my ticking is back......

[v8commodore]

Hi guys have a vx ss commodore had a 232/234 112lsa cam fitted few weeks back I did have a problem with a very loud ticking noise when I got car back. thought it was a exhaust manifold gasket and i replaced gasket and noise was gone for a bit but now it has come back not as loud but its driving me....
In the last week car has done it 4 times. When I got cam fitted they put in new springs , timing chain .pushrods etc. Im still using my old rockers and lifters. The car only makes this ticking noise which sounds like its coming from tappert cover area at top and sounds like both sides but I know noise can travel. If u lay under car sounds like it also going through the extractors. But yeh ticking noise is a bit like a exhaust leak or lifter tick but it only does it when car is warmed up and worse thing is noise comes and goes. I mean I can drive car for 5min or 30min its just random when it happens, then tick tick tick and its quite loud makes people look at the car thinking its going to blow up or something. Tonight I went for a drive 10min later ticking its ... off but after about 3min the ticking was completely gone and the engine is dead quite I mean all u hear is the very faint ticking noise which is just normal valvetrain noise. Kind of embarrassing when you are at the lights and people are looking at you. I really cant think of what it could be since the ticking does not stay there it just comes and goes randomly. I have thought of things like lifters rockers valves etc but kind of makes me think know cause noise goes away I can understand if it stayed ticking all time. When the ticking happens car runs fine no lose of power no missing backfiring runs smooth. And the shop who ddi the work are looking at it next week but as they say if it aint ticking its kind of hard to fix it but they can only just pull covers off and have a look at rockers small things etc. Any help at all on this one is gonna make me sleep so much better

[boggers007]

Hi guys have a vx ss commodore had a 232/234 112lsa cam fitted few weeks back I did have a problem with a very loud ticking noise when I got car back. thought it was a exhaust manifold gasket and i replaced gasket and noise was gone for a bit but now it has come back not as loud but its driving me....
In the last week car has done it 4 times. When I got cam fitted they put in new springs , timing chain .pushrods etc. Im still using my old rockers and lifters. The car only makes this ticking noise which sounds like its coming from tappert cover area at top and sounds like both sides but I know noise can travel. If u lay under car sounds like it also going through the extractors. But yeh ticking noise is a bit like a exhaust leak or lifter tick but it only does it when car is warmed up and worse thing is noise comes and goes. I mean I can drive car for 5min or 30min its just random when it happens, then tick tick tick and its quite loud makes people look at the car thinking its going to blow up or something. Tonight I went for a drive 10min later ticking its ... off but after about 3min the ticking was completely gone and the engine is dead quite I mean all u hear is the very faint ticking noise which is just normal valvetrain noise. Kind of embarrassing when you are at the lights and people are looking at you. I really cant think of what it could be since the ticking does not stay there it just comes and goes randomly. I have thought of things like lifters rockers valves etc but kind of makes me think know cause noise goes away I can understand if it stayed ticking all time. When the ticking happens car runs fine no lose of power no missing backfiring runs smooth. And the shop who ddi the work are looking at it next week but as they say if it aint ticking its kind of hard to fix it but they can only just pull covers off and have a look at rockers small things etc. Any help at all on this one is gonna make me sleep so much better

If it is lifter noise then you could try different weight oil not too sure what is used but if you search on here some people have had some success, this would show if it is to do with lifters or not and if it is then least you no what the problem is.

[1BEAST2NV]

even though there all new, it can be a sticky/faulty lifter, its does happen

take it back to where u got the work done, most places that do the work on the car are more than happy to help there customer if they have a problem :)

[VX2VESS]

No new lifters..bigger lift, stronger springs. how many K's on it?
The old lifters maybe struggling under the new pressure..

done an oil change after the new bits went in?

