What could causes be for a cold start lifter tick? This is a 2008 Silverado with 5.3?
Could it be the oil? Something with better cold pumping properties? I'm currently running PP 5W-30. What about adding seafoam or something to the oil? Is that advised?
I noticed that PP HM has better MRV than the PP (10500 vs 9500). Is that not enough of a separation to make a difference?
Are Castrol Edge and QSUD good choices?
Side note: I did notice that after only maybe 500 I am almost a quart low (more interstate driving than normal) so I want to switch to see if there is another oil that burns less.
Silverado cold start lifter tick
- Thread starter Mossyoakglock
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PP is a fine oil. I see you live in TN, you don't have a cold flow problem with that oil. How many miles are on the vehicle, and what kind of oil filter are you using? Burning a quart of oil in 500 miles indicates to me a leak, or a very bad PCV valve, or mechanical issues [sticking rings, or bad valve seals or guides, or all three]. You can do a compression check, and/or a cylinder leak down test, or take the easy route skipping those tests and try Kreen.
Edge and QSUD are good oils, but I don't think they are going to help much. A HM oil might help a little with consumption. I'd check what I mentioned above and consider a Kreen treatment if the PCV checks OK and there are no leaks before I did a compression test or leak down test. I'm lazy. If the rings are sticking Kreen might help.
It won't let me edit my post but I found some numbers for other oils.
PP Platinum PP High Mileage QSUD Castrol
CCS 4000 4100 4930 6000
MRV 10500 9900 12400 35000/40000
Why such a huge different in the numbers for Castrol vs the others?
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
PP is a fine oil. I see you live in TN, you don't have a cold flow problem with that oil. How many miles are on the vehicle, and what kind of oil filter are you using? Burning a quart of oil in 500 miles indicates to me a leak, or a very bad PCV valve, or mechanical issues [sticking rings, or bad valve seals or guides, or all three]. You can do a compression check, and/or a cylinder leak down test, or take the easy route skipping those tests and try Kreen.
Edge and QSUD are good oils, but I don't think they are going to help much. A HM oil might help a little with consumption. I'd check what I mentioned above and consider a Kreen treatment if the PCV checks OK and there are no leaks before I did a compression test or leak down test. I'm lazy. If the rings are sticking Kreen might help.
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AZjeff
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Oops. OP knows about AFM issues.
Originally Posted By: Mossyoakglock
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
PP is a fine oil. I see you live in TN, you don't have a cold flow problem with that oil. How many miles are on the vehicle, and what kind of oil filter are you using? Burning a quart of oil in 500 miles indicates to me a leak, or a very bad PCV valve, or mechanical issues [sticking rings, or bad valve seals or guides, or all three]. You can do a compression check, and/or a cylinder leak down test, or take the easy route skipping those tests and try Kreen.
Edge and QSUD are good oils, but I don't think they are going to help much. A HM oil might help a little with consumption. I'd check what I mentioned above and consider a Kreen treatment if the PCV checks OK and there are no leaks before I did a compression test or leak down test. I'm lazy. If the rings are sticking Kreen might help.
My 2005 truck had the classic piston slap/tick in the morning when starting at 20-35 degrees. Had the sound for about 2 years, when I changed the oil to BC 0w-30, it went away. Not sure if it really was the oil or if I just lucked out.
There are 1000s if not 10s of thousands of posts/threads about this on the net...i have read about 500 of them and gave up lol. Basically if you have a 5.3 you just get used to it.
There are claims of running atf, berrymans and lucas that 'fixed' the problem.. I have 230K on my 2003 and have a buddy that has a 2005 with 425K both have same ticking... but it just seems to be a noise to these great engines.
I have the lifter tick on my 03 gmc and have considered changing out the lifter. You can get a set of ls7 lifters for about $180. Bad part is you have to pull the heads to change the lifters out. So new head gaskets also along with new torque to yield head bolts.
Piston slap due to hypereutectic pistons. Nothing you can do unless you swap in new pistons. Try a thicker oil perhaps.
