So I live in Wisconsin where it does get extremely cold from time to time in the winter. As recently as Monday we had windchills of -30 degrees. As a result, I have noticed some strange noises in my car and wondering if any of you have heard the same things and now of remedies.

The first noise is on first start up in extreme cold that almost sounds like wind noise combined with thick fluid. Kind of a whisteling noise. Not sure if the oil, coolant, gas, etc is too cold. Almost sounds like the fuel pump, now that I think about it. It only lasts a few minutes as the car warms up and only lasts while I am on the gas which really makes me think it is the fuel pump. Hmmm.... Ever hear that in extreme cold when you first start out driving?

I also noticed under extreme cold that either my Tein Basis coilovers or bushings for the Hotchkis sway bars squeak as you go over big bumps and it bounces a bit. This makes me think it is the coilovers and not the sway bar bushings. Thoughts?

 

I think the first noise is a combination of EGR and you oil pump pushing the molasses that is your -30* motor oil. Any car started at -30 is going to sound coarse until the oil warms up a bit. What oil are you running in these temperatures? You might want to consider a 0w30.

as for the other noise, grease your swaybar bushings and see if the noise goes away. That will narrow things down

 

My car makes horrible noises in the cold as well, but then again every car i've had has done that.

When it's cold, there is a horrible rattle from the front of the car for the first few minutes, my suspension squeaks, my Hotchkis bars also squeak and the car is overall a little more stiff and bouncy.

I've heard a high pitched noise sometimes, but it's from the front of the car and in my case i think it's a pulley sqeaking.

 

That's true about sounding coarse in the cold. I run synthetic 5w30, but I could go with a colder weight for the winter and switch to a warmer weight for the summer. I really think it might be something to do with the fuel pump though as the noise is instant when I step on the throttle and I noticed with the rear seat out how noisy the pump is when you step on the gas.

The sway bar bushings actually have convenient grease ports and were recently greased so I think those are ok. I think it has something to do with the coilovers as the noise is quick and related to bouncing over big bumps. Usually, sway bar bushing noise lasts longer.

Last year I had a cold weather squeal that sounded like the belt and only lasted a short while when I started it up. They replaced the auto belt tensioner, belt, (I picked up a Stillen pulley too), throw out bearing, slave cylinder, and finally the cause- the starter. Thank goodness for having a warranty as they did over $3k of work to get one squeak?!?

 

It's your Transmission Mount from Z1 Motorsports. That one mod right there is introducing a whole host of creaks and groans and otherwise unpleasant NVH experiences, exasperated by the temperature. Noises that used to be absorbed by the OEM mount... things that occur with a frozen car... those moments are in your face now until the car warms up, resonating throughout the frame of the car.

Just a few days ago it was my first sub-freezing day too, since installing the transmission mount last summer. And just like you're feeling here, there was a WTF moment, and I think the solid poly transmission mount is the culprit.

 

Haha nope. My trans mount has nothing to do with the coilover compression, fuel pump, or oil pump noises.

 

Noises that may not have otherwise been noticeable before the transmission mount. I still think you're experiencing what I did over the last week, since we seem to be the only ones installing (and keeping) this thing.

 

I hear that whistling noise too from the back. I always thought it was the diff (75w90 back there). It goes away after about 1/2 mile or so of driving. I'll also usually pump the clutch a few times too as the fluid tends to stiffen up when it's cold.

No issues with suspension creaks though the body makes some noises here and there. If car has been sitting outside and it's wet, I'll make sure the wipers aren't frozen to the glass too.

 

No, I haven't had any additional noises from the tranny mount. But, I meant to ask you if you have heard any squeaking from your Tein Basis or Hotchkis sway bars when it is extremely cold and you go over a big bump in the road where the car bounces for just a second, since we have a similar set up for suspension. Do you still just have the Teins on one end of the car?

I'll try the clutch idea, but it sounds like something mechanical, like a pump of some sort.

 

Eibach swaybars front and rear, Tein Basis coil-overs in the rear only. With the increasingly cold weather, I've not noticed anything untoward about the handling at all. That said, there's only so much "handling" available with snow tires. God damn snow tires.

I'm not saying the transmission mount is creating new noises, but that it's allowing noise to be transferred through the drive-train and resonate through the frame of the car more readily than otherwise. However, I'm not hearing any new clunks, and no new bounces, and no noises that seem to be coming from the swaybars or suspension. Take that with a grain of salt, though, because I'm deaf in one ear. So while I'm not hearing any new noises, if I did I couldn't tell you what direction they're coming from. You need to be able to hear stereo for that to work.

What I have noticed in the last few days is a cacophony of creaks and groans when it's freezing out and the car is cold, much more so than normal. And the only change for me this year to the last is our Z1 Transmission Mount.

Once the car is driven and warmed up, everything is fine.

 

I noticed noise from the front left coilover first and only from the back after it got even colder so I'm not surprised you don't hear any noise from that yet Rochester. When it is slightly warmer, I do not hear anything from either end.

Yesterday was just barely cold enough to hear the whistling noise that I thought was the fuel pump. I think it might actually be coming from the front and could easily have something to do with the fact that I have a Stillen oil cooler. I think I have one of the oil lines close to the temperature gauge behind the front grill since the readings always seem a touch high right now.