Does your engine tick?
Racer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 347
Likes: 0
From: Chantilly VA
Can be the start of the old Piston Slap problem GM has had with their engines for years. I had one that had piston slap so bad it sounded like a diesel at start up then went away after about 30 seconds. lets hope that the LS3 doesnt have this as I have a 2008 with the new LS3! I hated it so bad after taking it to a Chevy dealer that I actually traded the Tahoe for a Ford Diesel Excursion! Im praying all is well with these engines!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 689
Likes: 47
Racer
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 303
Likes: 4
From: San Jose CA
I would have to agree here. I've had an LS1, 2 and now an LS3. They've all had the same sort of tick coming from the valve train. I can't say there's nothing wrong with yours, but it's very common to the LS motors. I do find it a bit annoying at times, but in my case, there's never been anything to fix.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,574
Likes: 167
From: Frederick, MD
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Hermitage Pennsylvania
My 2010 GS has a tick that was attributed to piston slap. It was almost unnoticeable until I had an Edelbrock E-Force supercharger installed. I was told that the OEM composite intake acts like a sound deadener. But the supercharger and its aluminum construction acts like a sound amplifier changing what was originally an almost unnoticeable sound into a racket while the engine is cold. As soon as it warms up, the noise is gone. GM is well aware of the issue because they have included "piston slap" tables in the engine control module. Go figure...............
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 8
From: Clearwater Florida
This might sound a little goofy, but...
I have owned a few motorcycles and when I would hear something out of the ordinary, I would listen to the motor with a modified stethescope.
Specifically, I removed the flat peice on the end (the thing that the doctor would place on your chest) and insert (screw) a long threaded bolt into the tube end.
Holding the bolt end against the engine in various areas allow's you to listen to specific areas of the engine. I have done this for years and it may not tell you exactly what is going on, but you can certainly hear where the noise is coming from.
I have owned a few motorcycles and when I would hear something out of the ordinary, I would listen to the motor with a modified stethescope.
Specifically, I removed the flat peice on the end (the thing that the doctor would place on your chest) and insert (screw) a long threaded bolt into the tube end.
Holding the bolt end against the engine in various areas allow's you to listen to specific areas of the engine. I have done this for years and it may not tell you exactly what is going on, but you can certainly hear where the noise is coming from.
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Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
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Motor oil manufacturers have been forced to reduce the quantity of extreme pressure antiwear additives (zinc dialkyldithiophosphate or ZDDP or ZDP depending on the publication) since the mid-2000's.
Since then, I've noticed the volume of ticking engine noise complaints here and on LS1Tech has shot up significantly.
Engineering publications and the API have stated that modern roller-lifter engines don't need the extra ZDDP.
I don't claim to be smarter than anybody with engineering credentials and a budget to test oil, but I also note that the only rationale for reducing these antiwear additives is preserving the catalytic converters. There has been no stated benefit to the engine wear components w/ the reduced ZDDP levels, nor has there been a stated risk (other than voiding warranty on a technicality) to using the previous spec quantities.
I find that cats are cheaper to replace than the camshaft and lifters...I also find that my LS6 is quiet using oil w/ the extra ZDDP in it.
Mobil-1 High Mileage 5W-30 has 1100 Zn and 1000 Ph according to Exxon-Mobil, and there's Red Line that has even more.
Since then, I've noticed the volume of ticking engine noise complaints here and on LS1Tech has shot up significantly.
Engineering publications and the API have stated that modern roller-lifter engines don't need the extra ZDDP.
I don't claim to be smarter than anybody with engineering credentials and a budget to test oil, but I also note that the only rationale for reducing these antiwear additives is preserving the catalytic converters. There has been no stated benefit to the engine wear components w/ the reduced ZDDP levels, nor has there been a stated risk (other than voiding warranty on a technicality) to using the previous spec quantities.
I find that cats are cheaper to replace than the camshaft and lifters...I also find that my LS6 is quiet using oil w/ the extra ZDDP in it.
Mobil-1 High Mileage 5W-30 has 1100 Zn and 1000 Ph according to Exxon-Mobil, and there's Red Line that has even more.
