6.0 vortec startup tick

[CheezWhiz]

2016 2500HD, iron block L96 non-afm engine. Noticing a lifter tick on startup. Issue seems correlated to our recent purchase of a new Tahoe, so the 2500HD is no longer a daily driver.

Tick goes away after a bit, maybe a minute or so. Ticks less if i drive it more frequently. Plenty of cold oil pressure at idle, 0w-40 M1 and a pf48.

next steps?

 

[clinebarger]

Check for broken manifold bolts....Though I realize it should tick anytime the engine is cold if a exhaust leak was the culprit.

Try a different oil filter, Yours might be allowing drain back, GM 12694692/UPF48R has a silicone drain back valve.

 

[CheezWhiz]

i was going to try the UPF48R next oil change, i have about 6k on the oil now so almost due per OLM.

exhaust bolts look good, i would try to snug them but had biceps surgery last week so pretty gimpy.

 

[ls1mike]

i was going to try the UPF48R next oil change, i have about 6k on the oil now so almost due per OLM.

exhaust bolts look good, i would try to snug them but had biceps surgery last week so pretty gimpy.

None of them are broke? It's just so common on them. May I ask why the 0W-40?

 

[CheezWhiz]

None of them are broke? It just so common on them. May I ask why the 0W-40?

not on visual inspection.

0w-40 was just an effort to use a single oil for multiple vehicles - hyd roller pontiac, flat tappet 396 bbc, flat tappet jeep 4.0, and the 2500HD. just got sick of having so many partial jugs of oil laying around!

might try valvoline 5w-30 R&P this go round. flavor of the month i guess. but haven't really decided yet. i will use the upf48r for sure though.

 

[MuzzleFlash40]

Are you sure it’s a lifter tick and not piston slap? They can sound similar and it will go away after a few minutes of warming up. Piston slap is pretty much harmless.

 

[emmett442]

I also suggest looking at manifold bolts. Even if the bolt heads are still there: one or two may be broken but simply have not fallen out yet. You might be surprised what you find if you try putting a wrench on them.

 

[BrendanC]

Valvoline EP HM 5w-30 with a Premium guard based filter to rule out M1 loudness (always louder in LS engines) and the crappy “not nitrile” ADBV in ACDelco/champ units.

 

[CheezWhiz]

Are you sure it’s a lifter tick and not piston slap? They can sound similar and it will go away after a few minutes of warming up. Piston slap is pretty much harmless.

i have a pontiac v8 with 2618 forged pistons that has some slap at startup, the truck sounds very different than the piston noise my pontiac makes. i could be convinced it is an exhaust leak but it seems like starting it every morning seems to reduce the noise compared to starting it once a week or so, which to me seems much more likely for a lifter than an exhaust leak.