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Old Dec 23, 2024 | 02:40 PM
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Default 01 Trans AM LS1 noises

I have what I call clatter on the passenger side which starts a few minutes into starting the car. It gets somewhat quieter when warmer.
After reading about what people might call clatter, piston slap and lifters, it's difficult to say in words what the sound is that LS1's make. My mechanic says the sound is normal and not which confuses me more-so
I bought 1 bottle each of Schaeffer Moly EP oil treatment and a bottle of Liqui Moly Hydraulic Lifter additive. I am currently running Pennzoil Platinum 5/30 Synthetic which has steadied the oil pressure and is quieter from having Mobil 1 previously.
The car has 98K and looks above average condition wise except for the stress cracking paint on the bumpers.
Which additive would you pick between the 2?

Last edited by Forsee; Dec 23, 2024 at 02:52 PM. Reason: more info
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Old Dec 23, 2024 | 02:56 PM
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You wont be solving anything by putting additives into the crankcase. Are you even sure that it's valvetrain related? You need to rule out idler, tensioner, power steering, alternator, etc. Have you removed the serpentine belt from the car and started it up and listened to see if the noises went away?
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Old Dec 23, 2024 | 04:58 PM
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Originally Posted by 01CamaroSSTx
You wont be solving anything by putting additives into the crankcase. Are you even sure that it's valvetrain related? You need to rule out idler, tensioner, power steering, alternator, etc. Have you removed the serpentine belt from the car and started it up and listened to see if the noises went away?
Thanks, not interested in diagnosing, looking for people's experience or opinion of these 2 additives.
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Old Dec 23, 2024 | 05:01 PM
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Could be an exhaust leak on your car. i've had ticking noises on my vehicles before and it turned out to be a damaged exhaust manifold/header gaskets. On cold startups you could hear it but then it would get quieter as the engine warmed up. Was an easy fix just replaced the header gaskets and it went away.
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Old Dec 23, 2024 | 05:06 PM
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I used Hot Shots lifter quieter stuff which had some kinda moly in it and after a few tanks of gas it is noticeably much much the same.
Most of the oil treatments are for dirty engines, mine is very clean which im sure yours is also, it just has bad parts in it so cleaning a failed lifter unfortunately for me and you isn't gonna do anything,
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Old Dec 23, 2024 | 08:20 PM
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Going to a 40w oil will help quiet the clatter moreso than the additives. Additives have their place, but not as a bandaid to quiet piston slap or lifter bore wear….leave that for the used car salesman.
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Old Dec 23, 2024 | 08:49 PM
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Originally Posted by Forsee
Thanks, not interested in diagnosing, looking for people's experience or opinion of these 2 additives.
You come into a forum with tons of experience that may figure out what your issue is, but you don't want to hear what the cause actually may be because you're focused on dumping money into what unicorn fart might solve your issue.

People like you are entertaining, carry on.



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Old Dec 23, 2024 | 08:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Che70velle
Going to a 40w oil will help quiet the clatter moreso than the additives. Additives have their place, but not as a bandaid to quiet piston slap or lifter bore wear….leave that for the used car salesman.
The attitude the guy posting this thread has I recommend sawdust in the Engine. I feel Maple or Oak will do the trick, a nice hardwood.
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Old Dec 23, 2024 | 10:10 PM
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It's a Canadian built car, everyone knows these cars run best on Genuine Canadian Maple Syrup.
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Old Dec 24, 2024 | 10:51 AM
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Originally Posted by the_merv
You come into a forum with tons of experience that may figure out what your issue is, but you don't want to hear what the cause actually may be because you're focused on dumping money into what unicorn fart might solve your issue.

People like you are entertaining, carry on.

I thought people would share honest reviews of products instead of unending threads describing the noise (which is impossible). These threads go on forever and never reach a conclusion anyway. It's a simple query, have you used these 2 products with any success?
That's why I call it clatter- whether it's piston slap or lifter tap, etc.

