I've heard some say that higher spring rates are tough on the oem lifters, causing them to bleed down a bit faster, creating noise. Along those lines, less preload means more oil cushion and reduces noise slightly.

Could be bs, but it worked for me.

 

Here ya go. Car is warmed up pretty good hear. The passenger side sounds the same way with the drivers side being just a little noisier.

 

I guess something in cylinder 1 is happening. You could test you coils or swap one from the back up front see if that makes a difference. Check the wires see what’s happening with that. Check the valves. If those are good, then maybe it’s just to much spring and not enough cam (dual coils) beehives @.600 would have been sufficient. I run dual coils on my boosted car. Either way you might be in for taking off that head and see what’s going. I’m curious why you just replaced the springs / /rocker bushings/ push rods. We’re new seals added? If not you might want to refer back to what bill was saying just my thoughts on it. That car video sounds like something is gonna break soon.

 

Sounds that bad huh? What would swapping coils do? It sounds like that on both sides of the motor but I think the drivers side is a tad louder, maybe.. when the cam was installed the heads were pulled and the shop didn’t say anything about it... I did do new seals, they came with the package. Maybe you are correct on too much spring but even when my motor was stock it was a bit noisy so idk

 

Good luck hope some more people chime in with their thoughts on it. What’s the shops out put on it? I would have not drove the car off the lot coming back sounding that way. Nope no way. Last time my car sounded like that i had broke spring. Even after the fix I had a small lifter or rocker tick until for about 10 seconds after start up. I’ve since done a ton of work. But with the new /lifters and heads/i reused the rockers/rail/bolts. It’s smooth very quiet. That’s my experience with this ls1 so far.

 

Me too. I don’t think anything is wrong to where it’s going to cause catastrophic failure, I hope, but I would really really like to quieten the sewing machine noise down. The shop that did the work didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong.

 

Like I said I have almost the exact set up with the same valve springs, so I dont think its the springs. Jmo

 

So yours is pretty quiet? Maybe the headers I have are just extra bad for amplifying noise?! I don’t see why they would be any louder than others though they are at 304 stainless steel ceramic coated

 

What headers are you running?

If you haven't yet, check for exhaust leaks. Check the block-off plate for the AIR pump inlet, the flange along the head, and down by the collector where the header meets the x-pipe.

 

I’m curious do you still have your stock springs? If you have the time maybe you could swap the springs back or pick up a set of single coil beehives for like 60-70 bucks use whatever tool for swapping the springs. You can do this without removing the head be careful not to drop a valve. I tied some string at the top of mine so they didn’t drop. There’s a ton of write ups on it also here. Maybe pick up a set of some noise canceling head phones ?????

 

JBA long tubes mated to a Magnaflow xpipe. I’ve checked for leaks everywhere, replaced the header gaskets, checked the connection at the collectors, replaced the AIR tube gaskets, all of that. When I took the metal GM gaskets off there were obvious signs of leaking but I used Percy’s aluminum seal-for-good gaskets and no change.
Still have the stock springs but idk about putting them back in. Damn car had terrible sewing machine noise with everything in the motor stock and just having long tubes.

 

Yes, when I installed the LS7 lifters u can barely hear them now compared to the stock. Like I side it's a hit or miss with these lifters. I guess I got lucky. I have kooks headers.

 

This is what I would do. Assess my spark to the coils plugs/wires. You would be surprised what a noise bad spark or a mixed up wire will do. After I’ve done that to my best of ability I would pull the springs off and replace, inspecting all my rocker bolts. This would be a good to to inspect your push rods are seating right. Maybe the lifters weren’t installed right and the chatter you hear is cam to roller lifter chatter. We’re the lifters oiled before installing? Mine came in a bag pre lubed. It was a good tight fit as well with new lifter trays. If my memory serves me right they should be installed in the tray before inserting they click slightly Same with the push rods you can feel a slight click when installed. Depends how much effort/time/money/knowledge you got to fiddle around if your gonna fix the issue. If non of what I mentioned worked. Well I for sure would have shelled out money for nothing and just go back and do it my self. I wouldn’t be able to handle that noise I would my cool for sure. All boils down to what you want to do and how far your willing to go on fixing it. A rocker arm upgrade might be of consideration. Maybe a set new heads and eat the loss. Either way your bound to find out if it’s up top or down below in the lifters /cam you gonna have to turn some wrenches in order to cure it. Timing could be a issue. How’s the oil level and oil I know it’s stupid question but I could see if the oil was low or used up you could get some noise! Poor octane levels? Are you running 85 ? These cars don’t like 85 or 87 too much. 91 or 93 might lessen the noise up. Maybe after a few miles these ls are known to blow oil into your head if your not running a catch can and will lubricate the springs up and the noise will fall out on its own. It’s a long shot but maybe. My bad for long the post buts it’s hard to guess what happening. The only way really is to grab the bull by the horns and get ir done.

 

After listening to the video with headphones...I'm really not sure the noise is much worse than my car. I'll have to attempt a video to compare.

Might just be the way things are when you're running a high lift cam and heavy springs on OEM lifters.

 

I’ll make a video and you can see what a difference it is cars on the lift right now getting me wideband in. Along a with a few other goodies.

 

As far as checking rockers, pushrods, and pretty much everything other than pulling the heads it has been checked. I even had the rockers removed to swap trunnion kits then reinstalled, no changed. Idk if the lifters were oil soaked prior to installing. I’ve done everything within my knowledge as far as turning wrenches to find the issue, that’s why I’m seeking opinions from the forum because I’m pretty desperate at this point and even considering selling the car. As far as gas/oil I only run 93 octane and I have fresh Pennzoil platinum 5w30 6 1/2 qts in there. Also I do have a catch can.
Ok I would appreciate that.
Gotcha. Thanks I appreciate it

 

I agree with Detroit the springs are to heavy for your mods. Down grade to a regular beehive @.600 think it will fix your issue.

 

Here's my car (excuse the mess, I'm just about to clean it up)...just took this after my drive home. Everything up to temp, Oil hot (200), etc...the fans turn on and mask it a bit at some point. Shot on my phone (pixel 3a), so quality really isn't great...I think the noise is a bit more noticeable in person.

Noise is most prevalent from the bottom, and you can hear it when I go down to the ground.

This is improved over where I started by running less preload and Mobil 1 0w40.

 

I got a belt squeak from wet belt but that’s about it that will be gone today after a few miles.

 

Very smoothe, minus the belt lol