Grinding Noise on Cold Startup - Let's get it right

[esman7]

FYI - I've searched this!

I've been having this issue in the past year where my '07 2.0T DSG MKV makes this kind of light, empty/hollow "grinding" noise once started. I drive my car once every two or three days so it's a real cold startup.

The sound comes from the engine bay and lasts only for about the first 20 seconds of driving but amplifies slightly when steering. It may very well be the different acoustics in my underground parking lot when I'm going around a corner, so can dismiss that if no one else hears that. Once the car is warm, you don't hear it anymore.

Anyway, I've searched and it seems some people have this issue but with no real solution, or answer as to what is the root cause.

My oil level is fine and I'm using Motul 5w30 (or 40?!). I want to ask people who have the same car and problem as opposed to the dealer (just yet), but I want to see...

-Anyone who has/had this problem, have you found a solution or reason as to what causes this?
-Anyone who has this problem, how long have you had it and has it caused any actual harm to your vehicle?
-and most importantly, does anyone think this is an issue to be concerned about?

I'm not a mechanic or anything, but as I use the same parking stall, is it possible that a slight angle in the parking could lead to all the oil collecting in one area thus having to have about 20 seconds of idle engine running to make up for this? It may be completely far-fetched but I thought it's worth mentioning.

Thank you in advance for your help and advice. Anything to avoid the dealer...

 

[GTI 5]

Not sure. Does somebody know, or you could search and find where the oil pick up tube on these engines is. then, try possibly backing in or reversing your parking position so the car is parked leaning other way. or try parking on the level street one night and see if it changes. That would eliminate that possibility.

But hopefully it's not what I just went through. See my post on DSG failure and read the link I posted there - it mentions similar symptoms. Although i don't see how this would only happen on cold start and not afterwards.

 

[ROH ECHT]

I started mine two days ago. There was a brief rattling/grinding noise at start-up. Then, as I back down the driveway, it sounded like it was dragging a thin bit of sheet metal, but the noise continued even when I had stopped and was just listening. So I pulled back into the garage and lifted it and found nothing. So I went to leave again and the noise disappeared by the time I drove a couple hundred feet. I was headed to town and was going to pull in to the VW shop and let them listen to it, but the sound of course had left near home. I have to go in to town again today and if I hear it again I will try again for the VW shop. If it is there and goes away again, I will stop in and describe it for them. The last time I was there...my tech was at my car when I started it and he heard something and mentioned I should tighten that up. I didn't remember what it was but I remember it having something to do inside the DSG. I will post what I discover.

 

[ROH ECHT]

Well, it started without repeating that awful noise...and so I have nothing to report just yet. My VW techs had no idea what it could have been after I described it to them...other than perhaps something had gotten into the timing belt area and then dislodged itself. Iono?