Hey guys, so last night I took my car out and I got on it a little bit a few times and after one pull, I started hearing what sounded like lifters tapping. Now I'm no pushrod guy or even a Chevy guy as far as motor knowledge and what's normal or common so I'm looking for advice.

When it happened, I came into a parking lot and heard it from inside the car, when idling. It was pretty loud, at first I thought maybe it was an exhaust leak because the headers to mid pipe is slip on (old TPiS design) but then I got out and popped the hood and it was coming from passenger side of the motor, a few other guys who are fairly familiar with ls engines said it definitely sounded like a lifter. It was a little cold outside temperature wise and the car was hot but not over heating or anything like that. Car ran fine, and as the rpms got higher, the noise did not get louder. It was at idle and low rpms, so either the exhaust drowned it out or just went away when driving.

I let the car cool down as we hung out, maybe and hour later, started the car up and no noise. Then I drove home. This morning I moved the car into the driveway and nothing. Oil level is good, running 5w30 Mobil one. And now the noise is completely gone. But I haven't driven it today besides moving it to the top of the driveway

So assuming what we heard was lifters, did it get too hot and maybe the oil thinned out? What would cause the lifters to make the type writer/tapping noise and then stop when it cools down? Should I expect it to happen anytime it's hot. Really just looking for any advice because once I saw the heads need to come off to change the lifters, I automatically think I should do heads/cam over the winter and all valve train components to be safe and avoid problems, although my wallet won't agree with that choice lol

The car is bolt on's with a cam, unknown specs because I bought it used. So I really don't know what was replaced when the cam was done, springs, retainers? Not sure what he did. Sorry for the long post, trying to give all the basics so you guys know the situation, any help is appreciated.

 

Sounds like a lifter temporarily collapsed and then pumped back up again. If it were a bent pushrod or mechanical damage the noise would remain. Is the oil level correct? Too much oil can cause foaming.

Not sure which M-1 oil you are using, but the High-Mileage version is slightly higher viscosity and I wonder if that would help prevent this from happening again.

 

Yes the oil level was correct, and I'm using the standard full synthetic Mobil one.

 

Not any help for your tick, but this is a common thread on this site and ls1tech. Lots of complaints about valve train noise.

 

We had a C5 come in last week from a customer and sounded like a lifter was bad, only when it warmed up. We started pulling the plugs and one of them was loose. This was the ticking noise we were hearing and it sounded just like a lifter.

 

My car sounds "clicky" every once in a while, especially when it's cold, but it eventually goes away. (and NO, it's not the "piston slap", I know THAT sound.....)

 

The valve train in this car is definitely loud, combined with some injector noise too, but this was not a normal noise. It was loud, I may be paranoid but don't want it to fail and cause my motor to go with it. I will definitely check the plugs, I hope it's just that simple lol.

 

Anything I can check or do to avoid this from happening? Right now I'm a little scared to even go wot in fear it will fail on me. So right now it's ok, but I won't drive it hard. Aside from pulling the heads and replacing them, I'm not really sure if I have any other options. It's hard to diagnose when it's not making the noise, but I also don't want it to come back lol

 

Basic question....how is the car running? If you have a collapsed lifter, it adds quite a bit of clearance in that valve(s) operation, so the car would be running pretty rough. Is it?

 

No the car ran fine, that's why I'm confused. It ran fine when it was making the noise, and it runs fine now that it's quiet again (as quiet as the valve train can be)

So it made a real loud tapping/type writer/sewing machine noise, however you want to describe it but it wasn't normal. I at first though exhaust leak because it kind of had that ticking sound, but after getting out and listening it definitely was valve train related. I don't want it to happen again, but drivability was fine. Oil level was fine and maybe 1500 miles on the oil change. Multiple WOT and redline runs including getting dyno tuned. So it's not like the first time I got on it after an oil change

 

I know it seems TOO simple but, the next time it does it take an old broom handle and START searching for the source of the TICK... it's AMAZING how accurately you can pin point a noise coming from "somewhere" in you engine... just try it... one ear on the handle, and place the other end on various places and parts on the engine... injectors, water pump, alternator, valve covers, etc.... keep searching till you find it

 

Lol I've never heard of using a broom stick, screw driver or stethoscope but not a broom stick.

I plan on searching for it if the noise comes back, it happened when I was out, overwhelmed at the time I turned it off and let it sit. Noise was gone. So maybe I'm being paranoid but I just don't want it to fail and cause bigger problems.

 

Rocker arm related?

If for no other reason than cheap insurance, I would at least do a trunnion upgrade.

 

Do lifters normally fail with a cam? I know anything is possible, but I feel like nobody does lifters with a cam. Maybe it was something else in the valve train and I'm just assuming lifter

 

I'd be nervous too, but your kinda just shooting in the dark unless it happens again and you can pin point it... could be a number of things that make a ticking sound... hope it does it again and you can find it, hopefully it's not too serious and won't take anything else out with it
Good luck

 

That's the problem, I'm shooting in the dark with the noise gone now... The only way for me to hear it again means something is wrong so I'm kinda screwed. Hope for the best because there is no way to know what was making the noise without hearing it again. But if I go WOT and it happens, I just don't want it to cause a lot of damage, worst case blowing the motor.

 

I would carry a good quality stethoscope in the car so you will have it if the noise comes back.

 

May The Force be with you........

 

When was the last time the valve springs were changed? You might be losing control of the valve train and hammering the lifters.

 

Do you know if the heads were pulled? If so, and new pushrods were added, preload could be the issue. If they sized the pushrods on the short end of the spec, when the engine gets really hot, aluminum expands, and could reduce lifter preload by as much as 0.01" putting the preload out of spec. The GM spec is anywhere from 0.05 to 0.1" of preload. However, most people recommend 0.08 to 0.09 preload for the quietest valvetrain.

On the other hand, they could have just re-used the stock ls1 lifters which aren't the greatest with an aftermarket cam especially when the miles start to build up.

Could also have had some sort of contaminant in the lifter that caused it to stick, and you may never see the problem again.

I wouldn't worry about it unless it happens again.

Is this an LS1 or LS6? year?