My LS1 is gay

[Doubt_Incarnate]

Its developed an annoying tick during warmup. i think its a lifter, it increases with engine speed, but only lasts for a min. sounds like just 1 lifter, not a barrage of tickity tick knock knock. it goes away after a min, and coems back if its parked for a few hours. oil pressure is like it was when new, i'll check the oil level in the morning. the noise just sort of moved in over winter, and its still here even though its warm out now.

any ideas? since my engine is halfway under the dash, its gonna be sort of difficult to do this seeminly simple task. not to mention its the only car i have operating right now.

[StudlyCamaro]

RE: My LS1 is gay

humm, i cant think of any f-body clubs in the ohio area off the top of my head but replacing a lifter isnt really all that hard in an LS1, ive seen it done (although these guys know the ins and the outs of that motor)

[patgizz]

RE: My LS1 is gay

i had that happening in my truck when i got it, i changed the oil to royal purple and it eliminated the tick(assuming stuck lifter) and i put regular oil in after that and it never came back.

[Doubt_Incarnate]

i did run syntetic once, mobile 1. but that was like 20K ago. might just be crappy oil, i'll get a change soon and see what happens. try a synthetic again.

[geoffinbc]

Its not a lifter if it goes away real quick. Will it do it only when cold but not when hot?

If so it is probabalyl piston slap which is normal for cars nowadays.

[spacecadetz26]

it probably is piston slap. which is very common on those engines.

running mobil 1 quieted my 3100 alot.

[Doubt_Incarnate]

its only there when it stars first for the day, and after it sits for more than a couple hours and i start it again. if i can get an audio of it i will post it, its a slow steady sound, thats why lifter comes to mind. the noise hangs on for a minute or more, i know my 2.8 would tick alittle for a few seconds then quiet up, but this is like tick tick tick every second for a min or so. let me think about speed, like 3-5 times a sec i guess (i can count it for an idea of how fast it is), so thats 180-300 times a min, more of a cam speed than a crank speed. if it is piston slap, i wonder why there isnt a recall. the noise is abnormal as far i'm concerned considerably noticeable from inside the cabin, so outside i'd guess its more appearant. it has just over 77K miles on it, about due for oil, i have a little extra cash right now i'll go for a synthetic this time.

[z34_nut]

Sounds exactly like piston slap. Edspecially at start up...

[geoffinbc]

NOT NORMAL???

Man with todays low friction pistons and rings and the next to nothing skirt they run on a piston today it is a miracle of engineering you dont have it worse. Pretty much any new motor can expect to have a slight slap when cold. It is just the tradeoff for running the type of piston they do.

[Doubt_Incarnate]

yeah, maybe. but it wasnt there 20K miles ago. strangest thing, when i statrted her up yesterday, not a sound.

[5speedz34]

On my dad's '01 Sonoma (4.3), since maybe 1k ago, it knocks pretty loud at startup, you guys think it's piston slap?

FWIW: It hasn't done it since now (truck has 70k)

[Doubt_Incarnate]

Well im getting some mobil 1 and a filter monday, thinking about an additive, but no pos stuff like dura-this or z-that with "stinkite". dad blah blahed some rant about slick 50, i think he worships it. but the whole PTFE "solid" thing sounds pretty stupid, more so the "solids" part thanthe teflon. pretty much lookin for a oiling flush than something to make the oil stickier, kind of clean things out. it has over 75K and right now is my daily driver.

[RednBlack]

Could try good old STP. Works in my Volvo. Not good with synthetics though.

[Cliff8928]

My mom's 6.0 does it in her Denali... sounds like a box-o-rocks at startup, 30,000 miles on it.


Cliff Scott
89 BerettaGT
04 AleroGX

[bmlawson]

my 03 blazer does the same thing. it only 25000 miles on it also