Engine tick noise, normal or not? *VIDEO*
mine just started the other day i think mine is a lifter too, it sounds just like it. still not sure i have the pass side valve cover off as we speak/type. and i'll be working on it all day next is the drivers side i'm checking all push rods and rockers first. the noise is anonying, and i worry everytime i start it up. 
Last edited by 1fastcamarosss11; Jul 3, 2006 at 11:41 AM.
I was idling on the driveway yesterday fixing to go, and
suddenly the car bogged and started making an unusual
loud ticking. I popped the hood and it seemed like up by
the valve cover.
Then I saw the half-inch blue spark; one of the MSD
wires had fallen off the coil pack.
That's a pretty hot spark, to make that much noise.
It ran a whole lot better on 8 than 7-1/2 or 7.
suddenly the car bogged and started making an unusual
loud ticking. I popped the hood and it seemed like up by
the valve cover.
Then I saw the half-inch blue spark; one of the MSD
wires had fallen off the coil pack.
That's a pretty hot spark, to make that much noise.
It ran a whole lot better on 8 than 7-1/2 or 7.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
i think its just valve train noise echoeing in the manifold cause i hear mine the loudest from undneath the car. after i did long tubes the sound became louder which i think also backs up this theory because the primarys are larger diameter (letting more sound waves through), there arent cats anymore (to deaden the sound), the header walls are thinner, and the collector is larger (so the noise can echo around).
My car and my 2000 Z-71 with the 5.3 do the same thing at times on cold startups and luke warm re-starts. They don't burn oil and run like scalded dogs, see sig 
Just about every LSx based engines I have heard in either trucks or F-bods make that sound. And I bet the ones that didn't, were up to operating temps or I would have heard them too.
No worries here
Just about every LSx based engines I have heard in either trucks or F-bods make that sound. And I bet the ones that didn't, were up to operating temps or I would have heard them too.
No worries here
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,216
Likes: 236
From: Wichita KS / Rancho San Diego
My brother's WS6 (02) and my buddy's WS6 (00) both do it on cold starts. Both are without valvetrain mods. My wife's 98 Montana van has done the same thing since 20k and now has 115k with no ill effects. None of these cars use any oil. As far as I can tell, it clearly sounds like valvetrain noise, and not piston slap, as it is often mistakenly identified. Piston slap is a much deeper sound. It seems like once the oil warms up, the lifters fully pump up and the sound goes away.
Mine makes that same exact noise too. Only at lower RPM's ...around 1500 seems like it is the loudest. It always makes that sound does not matter if it is up to temp. or not. I have 25,000 miles and the motor/exhaust is completely stock except for the muffler. I had one service manager several months ago tell me it was probably just valve train noise at it was normal. I've been planning on taking it to another dealer before my extended warranty runs out. But have not got to it since I only drive the car around 2000 miles a year. Has anybody else had a mechanic listen to this?
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,216
Likes: 236
From: Wichita KS / Rancho San Diego
Yeah, it really sounds horrible on my brother's car, and pretty bad on my wife's van - like a diesel. But it goes away. Funny thing is, their cars don't use any oil, while my Formula, which doesn't make the noise, does.
TECH Regular
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 411
Likes: 0
mine is an 01, stock internals, no cam, no longtubes. I thought you all would say check pushrods on this one. Mine does this exact same thing. ONly hear it when rpms come down like around 1500 or so. So you think I shouldn't even waste my time checking and dismiss it as normal valvetrain noise? It didn't always do this but I don't have any other weird sounds coming except for this one.
Originally Posted by mc01ta
mine is an 01, stock internals, no cam, no longtubes. I thought you all would say check pushrods on this one. Mine does this exact same thing. ONly hear it when rpms come down like around 1500 or so. So you think I shouldn't even waste my time checking and dismiss it as normal valvetrain noise? It didn't always do this but I don't have any other weird sounds coming except for this one.
