LT1 ticking

[97Formula]

My car has 41200 miles, all stock internals. Stock exhaust manifolds. Mobil1 5w30.

Engine ticking not immediately heard during cold start. Noise starts 2 minutes into the warmup, lasts another 10 minutes before quieting down.

Took to 2 shops (one was a dealer). Both say they need to take it apart and find out what is causing the tick. The non-dealer shop tells me I'm losing oil pressure (which shows 50-60 cold start, as low as 15-20 idle when warm but 40-45 when rpms are above 1500-2000....only time it actually loses pressure is when accelerating WOT). This shop says it should always be above 40 no matter what...

Trying to find a few shops in the Central Jersey area that can do a proper diagnosis and pinpoint what is really wrong. Or do ingo with a different oil, or go thicker than 5w30, or run an oil additive? Thanks!

[3.4 grape of wrath]

Sounds like a lifter sticking. Maybe do an engine flush or try some additives to free it up. I would try this first before taking motor apart.

[sweetbmxrider]

Losing oil pressure at WOT is bad but don't think its directly related. A mechanic's stethoscope sounds like a wise investment at this point.

[97Formula]

Actually the loss at WOT occurs around 4500 rpm, maybe 30 psi briefly then climbs back up as it goes past 5000 to redline.

[wretched73]

Hook up a manual oil pressure gauge and verify your gauge isn't the issue

[sweetbmxrider]

Actually the loss at WOT occurs around 4500 rpm, maybe 30 psi briefly then climbs back up as it goes past 5000 to redline.

Search the web a bit, could be windage or could be worse. Either way, losing oil pressure while increasing rpm is not good. Not a bad idea to check with a manual gauge to verify though.

[97Formula]

Search the web a bit, could be windage or could be worse. Either way, losing oil pressure while increasing rpm is not good. Not a bad idea to check with a manual gauge to verify though.

What about using a different brand of 5w30 oil? I did a google search and have seen quite a few stating that 5w30 Mobil 1 in particular is one of the "thinner" 30w oils (some say it's actually too thin for LT1 cast iron blocks).

Should I step up to Mobil 1 0w40?

[sweetbmxrider]

What about using a different brand of 5w30 oil? I did a google search and have seen quite a few stating that 5w30 Mobil 1 in particular is one of the "thinner" 30w oils (some say it's actually too thin for LT1 cast iron blocks).

Should I step up to Mobil 1 0w40?

If that's the course of action you want to experiment with, give it a shot and let us know how it works out.

[JL8Jeff]

What about using a different brand of 5w30 oil? I did a google search and have seen quite a few stating that 5w30 Mobil 1 in particular is one of the "thinner" 30w oils (some say it's actually too thin for LT1 cast iron blocks).

Should I step up to Mobil 1 0w40?

I think used to run Mobil 1 15W40 or 20W50 in the summer months on my old 93 Pace Car when it had the supercharger on it. I think I ran 10W30 or 10W40 in the winter. I know 5W30 made a lot more noise so I went up to a heavier weight oil. And you could always tell when it was time to change the oil as the ticking or piston slap at start up would get louder over time.

[wretched73]

What about using a different brand of 5w30 oil? I did a google search and have seen quite a few stating that 5w30 Mobil 1 in particular is one of the "thinner" 30w oils (some say it's actually too thin for LT1 cast iron blocks).

Should I step up to Mobil 1 0w40?

You can try to diagnose the issue or you can bandaid it.

Do it right or do it twice.

Keep us posted :popcorn:

[97Formula]

I checked the oil level, it's full. Only thing I can try is switching back to my usual K&N HP2002 oil filter (the dealer used the acdelco PF454 last time it was in the shop getting some oil leaks fixed).

If changing the filter does not help I'm afraid I'm gonna have to let the shop take the engine apart.....hoping it's something minor, a lifter or rocker being the worst they find.

[97Formula]

Ok...car is in the shop. They pulled the valve cover off and told me they readjusted the rocker arms and got it quieter but said I should have the lifters changed.

Thoughts?

[wretched73]

Ok...car is in the shop. They pulled the valve cover off and told me they readjusted the rocker arms and got it quieter but said I should have the lifters changed.

Thoughts?

