ftwZ28guy

I know that LS1's are generally noisy anyway, but about a month ago I changed the plugs since a miss had started in my motor. Changing the plugs out didn't do much of anything to help it, but I noticed about a week after that there was a ticking/light clacking sound coming from the motor when I let off the gas. I got outside the car and started to listen to it, and noticed it consistently made the same ticking noise at a steady rpm and was most noticeable around 2k rpms. I know the rockers make alot of noise but this is more noise then it had when I bought the car 6 months ago. The thing that freaks me out is the noise seems to come from the center of the motor up front like it's the timing chain. Anyway, I"m takin it to a dealer I trust tomorrow to look it over (thank God for ext. warranty) , just thought I'd run it by here and see what you guys thought.

(I'd do the work myself, but right now 15 hours of college and a full time job doesn't leave much free time)

FatZ28

iTrader: (1)

The ticking sound can be alot of things man. It could be a small exhaust leak, bent push rod, etc. Since you changed the plugs and it just started have you checked to make sure your not getting any arc anywhere. That can make a ticking sound and cause the car to miss.

ftwZ28guy

yeah I hear what you're sayin, pretty sure it isn't exhaust though cuz the tick has a rattle to it as the motor's rpm's come down. The rattle to go with it reminds me of when someone spins a wheel on a little hot wheels car and lets it go. Also the tick is worse in the mornings when the motor's cold but get's slightly better as it warms up, but not much better.

FatZ28

iTrader: (1)

Hmmm just for the heck of it you might want to go over the wires again. Also if you get it running good you should try and make it to the dfw gtg at hulen this saturday.

ftwZ28guy

yeah I'd like to make it to the gtg, but looks like I"ll be workin late. I'll take a look at the wires again though, never know what I might find.

FatZ28

iTrader: (1)

Hope you get it fixed man.....

ftwZ28guy

ok, checked the wires, there's no cracking and from what I could see watchin it run in the dark, no visible arching. Hopefully this is an easy fix but somehow I have the feeling it isn't going to be

98Z-6Speed

Check your plug gapping, too small of a gap can cause a nasty tick.

BAD2000TA

iTrader: (6)

I had the exact same thing going on. I thought it was a bad rocker, bad lifter, etc. Even took it to the dealer (obviously I was too desparate!!). Anyway, the wife kept says, "Are you sure you tightened all the spark plugs?" Since I had just changed the plugs, she assumed that could be the problem. Being a man, I shot back, "Of COURSE I checked the plugs! What do you think, I'm an idiot??!"


It was the #7 plug that was loose.


So the moral of the story..... oh, F-it!!!

ftwZ28guy

well I took it to the dealer yesterday and they said nothing was wrong, although all they really did was hook up that auto tap thing they have while I test drove it. The thing that kinda took me by suprise is that the tech said that it was common for LS1's to have a miss at idle, but since they didn't charge me anything to look at it I just kinda kept my mouth shut.

TAQuickness

iTrader: (28)

you sure it's not piston slap?

ftwZ28guy

I'm pretty sure it's not piston slap since the noise is about the same when it's at operating temp. as opposed to being cold. What gets me though is that it ran better than it had in a while when the tech at the dealership looked at it, but then I get in it today and it's back to it's old tricks of missing pretty regularly

Cal

iTrader: (1)

I don't think anyone has mentioned a noisy injector or lifter yet. Especially since the sound comes from the middle of the motor. Unplug the injectors one at a time and see if that stops the noise. What is your oil presure? Low oil presure can make lifters tick, or (god forbid) a turned lifter like I had.

ftwZ28guy

yeah I didn't think of the injectors, as far as oil pressure, the gague reads just above 40 at idle when it's warm and right around 55 or 60 if I'm gettin on it. I'll probably be pullin the pushrods in the next week or so when I get some free time just for peace of mind purposes. My thought on the pushrods is b/c I did the dreaded 3 to 2 misshift in the middle of a race.

FatZ28

iTrader: (1)

If you had the mishift it might be the pushrods then, maybe not. There not that expensive to replace though.

BAD2000TA

iTrader: (6)

I took my car to two dealers - one said, "Nothing wrong at all; they all sound like that." The other said, "Yep, bad rocker arm."

Like I previously posted, #7 plug was slightly lose.