09 WRX with engine "tick"

No mods at all, I just noticed this noise Friday night. I'm really just curious if this is normal, or if I need to be taking my car back to St. CLoud Subaru, and getting it checked out. Heres a video clip.

 

It sounds, to me, a lot like V8 lifter tap would. This is OHC though, so it obviously isn't that.

 

After doing some more reading, could using 89 instead of 91 cause this? The fuel door on the car says to run no less than 91. When i filled up, 89 was the highest available. I was on a road trip and small towns = 89 if you're lucky out here.

 

u need 91 minimum

 

I understand that. I was just curious if that may be causing my noise?

 

What are the last 8 of the vin? You could have fallen into the Engine Bearing failure group....

but when mine went it was a hell of a lot worse than that. Im guessing its the choice of 89 octane.

 

I'll check the VIN later today. Raining right now!

 

MFG date was 11/08 so I should be in the clear right? The bad ones were July - September?

 

As long as you drove like you were limping it home, you probably did some kind of engine damage. Detonation would be killing your knock sensor, but wouldn't it throw some code or just retard the hell out of the timing?

 

It wouldnt be the gas it self making the noise it would be your engine melting the heads from the inside out. But you might want to pull a plug and get a inspection camera and see if you did any damage before driving it anymore. But it also sounds a little like normal subaru engine noise

this is a bad sound

and this is normal

 

I know it wouldn't be the gas itself. I've just heard the lower octane gas can cause a knock. It sounds a lot like the second one. There is no definitive thump or knock. I have no CEL or anything like that.

 

I have an 08 that has a tick I was told it was regular subaru motor noise? Ive driven 10k miles like that no issue and mutliple oil changes at subaru and tuning at DB and they have never said anything.

 

No I know but still pull a plug and see what it looks like all white is detonation and all carbonized is too much fuel.

 

I'll have to do this tomorrow. I have to go to work, I'll just be trying to stay out of boost. That seems to be the consenus from the forums i've asked about this on.

 

Ok I'll be the first to ask. Have you checked the oil level?

 

Oil level is good.

 

Sounds like a Subaru to me. I wouldn't be worried. The injectors are quite noisy on these engines...

 

+1 for injectors
I have heard injectors that were loud enough to be mistaken for rod knock.

 

when was the last time the oil was changed. all my subarus get loud if i go a bit over on oil change timeline even with the level being good.

 

This was a week after getting the oil changed. It may have been there before, but that's when I noticed it.

Edit: Dealer uses Mobil 1 5w30 Synthetic