Ticking noise... lack of oil? Please help!
03-10-2008, 11:27 AM
#1
Ticking noise... lack of oil? Please help! Ok guys, I could use some help. Please forgive my ignorance, as I know all kinds of stuff on the old LT1 cars (becasue I have one), but I don't know a whole lot about LSx's (at this time).
I'm working on a 2002 TA that has a 402 crate shortblock from SLP, ported 6.0 heads, LS6 intake, stock rockers, 7.400 pushrods, Comp cam (unknown specs at this time) and Comp "R" lifters, stock LS1 oil pump.
I'm having troubles with a loud ticking noise that seems to be coming from the valvetrain, but it's really hard to tell. The noise is not noticeable when you first fire it up, or even if you let it idle for 30 minutes in the driveway. The only time it comes is when there is sustained RPM above 1600 or so.
I can drive the car down the street about a mile and the noise will be apparent, then park the car with it idling and the noise will be there for maybe 5 minutes and it will go away.
To me it seems like the top end is not getting the correct amount of oil, or like it's severly low on oil, even though the gauge is reading about 45 psi of pressure. I have checked the oil level on the dipstick both engine off, and also with it idling (while ticking), and it's full.
Has anyone experienced anything like this?
The engine has maybe 1000 miles on it, and the oil pump has 79,000 since it came from the original engine. I am not the one who built the engine, just trying to sort out all the bugs (there have been LOTS of them).
Thanks for your input, I will try to answer any questions if I have left anything out.
I'm working on a 2002 TA that has a 402 crate shortblock from SLP, ported 6.0 heads, LS6 intake, stock rockers, 7.400 pushrods, Comp cam (unknown specs at this time) and Comp "R" lifters, stock LS1 oil pump.
I'm having troubles with a loud ticking noise that seems to be coming from the valvetrain, but it's really hard to tell. The noise is not noticeable when you first fire it up, or even if you let it idle for 30 minutes in the driveway. The only time it comes is when there is sustained RPM above 1600 or so.
I can drive the car down the street about a mile and the noise will be apparent, then park the car with it idling and the noise will be there for maybe 5 minutes and it will go away.
To me it seems like the top end is not getting the correct amount of oil, or like it's severly low on oil, even though the gauge is reading about 45 psi of pressure. I have checked the oil level on the dipstick both engine off, and also with it idling (while ticking), and it's full.
Has anyone experienced anything like this?
The engine has maybe 1000 miles on it, and the oil pump has 79,000 since it came from the original engine. I am not the one who built the engine, just trying to sort out all the bugs (there have been LOTS of them).
Thanks for your input, I will try to answer any questions if I have left anything out.
03-10-2008, 04:24 PM
#2
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sounds like you are starving for oil up top, causing the valvetrain noise. get a ported ls6 pump and see if the problem goes away. i would think if you were low on oil, or past the effective oil life you would hear it at idle.
but im still betting oil pump, the ls1 stock pump is crap.
but im still betting oil pump, the ls1 stock pump is crap.
03-11-2008, 09:22 AM
#3
Here is a video of what the car sounds like. The quality isn't the best, hopefully you can hear what I'm talking about.
http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d9...=engine051.flv
http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d9...=engine051.flv
03-12-2008, 10:22 AM
#4
sounds like you are starving for oil up top, causing the valvetrain noise. get a ported ls6 pump and see if the problem goes away. i would think if you were low on oil, or past the effective oil life you would hear it at idle.
but im still betting oil pump, the ls1 stock pump is crap.
but im still betting oil pump, the ls1 stock pump is crap.
Anybody else care to chime in?
03-12-2008, 10:34 AM
#5
I would say that the pushrods are too short not giving you enough preload. That's the way mine sounded till I got the correct pushrods. Don't listen to what alot of people say when they say to use the 7.4 pushrods. Anytime you go bigger on the cam the base circle is smaller on the cam making the lifter set down in the lifter bore more than normal. I was needing the 7.440 to be the correct length but since they don't make them I went with a 7.425. DO NOT go out and buy a longer set and try like I did because you can spend time and money and still not know what you really need. Buy a comp pushrod checker and that will tell you the length and then you just need to add the preload. After you get the hang of it it's not hard at all to figure out what length you really need.
03-13-2008, 09:42 PM
#6
I would say that the pushrods are too short not giving you enough preload. That's the way mine sounded till I got the correct pushrods. Don't listen to what alot of people say when they say to use the 7.4 pushrods. Anytime you go bigger on the cam the base circle is smaller on the cam making the lifter set down in the lifter bore more than normal. I was needing the 7.440 to be the correct length but since they don't make them I went with a 7.425. DO NOT go out and buy a longer set and try like I did because you can spend time and money and still not know what you really need. Buy a comp pushrod checker and that will tell you the length and then you just need to add the preload. After you get the hang of it it's not hard at all to figure out what length you really need.
