SpecV44

iTrader: (7)

Trying to figure out what this is. About 1000-1500 miles ago it started ticking, only slightly. Now, it is getting louder and is quite annoying. I still have good oil pressure (around 30psi warm at idle with 5/30 synthetic, 40+ off idle), but I am going to try a heavier oil soon. The oil that is in it is less than 2k old, Royal Purple oil and filter.

I pulled the valve covers last weekend and the engine is SPOTLESS. I pulled the rockers and checked them, pulled all the pushrods and checked them. Futral 7.400 .080 pushrods, the counter test told me 9 or so were bent, so I thought that may have been it. I put stock LS1 pushrods back in, and it sounds identical.

My dad and brother think it is lifter noise, perhaps a collapsed lifter. My brother said to try a heavier oil and if it quiets it down, then it is definitely a lifter.

Any chance I have a lobe that is dying out on the cam? I didnt notice any metal in the head when I pulled the valve cover, but I didnt look either.

I wanna try anything I can before I have to pull the heads to change at LEAST the lifters.

Just in case anyone is wondering: 2000 LS1/t56 Trans Am - 121k miles - cam/springs/bolt ons

If it helps, I can get a video.

UPDATE:

Here is what happened:

Lifters:









Cam lobe #1 (1st lobe on the front of the cam)







Cam lobe #2 (idk what lobe it actually is, but this is the 2nd dead one)



Cam lobe #3 (idk what lobe it actually is, but this is the 3rd dead one)



Cam lobe #4 (idk what lobe it actually is, but this is the 3rd dead one)



The pieces of metal that I found in the pan werent bearing after all, it was the sides of that first lifter, along with the needle bearings.

bjamick

iTrader: (31)

When you change the oil, check the drain plug for some metal. May just be a lifter.

SpecV44

iTrader: (7)

Will do, thanks.

I also went around and checked for exhaust leaks, didnt find any. I put my stethoscope on, listened to the valve covers, front of both heads, waterpump, front of the block, all 8 header primaries, and heard nothing from any of them, which leads me to believe that it HAS to be inside the engine. I am hoping it is just a lifter, but it sucks that I have to pull the heads and all that **** to find out.

boosted4life

iTrader: (4)

And stop using royal purple..

SpecV44

iTrader: (7)

it was in the bag in the back of the car when I bought it, so I used it lol. The guy had bought it like 2 weeks before he sold the car. I plan on using the new oil Pennzoil just came out with.

orangenotch

iTrader: (1)

[QUOTEFutral 7.400 .080 pushrods, the counter test told me 9 or so were bent, so I thought that may have been it. I put stock LS1 pushrods back in, and it sounds identical.

[/QUOTE]


This means somethings wrong. Id be checking for bent valves, etc... There is no reason those pushrods should be bent unless something made contact.

02*C5

iTrader: (1)

Detergents tend to fight with the ZDDP (Zinc Dialkyl Dithiophosphates). ZDDP is what gives you greater protection between parts. Now a days a lot of the oils out there are very low in ZDDP and high in detergent. This is because ZDDP shorten the life of catalytic converters and this provides less and less protection of parts in the engine. Now the part that is a real kicker is that detergents fight with the ZDDPs and since the new oils are so low the is less protection for your engine parts.

RP (royal purple) was one that years ago I say about 5 years ago was one of the few store bought oils that had a good amount of ZDDP and now sucks. The oil you are talking about has to have a great deal of detergents in it to do what it says so therefore leaving your engine more susceptible to wear. One of the better oils you can use is Castrol Edge, I was using it I tried RP this last time and never again going right back to castrol.

boosted4life

iTrader: (4)

Yea, go with castrol edge or mobil 1, they are generally on sale with a filter also at advance, checker or auto zone.

mischief

iTrader: (1)

I'd go with Pennzoil Platinum, my motor likes it, and I have the unlucky piston slap noise, runs like a champ! btw this oil got so much sludge out from the previous owner using conventional.

Plus it's competitively priced, most people will agree on this.

SpecV44

iTrader: (7)

cam is medium-high lift/duration (almost 600 lift), and I also have double valve springs. the pushrods are bent, not because of hitting anything (shouldnt be anyway), but because they are collapsing underneath the springs.

Regardless though, the sound isnt from the pushrods, so next is oil being changed, then the heads will come off shortly after that.

**EDIT**

I just remembered though, you may be correct about the valves contacting the pistons. My valve springs could be worn out, as they probably have about 30k on them (estimate, as I dont know exactly when they were installed, due to the previous owner doing them). That would suck.

BanditDave

iTrader: (11)

I use Brad Penn "green" oil...it has all the good stuff, but then again I don't have to worry about cats in the toys. Also like Joe Gibbs oil as well...

I can just get Brad Penn more easily.

D

SpecV44

iTrader: (7)

No cats here either.

SpecV44

iTrader: (7)

Put in Castol Syntec 20w50 synthetic blend and a ac delco filter friday, then drove 180mi to tampa, then drove back home 2 days later. Ticking sounds identical Oil was clean when it came out of motor friday, havent had a chance to cut the filter open yet, but I dont expect to find anything.

SpecV44

iTrader: (7)

motor started knocking today. will be pulling it this weekend and putting in my 5.3 temporarily.

SpecV44

iTrader: (7)

Got it torn down last night. Apparently somewhere along the lines, a previous owner had at least 1 rocker arm de-bearing itself, there were like 20 needle bearings in the pan. In the pan with the bearings, were 4 or 5 1/4"x1/4" pieces of a bearing. There was only a FINE, FINE, FINE layer of metal on the bottom of the pan, and none of it came out with my 500 mile Castrol Syntec blend, the drain plug was also clean as a whistle (I havent cleaned it, and I have removed the drain plug 3 times now. Perhaps it isnt magnetic?). Hopefully I can get the caps pulled this weekend and post some pictures of the carnage, I am sure it is going to be spectacular.

The car should still move fairly well; 5.3, ls6 intake, UD pulley, longtubes, TB, ORY. Just leaving out the cam for now. Stopped at 3am last night, engine is in the k-member, underneath the car. Had some issues making my remote bleeder so I will start again tonight.

ds98formula

iTrader: (3)

Man that sux. How long have you had the car?

SpecV44

iTrader: (7)

2 months TODAY :/

SpecV44

iTrader: (7)

okay, tore down the engine tonight. 4 lifters dead, along with 4 lobes on the cam dead. Seems like the 1st lifter on the cam either failed or collapsed, and those are the bearings that were in the pan, along with the chunks of metal (the roller ended up crushing once the bearings went, under the stress of the patriot dual springs). IDK if the engine was over-revved or what, but it doesnt matter now. Unsure as to why the other 3 lobes died, but I am leaning towards a bad break in. I will get pictures up tomorrow.

also seems like a couple main bearings were scored pretty decently, so idk where to go from here. the rods and rod bearings looked good, but the mains where kind of iffy on the crank side (the block bearing, not the cap) of the bearing.

SpecV44

iTrader: (7)

Pictures at the top...