Morning Startup Ticking
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Miami Florida
Morning Startup Ticking
I have a 2001 C5 with the 5.7 liter 350 hp V8 (of course). Every morning when I start up, there is a ticking sound that persists for about 1 minute. There is no impact on performance, but the ticking sound is distracting. Does anyone out there have the same issue ? Should I worry ?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,855
Likes: 0
Re: Morning Startup Ticking (byates)
We had a post about this a while back where guys all over the country including me were curious. It seemed to have started when the weather got cooler, most of us think its the lifters rattling until the oil warms and thins and lets the lifters pump up. I am talking to Crane in Miami about some of their competition roller hdy lifters. After warm up the sound probably goes away and no one seems to have suffered damage at this point.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 8,205
Likes: 40
From: Tucson AZ
Re: Morning Startup Ticking (byates)
Hi! Welcome to the Forum. The sound you hear is probably the lifters before they are fully pumped up, and that is normal for the Vette. It could be the fuel injectors too, or the pistons, but I would bet on the lifters. Are you using 5W-30 oil? If not, give that a try, as it often helps. Enjoy the car! :smash: :) Not a problem unless it gets worse.
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: New Britain CT
Re: Morning Startup Ticking (byates)
What you hear is what many LS1's have, it's piston slap. It's in the number 1 cylinder. The bore is just slightly bigger than the ring of the piston so the piston kinda rattles in the cylinder. It's not bad to have piston slap and it's quite common. The reason it gos away after a minute or so is because the piston gets warm and it expands, kinda taking care of the minimal overbore. No need to worry about it, but if it does get louder see if GM will replace your motor under warranty. I have heard of people getting mew motor's in F-bodies due to piston slap after owners made their voices quite heard. GM has corrected the problem starting in '02 with the tighter rings in the LS6 motor, which rumor has it is the same block for the LS1 in '02 and up.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,613
Likes: 0
From: Winston Salem NC
Re: Morning Startup Ticking (Markolc81)
Mine is an 03' and it makes the ticking sound which goes away after a few minutes. It really sounds like lifters. If the piston slap problems been solved for late models it must be the cold weather and the oil and lifters needing to warm up.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Re: Morning Startup Ticking (jfpilla)
I was just about to post about this. When i start my car in the garage i can hear it especially since it echo's from being in the garage but then goes away after the car warms up.
I thought it was an exhaust leak because i had a small crack in my air tube. Got the air tube welded and stil the same sound.
Interesting, all these sounds we have to deal with :(
Frank
I thought it was an exhaust leak because i had a small crack in my air tube. Got the air tube welded and stil the same sound.
Interesting, all these sounds we have to deal with :(
Frank
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Drifting
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,809
Likes: 0
From: Post Falls ID
Re: Morning Startup Ticking (byates)
I'd bet its either the lifters or fuel injectors...they sound very similar. And if it is the lifters and your not using 5w30 Mobil One or EQ then switch back to the 5w30...10w30 takes a little longer to get through all the small passages.
Mine ticked on start-up with 10w30 but doesn't make a sound with the 5w30.
Mine ticked on start-up with 10w30 but doesn't make a sound with the 5w30.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 652
Likes: 3
From: Salisbury MD.
Re: Morning Startup Ticking (byates)
The cure may be simple. Stainless steele headers against alum headers! Tighten your headers bolts when the motor is warm, mine went away. Hope this works for you. C5JIM :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 7,758
Likes: 0
From: Fort Worth Texas
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: Morning Startup Ticking (byates)
While many of the responses here regarding piston slap, and lifter pump up issues are good possibilities, I have seen situations described exactly like yours that a de-carbonization process has fixed. Sounds like a valve train ticking sound, but its actually carbon in the combustion chamber lighting off prematurly giving the ticking sound until the engine warms up.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 6,744
Likes: 1
From: delmont pa
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Morning Startup Ticking (byates)
there is a TSB about a cut "O" ring on the oil pump pickup that will cause this problem. TSB # 02-06-01-038 :chevy
Racer
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 265
Likes: 0
From: Levelland, TX USA
Re: Morning Startup Ticking (byates)
My question is, how many of you have the noise only once in a while? Mine has only done it a few times. Other times, it's quiet. Would seem to me that things like piston slap would occur on all cold start-ups. I'm thinking that if it's intermittent that it's more likely to be lifters or injectors.
