I bet it is. ;-).

 

Well, better that than some serious issue . Also, I should only hear it on startup, correct? Definitely not while driving?

 

i sure don't think the sound i've heard ( or you've described ) is my starter, as folks are suggesting this noise might be ( although i suppose it could be(?). i've never been able to replicate the sound again ( not that i would really want to ) since never starting it again at that kind of angle which was what precipitated the horrible sound. i really do believe the noise i heard was metal to metal contact of parts that are normally lubricated that were momentarily not, and starting the car pumped oil back into where it belongs. who knows. still a mystery to me. i also HOPE it was my starter.

 

I'm leaning towards oil starvation as well. I could fill up that last 1/4 quart to get the oil to the max line but doubt that will change anything. Maybe someone from CO can chime in . There must be more people that parked at an angle before?!

 

agree it's not an oil "level" issue, more like a "car" level issue.. mine is never more than one marker low either. i just hope not to hear it again. baaaad sound.

 

CO as in colorado?! LOL i think we may be confusing angles with altitudes.

 

Lots of people in mountains and hilly terrain makes for lots of opportunities to park at an angle . We may find a few in Beverly Hills too but those guys probably don't spend time on car forums; they just bring it to the dealer

 

true, my bad. i've been in the LA hills, seems like forever, but haven't been down in the "flats" more than a handful of times

 

Is this what a bad starter sounds like? Found this on youtube for "996+bad starter"

If it is, that was not the sound I was hearing. Mine was more a metallic sound and I believe the revs were a little lower while it was making the noise. Not so much a screeching sound like in this vid. I'm surprised I can't find more info on it. Not really anything through google either.

 

Mine is much more metallic. This sounds like the belt.

Oil starvation diagnostic is ridiculous. Unless you parked it vertically - nose towards the ground!

Mine also happens very rarely. So you not hearing it again means nothing. Wait. If it happens again it will happen on level ground also. Then you know for sure.

 

Thanks again! It would indeed be odd that you can't park a $100k+ car on a hill LOL It's a relatively steep mountain road; probably 10% orso.

I'll have to pay close attention at every startup and will report back once I know the definite cause.

 

I think what you may be hearing is the timing chain tensioner which sometimes leaks down over time if the car sits for an extended period. It takes a second or so to pressurize and the noise you hear is the rattle of the timing chain which has some slack to it. That is why you dont hear it on subsequent starts. I don't believe parking on an incline has anything to do with it. Hope that helps...

 

Thanks!! This noise should only occur on startup, correct? So, never while driving? Just trying to get as much info as possible in case I hear it again

 

Yes, only very briefly during start up.

 

Thanks so much!