New to the sounds

[mrsharg]

Hi all! I love my Smarty, but since I have not ever had a car like this I'm worried about the way it sounds. The engine sounds so wierd, especially when it's cold. Can anyone describe the engine sound to me so I know if mine is normal. I have checked the oil, just to make sure it's not clattering lifters.

Thanks

[fpage77]

Welcome to the forum! I have to say my car sounds different (engine) than anything else I've driven. The engine has a bit of growl to it (not sure how to describe).

[John_H]

There is a startup whine that comes from the engine while cold. Whatever it is that produces this noise, the purpose is to get the catalytic converter up to temperature quickly. I think it's typically only in the first minute of a cold turn-on.

[jetfuel]

...mine sounds just like half of a "V6".....hummm
..the start up whine is normal as stated by John H....
...one thing we have noticed on the whine sound after start...before the 2.0 it used to run the pump and then quit...after the up-grade the rpm's go up then down right before it shuts down the pump....anybody else?

jetfuel

[gbryers]

The higher-pitched whine comes from the pollution-control system - it is normal (if annoying a bit). The normal, factor-installed exhaust has a low, quiet growl to it - not what you would expect from a small 3-cylinder (but definitely not like a sewing machine, like you get with 4-cyl japanese machines).
If you manually shift, you have to completely re-tune your ear - the power-band starts around 3-grand, and first gear is more like a granny gear - if you have your foot in it, you need to be ready to shift quick once it hits 3k - it doesn't take long to hit the red-line once that happens. The rest of the gears are more "normal".

[SuperGeek]

Originally Posted by jetfuel

...mine sounds just like half of a "V6".....hummm
..the start up whine is normal as stated by John H....
...one thing we have noticed on the whine sound after start...before the 2.0 it used to run the pump and then quit...after the up-grade the rpm's go up then down right before it shuts down the pump....anybody else?

jetfuel

Yep, mine does the same. The usual whine, then for about 5 seconds, higher like a vacuum whose intake got clogged, then it stops. I assume it's intentional; immediately after the 2.0 upgrade.

To the original question - the engine will click and make noises, shudder and shake at idle of 930 RPM because you've only got 3 cylinders. Put the AC on, fan speed 2 and your idle goes to 1050 and it smooths out a bit. It's designed to use as little fuel as possible. It's lighter, has less sound insulation and you'll hear the growls and bumps a bit more than you may expect.

[JD10367]

Our '09's engine growls a TINY bit, especially at low revs in 5th. But I really don't think our engine makes any weird noises that are alarming. It does not seem to "click", "make noises", "shudder" or "shake". The "warmup whine" we quickly realized was normal; I usually wait for that to stop before driving away. We did use the A/C for the first time yesterday, and could hear--around every five seconds--a little wheezy sound. Makes the little guy sound like Darth Vader. I assume that's a normal part of the A/C operation?

[burtandnancy]

JD, that sound you hear at low rpm's in 5th gear might be the rods being knocked out by lugging your engine...

[John_H]

I always considered the lugging to be an odd normaility to the engine and automated transmission, pushing only 3 cylinders at low revs means more forceful pushes fewer times per second to make things bounce a little more. "rods being knocked out" sounds dangerous. The engine sounds forced but otherwise healthy.

[JD10367]

Usually the car grumbles between 40 and 50 if in low 5th. Usually I'll minus-paddle it back to 4th and get him up past 55 before going back to 5th and into D.

Sometimes the car also gets goofy when trying to move from an almost-stop, going back into 1st and then shifting back and forth. And sometimes it also holds 1st or 2nd way too long going up a hill.

The tranny's not perfect, by any means. But it definitely shifts better than it first did (be it a burnished clutch plate, me learning how to drive it, or the urban legend of the car "teaching itself", LOL) and I just consider the transmission one of the tiny quirks.

I was driving my '99 Saturn SL2 today and turned on the A/C for the first time this season. The air coming out was much colder than from the Smart. I sighed and enjoyed it... until I stepped on the gas, and remembered that the A/C also robs my car of most of its power. The Smart, even with the A/C on, seems peppier. Probably because the Smart's A/C is around the size of my fist.