green70

iTrader: (1)

I reused the stock ls2 lifters on my recent head/cam swap. Last night I had a fan issue and the engine goes to around 230 degrees for several minutes until I can find a good place to get stopped. The lifters start making noise at low rpm. I've heard it before, no big deal. What was a problem though is when the engine temp came back down the lifters were still a little noisy, noisier than they were when I got it running. Lifter noise seems to be pretty common among the ls motors so I guess my question is should I have went to a different lifter when I did the swap? Sounds fine at part throttle and runs great if that helps. Also cam is relatively small, just under .600 lift with around 230 deg @ .050.

Gen414

iTrader: (38)

Well, it might not be your lifters. Might be rocker bolt backed off. But first couple questions:

WHEN did you get motor back together? Last night, then drove it, and that is when problem came up, or been back together for awhile, and problem just came up?

green70

iTrader: (1)

Motor's been back together for a couple weeks with no issues. If it was a rocker it wouldn't go away when the engine speed goes up. I'm gonna mess with it today and see if it was just the heat that got in the motor when the fan quit working or if I really got lifter issues. It's definitely lifters though. Sounds just like has since it was new. Only difference is I have only heard it in the past when it was idling for long periods once the engine was warmed up. Let me ask this, can anyone tell me what causes the ticking in the stock ls1's and ls2's? Personally I don't know about the other ls motors but I've known several of the ls1-2 owners with the ticking issue at idle.

Gen414

iTrader: (38)

Well, you didnt say in your first post the sound went away though. I wouldn't think the heat had anything to do with your noise either, as if your motor got to 230, would not have damaged a lifter, if that is what you are saying. Thin teh oil out @ that temp, sure, and might have caused some slightly noiser lifters, but should have gotten quieter once the temp went back down, or very shortly after that.

green70

iTrader: (1)

It did quiet down for the most part on the way home but still could hear some slight valvetrain noise when I was pulling away from stop signs. This morning it's right back to normal. Absolutely no noise. I did find it to be a little low on antifreeze (didn't top it off after the initial fill) but that hadn't been an issue before last night. Wonder if it could be where the lifters reside in the ls motors? I dunno, I'm new to this ls stuff. Been racing bbc's too long. I do know though that I've talked to a lot of people that have had issues with noisy lifters in ls motors that were bone stock. I know mine did...