Chevy valve tick after oil change Help!

[sneakboxer]

My neighbor brought her 2004 chevy truck (2wd, small v8, 100,000miles) over to the house with a valve tick. The dummy light is off and the gauge is at 35ish. I shut the truck off and take a look. I found some other issues: loose air intake piping, out of anti-freeze but nothing that would point to oil not reaching the valve train. When i started the truck up again the valves ticked for 30-60 sceonds then went silent.
Her husband is out of town but, he just changed the oil 50 miles ago. The oil looks clean and is at the low mark. I have no idea what oil he put in but i can see a new fram filter. The truck calls for 5w30.
Do you have any thoughts? Bad fram filter? Wrong weight oil?
Should i change the oil and filter for her, do you think it would help? If so what is a good oil and filter for an abused chevy truck with 100K?

Oh yea, he over heated it a few times a few thousand miles ago if that helps (he is not a btog reader).
thanks in advance,
Greg

 

[StevieC]

Greg,

Did he switch brands of oil for this change? How bad is the ticking? Slight or really bad? Does it go away if you raise the idle but keep it below 1500 rpm?

If it's just slight I would just top up the oil to the full mark and don't worry about it.

The oil pressure is ok at 35 PSI at a fully warmed up idle.

 

[addyguy]

If he's overheated the truck, and its low on both oil and coolant, I'd suspect a warped head gasket that is starting to go, and leaking anti-freeze and coolant...I'd stay far away, or 'you' will be the cause of the problem!

 

[sneakboxer]

I'd stay far away, or 'you' will be the cause of the problem! [/quote]

I hear you on that. The trucks valve train only starves for oil about every other start up. It ticks pretty hard, well hard enough that the first thing i said was shut it off and is your oil light on? The last two starts it did not tick. It looks like my touch might of fixed it

. This guy is a little pig headed and pretty hard on his stuff. I would never leave my wife with a truck with a disconedted air filter and low on water and oil. I think i'll top off the fluids and wish her luck.
Thanks for the help.
Greg

 

[MrCritical]

Sounds like he's trying to collect the insurance money.

I'd let that one pass.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
If he's overheated the truck, and its low on both oil and coolant, I'd suspect a warped head gasket that is starting to go, and leaking anti-freeze and coolant...I'd stay far away, or 'you' will be the cause of the problem!


+1 He's lucky if all he has is a valve tick. I'd stay clear of trying to fix it. No good deed goes unpunished, he'll blame you.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: addyguy
If he's overheated the truck, and its low on both oil and coolant, I'd suspect a warped head gasket that is starting to go, and leaking anti-freeze and coolant...I'd stay far away, or 'you' will be the cause of the problem!


+1 He's lucky if all he has is a valve tick. I'd stay clear of trying to fix it. No good deed goes unpunished, he'll blame you.

+2

 

[Jim Spahr]

Because you are a good neighbor, I would top the oil off with quality oil, I would fill the coolant with distilled water, and i would check the oil filter for pn and verify it is the correct oil filter for that truck. The reason for this oil filter check is because the wrong oil filter could have the wrong anti-drain back valve in it and it is causing the tick on start up. I would look for oil leaks under the engine as well as in the engine compartment. Report any leaks. I would explain all the items you have done. Now you have met or exceeded the good neighbor duties. Then I would recommend she take it to their trusted mechanic at her earliest convenience to get the engine checked. This is your insurance the neighbors won't come back and say you shouda checked that or done this.

 

[unDummy]

Normal piston slap???

Bad filter!