So last year I had some ticking (what I thought was lifter noise/so did my buddy/tech) and so after trying different fuel, tune adjustment, and fuel injector cleaner/higher octane I moved on to mechanical valvetrain noise. I replaced all lifters with comp lifters, timing chain, oil pump was good (new o ring though etc.), 915 springs, hardened pushrods, comp xr265hr cam, obviously all new gaskets/seals etc, and cleaned up internal while in there, as well as intake etc. Sound is still there, but with more sewing machine noise now lol. I have almost worked out every bug in this car and am so close to being satisfied, BUT...this tick

To give some detail: tick occurs after piston slap dissipates (after operating temp is reached) and usually occurs at around 1400 to 2000 rpm (just holding steady throttle under load/driving), and again at about 4500 rpm @wot (just after letting off throttle for split second)! Oil pressure is great, car runs strong, engine sounds great (minus the small tick here and there) and I'm just wondering if all is well? The sound did not change whatsoever after cam and lifters etc and it is quite high pitched (tapping?) Could this be simple piston slap in the background? Had my tuner check out the tune again with some logging (cruise/wot runs etc etc) and knock retard is almost nil! Internals are clean, exhaust should be all buttoned up (since I had the engine/cradle dropped right out of the car and exhaust disconnected /reconnected). I tried everything I could think of, any ideas? Or is this just the nature of ls1? I heard that in the manual some mention is made of "normal" pinging in ls1 cars while going up hills @ part throttle etc, is this the case?

Open to any suggestions/ ideas, or should I just ignore this crap lol? Most would not likely even hear this unless they really listened.

Thanks

 

I have a noise similar to your situation it sounds like... turns out it's inside the bellhousing. I did a clutch install and the noise started on the first start up. I thought it was an exhaust leak because I broke some of the Y pipe bolts and one cat had a broken weld...so it made sense. Put my headers on, every possible exhaust leak sealed and still heard the noise. Then it slowly changed and I noticed that it got louder and the tick sped up when I pushed in the clutch pedal, in gear or in neutral. And it did change along with RPM also (in neutral, E brake on, rev it up and listen to noise) I'm thinking it's in my slave or release bearing. Just discouraged to have to pull the trans again. BTW my clutch install went by the book, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't anything I could have done wrong... with the only exception being I didn't crack the bleeder when I stabbed the trans back in so maybe I put too much pressure on the slave when I tightened all the bolts?

 

I've wondered this too, except i'm still not too familiar with piston slap as mine just started doing that recently after this winter. While the valve covers were off and i was inspecting the rockers some were not 100% tight and had about a 1/32 or less maybe even 1/64" movement side to side, only enough to know they weren't absolutely solid like the others were. I had other things i was getting to so i didnt think much of it as it was such a tiny amount but i've wondered if that contrubutes to any of the engine noise/"tick".

 

There are just so many variables lol. I really thought at first that it sounded like noisy injectors, but the tech thought it sounded deeper down. We did the whole valvetrain basically, other than the valves themselves with not much luck. Could it be a bent valve, and wouldn't that have been caught during cam with springs job etc? The noise did not change at all. The best way to get the sound to happen for me is to drive at about 20 mph just letting it cruise at around 1400 rpm (most noticable right after the trans downshifts-tick tick tick that is very light (like injectors) and rather rapid. Almost clicking if that makes more sense. I am almost certain it can't be a spun bearing, since I thought they sounded different (I haven't heard an ls1 with spun bearing, does the noise change with rpm, is it always present or just at certain rpm and op temp????) . To be honest, some might not even hear this sound and I'm just super picky. I can't get a vid of the sound because it only seems to happen under light load (slight hill perhaps) and at low rpm. Very consistent little tapping/clicking sound, and very light. lol Now that I've heard it my ears won't let me ignore it .

 

Yeah mine is an a4, not really apples to apples as far as some of your symptoms I presume.

 

I have the same issue when i let off the gas around 4,000 or so RPM. I think its the fuel injectors cause its only when the gas lets off and its that tick tick sound. I am gonna replace them soon.

