Is this Ls1 engine noise normal?
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2009
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^^^^Agree that it wouldn't hurt to do this^^^^
Without pulling a cover you could even isolate where its coming from if you'll take an engine stethoscope or a long enough piece of rubber hose to put to your ear and listen to the engine. Hell even give it some throttle if needed.
Without pulling a cover you could even isolate where its coming from if you'll take an engine stethoscope or a long enough piece of rubber hose to put to your ear and listen to the engine. Hell even give it some throttle if needed.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2017
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Ok, so I looked through some of the threads online and ppl said that LS1 supposedly came from the factory with a "not so tight" tolerance to allow for thermal expansion of the hypereutectic pistons. Ppl also said it goes away when the engine is warm...well mine went away once it reached 190 degrees after 10-15 minutes of driving. Notice in the videos I have a temp guage for oil, water temp and oil pressure.
After I came back from the drive I did put a hollow broomstick up to the valve cover, just below the hollow part of the cover, right on the bolt, and heard distinct ticking sounds at each cylinder location, they were all exactly the same and sounded normal to me. That leads me to believe that's not where the issue is.
Will try the same broomstick trick on a cold engine...
Edit: tried listening with a broomstick when cold, sounds fine.
However! While driving around I stopped at a coffee shop near another car, and I could hear a quite loud ticking bouncing back either from the coffee shop wall or the car beside me. A minute later tried to replicate it and NO sound...this ******* car is driving me insane!
After I came back from the drive I did put a hollow broomstick up to the valve cover, just below the hollow part of the cover, right on the bolt, and heard distinct ticking sounds at each cylinder location, they were all exactly the same and sounded normal to me. That leads me to believe that's not where the issue is.
Will try the same broomstick trick on a cold engine...
Edit: tried listening with a broomstick when cold, sounds fine.
However! While driving around I stopped at a coffee shop near another car, and I could hear a quite loud ticking bouncing back either from the coffee shop wall or the car beside me. A minute later tried to replicate it and NO sound...this ******* car is driving me insane!
Last edited by Kraken; Aug 22, 2021 at 10:43 AM.
Really just need to get it up on a lift and listen to the engine during acceleration and deceleration to diagnose where exactly the noise is coming from but if oil pressure is good and you have good compression then run it. Could be an exhaust leak causing the issue but that would normally trip the SES light.
My car used to develop a random tick that would come and go. It also had a good rattle starting it cold. I also noticed that the oil pressure needle would hang on 0 for a sec or 2 when I started it up. Once the pressure built up, the rattle stopped. I finally decided the oil pump o-ring was worn so I replaced it. No more cold start clatter and no more ticking. My oil pressure is higher now too. Sounds like you might have similar symptoms
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Joined: Oct 2016
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From: PDX-OR-USA
Exhaust doughnut? Cracked manifold? use a spray bottle to spray/fog some Marvel mystery oil in intake.. It makes massive smoke, if there is a crack it will show up. Do not do this in your garage.. LOL
