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started making a ticking noise from the driver side valve cover area. under a load... and now more and more. sounds like that valve tick you get when your low on oil. Sound familiar? L98.
It's either a collapsed lifter or a rocker arm adjusting nut that's backing off - have you had the engine apart in the last little while?
My engine is ticking now and it gets louder as load/RPM increases. But I had the engine apart to change my head gaskets. I followed GMs suggested procedure to set my lifter preload, but for some reason I have to adjust my valve lash. Maybe it's the same in your case.
If you haven't had the engine apart in the last while, it's probably a collapsed or bad lifter. I'd suggest a quick engine flush to see if it solves the problem. Sometimes sludge gets into the lifter oil hole and it can keep it from 'plumping' up as oil pressure rises - an engine flush should clear that out if it is indeed the problem. If not, then you may have to replace one or more lifters.
If it only happens under load, it sounds like an exhaust leak. A lifter tick would not usually be dependent on load, only rpm/oil pressure. Check around your exhaust manifold: gasket, bolts, emissions connections, etc. Any leak there could easily sound like it's coming from the valve cover.
makes sense... probly is. F'n headers. I also think/know the alternator bearings are going... GREAT all in the same area.... nice for diagnostics. not.
If it only happens under load, it sounds like an exhaust leak. A lifter tick would not usually be dependent on load, only rpm/oil pressure. Check around your exhaust manifold: gasket, bolts, emissions connections, etc. Any leak there could easily sound like it's coming from the valve cover.
:iagree:
A lifter will be most noticeable at startup. An exhaust leak sounds like what you're describing. A mechanics stethoscope will really help pinpoint those kinds of noises.