What is up with this engine noise?!
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Kali
St. Jude Donor '11
What is up with this engine noise?!
I actually recorded the sound in a wav. file but photobucket doesn't allow uploads of that. So I'll have to describe it...
My Vette is a 2002 coupe with right below 20k miles. It has had 3 oil changes, I believe the last one was with Mobil 1 10w30 at around 15,700 miles by the previous owner.
The damn thing sounds like a sewing mashine at points. I checked the oil level several times and it looks alright. It is not a loud sound but it just doesn't sound right?! Car performs just fine with no difference from when I first got it not to long ago.
And no the car doesn't have a cam installed to my knowledge. Computer shows 44% oil life left.
Any hints about what could be up with the car? I really hope the engine isn't showing me signs of crapping out
.
I got Mobil 1 5W30 and a mobil 1 oil filter ready to go.
My Vette is a 2002 coupe with right below 20k miles. It has had 3 oil changes, I believe the last one was with Mobil 1 10w30 at around 15,700 miles by the previous owner.
The damn thing sounds like a sewing mashine at points. I checked the oil level several times and it looks alright. It is not a loud sound but it just doesn't sound right?! Car performs just fine with no difference from when I first got it not to long ago.
And no the car doesn't have a cam installed to my knowledge. Computer shows 44% oil life left.
Any hints about what could be up with the car? I really hope the engine isn't showing me signs of crapping out
.I got Mobil 1 5W30 and a mobil 1 oil filter ready to go.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,154
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From: Kali
St. Jude Donor '11
Hmm I just wanted to add to this... Changed the oil to 5W30 M1 with M1 filter.
What does piston slap sound like?
In the morning my car sounds just fine... I heard that piston slap is most present then.
I drove my car around pretty hard the other day, and when I pulled up to a stop light, I certainly heard what sounded like a LOT of valve noise... ticking etc. This is not always present
. Sometimes it is there and sometimes it isn't odd. It is loud enough where say my mom who is car illeterate would ask me what is wrong with the car?!
What does piston slap sound like?
In the morning my car sounds just fine... I heard that piston slap is most present then.
I drove my car around pretty hard the other day, and when I pulled up to a stop light, I certainly heard what sounded like a LOT of valve noise... ticking etc. This is not always present
. Sometimes it is there and sometimes it isn't odd. It is loud enough where say my mom who is car illeterate would ask me what is wrong with the car?!
Last edited by max'svette; May 29, 2007 at 12:25 PM.
Pro
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 738
Likes: 67
From: Wichita Kansas
FedEx Bowl 4 St. Jude '09
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14
Mine is the same way.. Sometimes I have a tick sound I can hear from the drivers seat, then when I go to pop hood to track it down, I cant find anything.. Due to the fact I don't have it all the time, I figured it could be something other than valve train, So I started replacing belts and pulleys, thought I fixed it.. nope still have it, I am not so sure its not the bearing in the alternator, By the way mine is a 99 Convertible with around 50K miles on it. Car runs great just this occasional tick drives me nuts..
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,154
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From: Kali
St. Jude Donor '11
If it was really subdued it would be ok with me. I think it is present about 10% of the time. It really sounds abnormal... I have no power loss, really clean oil, clean coolant. Car has 21,250 miles on it now... I know I am probably going nuts, but I have owned MANY cars and none had any noises that were even close to this one.... just doesn't sound right.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 270
Likes: 1
From: Springfield OH
You can try tracking the noise location with an mechanics stethoscope.
for example: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=41966
I used one to isolate a nasty sound to a bad lifter on the passenger side.
for example: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=41966
I used one to isolate a nasty sound to a bad lifter on the passenger side.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 71
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From: Clemmons NC
Tick Tick Tick.....True Story
Chevrolet issued some service updates a couple years ago. It seems the small block can become noisy due to carbon build up. I poured a can of "top engine cleaner " in the new oil and ran the car hard for a few weeks. Now this part will make some people cringe, but, they also recommended using a lower octane fuel for about 500 miles. I know this sounds like bull, but the ticking subsided to zero within about 1 month. This happened to a 99 I owned a few years ago. True story!! The car always ran fine before and after, but it sounded horrible.This may not relate to your car , but the small block of today can make some odd sounds. Good luck with yours.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 9,298
Likes: 4
From: American Canyon Lethal Injection
Is it stock? If the cam was changed or injectors..headers can change the valve train noise quite a bit. If this is the case you may want to do as many others are doing anc change the lifters to the Cadilla Racing Lifters. It's reported that those lifters will make the lifters much quieter. My $.02
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