Lifter noise!!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 280
Likes: 216
From: Massachusetts
Lifter noise!!
So in January I found and bought my C5. When I went to look at it I find out it had a cam, along with air intake and exhaust mods. I do some research on owning a car with a cam and find that some people cams regularly have the lifters checked for premature wear. I went to the local reputable speed shop that installed the cam and asked a million questions. They said it was a mild cam with mild lift and the lifters were hydraulic so I should never have an issue or need to routinely check the lifters.
Fast forward six months and 5,000 miles and now I have a tick. The car is babied. I've only launched it once out of curiousity and don't beat on it at all.
I'm pissed because I upgraded from a high mileage C4 to a lower mileaged C5 so I could do road trips with piece of mind.
Does anyone have any advise to offer beyond me obviously having the tick checked? Sounds like a loud lifter. Any ideas on what else it could be or other things to do while I have it apart?
Fast forward six months and 5,000 miles and now I have a tick. The car is babied. I've only launched it once out of curiousity and don't beat on it at all.
I'm pissed because I upgraded from a high mileage C4 to a lower mileaged C5 so I could do road trips with piece of mind.
Does anyone have any advise to offer beyond me obviously having the tick checked? Sounds like a loud lifter. Any ideas on what else it could be or other things to do while I have it apart?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
Could be a rocker as they are known to have issues and can spit out the needle bearings. I would check for that first as opposed to suspecting a worse case failure. A cam and stiffer valve springs also will put additional stress on the rockers, so that may be a good place to start.
Do you have any more specific information on what was installed during the cam swap?
Cam, lifter, timing chain, etc?
Do you have any more specific information on what was installed during the cam swap?
Cam, lifter, timing chain, etc?
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 15,685
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From: Machineguns, because I don’t compromise
As a test..... -without changing your oil, just put a little Lucas oil treatment in it. That will thicken it up a little and if your noise is greatly reduced.... then you know oil pressure is the issue.
I had the same problem on an LS1 I used to have. Turned out the Mobil oil was getting thin and when I changed the oil to Castrol noise was gone. That experience has never left me, maybe that's why I use Castrol synthetic in everything I own ever since then.
Lucas is a cheap way to narrow one possibility out and it's something you can do yourself.
I had the same problem on an LS1 I used to have. Turned out the Mobil oil was getting thin and when I changed the oil to Castrol noise was gone. That experience has never left me, maybe that's why I use Castrol synthetic in everything I own ever since then.
Lucas is a cheap way to narrow one possibility out and it's something you can do yourself.
Last edited by ~Josh; Jul 14, 2017 at 03:44 PM. Reason: Splelling
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 280
Likes: 216
From: Massachusetts
Update... Got out of work to take it to the speed shop that did the original motor work on it.
Rockers are good. I broke a lifter on the passenger side. Luckily I'm camping next week on vacation and wasn't gonna be around to drive it anyway. Should get it back early the week after. Upgrading cam and some other stuff while I'm at it.
Rockers are good. I broke a lifter on the passenger side. Luckily I'm camping next week on vacation and wasn't gonna be around to drive it anyway. Should get it back early the week after. Upgrading cam and some other stuff while I'm at it.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Glad you caught it!
in the future if you get the typical LSx lifter noise switch to 10/30 dino oil, quiets it up big time.
When I used syn it could occasionally sound so bad I thought it was coming apart. lol
in the future if you get the typical LSx lifter noise switch to 10/30 dino oil, quiets it up big time.
When I used syn it could occasionally sound so bad I thought it was coming apart. lol
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 280
Likes: 216
From: Massachusetts
I’m stepping up cams based on speedshop recommendation. I had a Comp Cam, 223 I think. Mild cam. I believe he’s going up to a 270. I’m getting all the specs Monday. The only thing I remember from the estimate is that it’s getting LS7 lifters.
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,724
Likes: 23
From: Minnesota
Interesting. I didn't think of running standard oil. The only reason the corvette requires synthetic is to aid in cooling the engine better. The LS1 in the Camaro and firebirds don't require synthetic oil.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Its the only thing that worked, bought it new. There was a bulletin on it no fix, design flaw I guess.
Dino oil seems to have more "cushion" to it. 179k on it still healthy and did NOT live an easy life up to about 60k mi.
Matter of fact, I started using the cheap store brand oil but still buy Wix filters..I think the whole oil thing although some merit to it is way overblown.
Have a 60s era car with a stout solid roller motor noticed the same thing, it gets dino oil too now (not cheap stuff but would probably survive fine).
Dino oil seems to have more "cushion" to it. 179k on it still healthy and did NOT live an easy life up to about 60k mi.
Matter of fact, I started using the cheap store brand oil
but still buy Wix filters..I think the whole oil thing although some merit to it is way overblown.Have a 60s era car with a stout solid roller motor noticed the same thing, it gets dino oil too now (not cheap stuff but would probably survive fine).
Last edited by cv67; Jul 23, 2017 at 01:20 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 6,528
Likes: 1,939
From: Folsom CA
It was already mentioned but you said the engine was honed when you freshened it up. Forged pistons can be noisy on start up if the engine is built loose.
If yours was honed it is loose compared to the first build. You might be hearing piston slap although Piston Slap would be all 8 pistons slapping and makes a pretty fast clicking noise that goes away as soon as they heat up and grow a little.
It would not sound like one lifter making noise.
If yours was honed it is loose compared to the first build. You might be hearing piston slap although Piston Slap would be all 8 pistons slapping and makes a pretty fast clicking noise that goes away as soon as they heat up and grow a little.
It would not sound like one lifter making noise.