I am hearing a noise from my engine I suspect is oil-related. There's a tump thump thump sound coming from the valves (?) when I first start the car up that is worse when the weather is cold. It goes away when the car has had a chance to warm up. Is this from the oil having pooled in the pan and not getting circulated quickly enough or what? It's not low on oil. I have been keeping a close eye on that just in case. The noise speed goes up and down with the rpms. Lifters? ???

 

It could be valvetrain noise. You could take the valve covers off while it's cold and see if there's any valve lash, or start it up and see if you can identify where the noise is coming from with a stethoscope.

 

might be caused by the pistons needing to warm up and expand a bit, common with forged pistons. do you know what you have in it?

 

I dont' know. I haven't changed them but I am the third owner of this car. I bought it in 1993.