1_MEANZ28

iTrader: (4)

now its time to swap the oil
'

WS Sick

The ol dreaded exhaust leak impersonating a valvetrain problem. Ive been fooled by it before myself.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

The gasket is probably ruined they get burned fast so expect to have to swap it but at least this was the simplest/cheapest of fixes

AChotrod

iTrader: (17)

Lmao. A damn exhaust leak tricked me for a bit before!

firehawk238

iTrader: (1)

that has happened to me so many times that now it is the first thing i look for, second i investigate valvetrain issues

WS Sick

I hear ya, one time I had a coil wire that was so bad it was making a snap noise on its misfire (firing to the side of the waterpump), I had the stethescope out running all over the engine. I checked my tranny fluid one night and it had such a pretty orange light up front snapping away...lol

Bigtoyz

iTrader: (2)

that is an odd sound for an exhaust leak though I would say. When my SLP headers leaked it sounded more like a tap sound vs this one which does have alittle bit a metal on metal sound to it.

bowtienut

iTrader: (1)

glad to hear you nailed it down.
I looked for an exhaust leak for days, swearing that had to be it, before finally finding the flat-spotted lifter.

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

Easiest way to tell whether or not a "tick" is an exhaust leak is to put the car in a high gear when rolling and accelerate. If the "tick" gets louder then it's more than likely an exhaust leak.
That video... that is the funniest leak I've ever heard. Sounded exactly like something was squeaking.

1_MEANZ28

iTrader: (4)

i know ,i was like **** time to fix up just another thing hopefully it stays that way*knocking on wood*

96lt4c4

iTrader: (5)

There were a few threads going around the LS section with header gaskets making this noise. Use metal header gaskets and never look back!

zooguy

iTrader: (1)

i am glad that i have copper gaskets ... $60 bux but i will never buy another set

ABA383

iTrader: (1)

LOL that's exactly what baffled me before a couple of years ago! I wish I'dve seen this post before now. I had a thread about it also. I wound up going thru the entire valve train checking everything and even went so far as new push rods, guide plates, new lifters from Howards Cams, and had the Comp hi tech stainless rockers rebuilt, and a new hardened oil pump drive shaft. All of which were probably needed anyway as maintenance for an, at the time 15 year old motor, but it turned out to be the crappy Kooks header gaskets! The noise was rpm specific too it was prevalent from 1500-2500ish rpm.

We discovered it when an LS Trans am came into the shop with a crazy squeak too. I grabbed some welding gloves and grabbed the #2 cylinder header primary at the head and the squeak went away. I started laughing because I knew I had just solved my own problem. Put my car on the lift and both #7 and #8 had a lil soot around the gaskets. Replaced them with Fel-Pro 1406s and for $20 all was well....oh and the other $500 of trouble shooting! I would have bet anything that it was a mechanical noise. Glad you found it and hopefully others will keep these threads in mind when they have similar issues.

--Alan