Sounds reasonable

[LTb1ow]

Factory rockers should be incredibly quiet and odd to have loosened enough to make noise at 41k miles. Out of curiosity sake, see if the shop will tell you how the adjusted the rockers. Then based on the bill, you can see if they just cranked em till the noise went away or did it right.

Thankfully, lifters on a SBC are easy to do, so if it comes to that, not terrible.

[97Formula]

Unfortunately the noise is still there. And the shop is telling me I need a new engine (they dont want to touch the lifters, thinking they may find other things wrong in the process, etc).

Gonna look for another shop for another opinion....

[97Formula]

One more thing they showed me - slight sludge buildup on the pushrod (it was on the ball end of it).....

What does that mean? I have done regular oil changes and used Mobil 1 5w30 since it had 6000 miles, and my oil change intervals were always between 1000-2000 miles, at least once a year (car hasn't been driven much)...

[3.4 grape of wrath]

I'm not sure if you have an auto or manual trans but I remember years ago I had a similar ticking noise with my car that drove me crazy. The noise would come and go as the engine temp would change. Ended up being a hair line crack between the flexplate bolt holes. The flexplates are known to crack there. It was so small to see but if I tapped the flexplate with a hammer you could hear the difference in sound near the crack. :nod:

[97Formula]

I'm not sure if you have an auto or manual trans but I remember years ago I had a similar ticking noise with my car that drove me crazy. The noise would come and go as the engine temp would change. Ended up being a hair line crack between the flexplate bolt holes. The flexplates are known to crack there. It was so small to see but if I tapped the flexplate with a hammer you could hear the difference in sound near the crack. :nod:

I have an auto. And yes, my tick seems to come and go depending on engine temp (how long it's been run). When I picked up the car, tick tick tick tick tick.....by the time u got home......much quieter. Parked the car. washed it, started it up, tick was almost non-existent!

Car still runs/drives fine other than the ticking. What's worrying me is the engine sludge they found on the pushrod...also they insist it's coming from inside the engine.

[3.4 grape of wrath]

Sludge can be caused by a number of reasons. Have you checked the pcv valve? I noticed you also have a 160 thermostat, cold winter air and short trips can lead to sludge build up. Oil temps need to be hot to remove water and vapors from oil.

[97Formula]

I recently changed the PCV valve, no gunk found on it. I also don't see gunk/sludge inside the valve cover (based on what I see when I open the oil cap).

[97Formula]

Pic of underneath oil cap. Taken moments ago....

[97Formula]

Ok...I start it up this morning on my way to another shop for another opinion.

Once again the engine was not ticking at all (right after firing it up). I then proceed to the shop, ticking started just as I pulled in. They think lifter, as I was thinking all along but they need to pull a valve cover and see. Worst case, they said I'll need the lifters replaced (I asked if they think I need a new engine, they laughed saying definitely no, not for this type of noise)..

The tick was faint, eventually goes away after driving a while (to the point where I only hear the "typical" LT1 tick I've heard since new).

I'm almost ready to leave it alone since it does go away once the engine has been running for a while...or is this something I need to take care of asap?

[97Formula]

This morning I start the car, 5 minutes after idling I start driving, and hear a tick around 3000 rpm which I never heard before!

1-2 minutes later I was not able to reproduce the noise.

I dont know what to do!

[wretched73]

https://i.redd.it/ccle328l1iq21.jpg

You've been given advice and have done nothing with it.

[97Formula]

Actually, I've been to 3 different shops for this issue, nobody has a solution.

Shop 1 (dealer) - tried readjusting rocker arms, thought they got it better, ticking returned. Now they want to sell me a new engine.

Shop 2 - tells me they need to tear it down and find out what is going on, says I'm losing oil pressure (but my gauge still shows 50 on cold start, 40 cruising warm-hot, 20 idle hot).

Shop 3 - yeah its ticking but I would just leave it, not serious enough to tear engine apart...maybe step up to a thicker oil like 10w30

[BonzoHansen]

thicker oil like 10w30? What are you running now?

[97Formula]

thicker oil like 10w30? What are you running now?

Mobil 1 5w30

[BonzoHansen]

except cold those are the same 30wt. You'd need to move to 10-40. Not sure that will really help.

[97Formula]

Shop 3 also recommended Lucas synthetic oil stabilizer....

[BonzoHansen]

cool, snake oil fixes all.

