90Vette

Update: Tried longer push rods, same noise. Took heads off, no PTV clearance issues, lifters all 'look' ok.
I have a new set of lifters but some say to disassemble the lifters and check them all before installing with just bearing grease on the cup and roller and lightly on the body.
- Should i disassemble new ls7 lifters before putting them in ?

Videos at the bottom if you want to listen to what this could be.

Hi, i have a 2004 LS1 with LS6 intake
After rebuild im getting a ticking sound i cant figure out, please help !
I have checked oil pickup o-ring (im using the blue o-ring and have tried the black one also)
I have checked push rod length and had engine builder come check also. We get 3/4 of a turn (50 to 70thou) after zero lash until bolt bottoms out (not torqued)

Specs
241 heads with 25 thou off

218/227 .600/.600 112+2 LSA WS6 store cam

PAC 1219X springs new valve seals
LS7 lifters 7.375 rods, LS2 lifter trays
LS2 single row chain
Ported Oil rpm speed oil pump from WS6store
Stock pistons, rods, crank.
New oem cam bearings, rod big and small end bearings, rings, new oem rod bolts.



Used Building the Chevy LS Engine - Rebuilding, Performance Mods - M.Mavrigian book and made sure everything was in spec

All bearings had assembly lube etc



Build thread

https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...e-diy-how.html



Engine Initial start using high zinc 15w40 run in mineral oil

Fired up engine after turning over to get oil pressure with fuel pump not connected.

Ran the engine for 10sec then off (40psi oil pressure). Then 20sec then off (headers only at this stage), then towed car to get exhaust made up. Start engine again 1min then off. then 3-4mins then off for the night.

Next day ran it for longer without valve covers ~5mins (35 to 40psi) and notice not much oil coming out of valve covers and LOUD ticking noise.



Engine off, dumped the oil.



Used a oil drill pump, and pumped 5w30 mineral oil through the lower oil gallery port that goes through oil pump until it came out of the rockers. Cranked the engine over by hand every 1/4L of oil and then used starter on/off for last 2L with no spark plugs in.

Ran engine (40psi) for 10mins with valve covers off watching oil come out the rockers.

Went for a drive and got RPM up a few times, once warm MUCH quieter. BUT still ticking noise when you get near sump.



Dumped oil, back to 15w40 - same thing...



What could it be?




and






Thank you very much !!!

trilkb

iTrader: (4)

Sounds like lifters to me, does it go away when hot? at all? What oil are you running? New lifters or stock?

oh, also...Im not an expert.

90Vette

New LS7 lifters, pre soaked with 15w40 run in mineral oil.
When starting the car there is valve train noise that then gets far less once warmed, that you only then hear when increasing RPM or going near the sump as shown in video.
its a light chirp / tick as the engine in running that i hear.

90Vette

Also 180 psi on all cylinders with cylinder pressure test
NEW oil pickup so screen not clogged


NEW oil pump


Dumbbell is installed


No turn oil pickup o-ring



Here are videos of how much oil is getting to push rods. Again i have tried 2 types of oil pickup oring, im using the correct blue oring for the fbody oil pickup tube. 40psi oil pressure at idle.

Push rod idle

Push rod light rev

COMPARE to this guy who had LOW oil pressure and as you can see at 2mins 30 sec no oil reaching the rockers

90Vette

Now that i have gone through this it will be what i would do from now on and suggest to others. But at the time of reading what to do i didnt know about it.
Any other suggestions on the issue?





Also read cracked manifold can cause ticking (is that the exhaust manifold or intake manifold??)

Read this from user on youtube "
Kirill Sushko

(Ticking after warm up) gets faster or louder with RPM = 100% exhaust leak. Header bolts get loose over time. Most shops will not use popper components and install them without warming up/ cooling down process to re tighten bolts . (Ticking goes away after warn up) = that is normal in some LS motors. Easiest way to diagnose "collapsed lifter" is to buy a stethoscope for $10 on ebay. Put your ear on it and listen. In some rare cases "ticking nose" came from bad belt tensioner. And even in more rare cases, from power steering pump. I have spent over a year on researching "LS1 ticking noise" and work at a dealership. I can now conclude that most of the time ( as silly as it sounds) "ticking" comes from headers leaking. I have heard it so bad that it sounded like connecting rod was dancing around."


