GM 5.3 ticking

[Whizbanger]

Hi everyone, I have a few questions. I have a '07 Sierra w/ the 5.3 Afm. I had been using Mobil 1 5w30 w/ a Wix. It would tick for maybe 20-30 secs and go away on cold starts. Recently, I switched to Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 w/ a Wix. Now it will tick for 2 mins. Should I use a heavier or a lighter oil? Bad filter? I have been also thinking about some Rotella 5w-40 . Any thoughts? One thing I noticed w/ PP my oil pressure drops lower when @idle after a long drive than when I used Mobil 1.

 

[JustinH]

Try a delco filter and see what it does. The oil should not make a difference in sound, its usually the design of the filter.

 

[StevieC]

to BITOG!

Use the lowest oil weight that is allowed for your current temperature as per your service manual.

Also use a quality high flow filter like a Purolator, AC-Delco.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I say try a good dino (Pennzoil/Valvoline) and an AC Delco oil filter and see if it disappears.

 

[Whizbanger]

I was leaning toward the oil being the problem since it was the only thing that changed, but I am willing to try a different filter. Are the AC Delcos @ WM the same as the ones @ the dealer? We also have a auto parts store that carries only AC Delco products, so I will check there. I don' think I can get Purolators locally.

 

[tig1]

Oil is not your problem. Either oil filter draining down or you have a weak lifter or valve lash adjuster. Here at BITOG oil gets too much credit or too much blame.

 

[river_rat]

I agree. There have been too many of these and other engines, especially GM and some Durango engines for some reason, ticking away with any oil.
Hydraulic lifters need very precise machining to avoid this, and the quiet lifters simply cost more to build.

 

[rossn2]

Second trying a Delco filter. Also, you may want to switch to 10w30 oil. Too dang hot here in Texas to run 5w30 in your truck. Most of the dealerships in Texas use 10w30 for oil changes.

 

[Herz]

Originally Posted By: Whizbanger
I was leaning toward the oil being the problem since it was the only thing that changed, but I am willing to try a different filter. Are the AC Delcos @ WM the same as the ones @ the dealer? We also have a auto parts store that carries only AC Delco products, so I will check there. I don' think I can get Purolators locally.


Same filter, good ones too.

 

[demarpaint]

I'd try another filter.

 

[Durango]

Originally Posted By: Whizbanger
Hi everyone, I have a few questions. I have a '07 Sierra w/ the 5.3 Afm. I had been using Mobil 1 5w30 w/ a Wix. It would tick for maybe 20-30 secs and go away on cold starts. Recently, I switched to Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 w/ a Wix. Now it will tick for 2 mins. Should I use a heavier or a lighter oil? Bad filter? I have been also thinking about some Rotella 5w-40 . Any thoughts? One thing I noticed w/ PP my oil pressure drops lower when @idle after a long drive than when I used Mobil 1.


Wizbanger,

I get that ticking sound from both my 08' Impala SS and 01' Durango V-8 engine almost everytime it's started in the mornings. It only comes when it sits for a couple days so as long as you use it daily it doesn't appear to happen to me.

I use currently Mobil 1 in 5w30 and the standard factory filters for both car/truck.

One item I did notice was I tried once Quaker State synthetic on the truck in the samw weight and the ticking sound had dissapeared. Perhaps oil brand has sometning to do with it.

Good luck,

Durango

 

[mechtech2]

Oil too thick at start up [first number of multigrade]
Faulty filter with weak antidrainback capabilities.
Mechanical problems .

 

[bmwtechguy]

How long have you noticed the lifter tick at startups? How many miles on this engine? Oil change history? Reason I ask is sometimes hydraulic lifter oil flow can get partially blocked due to some deposits and cause it to take longer to fully pump up, especially on cold starts.

 

[Whizbanger]

Originally Posted By: bmwtechguy
How long have you noticed the lifter tick at startups? How many miles on this engine? Oil change history? Reason I ask is sometimes hydraulic lifter oil flow can get partially blocked due to some deposits and cause it to take longer to fully pump up, especially on cold starts.

This truck has had a tick since day 1. It would always go away after 20-30 secs. When it gets around 40F, it gets louder, but still goes away quickly. I now have about 46K on it. Oil changes every 5K. It started ticking longer after the last oil change @ 45K. Even though this truck is under warranty, I will still try the simple stuff first. If that won't work and dealer has to fix it, that means having to pull the heads to c/o the lifters. From reading other forums, trucks w/ lifter problems also burn oil(one uses 1qt per 1K). As best as I can tell, it doesn't burn any. This truck does sit for 5 days at a time. Thanks for all the help.