[wretched73]

It seems pretty clear that you are not mechanically inclined, so I'm going to assume these shops are trying to take you for all you're worth.

What did YOU do to diagnose the issue?

Are you SURE it is not an exhaust leak?

Have you verified oil pressure is not a sensor issue? Have you replaced the sensor or hooked up a mechanical gauge?

[97Formula]

It seems pretty clear that you are not mechanically inclined, so I'm going to assume these shops are trying to take you for all you're worth.

What did YOU do to diagnose the issue?

Are you SURE it is not an exhaust leak?

Have you verified oil pressure is not a sensor issue? Have you replaced the sensor or hooked up a mechanical gauge?

I tried listening around the engine when it was ticking, almost sounded like it was coming from the bottom near the rear of the engine. How do you hook a mechanical gauge to it so I know the true reading? I know the oil pressure sensor is in the rear of the engine and extremely difficult to reach.

I just now drove home from work, and the closer I got home the quieter it got, and the tick was pretty much gone completely when I pulled into the garage. Brought the rpms up to 1500 when I usually hear it, barely noticeable. Couldn't hear at 3000-4000 rpm either.

Seems intermittent, comes and goes, etc. If I had something going on inside the engine like a lifter, I'd hear it all the time, correct?

[3.4 grape of wrath]

Where do you live? Maybe someone close by can give a listen. Seems like you've had this issue for quite some time.
http://www.njfboa.org/forums/showthread.php?t=58889

[97Formula]

I'm in the Hamilton/Trenton area. Had my car out a few times this past week when it was warmer, ticking has been less, and even less today. I guess I'm worrying about nothing since I wound up posting this years ago, 10000 miles ago...where the ticking was going on, and then it was gone. Still comes and goes....isn't any worse now. Car still runs great.

[townsend]

I'm in the Hamilton/Trenton area. Had my car out a few times this past week when it was warmer, ticking has been less, and even less today. I guess I'm worrying about nothing since I wound up posting this years ago, 10000 miles ago...where the ticking was going on, and then it was gone. Still comes and goes....isn't any worse now. Car still runs great.

Stop running mobil 1, lt1's dont like it. Actually had multiple valve tip failure's when using mobil 1 5w30 on my heads cam lt1 stuff.

[Pampered-Z]

It doesn't sound like you have actual located where the ticking is coming from. You really need to do that first! Either invest in a stethoscope or even holding a long screw driver ( handle to your ear, blade to the motor ) touching various spots on the edge of the value cover would help you zero in on where the noise might be coming from.

Figure out where the noise is coming from and what might be causing it before you start throwing parts at it.

LT1s are know for low oil pressure, so unless it's dropping below 15 at idle your probably OK.

Has the car always been run on Mobil1? Did you switch from standard to synthetic? You might have caused some slugged to break free and it's causing a clogged lifter and it's collapsing, why adjusting the values cure it slightly, slightly clogged oil pickup, or something to that effect.

Start by changing the oil and filter. 5W is too thin for an LT1.
Get the recommended GM filter, WIX are good too, but the GM at Walmart is probably cheaper. Don't use the other brands, that could be part of your issue, LT1s are odd with filters? Move up to slightly thicker oil 10-30 or 10/40. I would do changes ever 500 miles and see if it gets better.

Now this is way out of the box. But since you truly don't know what is causing it. Also check it's not an exhaust or EGR, Airpump fitting type leak. Very rare on later models by 93-94 had issues with breaking the exhaust manifold bolts ( drive side rear, pass side front ) or the air inlet check value stuck. Later models can have ERG/Check value failures and the can tick some times. Start the car and pass a strip of paper / dollar bill sized around the exhaust and fitting and see if you can detect a leak.

[97Formula]

Has the car always been run on Mobil1? Did you switch from standard to synthetic? You might have caused some slugged to break free and it's causing a clogged lifter and it's collapsing, why adjusting the values cure it slightly, slightly clogged oil pickup, or something to that effect.

Start by changing the oil and filter. 5W is too thin for an LT1.
Get the recommended GM filter, WIX are good too, but the GM at Walmart is probably cheaper. Don't use the other brands, that could be part of your issue, LT1s are odd with filters? Move up to slightly thicker oil 10-30 or 10/40. I would do changes ever 500 miles and see if it gets better.

