When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I was was battling exhaust smell in the compartment that i could not figure out. I put a carbon dioxide detector in the car and that thing started screaming.This was my DD i had 40 miles each way, to work, so in the winter when temps went under 30 i had open and close the window when the detector went. then when it stopped rolled back up.
My neighbor helped me put it back together after clutch change. he asked me what wrench i used i told six inch. Right away he started ripping on me i told him i cracked the **** out the them.. Bolts from header to x pipe. Sure and behold used 10 inch and they felt like i did not crack them down. Don't need detector any more.
My point is if u had an exh leak from header up you would smell it. Just my experience. You are one off the unlucky one with this stupid valve train noise.
U properly feel no confidence riding that car hard that suck.
I do smell a pretty strong exhaust smell when I first crank the car on a cold motor but I believe that’s normal. After it’s warmed up I don’t smell an exhaust leak and if I do have a small leak somewhere it’s definitely not bad enough to where I smell it in the cab while driving.
I agree though I believe I am chasing a ghost and most likely will never find the source of this noise and although it does make me feel uncomfortable to drive it hard I guess if there is something wrong then eventually it will show itself. Hopefully it won’t be at a point that requires a rebuild or anything
If you pull the rod attachment off a mechanic’s stethoscope then you have a precise way to trace the engine. An exhaust leak is especially easy to locate that way. You mentioned a home built version. Why not buy one, they are cheap and work well.
If you pull the rod attachment off a mechanic’s stethoscope then you have a precise way to trace the engine. An exhaust leak is especially easy to locate that way. You mentioned a home built version. Why not buy one, they are cheap and work well.
I actually have one and I’ve used it several times and tried like hell to pinpoint it but no luck. I don’t really wanna have to do this but I believe I’m going to get the motor hot to the point it starts ticking then remove the valve cover and start the car again and put the stethoscope on the rocker bolts of cylinder five and seven, that should tell me a lot
Ok guys one last video and I’m done. You can clearly hear the ticking on this one, coming from cylinder 1. I’ve verified that it is not coming from any pulley’s, the intake or any injectors...Again this is with new lifters, pushrods and CHE trunnions, all stock. Also I checked the manifold bolts and they are all torqued to 18ft lbs....oil level is full... any suggestions where to go next? I’m at a loss....
sounds normal to me? if anything, the header bolts can be tight enough and the gasket can be bad.....
maybe an issue with a valve spring? did you pull the springs and check for play in the valve guides?
guessing over the internet can be tough.... good luck!
Yes very hard over the internet but I figured there were a lot of trained ears on here and surely someone has had this same tick with a resolution.
None of the springs are broken I know that for sure but the valve guides are one thing I haven’t personally checked, mainly because I don’t know how to. The shop that pulled my heads and put the lifters in should have noticed something, I would hope, if there was an issue with any of them.... but then again they may have missed something. Kind of sounds to me like a valve not seating correctly...
Last edited by bwill03z; May 19, 2021 at 09:03 AM.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
2019 C6 of Year Winner (track prepared)
Originally Posted by bwill03z
I actually have one and I’ve used it several times and tried like hell to pinpoint it but no luck. I don’t really wanna have to do this but I believe I’m going to get the motor hot to the point it starts ticking then remove the valve cover and start the car again and put the stethoscope on the rocker bolts of cylinder five and seven, that should tell me a lot
Don't try running the engine without the valve cover as it'll spew oil everywhere.
Couple other things to try/examine:
Using just the hose part of the stethoscope is a better way of finding an exhaust leak. You can also use an ordinary rubber vacuum hose too. With the engine running move the hose around each of the exhaust ports to listen for a distinctive puff sound. I once discovered that what I would have sworn was a bad lifter was nothing more than a tiny gap around one of the exhaust flanges.
Also, since you're already planning on pulling the valve covers I would make sure the rocker arms were all installed correctly as this happened to a friend of mine. The LS3 uses offset rocker arms on the intake valves so make sure they're all installed correctly. I would do that on both sides just to be safe given how deceiving noises like this can be.
Don't try running the engine without the valve cover as it'll spew oil everywhere.
Couple other things to try/examine:
Using just the hose part of the stethoscope is a better way of finding an exhaust leak. You can also use an ordinary rubber vacuum hose too. With the engine running move the hose around each of the exhaust ports to listen for a distinctive puff sound. I once discovered that what I would have sworn was a bad lifter was nothing more than a tiny gap around one of the exhaust flanges.
Also, since you're already planning on pulling the valve covers I would make sure the rocker arms were all installed correctly as this happened to a friend of mine. The LS3 uses offset rocker arms on the intake valves so make sure they're all installed correctly. I would do that on both sides just to be safe given how deceiving noises like this can be.
Well after spending a lot of time tightening plugs/manifold bolts and probing with a stethoscope I am 100% sure this noise is valvetrain. Now, I just have to figure out what and why. I don’t feel like it’s lifter related, I think it’s either a damaged cam lobe, rocker or a valve issue. Seems like it’s a clearance issue because the motor is very smooth and quiet on a cold start but becomes noisy when warm. If it were a damaged lobe on a cam wouldn’t it most likely still be noisy when cold?
maybe it’s a valve guide problem? One other thing, could it be possible one of the rockers on that cylinder needs a longer pushrod?? I have a set of 7.425 pushrods laying around, maybe throw a couple on cylinder one and see what it sounds like? Those LS7 lifters have a large preload window...
I need some advice...
I pulled my passenger valve cover today and I obviously have even bigger issues that I thought. I ran a magnet throughout the head and there was a crap ton of metal shavings in there. Not sure if it’s a chewed spot on a cam lobe or what but this can’t be good. Also I pulled my catch can that’s only been on the car less than 500 miles and it literally was almost half full of oil, with metal flake in it...
I really can’t afford an engine rebuild right now, and not sure what to do. Here are some pics of the crap I pulled out of the head and of the catch can. I’m so stressed out on this car and not sure what direction I need to go in.
sorry to see that.... gonna be a full rebuild there.....
I pulled the oil filter this evening and this was in the bottom of the oil filter. And also a couple pics of the filter. So you think this needs a full rebuild??
I pulled the oil filter this evening and this was in the bottom of the oil filter. And also a couple pics of the filter. So you think this needs a full rebuild??
Sorry to give bad but if that was in my oil i would not start it again to create more damage to keep cost down to salvage the good parts. jmo
I pulled the oil filter this evening and this was in the bottom of the oil filter. And also a couple pics of the filter. So you think this needs a full rebuild??
yeah.... at present, you should be able to get a hot tank done... new bearings (and other hardware that needs to be replaced).... and probably a 5 over bore with new rings....
i'm guessing under 2k as long as you bring the block to them....
the oil is designed to prevent metal-to-metal contact, and those flecks might as well be boulders in your engine....
yeah.... at present, you should be able to get a hot tank done... new bearings (and other hardware that needs to be replaced).... and probably a 5 over bore with new rings....
i'm guessing under 2k as long as you bring the block to them....
the oil is designed to prevent metal-to-metal contact, and those flecks might as well be boulders in your engine....
Geez I can’t believe this. You would think buying a low mileage stock car you wouldn’t expect this...
yeah it's no fun... but at least you didn't drop a valve in it...
all it needs is a nice bath and some other goodies...
you really got lucky in the "busted motor" department if you think about it that way....
Yeah that’s a good way to look at it. So how exactly do you flush the motor out to get metal out? If I have this motor worked on then I wanna make damn sure it doesn’t happen again one day.
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.