I have new long tube headers, new mls gasket on them. New exhaust and gaskets too but will see if there is someway of checking for leaks
I will check the ohm readings of injectors and listen to each one too.


ill make sure all manifold bolts are tight (i have had manifold off and back on and still same noise..) New gaskets on the intake manifold btw









Here is what a failed lifter sounds like



I have even read it could be cam bearings worn caused low oil pressure to the lifters like this video





But mine are new..

wannafbody

iTrader: (2)

Check tensioner. Could be a loose spark plug. Make sure it isn't a header leak.

G Atsma

A cracked exhaust manifold will tick(individual exhaust pulse). Cracked intake will hiss (steady vacuum).

90Vette

Thanks guys
I ran the engine with no belt on it to rule out all pulley and tensioner issues
When checking engine compression i have spark plugs out and they were all put back in and not loose

Exhaust manifolds are new long tube headers by BRPhodrods ceramic coated but ill check


If rod bearing i read its at a constant RPM and not increased (mine does both) - also rod noise is more knocking or pounding and this is ticking/chirping.
There is a spark plug shorting cylinder balancing test that can show if its a rod i will perform when i get car back.

This is what a rod bearing i think would sound like

And a bad cam

so from here - updates
I will test the fuel injections
- unplug each one to see if one makes a difference - all fine
- check ohm of each one - all within spec

Check exhaust bolts both cold and when warmed up -ill try spraying some soapy water around the gaskets - no leaks at manifold but cylinder 1 once the manifold was off looked like it had slight leak but no enough to get to the very edge
Check intake bolts (not sure how you can check a cracked intake but it has new gaskets)

Check the cylinder balancing test for connecting rod issues - Used scan tool to run this test and rpm for each cylinder close.

Swap to longer push rods - tired 7.4 and no change

Try table spoon of engine oil in the cylinders to check rings - didnt check

Check spark plugs tight (i have done this so can rule that out..) - they were all tight

I have ordered a engine oil analysis kit - havnt got them yet

SLP IROC-Z

iTrader: (14)

Did you use a pushrod length checker?

90Vette

yes, checked it many times.

Would this exhaust leak cause the ticking sound? No leak at the headers, just collectors


and

90Vette

Update: Tried longer push rods, same noise. Took heads off, no PTV clearance issues, lifters all 'look' ok.


I have a new set of lifters but some say to disassemble the lifters and check them all before installing with just bearing grease on the cup and roller and lightly on the body.


- Should i disassemble new ls7 lifters before putting them in ?

"I always disassemble and thoroughly clean brand new lifters...

then I insert the plunger and spring into the lifter (i.e. without the checkball capsule and without the retaining clip), and I check that it moves freely... if it hangs up then there is a burr on either the plunger or the inside of the lifter that needs to be removed; I also rotate the plunger relative to the lifter to check for roundness;

when I'm satisfied that the plunger will not hang up in the lifter, I re-assemble everything, and I check that it pumps up (to make sure the checkball capsule is assembled ok, since when the capsule is removed from the bottom of the plunger the ball and little spring fall out)."

90Vette

new lifters disassembled and cleaned. Has wd40 sprayed inside the bore. will have moly assembly grease on roller, in the cap and LIGHTLY on the outside

This is what came out of "new" lifters

90Vette

ITS FIXED.
It was the lifters. New set that i CLEANED first, Used cam lube on crown, roller and liberal on the body. Primed engine via front oil port until i saw oil coming out rockers.

If you get no oil pressure during cranking (fuel pump fuse removed) then have the oil filter loose while cranking and as oil is coming out and you start to see oil pressure have the 2nd person quickly tighten the oil filter while you are still cranking. You can stop cranking as the oil filter is tight (your getting the air out).

LS1 long tube header exhaust tick knock sound (well LACK of the sound!)

LS1 LS7 lifter noise and oil (this is what noise you SHOULD hear and how much oil (not much) you should see)

LS1 rebuild with WS6 store hot cam in Corvette C3

LS1 LS7 lifter noise (this is what noise you SHOULD hear and how much oil (not much) you should see during revs)

trilkb

iTrader: (4)

Glad you got it fixed.

Did someone tune your car? I have a hot cam and my engine shakes like crazy. I just have a reg pcm forless tune. Could be the motor mounts I guess too.