I've been using Mobil 1 since 6000 miles. I've used K&N and Napa (WIX) filters, not a fan of the AC Delco PF454 as it is half the size of the K&N and Napa.

It's in the shop again as I've developed an even louder tick at 1900 rpm (no tick at idle, and the tick at 1900 gets quieter as it warms up). Still have cold oil pressure at 60 psi, warm/hot at 15-20 psi. They're gonna start diagnosing.

Also just found out my head gaskets are leaking! However the car never overheated, still running cool, etc. I asked the shop if they saw cross contamination with the oil/coolant they said no (oil looks normal, not milky, and is still full). So it looks like the block is coming out...

[LTb1ow]

Curious how you found a head gasket leak

[97Formula]

Curious how you found a head gasket leak

The shop showed me where one side the coolant was seeping out, the other side oil was seeping out.

Not seeing white smoke....

[97Formula]

This shop refuses to fix my engine too....so that is THREE shops that would rather just sell me a remanufactured engine!

Ok...TWO "shops" since one of them is a "dealer".

Picked the car up.....refusing the new engine (was offered Jasper or ATK).

Meanwhile, drove around for a little bit, and as mentioned before...the more I drive once at operating temps, the quieter it gets (to the point where the ticking is not really there anymore).

Now I'm wondering....could it be the head gaskets causing the noise when cold which quiets down when warm?

[3.4 grape of wrath]

Only one way to find out, do a compression check/ leak down test. If they are bad, replace and check if ticking noise is still there.

[97Formula]

OK I know it's been 2 months since I last checked in, as the whole virus thing started hitting hard in NJ putting pretty much everything on hold.

Just got the car back from the 6th shop. He said I had an exhaust leak (they smoke tested the exhaust and found the leak and fixed it). He also went over all the valves and found one or two a little tight so he readjusted all to spec.

I still have this ticking issue. The tick does not happen at all at idle, 1500 rpm, or above 2000 rpm. Right at 1800-1900 rpm is when the ticking happens. Even if I accelerate harder over 2000 rpm I still don't hear it.....just at that 1800-1900 rpm range.

He basically does not know what it is but thinks I'm worrying too much about it. I asked if he thinks it's the lifters, he says no cause they were "pumped" when he was doing the valves.

He changed the oil and did not find any metal shavings during the drain or in the filter (I had him strain the oil as it was drained and cut the filter open).

In the meantime, car runs and drives great (other than the 1900 rpm tick), still running strong, etc.

Here's a quick clip on the ticking...
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1IH1NgFaMkuXe86OWnPc-f3ubDChfDp29

[townsend]

automatic or t56?

[97Formula]

automatic or t56?

automatic

[97Formula]

he also checked the flexplate

[MyFirstZ]

Kind of concerned with the oil pressure issue myself more so then the ticking, definitely can go hand in hand.

If they do the oil change and switch to a 10-30 make sure there is no metal in your oil.

To me it sounds like the ticking more has to do with the pressure, i just dealt with similar pressure issues and found a spun main. good cold pressure, driving hot was fair but hot idle was around 10-15.

Hopefully not, but good luck

[97Formula]

Kind of concerned with the oil pressure issue myself more so then the ticking, definitely can go hand in hand.

If they do the oil change and switch to a 10-30 make sure there is no metal in your oil.

To me it sounds like the ticking more has to do with the pressure, i just dealt with similar pressure issues and found a spun main. good cold pressure, driving hot was fair but hot idle was around 10-15.

Hopefully not, but good luck

Already had him change the oil (no metal found in oil during drain or inside cut-open filter).

Ticking is there even with 50psi cold pressure...once again only at 1800-1900 rpm. Sounds completely normal at idle and any RPM range that is not 1800-1900 rpm.

Maybe it isn't the engine? Could it be tranny-related?

[97Formula]

Just got it back...turned out to be the lifters all along.

All good now!

[LTb1ow]

Nice!

Great to hear you solved it, right in time for some nice weather too.

Got any pictures of the old lifters?

[97Formula]

I dont have pics of the old lifters. They said they looked undamaged but one of them may have been bleeding off causing the tick.

I still have a very slight tick when cold but nowhere near what it was before the repairs.

Timing perfect for the weather....not so perfect during the quarantine (which made me not be in such a rush to get the car fixed....not going anywhere anyway).