scales4576

I recently bought a 2001 C5z06 and it's the first LS powered car i've owned so i'm still getting used to the normal sounds. I've noticed a slight tick that comes at cold starts or even if the car has been sitting for a few hours. It seems to go away when oil temp comes up but sometimes its still slightly audible when at low rpms when starting from a stop.

I've built a few small block ford motors so I like to think I somewhat know what i'm doing lol. Anyway my guesses are either a) lifters taking a minute to pump up or b) piston slap. I've stethoscoped the whole top end and everything sounds great other than the injectors being loud as ****. It does kind of seem like it is coming from the bottom end but again could be lifters (definitely not heavy enough to be rod knock).

Let me know what y'all think. I can upload a video later if that might help.

Side note: the car only has 34k miles

SouthernRex

34k miles and it goes away as it warms up? I'd bet $50 it's just piston slap and such. Extremely common with these cars. Once the metal swells up etc. it goes away. No big deal. You're a car guy, I'm sure you're not redlining it out of the driveway at 103F coolant temp. lol

JD_AMG

Could be either piston slap or the lifters bleeding out too fast which is very common. Either way its nothing to get worried about.
You will notice the sound will increase if you do aftermarket headers due to them having thinner walls than the cast manifolds.

scales4576

Thanks guys! It sucks that headers will make it more noticeable because long tubes are definitely coming in the near future haha.

R6cowboy

iTrader: (3)

To all.
Wasn't the LS1 piston slap issue pretty much with earlier LS1's, and by 2001 piston slap was no longer a common issue? Therefore never really an issue with LS6 engines? I know I've heard this before, but never knew for sure how much truth there is to it or just myth.

SouthernRex

I notice it because my car is straight piped, but I think if you have a muffler, either stock or after-market catback, much less a muffler + catalytic converter, it won't be an issue for you. These cars sound great on headers.

Docrocket1967

iTrader: (1)

My 2000 WS6 does this and I just two weeks ago swapped over to a different exhaust system completely and I dont hear it at all anymore, new exhaust is also alot louder though. Swapping exhaust did not fix the issue but in some cases may cause you not to be able to hear it in the car.