For whatever its worth I have a 2001 GMC Z71 that I bought brand new in 2000. The day it got 20,000 miles on it I was working telecommunications on the road. I started up the truck and immediately shut it off. It knocked so bad I thought something was really bad wrong. I took it in to the dealer and they said it was normal. I been driving it ever since. I now have over 200,000 miles on it and haven't had 1 single issue with the truck. If its cold outside it sounds like it has a rod knocking bad but it goes away in like 30 seconds after its started up.