Undertow74

iTrader: (45)

So, this past weekend i went ahead and finally did my entire exhaust LT Headers all the way back and did my plugs and wires too. Well i didnt notice it until a few days ago....but once my car warms up there is now this really annoying "tick tick tick" sound. it doesnt do it when the car is cool, only once its warm.

I havent put it back on a lift yet, but at first i thought it might be the belt/one of the pulleys ticking, But now i am wondering if it has something to do with the exhaust possibly?? i havent put it on the lift yet so its hard to pinpoint it.


could it possibly be from doing the exhaust and opeining it up that much more that its making my lifters tick?? sounds crazy but i have no idea at the moment...

any input would help, and im sure once i get it on a lift i can figure it out better

bonestock99

iTrader: (1)

It's prob an exhaust leak...Retighten everything!!

streetassasin

iTrader: (30)

yep, x2 on a leak

Onemeanbird

^^^ X2 And if you dont have locking header bolts itll start again.

Undertow74

iTrader: (45)

ill check my header bolts again, i have the stage 8 bolts but i dont think i put the locking clips on them......and i welded the exhaust all the way back except at the muffler. ill check my header bolts though and make sure they are tight

Blazingz28

iTrader: (5)

I have the same thing, from the top of engine, with hood open, you can not hear it. If you get down, it soudns like it is from the bottom of the engine, so that rules out the bad ticks, correct?

I believe it is my collectors -> y pipe leaking, and probably yours. I would imagine if it was the header flange itself I would hear it VERY loud. It is audible with the door open, but you can really hear it next to a car, or next to a wall at drive thru.

I was worried at first, but I dont think it is a big problem just an annoyance, gonna retighten my band clamps.S


EDIT: Just read your post and its welded, I'm not sure what your problem might be then, I do know that it DOES make the valvetrain noise more noticable, maybe a bad weld ?

Undertow74

iTrader: (45)

Yea the welds are pretty damn good, ill check them again but its def. coming from the front of the car, sounds like under the drivers side wheel well. Its just so damn annoying. i will check my header bolts again to make sure they are tight. it only does it when the car is warmed up. You cant notice it from inside the car, but is very noticable outside the car, or if you have the window down.

Onemeanbird

Definitely sounds like the header bolts might be loose on one side or the other.

Undertow74

iTrader: (45)

well i remember now why i didnt put the locks on the stage 8 header bolts. those damn things rattle like crazy!! but i checked all my bolts and they are def. tight. i did find that my power steering hose is leaking so i ordered a new one, but that still doesnt solve my ticking problem.... its really possing me off!!

TORCHD 02 TA

iTrader: (39)

if you say it in not the stage 8s. b/c the need to be heat cycled then tightened which you did. Then whil doing your project did you change your oil and maybe use a different oil?

I did the same thing full exhaust changed my oil and ran GC. developed a ticking sound. next day changed it back to M1 no more ticking.

Just a thought

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Valve train noise.

This will sound dumb at first...but when I had my 427ci installed and obviously along with that my 1 7/8" LT's....I called my builder and said the same thing to them. Ticking that goes up and down with rpm, and I never had it before with my stock engine.

There was absolutely nothing wrong anywhere under the hood externally so I figured I had an engine problem.

They said it was simply the valvetrain noise tapping through and down the LT on the drivers side and I just wasn't used to hearing it. They were right, 7 years later and 100,000 miles, the engine is still picture perfect and I got used to that noise in a matter of a week or two and do not even notice it anymore. But when a friend drives it they say they can kind of hear it. For me, it was my LT's. I can still hear it but I have to driving over a bridge or something where the curb is close to my car and it echoes off the curb, otherwise I don't notice it anymore.

noriceinside

iTrader: (6)

good to hear that. i have the same thing and assumed this was the reasoning. thanks for confirming.

Mean87SS

iTrader: (21)

^yup... god forbid your in a drivethru.

GMCtrk

iTrader: (23)

I have LTs on my truck, and I have checked meticulous for leaks and there are none. Every single bolt is as tight as can be. Yet I still have a horrible ticking/whoosh noise...really noticeable in the cab with the windows up and the radio off. It sucks, but I think that's just the nature of the thin walls of headers.

Undertow74

iTrader: (45)

no i havent changed my oil recently since i did my headers....so i dont think that is the problem but thanks for the input. Valvetrain noise......thats what i was thinking too, just didnt know if i was crazy. the ticking is so constant with the engine that makes sense. guess its just gonna have to be something i will have to get use too!

jrob56

iTrader: (39)

Wow Im so glad I was following this, it was bugging me to and I was always checking my header bolts, and my band clamps on the headers. But never could find leaks, I thought there had to be something wrong. It drove me nuts in drive thrus!!!! I got used to it though after a while, now though when I pulled the car out after sitting for months I can really notice it again and thought somthing was wrong. Guess Ill just have to get used to it just like the OP, hopefully after my true duals go on in a week I wont be able to hear it

Undertow74

iTrader: (45)

At least i know im not the only one out there where this was driving them crazy!