Hey guys, I was driving around and noticed a "slight" change in sound. Am I looking at a spun bearing? collapsed lifter? I did seafoam the crankcase, changed the oil right after and then developed this noise.

 

I had an ls7 lifter collapse after a wot run and it sounded like that for about 10 min worth of crusing @ low RPM to a safe spot. It primed back up and ran fine afterwards. I was relieved to say the least. lol. G.L.

 

Did the starter kick back after starting for the first time after washing the engine? Could be water got in a cylinder through an injector o-ring or intake gasket, hydro locked and bent a rod.
These engines are notorious for water seeping in the cylinders through the intake seals and gaskets.

 

sounds like a rod bearing. doesn't sound like valve train noise. is the noise coming from the bottom of the motor?

 

I didn't wash the engine I seafoamed the crankcase and intake. It sounds like its coming from the drivers side bank, but honestly if I'm up top it sounds like it's coming from the top and if I'm down low it sounds like it's coming from the bottom. Originally I put a Stethoscope on it and it sounded like it was coming from the bell housing area. It's very strange to me.

 

That's lifter noise....try this add 8 ozs or so of Dexron 6 automatic transmission fluid to the engine oil. That should hopefully unblock the lifter that crap seafoam loosened up and jammed into the lifters. Seafoam is the worst thing you could ever put in your engine I DON"T CARE WHAT ANYONE ELSE TELLS YOU. Luckily you did NOT damage any bearings YET.

Try the auto trans fluid, I've saved a lot of lifters this way.


Oh and be sure to change the oil before you do anything!

 

Rockin, just out of curiosity I've been told that before. what exactly is it about the atf that helps so much? I'm assuming more detergent!, thinner viscosity?

 

No it's just a high quality 10 weight low detergent oil with high dispersants in it. It dissolves the crap and puts it in suspension. Another way to do this would be putting a heavy duty truck diesel oil in it. I'm using Dex 6 and Delo 400 10-30XLe in my WS6 right now to clean up the lifters. Who ever had the car before me left the dealer change the oil and I don't think it was done properly. @36k miles the engine has too much crap built up in it. The Dex6 and truck oil use high levels of dispersants to get the job done. Seafoam is like taking Cyanide to cure constipation , it will clean you out but kill you while its at it.

Seafoam doesn't belong in the oil, don't let anyone **** you about it. It doesn't suspend the solids..........................it causes havoc in a dirty engine.

I hope the guy above didn't put any load on the engine while the seacrap was in there. If he did the bearings took some damage I guaranty it. The lifters are noisy because the oil holes are now blocked with solids.

 

That's good info to know, thanks

 

I'm giving this a shot before I give in and pull the heads, thanks!

 

You could easy use a whole qt of atf...it won't hurt anything. Just put it in and let it idle for a while, it should quiet it down quick. Only thing that's tough to predict is how much crap was loosened up from the seafoam. Try it, can't hurt anything.

 

If you do pull the heads to clean or replace the lifters you have to realize you let the genie out of the bottle. It could block the new lifters, I would run like it is at idle and drive it easy for a while before you do anything. Let the crap settle down before you jump in there. You can drive it with the atf in the oil, but I wouldn't drive it if the lifters stay loud as they are in the video, may damage the cam or valve tips.