Wanted some opinions on this noise. Has done this for the 5 months I’ve owned it. But seems like it is lasting a little longer now than before. It goes away after it’s warmed up and driven for a few minutes. No loss of power. No misfire. No leaks. Initially I was thinking it was the typical LS1 piston slap. Now I’m a bit concerned lifter or low end.. hard to tell but because it isn’t showing any other issues. I’ve been told by several C5 owners that this is just part of it and theirs has done this for years. It really sounds like the typical LS slap to me but I’m only one set of ears. What are your thoughts?

https://youtube.com/shorts/vgdYkIV5QZE?feature=share

 

So it actually is now not going away after driving. Just getting much much quieter

 

Hard to tell from my phone. If you get lower with your microphone is the noise louder under the car at the oil pan? Seemed to get louder when you put your phone by the tires. So place the phone under the car or lift it and listen at the oil pan If it's louder. If so it could be a rod bearing.

If it's valves or rocker slop it would sound more metallic and at the top of the engine. Best heard with the hood popped and listen at the valve covers.

 

thank you. I went driving for about 25 minutes and it completely disappeared when I parked at the gas station. Then when I got home I parked it, no sound until about three or four minutes after parked and idling.. Then it was very noticeably a tick sound from only the passenger side of the hood. Nothing from driver side. I’m thinkin lifters. I don’t understand how it could be rod due to the fact it isn’t faster paced, it isn’t that loud at all after driving for a bit (barely noticeable), no metal in my oil, no oil pressure issues. It honestly sounds exactly like a piston slap but it doesn’t completely go away anymore. Trying to wrap my head around this has been tough.

 

Do you know if the original oil pump is in your car? Maybe you have the defective o-ring issue that is causing the oil to aireate when oil is cold and thick which causes excessive lifter noise?

 

it’s stock as far as I know. I got it confirmed today by a performance shop here in austin that cylinder 6 and 8 have collapsed lifters and said a rebuild is inevitable. Just wondering what a reasonable price for this would be. They said stock for stock something like $7k for full out rebuild. But since they’re in there I kind of want to go mild cam, push rods, headers etc.. like actually do it.. said something like 10-11.

 

How did they determine the engine needed a complete rebuild and not just the lifters replaced? They pulled the pan and found metal, and they pulled the heads then checked the camshaft for damage?

$7k for a "complete rebuild seems to be a common shop quote these days. What comes with this "complete rebuild" and how sure are you they won't do the lifters and sell you your own parts back and charge you labor?

 

This is exactly why I come to this forum for advice.

They determined that the lifters do in fact (6 & 8) need to be replaced. Just as I had suspected. However, I misspoke in my post stating that a “rebuild is inevitable”.. they said that a lifter job is needed at the least. I said rebuild is the way to go if it is going to be broken down that far. 100% my words as I feel if they’re getting that deep I might as well do it all. And if they were to just do a lifter job, at this point, I feel something else is just going to go wrong afterwards (based on the bs I’ve dealt with thus far) and I might as well just do it all to avoid any other issues (that I’m sure will come up) if I don’t. My experience with this corvette so far has been nothing less than an absolute struggle and I’m on the fence about doing a here n there repair on it. At this point I could have gotten a much newer with much less mileage car and I’m getting pissed to be honest. There’s clearly nothing keeping me from knowing if they would do such a thing besides they have a good reputation and I hope for the best. I’m not a f***** mechanic as much as I wanted to learn to become one. I didn’t expect all of this so quickly with such a deep hole but now I’m here and if I sell the car I will absolutely lose my ***, at least 15 grand. So not sure what else I’m supposed to do.

All I wanted was a great handling car and some speed. Emmons Auto plex in webster Texas hid an obvious issue with this car and I bought it. They clearly hid the massive oil leak it had along with this clearly long winded lifter issue and although I know what a healthy motor sounds like, they SPECIFICALLY took measure to hide the fact that it had major issues and now I’m sitting here regretting purchasing it although I had no way to know due to their dishonest and immoral practices. And I’m so deep into it now, why not keep going and just restore it. I just want the car I dreamed of having for 20 years. If I sell it, I won’t have the ability to get another one and even if I did, who’s to say some shady piece of **** won’t pull the same bs that they did and I’ll be right back where I am.

I put the nice new wheels and tires on her I did the harmonic balancer, new idler pulley, pads, Corsa catback.. and after months I FINALLY get her back and this shows up. This is the exact reason I didn’t ever buy my car and it’s pretty much been worst case scenario. And I just feel stupid when I ask for help. The c5 was my fathers favorite car of all time and I wanted to experience it in a positive way. So far it’s been absolutely nothing but stress

 

Don't let this setback spoil or soil the pleasure of owning and driving a C5. They are great cars with great reliability and performance potential. The one you have may be tired and need a few things but all is never lost. I've owned 3 of them. Still have my first one I bought brand new and I myself blew 2 separate motors.

Lifter failure is a common issue with these cars. It's a GM short fall. The lifter r&r should cost you around $2k-$2,500. It's not much of a nut and it's surely less than $7k to $11k.

I've gone the whole forged rebuild route and procharger. So I get the desire to have a rocket ship. But if you are mostly into a great handling, well balanced, reliable street car...do the lifters and see how you feel afterwards. If you aren't satisfied sell it. This way you don't take a bath and you have a nice chunk of change to purchase a different one.

 

Post script...and NEVER feel stupid asking for help. These forums were created for that specific purpose.

Just remember to speak facts and not emotions or assumptions when seeking help. Facts get you answers emotions and assumptions get you BS responses, or flamed, both not helpful.

 

Totally agree with Johnny. Especially the part about feeling stupid. Nobody here knew what 1+1 was when they were born. Life is a learning experience. The day you stop learning is the day you're dead. The C5 is a great car, with a few little electrical gremlins that occasionally throw you a curve. The LS engines are noted for excellent power capabilities. But they're also noted for having excellent reliability. Learn as you go, and someday you'll return the favor of helping out someone else.......

 

Thank you for your input man I appreciate that a lot. Do you think doing a rebuild would be worth it? I’m already so into it it’s kinda like either I do that (or just lifters I guess) or sell it and lose my ***