Last edited by Forsee; Dec 24, 2024 at 10:53 AM. Reason: term
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Old Dec 24, 2024 | 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Forsee
I thought people would share honest reviews of products instead of unending threads describing the noise (which is impossible). These threads go on forever and never reach a conclusion anyway. It's a simple query, have you used these 2 products with any success?
That's why I call it clatter- whether it's piston slap or lifter tap, etc.
Lubegard Biotech is a proven lifter quieter in the modern hemi engines. I had the infamous tick ran some seafoam through the crankcase drove it rough 100 miles and dumped the oil. I was running Mobil 1 synthetic and a Mobil 1 filter. I switched it all up and went Castrol Edge and a Puralator Boss filter. That stopped it. I continued the seafoam in the crankcase every 25k miles and then around 140k I started getting a little noise. Not bad. I did my research on Lubegard and tried it. It made it quiet and never returned. The truck now belongs to my neighbor and he has had it for a while now and does everything I did to it to a book. It’s still running as strong as the day it was new. I would look into that. Just my .02
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Old Dec 24, 2024 | 12:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Forsee
I thought people would share honest reviews of products instead of unending threads describing the noise (which is impossible). These threads go on forever and never reach a conclusion anyway. It's a simple query, have you used these 2 products with any success?
That's why I call it clatter- whether it's piston slap or lifter tap, etc.
I'll lay it out- Most folks here don't believe in oil additives, as they are usually only a very temporary band-aid that mask the true underlying problem.
Bottom line- figure out the noise, then either address, disassemble and repair, or ignore and hope for the best. Your call.
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Old Dec 24, 2024 | 12:56 PM
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I too have heard of Seafoam being used to quiet a noisy lifter but before I'd go to dumping things into the crankcase I'd make sure the noise isn't coming from something external.

Go in with the KISS approach if you know what I mean. Pinpointing noises with a big screwdriver or a piece of garden hose just works!
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Old Dec 24, 2024 | 01:17 PM
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Come on guys, he's not interested in diagnosing anything here or threads that "go on forever" with good technical info.

When it blows apart, it's not ours.
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Old Dec 24, 2024 | 03:07 PM
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Originally Posted by the_merv
Come on guys, he's not interested in diagnosing anything here or threads that "go on forever" with good technical info.

When it blows apart, it's not ours.
You nailed it.....
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Old Dec 26, 2024 | 08:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Forsee
Thanks, not interested in diagnosing, looking for people's experience or opinion of these 2 additives.
What the Hell is this?? You ask which of the two additives we'd choose, then say you're not interested in people's experience or opinion of the 2 additives??! Please explain how we're supposed to pick a product without using our experience or opinion of said product! Good luck with what you're trying to accomplish.....Whatever THAT may be....
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Old Dec 26, 2024 | 09:54 AM
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Originally Posted by G Atsma
I'll lay it out- Most folks here don't believe in oil additives, as they are usually only a very temporary band-aid that mask the true underlying problem.
Bottom line- figure out the noise, then either address, disassemble and repair, or ignore and hope for the best. Your call.
Not me, my dad had his tractor sitting for a couple years and tried to start it. It wouldn't start. I dumped some Marvel Mystery Oil in the gas tank and after a couple cranks it's fired up. Had the same situation with a friends chainsaw not starting. He went to the parts store and got some MMO and dumped a bit in the tank and on the second pull the engine started. Just my experience.
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Old Dec 26, 2024 | 11:33 AM
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Originally Posted by wannafbody
Not me, my dad had his tractor sitting for a couple years and tried to start it. It wouldn't start. I dumped some Marvel Mystery Oil in the gas tank and after a couple cranks it's fired up. Had the same situation with a friends chainsaw not starting. He went to the parts store and got some MMO and dumped a bit in the tank and on the second pull the engine started. Just my experience.
You're relating hard start and/or sludged/varnished up engines and needed a starting crutch.
My point is that in a normal engine with a new noise, you figure out what the noise is before looking for a way to quiet it.
Your tractor and chainsaw examples are right on. Sounds like they both had crappy gas that needed something to get it to fire. I would have done the same things.
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Old Dec 26, 2024 | 12:05 PM
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I use MMO in my engine builds. Call me superstitious but it helps to keep the gremlins away.
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Old Dec 26, 2024 | 05:42 PM
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Originally Posted by grinder11
What the Hell is this?? You ask which of the two additives we'd choose, then say you're not interested in people's experience or opinion of the 2 additives??! Please explain how we're supposed to pick a product without using our experience or opinion of said product! Good luck with what you're trying to accomplish.....Whatever THAT may be....
We might be raggin on the guy but you might want to clean your bi-focals and read this one again..

Originally Posted by Forsee
Thanks, not interested in diagnosing, looking for people's experience or opinion of these 2 additives.
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