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Ticking sound

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Old 07-17-2011, 09:13 AM
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Default Ticking sound

I installed LG long tubes on my 98 C5 with 31k on it about two months ago and I have noticed that I have what sounds like a lifter tick. It is more noticable from under the car than form above. It's not a leak, I've gone back over and made sure I have no leaks on the header install.

I'm a tool guy so I have an electronic stethoscope that will pickup sounds great. I checked all around the engine from above and everything sounds okay, no one cyl sounds any diffrent than another but from under the car if I touch it to the LH collector I can hear it but not on the RH. I think I've always had the tick but headers are making in louder.

Any ideas?
Old 07-17-2011, 12:20 PM
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Tubular headers will let you hear every little noise the engine makes, unlike the stock iron manifolds. It's a tradeoff.

What cam are you running, and what valve springs?

If you probe the valvecovers over each cylinder w/ your stethoscope, right above the coil packs, do any have a distinct noise that matches what you're hearing at the exhaust? If no, probe again below the coil packs and let us know what you find.
Old 07-17-2011, 01:57 PM
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Originally Posted by crainholio
Tubular headers will let you hear every little noise the engine makes, unlike the stock iron manifolds. It's a tradeoff.

What cam are you running, and what valve springs?

If you probe the valvecovers over each cylinder w/ your stethoscope, right above the coil packs, do any have a distinct noise that matches what you're hearing at the exhaust? If no, probe again below the coil packs and let us know what you find.
All stock for now.

I have a pair of stage 1 TEA heads and a Texas speed 224R for a winter project, that might go on sooner because of this new noise, as long as its not coming from the bottem end.

I'll do some more probeing, but I probed it pretty good yesterday and all could hear that matched the sound was at the header collecter on the LH side. I also probed each header tube as well and they all sound about the same.

I'm wondering since the car is a bit of a garage queen that maybe I have a bad or a stuck lifter.

It is amazing how bad just normal noises sound through that stethoscope.
Old 07-17-2011, 01:59 PM
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What oil brand and weight are you running, and what filter?
Old 07-17-2011, 02:22 PM
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Originally Posted by crainholio
What oil brand and weight are you running, and what filter?
Mobil 1 and a AC Delco filter.
Old 07-17-2011, 02:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Tooldude
Mobil 1 and a AC Delco filter.
5W-30? Not the EP or High Mileage version?
Old 07-17-2011, 02:31 PM
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Originally Posted by crainholio
5W-30? Not the EP or High Mileage version?
No. just regular stuff. I was thinking about adding some Seafoam to the oil for a few hunderd miles. Bad idea?
Old 07-17-2011, 02:56 PM
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Bad idea. I'd try Mobil-1 0W-40 or something else that isn't API SM or SN rated, here's why:

In late 2007, the API reduced the anti-wear additive limits in 5W-30 oils via their SM oil specification.

It was claimed that the extra zinc and phosphorous were detrimental to emission system longevity, and not necessary for modern engines.

Seems like not a week goes by here or on other LS-powertrain forums without somebody having valvetrain noise. Coincidence?

My wife's 3.0L Ford engine recently developed a valvetrain tick, and I've been spending a lot of time researching oil specs. This API SM (and now SN) garbage has caused all manner of problems in older flat-tappet engines, literally wiping lobes off the cam in short order.

It seems reasonable to wonder if the lifters on LS1s aren't prone to accelerated wear when run with insufficient EP lubricant such as zinc/phosphorous. I sure don't recall seeing this many ticking LS engine posts prior to 2008, does anyone else?
Old 07-17-2011, 03:08 PM
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Originally Posted by crainholio
Bad idea. I'd try Mobil-1 0W-40 or something else that isn't API SM or SN rated, here's why:

In late 2007, the API reduced the anti-wear additive limits in 5W-30 oils via their SM oil specification.

It was claimed that the extra zinc and phosphorous were detrimental to emission system longevity, and not necessary for modern engines.

Seems like not a week goes by here or on other LS-powertrain forums without somebody having valvetrain noise. Coincidence?

My wife's 3.0L Ford engine recently developed a valvetrain tick, and I've been spending a lot of time researching oil specs. This API SM (and now SN) garbage has caused all manner of problems in older flat-tappet engines, literally wiping lobes off the cam in short order.

It seems reasonable to wonder if the lifters on LS1s aren't prone to accelerated wear when run with insufficient EP lubricant such as zinc/phosphorous. I sure don't recall seeing this many ticking LS engine posts prior to 2008, does anyone else?
So if I do have a valve train issue the Head/Cam swap along with new lifters and push rods should take care of the problem.




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