cascadesys

I've just started to notice that after I do a few WOT pulls to 5,500rpm or so, when I finally let off I get a clicking/swirling sound from the engine bay. The car also seems to not want to rev as much after this. For example, when I press in the clutch and push down the gas pedal, it doesn't rev as high as it normally does with an equal pedal push. After driving normally for about ten minutes or turning the car off and letting it sit, it's back to normal. However, I'm concerned about this noise, as I don't want to damage my precious WS6 in any way. It's a 2001 WS6 Trans Am, M6, pretty much stock besides K&N air filter and a few other litte things. It has 51,000 miles. I'm hoping this noise isn't anything serious or is an easy fix.

My oil pressure is also 40 at idle, 60 at WOT. I get spark knock it sounds like at around 5,000 rpm. I guess this has been caused by the crappy PCV system? I want to install breathers or something soon, but what can I do to get oil and crap out of there so the engine will stop knocking?

Keysplayr

Possibly a fatigued lifter? Are you getting a rough or smooth idle after your WOT pulls? Do you feel any slight missing going on or breaking up when revving? At first I thought a pushrod, but that noise probably would not go away. AFAIK, the lifters are hydraulic and mebbe one of them might be sticking ever so slightly due to the high revs. Well, thats my best guess anyways. Hopefully somebody here knows better.

cascadesys

It idles smooth when it's doing this. I don't get any hesitation or missing really, it'll keep accelerating with full power. I'm just really hoping I'm not breaking something when this happens.

cascadesys

Anyone?

Domestic Demon

iTrader: (1)

Good advice. I was going to say possibly a broken valve spring, but in that case the problem wouldn't go away and come back, it would be constant.

Ticking sounds like that can usually be traced back to the valvetrain, which I think is the issue in your case. The only thing in the valvetrain that could malfunction and then return to normal would be the hydraulic lifters, so as Keysplayr said, I'd look into that first.

oifish

iTrader: (1)

maybe a bad EGR valve? I know that when I would accerelate hard it felt sluggish in the high rpm's, also when my car was warmed up the SES light would come on and I would hear a swirling noise, the code was traced to the bad EGR valve. I replaced it, and now it accerelates fine.

98TADRIVER

iTrader: (36)

hows your oil pressure at idle, and at high rpm?

cascadesys

Oil pressure is at the middle of the gauge at ide. At high RPM's it goes to the 3/4 position.

01pewterbird

would low oil pressure be a sign of a bad lifter?

KENS_SS_4

No, ticking would.

Low oil pressure is a sign of a bad pump or a place where oil can pass through too easily that lowers the pressure.

PVC?

01pewterbird

oh, ok my oil pressure is never low,40 at warm idle, just thought i heard something about low pressure relating to lifters, hoping it was a sure sign so i could rule out the lifters being the noise, guess not

cascadesys

My oil pressure is also 40 at idle, 60 at WOT. I get spark knock it sounds like at around 5,000 rpm. I guess this has been caused by the crappy PCV system? I want to install breathers or something soon, but what can I do to get oil and crap out of there so the engine will stop knocking?

bww3588

iTrader: (49)

its an '01
it has no EGR