 

[wog]

whizz i have 01 5.3 that tics, this noise is common in these motors. gm calls it normal! i have 122k on truck and no engine problems,i use 1qt about every 8-9k. the oil and filter are probly fine. filters w/adbv are recommended,synthetic is good idea if you choose,a peace of mind if you will.the dealers were offering 100k engine warrenties to customers who complained,this was before current gm sales pitch. dealers cannot solve this (gm knock). this is a good motor that makes noise on start-up,it is annoying,but it has not affected my engine performance.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Surprised GM hasn't designed a new head with a check valve to prevent the oil from draining back into the sump. There's a european manufactuer which had a similar problem with their NA engines and that was their fix. Tick Tick Tick.

IMO..when it comes to design errors type of oil and filter can only overcome so much.

 

[HondaMan]

I have the same engine in my 08.... tick, tick, tick.

I felt I noticed on the first cold weather start the engine had, but who knows.
I've mainly used AC filters.

 

[Rickey]

Originally Posted By: Whizbanger
Hi everyone, I have a few questions. I have a '07 Sierra w/ the 5.3 Afm. I had been using Mobil 1 5w30 w/ a Wix. It would tick for maybe 20-30 secs and go away on cold starts. Recently, I switched to Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 w/ a Wix. Now it will tick for 2 mins. Should I use a heavier or a lighter oil? Bad filter? I have been also thinking about some Rotella 5w-40 . Any thoughts? One thing I noticed w/ PP my oil pressure drops lower when @idle after a long drive than when I used Mobil 1.


I have to ask:

Is this possibly a piston slap?

Lifter tick and piston slap both tend to go away within seconds or minutes of start up on a cold engine.

Both are more or less affected by oil flow, and thickness.
Piston slap goes away when the piston heats enough to fit the bore tighter. Thicker oil cushions the "loose" piston better.

Lifter tick goes away when oil pressure pumps up the lifter enough to provide "zero lash"

Generally thicker oil (at a given temperature) at start up will help with piston slap (thicker oil cushion) and make lifter tick worse (less flow through the tight fitting areas).

Lifter tick is a sharp tapping sound generally unaffected by load, piston slap is duller and generally is louder with load.
Notice I say load as opposed to speed.

All lifters leak down when sitting, especially when holding a valve open against the valve spring. A really good lifter can sit for months or years without leaking down. Some will leak down overnight.
The cause can be machining tolerances, or foreign matter in the lifter.

Since yours has been making noise since new, I would speculate that machining tolerances come into play.

Usually piston slap will result in more oil consumption as in a quart every 2 thousand or so.

If the noise is a minor annoyance for you, it will probably have no effect on the engines life.

May I suggest Mobil 1 0w30 and an AC, Napa Gold or Wix oil filter on your next oil change? If this makes it better then a lifter is suspected. Worse, then it could be piston slap.

As the others have stated it's not the oils fault. Probably not the filter either.
I'm just suggesting to use thickness as a diagnostic tool.

Good luck sir.

Rickey.

 

[3311]

I've the gm tick on my last two engines 97 Chevy 3500 5.7l and 2004 2500hd 6.0L The 350(5.7) was going strong when when I sold it with 230k miles on it to a neighbor, it still running strong for him at 300k.
My 6.0l, like the truck above has had a tick since day one. It is running as good as the day I bought at about 240k miles. If fully expect to get 4-500k miles out of this truck.
I have always run synthetic, 90% Mobil 1 5w30, with an oci of 200% olm (about 14-15k miles)but recently switched/will switch every piece of equipment to every piece of equipment in my small business to Delo 15w40, mainly cost(With all the hope and change who can afford 35k for a new one

).
The 15w40 definitely helped, to quite the the GM valve clatter as I like to call it, but it is still there if you listen for it. The "cheap gas knock" you get under hard acceleration is completely gone with the Delo though.

I guess what I'm trying to say is don't worry about the tick, IMO it's normal on these gm engines. Follow a reasonable service schedule for all fluids (especially the ATF) and the drive line will outlast the chassis.

 

[bmwtechguy]

Maybe try some Quaker State Synthetic as Durango suggested. With the current rebate, 5 qts would cost you only $9-10 after rebate at WM. You would still need one more qt, though, for your engine.