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Brief Cold Start Knocking/Tapping? *Video*

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Old Jun 3, 2026 | 10:50 AM
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Default Brief Cold Start Knocking/Tapping? *Video*

Just trying to see if anyone has heard this exact noise before. Only last 1-2 seconds, it’s inconsistent. Some cold starts it doesn’t make this noise, sometimes is only knocks once or twice, sometimes multiple times.

Is this just a lazy lifter bleeding down? Piston slap? Oil psi is great. Just changed my oil and the noise keeps getting quieter and more brief like it’s going away. These clips are from before the change. Thanks!

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Old Jun 3, 2026 | 11:07 AM
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Maybe timing chain slap? You don't say which engine you have. LS7's don't generally have timing chain slap due to the design of their chain guide, but the chain guides on some of the other engines can fail and cause slap.
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Old Jun 3, 2026 | 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by ClothSeats
Maybe timing chain slap? You don't say which engine you have. LS7's don't generally have timing chain slap due to the design of their chain guide, but the chain guides on some of the other engines can fail and cause slap.
My bad! It’s an LS3. I have a 2008 Base with 135,000 miles.
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Old Jun 3, 2026 | 12:04 PM
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At this point, the noise is brief on cold startup and goes away. I wouldn't worry about it with 135,000 miles. Just keep up the oil changes and if pressure looks good and it runs fine, send it
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Old Jun 3, 2026 | 12:21 PM
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Leak-down test lately?
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Old Jun 4, 2026 | 07:10 AM
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Most likely piston slap. It's a common thing on LS engines.
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Old Jun 4, 2026 | 10:14 AM
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I don’t think that’s piston slap. It doesn’t typically go away that quickly. Piston slap usually is because the engine is cold. This noise goes away after a couple of seconds. It implies that it is oil pressure related. Probably lifters that are bleeding down.
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Old Jun 4, 2026 | 10:46 AM
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C/would bad/dry TT bearing be responsible for this?
Quesstion is does a failing TT bearing noise go away as enegine heats?
At 130K wouldn'r be out of the question.
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Old Jun 4, 2026 | 10:31 PM
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While my 2008 does not make that noise (27,000 miles), I can say that I had a Crown Vic (my business car) that made that exact temporary noise on start up after an oil change when the shop put on one of their generic oil filters that didn't have the adequate bypass valve system to allow oil to flow quickly on a cold start. Went to a different filter/shop and the noise went away. Just a thought.
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Old Jun 5, 2026 | 10:21 AM
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Entered in error.

Last edited by sd45t2; Jun 5, 2026 at 10:32 AM.
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Old Jun 5, 2026 | 10:31 AM
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Originally Posted by lilcuda
...This noise goes away after a couple of seconds. It implies that it is oil pressure related. Probably lifters that are bleeding down.
If the lifters are "bleeding down" is that bad?
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Old Jun 5, 2026 | 12:22 PM
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Originally Posted by sd45t2
If the lifters are "bleeding down" is that bad?
I don't think it's that bad if the noise goes away in a second or two. If it kept going, then I would be concerned.
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Old Jun 5, 2026 | 02:14 PM
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Hold the throttle to the floor and crank the engine for 10 seconds and then immediately start the engine. If it's lifters bleeding down it won't tap.
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Old Jun 5, 2026 | 02:40 PM
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I had a '99 Camaro SS Z28 with the LS1 and T-56 in it with piston slap. Beat the living **** out of that car at the drag strip, road coarse, street and tried to kill it under warranty and it never happened. The slap did not sound like that at all. Your metallic sounds more like rod knock than piston slap.

It could also be valve train but pretty deep and thick noise for that. It could be starving for oil on startup, but if you turn it off after its good and oiled with correct pressure and right back on again it should be oiled and if it doesn't make the noise then it could be lack of oil.
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