My son-in-laws 2010(?) 5.3 w AFM was doing the same thing. Burning oil, ticking, missing (oil fouled plug). The independent shop soaked the piston/piston rings of the AFM involved overnight. Installed new plugs, turned OFF the AFE system and gave it a Italian tune-up. Everything cleaned up and ran great. Two ways to keep it from happening again. Turn AFM off, they did with a program, OR be sure and change oil every 3K miles. It seems the oil gets burnt onto the ring landings from pumping air only which heats up the piston and rings, which sticks the rings, which starts the oil burning. The truck has since gone over 10K miles since being worked on. ZERO problems and it gets the same mileage. GM knows all about this........
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GMs AFM: another technology that brings more misery to the table than intended results. How many have turned this feature off and reported about the same mpg? The day I can’t buy a vehicle without cylinder shutdown is the day I go electric.
Adding Seafoam can make ticking worse. save that stuff for your lawn mower. I get that similar ticking/piston slap off and on as well. My 6.0 does it more with PP than it does with Mobil 1. Does it more with a Fram Ultra than it does with the Fram tough guard. So right now its real cold here and it's not doing it at all with a Mobil 1 extended/Fram tough guard combo. Your 5.3 may like that as well. Worth a try next change
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Originally Posted By: Mossyoakglock
It won't let me edit my post but I found some numbers for other oils.
PP Platinum PP High Mileage QSUD Castrol
CCS 4000 4100 4930 6000
MRV 10500 9900 12400 35000/40000
Why such a huge different in the numbers for Castrol vs the others?
AFM is off. Has been off since about 50k. I would have done it soon but didn’t know about tunes, etc. it only does the tick for about 10-15 seconds then goes away. I was using M1 EP with a Wix and got no tick. It started consuming more so I switched to PP. Then it just started after the PP switch so I’m guessing it’s the reason.
I think I’m going to try Castrol and if that doesn’t do it go with PP HM. Is there a better HM over others?
Originally Posted By: Mossyoakglock
The 08 5.3 does not have a PCV valve either.
I’ve done the replacement already. Should have said it doesn’t have an external PVC.
I’m always unsure about oil additives. I’ve always used Sythetic oils too.
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I say get use to it! I had an 09 Sierra with the 5.3 and it did it all the time. Not only that, but shortly after I put some miles on it, it started rattling like an old Diesel! 
Numerous trips to the dealer, GM wanting more miles on it first, numerous frustrating interactions and finally a new motor.
First they replaced the known, less than adequate lifters, to no avail, then a piston pin on cyl #4, to no avail, then finally a new motor. Said piston sleeve #4 was out of round??
New motor still had the dreaded lifter tick but at least the embarrassing diesel sound was gone. People asked me why I bought it diesel, it was that bad.
Long story short, and after this new engine started leaking oil and also being sick and tired of the sluggishness, being a dog of an engine power wise, I traded it in on a new Ram Hemi and I haven't looked back, not once!
Worst truck/engine I have ever owned and I was GM forever. My Ram is now coming up on being 5 yrs old, and it still puts a smile on my face, everyday, especially when I can leave those dog powered 5.3's in my dust! 
Tons of info around about the 5.3's being dogs, and generally a terrible engine.
http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/184478-2016-silverado-sluggish-in-1st-and-2nd-gear/
Numerous trips to the dealer, GM wanting more miles on it first, numerous frustrating interactions and finally a new motor.
First they replaced the known, less than adequate lifters, to no avail, then a piston pin on cyl #4, to no avail, then finally a new motor. Said piston sleeve #4 was out of round??
New motor still had the dreaded lifter tick but at least the embarrassing diesel sound was gone. People asked me why I bought it diesel, it was that bad.
Long story short, and after this new engine started leaking oil and also being sick and tired of the sluggishness, being a dog of an engine power wise, I traded it in on a new Ram Hemi and I haven't looked back, not once!
Worst truck/engine I have ever owned and I was GM forever. My Ram is now coming up on being 5 yrs old, and it still puts a smile on my face, everyday, especially when I can leave those dog powered 5.3's in my dust!
Tons of info around about the 5.3's being dogs, and generally a terrible engine.
http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/184478-2016-silverado-sluggish-in-1st-and-2nd-gear/
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