My 02 T/A WS6 has a little under 6400 miles on it. I've kept up on the oil changes, and have never beaten on it or missed any shifts. The hardest it's been run is up to about 5000 on a few very rare occasions, including 3 dyno pulls. Usually, 4000 is the limit when I'm having fun, and that isn't that often either (I bought the car new in June of 02, and was extremely gentle with it for the first 4,000 miles while I was waiting for SFCs to be installed).

I've never noticed any undue noise from it. This afternoon, I went out, started it up and let it idle while I dusted it off with the california duster and then pulled the T-Tops out. It sat idling longer than I would have liked (because it took longer than I figured to get it ready), but at least it was nice and warmed up before I left the driveway.

When I pulled into a parking space at a store a little while later, I heard this "ticking" noise. It troubled me, but I thought it might have been an echo caused by proximity of surrounding parked cars and the accoustics of the lot.

But when I got home, I noticed it again. Maybe I'm missing something, and I readily admit that I am paranoid, but I swear it's something that wasn't there before I left this afternoon.

Now like I said, it's bone stock, and it's never been over-revved. I searched on this topic, but just about every thread was about cars that were modded or over-revved.

Is this normal? Is it a problem? If so, any idea what it might be?

If I had to guess, I'd say it sounds like injector/valvetrain noise, but it's just not something I recall ever noticing before, and that's the part the troubles me.

I only hear it at idle, but then, when I'm not idling, I'm moving (which means wind noise, road noise, etc, getting in the way). It sounds like it's more than 1 thing. For example, if you rapidly tap all 8 of your finger nails (like drumming your fingers, but only on the nails, and both hands, and quickly) on your desk, that's what it's like, only higher pitched. So it doesn't seem like it would be piston slap, or "a" lifter, or "a" valve, or "a" pushrod.

Any thoughts or advice?

 

M6 or A4?

 

Piston Slap or just noisey valvetrain, springs and rockers are kinda noisey and plus letting it sit there and get warmed up the oil had time to warm up and thin out also. shouldnt be a cause for concern unless its not driving right or acting funny.

 

Doc, It's an M6.


Z28LS1camaroguy, would piston slap just start suddenly? Does it happen on all the pistons, or just the one? Good point about the oil. I'll start it tomorrow morning and see. Maybe I should move to a thicker than factory spec? (it's only been changed at the dealer while it was under warranty, so I'm sure it's got dino oil of factory spec in it)

 

Have you been on any trips lately? Leaving the WS6 home with a teenager in the house? Seriously, if you are treating this car as you say you are then maybe you need to go get the new GodSmack album and turn up the tunes as you are crusin' down the road. I would'nt think a Fbody with low miles and baby treatment would fall apart. I beat the hell out of my car. It's a muscle car. The only flaw I can see the General overlooked was not including a trailer with the car for when you goto the track. That car was born to run- let it.

 

It's a highly discussed topic on many LS1 forum's. Beleive me - It's nothing to worry about. Some people call it piston slap, Some call it " a noisy valvetrain "

My brother's C5 does it, My SS does it. And pretty much any LS1 you come across, especially on a cold start makes a valvetrain related ticking noise. Some louder than others. But please, more experienced members - Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe more people will back me up on what I've stated.

 

May be a slight exhaust leak. Can you tell where it is comming from ?
i.e. under the hood or under the car? near the exhaust manifolds?

 

Carbon buildup from not flogging it regularly, as it is much needed. Blow it out once in a while.

Seriously though, exhaust leak is a good candidate, even babied. Heck at 6400 miles it's not even broke in yet!

 

Hmmm, seems there's a *lot* of possibilities. How should I go about systematically eliminating them to narrow it down to the actual problem?

I had to move it over a little in the driveway today, and when I started it up (at about 8pm, after sitting all night, and all day), it was quiet(er). I felt a little releived, thought perhaps it was the oil possibility mentioned above. I didn't really let it sit and warm up because I was literally just moving it about 6 inches more to the right. Once I did, I heard it again.

It was getting dark, so I just decided to let it go and check in here and do a little more searching. What I found about piston slap is *very* worrysome (the damage done over time), but yesterday, this was happening when it was good and warm, so it doesn't seem like it would be piston slap, because that apparently goes away (or at least gets much quieter) once the engine warms up.

If it was an exhaust leak, it would do it all the time, cold or warm, right? And certainly not be missing on a cold start, and then start just because it was put in gear and moved a little, right?

Yesterday, when I looked under the hood, it wasn't really something I could pin point (location). It sounded like it was coming from both sides. I do want to do more investigation to pinpoint it, but any advice on how to go about it would really help.