When I start my car, it rattles for about 3 seconds until the oil pressure gets up and sometimes when I'm at lower RPMs and push on the gas I can hear the what sounds like lifter rattle.

My car is an '06 6MT Revup with a little less than 50,000 miles. I change the oil and put Mobil1 10w30 full synthetic and only run 93 octane gas.

Is this noise common? Is there anything I can do to remedy it?

 

Mines an 05 5AT, I get the same thing on start up. I'm running mobil 1 5w30. Depending on the temperature outside the 10w30 might not be letting the lifters build up hydraulic pressure fast enough because its a little heavier than factory spec. I had the same problem on an old grand prix I swapped a new motor in. The 07 motor was supposed to get 5-30 and I put in 10-30 and subsequently had a tick.

Best you can try is to do 5-30 next change and see if it cleans up a bit. If not, my last effort would be to try a motor flush (quart of kerosene, run for a few minutes on idle, DO NOT DRIVE) but I wouldnt advise it. VQ is a lot more touchy than most of the garbage I end up working on.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

 

In for results

 

I would also recommend using lighter weight motor oil. I also have 55k miles on my 07 rev-up and I run valvoline full synthetic 5w30.

 

timing chain noise. either a tensioner isnt holding pressure or one of the vtc sprockets has a weak/broken spring inside.

 

It's definitely lifter noise... And my car only has 50k miles on it...

 

Timing chain tensioner...that's your noise