 

Big ol' bump! Friggin' tick is STILL there lmao! Lol. Anyone else have ideas? I'm not tearing her down again to have the same tick/click again . Also noticed that Lycra needed to be adjusted again, unusual. They were back up to plus 3 or so, it's been at -1 forever! Injectors going out? Letting my gas tank hit near empty may have contributed to clogged injectors perhaps? Let me know what you think. Thanks.

 

Mine does the EXACT same thing. Sitting still I can't hear a tick, but crusing around I can def hear it. It's been going on for a while now. Car runs great, so I just turn the radio up so I can't hear it. It is annoying though, so I know what you're going thru.

 

Yeah I'm glad I'm not the only one I guess . I meant ltfts not Lycra , damn iphone. I imagine it to be a real bad injector or something. I can't imagine we wouldn't have caught a bent intake/exhaust valve. Plus, the tick did not change even slightly with the new lifters, pushrods, cam, springs, retainers, chain, etc etc etc. All gm gaskets etc. I'm stumped. Could an injector make this much racket? It is only under very light load (cruising through town etc.)

 

What does a cam bearing or rod bearing sound like? I can't see this as being a rod bearing as it is very "clickity" and not too hollow sounding or anything. High pitched, sort of like one small ball bearing shaking around in a can (mostly fast paced and very consistent-not really intermittent when conditions mentioned are all present). I can't really get a vid of it because it is very quiet and doesn't do it at idle. Just enough to bother me at real low rpm, low speed (no wind noise), and light load. Runs hard and has good oil pressure too.

 

I really don't think I would stress too much if I were you. If it were a bearing, you would hear it at idle as well. I never noticed mine untill after the cam swap. And it has new lifters in it as well. I really believe that's just the nature of the beast with these cars. It really looks like you've gone over with a fine tooth comb and found nothing. However, it may be a good idea to go back over your exhaust to make sure there is not a leak anywhere. Also, a cracked flexplate could make a ticking noise as well. Have you checked that?

 

No I haven't! How would it crack, is this common for this to happen?

 

i say noisy injectors, car runs fine and all. runs some cleaner through them, some have lubricants for the injectors. cant hurt

 

I tried that and it only worked marginally at quieting them down, and only for the duration of the tank of gas. I heard that stuff can loosen up debris from your tank, and then plug up the filters in the injectors if you use too much. I am not sure if that is true though. I think I'll just try to drive it normally, if something gets bad enough it'll raise it's head in a more obvious way hopefully. I'll have to keep an ear/eye on things in the meantime, just to be safe. Thanks for your help guys.

 

had exact same sound, after changing everything in valve train I pull the a.i.r system off sound is gone completely, driverside check valve that is in that system was toast and was making the tapping sound. taught me to look at the simple things first.

 

iv got a tick that increases with rpm its gone at idle and very light cruising throttle. im thinking a lifter but idk. dont have down time to check. since i dont have cats could i remove the AIR in hopes it goes away like yours? and if i ever want to put cats back on would i need to put the AIR back on?

 

I have no cats, mine was at 2 to2500 rpm cruising could really hear it when i went by buildings, parked cars or anything next to road. was a clacking like a collapsed lifter did everything from push rods, comp trunion upgrade, re- welded exhaust, ls7 lifters you name it i did it, one day just got the urge and pulled the air system since i have no cats just to see, i work at a gm dealership and have seen those check valves rust out and go bad on pickups, so said what the hell try it. now all i have is the normal LS1 sewing machine with heads cam and headers no more clacking. this helps...... Al

 

i think ill try it tomorrow. hope it helps. i remember i had a code for a malfunctioning secondary AIR valve.

 

my left nut says thats your noise, had a bunch of my friends here in my area with same noise told them what I had discovered and bingo no more clack. if you put cats back on you will need air system to fire the cats, to my knowledge you can replace just the housing with valve in it. but with no cats pull tubes and all and pump in fender, egr if you have one ,tune out air and egr so you have no ses light/ it really gives you a a clean look under the hood too

 

the sound is coming from the drivers side. possibly the AIR. do you know how to replace the housing? just take it off and throw a new one?