JGC does!!!

lcenova

It looks to me that you are giving this board some real info. The airbag issue and the rear end noises have been very annoying to many folks. It's evident your service department is working hard. Your V8 engine noises don't "sound" good. Have you seen any board postings about "overheated oil" and blocked oil passages leading to engine sludging? You might try a few fresh oil changes--whether the book says it's time is not the point. If there are any foriegn particles gathering somewhere, you might flush them out. Same issues could contribute to "sounds".

My AC issues are still pending...not repaired yet. It's amazing, to say to least.

02ramman

I've had a similar problem with my 03 dodge ram's A/C. It would blow cold air out the drivers side vents (two of them) and warm air (20 degrees hotter) out the passenger side vents (three). The first thing my dealer thought was it had the dual zone temp, which it does not. After the tear down, they found the evaporator leaking. It was causing "hot spots", hence the temp difference in the vents. It sounded kinda funny, but after they replaced and re charged the system (which was low from the leak) the problem was fixed.

  I have an 04 JGC also, and have had no problems with the A/C.....yet.

  Don't know if this will help, but the Dodge/Jeep/Chrysler all seem to have the same basic systems.

Steve

jefferson1964

about the v8 engine. I would not think in my case its not overheated oil since it only taps when cold started and goes away when the engine warms up. However, the blocked oil passages is one i will investigate further. I spoke with a friend that has a 00' jgc v8 purchased new and he said his also tapps intermitently since purchase and DC told him it was normal. Its just frustrating as i have owned several vehicles with v8's and not one had a tapping sound. I really enjoy my jeeps but have been dissapointed in DC's response to this issue.

lcenova

The "overheated oil" and "blocked oil passages" are discussed at great length on some "other" message sites. Ram pickups and Durango have reports you might want to explore. I can't be more specific here because the big eye is on my notes. I think you will find many more reports--not just on this board--other sites too. Logically, if the noises are only at cold start up, something is NOT getting lubricated or mechanical fit tolerances are causing a "bind". The "story...it's normal..." certainly doesn't go with a "world-class-engineered" combustion engine.

We only heard the hydraulic lifters tick a few times, on cold starts, until the oil pressure came up on the old V8's. Do these new overhead cam designs use hydraulic lifters?

tloke1

Your engine noise could be piston slap, a problem that originated in later production engines (HO only) after DC started using different pistons. The problem is not in all of these engines but varies in intensity and may become more apparent after the vehicle break-in period. It also may be louder when the engine is really cold. An informational type TSB will probably be issued soon. Warranty? Unlikely.

greasykid1

Recently bought w/ 22,000 mi. Now have 25,000 & am almost out of warranty. Had loud drive train whine when leaving off gas. 5* worked on rear diff twice replacing bearings and pinion gear.

This helped but still get some whine. Cannot tell if it is from the front,rear diff or possibly transfer case. Any ideas. Need help soon. Would like feedback before going back to dealer for the 3rd time.

fuzzy7

my fan stopped working-- replaced heat sensor--wired direct to battery,it works-- haynes repair manual shows diagram of another sensor but the diagram sucks and i can't find it. also says it could be pcm module($600.00-- at least). any ideas?

travez

I was working as a Valet yesterday when the brother of my boss rolled up in the garage in his 03 Laredo 4.0L. He stated the temp gauge was above normal and could feel the heat from inside. We popped the hood listening to an awful boiling noise letting out a cloud of smoke. When it cooled down we checked the radiator cap finding it was still tight. Fluid was draining out of something. I saw red liquid, then canceled out being a radiators over flow. My thought was tranny or steering fluid. Dripping from under the front section, the Xcase was sealed. Does anybody have some insight on this? TSB 0700502 Hydraulic Solenoid Circuit Fan seemed a possibility. Also recall 030500 Torque Converter Drain Back Valve was not corrected. Just curious as to if this has happened to you or someone you're aware of? Thanks for giving me your view on this.

md12

Thanks to all that helped me resolve the annoying noise coming from the power steering lines. I simply looked up the TSB 1900203, printed it out with the diagram attached, and handed it over to the mechanic. Funny thing being that they laughed at me when I first complained at 1200miles. (GJC 04).
Now that I had proof and credentials I was taken more seriously. I'm right out of school and this was my first purchase. Too bad a 5star dealer tried to first blow me off. Customers don't forget these things.
Once again...Thanks to all!

jefferson1964

Thank You for your reply. I have a gut feeling that your are correct as to the possible problem. Does anyone know if this piston slap problem is potentially damaging to the engine? Thanks, Jeff

lcenova

After reading the postings leading up to the piston slap report, one thing that was not mentioned could be wrist pin slop/or binding. Wrist pins or piston fit tolerances can cause similar noises. Even components in the new OHCam train could be the source. Only a very skilled harmonic noise analysis can confirm these suspiscions.

"Start-up noise" means "lack of lubrication" and indicates fit tolerances that will be detrimental to engine life. These noises don't sound like world class engine orchestration (not even good engineering and quality control).

My thought would be to "drain the engine oil" and contol/seal from contamination, take it to an independant test lab for analysis. Suspect findings might include excess metal shavings--likely from the pistons--they are softer than the wrist pins. It would be surprising that no one from DC engineering hasn't already done exactly what I'm saying. Will they share their findings here?