Engine Chatter......

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Nov 9, 2025 | 09:05 AM

Laguna Blu

Thread Starter

Le Mans Master

Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 7,141

Likes: 146

From: The Arid Sunny Desert

Engine Chatter......

I've noticed that my engine is quite chatty recently as the weather in AZ has become more reasonable in the recent weeks. I have started driving with the windows open and the occasional top off and it has become apparent that my LT-1 is very chatty and I'm wondering if it's normal or if it's the culmination of 70K miles of cylinder deactivation/oil starvation on four cylinders that has been taking its toll and that the engine is, in essence, designed to fail as so many other GM and Mopar V8's have already done due to to this crazy method designed to meet EPA mandates.....

Nov 9, 2025 | 09:54 AM

96GS#007

Race Director

Joined: Apr 2000

Posts: 15,344

Likes: 4,002

From: Texas

You have to have a "before and after" comparison to know if anything is wrong via the almighty internet. The Gen Vs are noisy in general. The HPFP makes quite the racket. Just going from hot air to cool air can make it sound different due to the air density changing.

If you're really worried about it...
- Pull the valve covers off and check the valve springs to make sure one of those didn't break
- Drain the oil and send it to Blackstone or lab of your choice. If something is failing, you'll likely see some high metal content in the oil even if it looks fine when you drain it.
- Use a mechanics stethoscope and listen around the engine for an area that seems excessively loud vs other areas...ie an indication a lifter is going.
- Take it to a shop for a more in-depth diagnostic and peace of mind

Nov 9, 2025 | 03:02 PM

Gearhead Jim

Team Owner

Joined: Sep 2000

Posts: 24,903

Likes: 2,618

From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago

St. Jude Donor '13

We've now had four modern Corvettes for over 250k miles total, every one of them sounds like a big rig truck at idle and not much better in cruise.
Current C7 A8 has 65k including a fair amount of autocross and track time plus road trips in V4 mode, sounds just as noisy today as when it was new.

When you fly a single engine airplane over bad terrain, the engine seems to go into "automatic rough". Something similar happens when we worry about our car engine.
Here's hoping yours is ok...

Nov 10, 2025 | 08:54 AM

Tinkertech

Melting Slicks

Joined: Feb 2018

Posts: 2,029

Likes: 949

From: North Texas

Just to be clear.

Are we talking about real valve springs or the infamous AFM lifter springs or also known as plunger springs according to Chip?????

Nov 10, 2025 | 11:37 AM

Laguna Blu

Thread Starter

Le Mans Master

Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 7,141

Likes: 146

From: The Arid Sunny Desert

I decided that caution is my friend, the first mod will be swapping the yellow springs out for the blue springs, new plugs and wires.......

Nov 10, 2025 | 05:55 PM

chris1911

Intermediate

Joined: Jul 2025

Posts: 49

Likes: 41

From: GA, USA

My clicking gets pretty loud between 1500 and 2000 RPM. It sounds like the high pressure fuel pump chatter, but louder. I seem to hear it more with the windows up, than down. I also don't hear it at idle in park or neutral in the garage. Drives me nuts. I have had the valve covers off, and all the springs look good and it sounds fine to me. I will be taking it in to get it looked at.