Also check the oil pressure, especially when its making the noise... if the pressure is dropping it will tick...you need 25 psi or higher at idle, no less than 20psi i have my Scangauge set to lightup the red warning lights if ever under 22 psi...handy item to know on these cars especially with mods. VE stock pump on this runs 30 at idle hot, LS1 with lost of mods and a HV pump idle at 38-40 psi

can damage motor running low pressure, the old pumps esp after had work done can get the relief valve stuck with crap or something, were a few issues on older ls1 pumps.

[v8commodore]

99000km on it and they put in penerite full syn 10-40 the next day after all work was done

[VX2VESS]

oil sounds ok Penrite 10-40 plus 10 should be good...although some motors like particular oils, but that is a good oil. i'm using it now..

My ls1 got a bit noisy in the lifters, had a cam and springs, now and then then more often. then i got new lifters, ported heads, HV oil pump, billet timing set, new oem rockers, wacked all those on noise gone.. was lifters or pump oil pressure was low 20's with the noise, lifters were a bit sad also...One of those two, or both...

[v8commodore]

I added some nulon lifter free up additive last night twice ticking has happened not quite as loud and was only there for like 10-20sec this time

[VX2VESS]

I added some nulon lifter free up additive last night twice ticking has happened not quite as loud and was only there for like 10-20sec this time

Not suppose to drive around with that stuff in it, idle 15mins and dump the oil, replace before driving...from memory..I did try that at one stage, cleans the carbon etc out.. although the good oils these days do just a good a job at removing carbon.

Castrol Edge synthetic oil is what my LS1 liked and was quietest on. before using it under the rocker covers etc used to be carbonised, after using it they were clean. so its good to keep the lifters clean

[duke5700]

Maybe the push rods are not long enough as the base circle of the cam is smaller..

Take it back to whoever installed the cam and springs.

[v8commodore]

I thought maybe pushrods to work was done by wilkinshaw performance but since noise comes randomly and just goes away. Would my rockers need to be rechecked if the noise is coming and going? I read the bottle it says to leave it in engine till next oil change?

[VTSSDUDE]

I would be putting something thicker then 40 grade oil in it. Try a 50 grade oil. something like 10w-50 or 15w-50.

[VX2VESS]

I thought maybe pushrods to work was done by wilkinshaw performance but since noise comes randomly and just goes away. Would my rockers need to be rechecked if the noise is coming and going? I read the bottle it says to leave it in engine till next oil change?

Read this report

http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=68264&highlight=lifter+free

[v8commodore]

rang up guys and got car booked in for tommorrow there gonna check it all over said they replaced the o ring on oil pump but still gonna do oil pressure test etc i hope they find something

[Peter B - CV8]

Not suppose to drive around with that stuff in it, idle 15mins and dump the oil, replace before driving...from memory..I did try that at one stage, cleans the carbon etc out.. although the good oils these days do just a good a job at removing carbon.

Castrol Edge synthetic oil is what my LS1 liked and was quietest on. before using it under the rocker covers etc used to be carbonised, after using it they were clean. so its good to keep the lifters clean

No mate. The "lifter free" is designed to work whilst driving around & can be left in your oil - until the next change. The "oil flush" was what you were thinking of.... (ie run it in your hot motor for 15 mins & then dump).

[VX2VESS]

So the instructions say..

Did you read mainlubes report on it the link I posted.. basically he said only use it as a flush due to whats in it....

[v8commodore]

drove down today to get car looked at good timing and it was making noise when I got there so that made things lot easier for them to listen to. Pushrods and oil where changed to see if that was problem didnt fix it so gonna get my lifters replaced soon as it sounds like its them.

[VX2VESS]

drove down today to get car looked at good timing and it was making noise when I got there so that made things lot easier for them to listen to. Pushrods and oil where changed to see if that was problem didnt fix it so gonna get my lifters replaced soon as it sounds like its them.


first answer.... heads off for that, may as well clean them up while off, skim, new valve seals. ported if you can afford that too.

[v8commodore]

All fixed was my lifters. Got a new set of comp pro magnum lifters and a high volume oil pump some castrol edge 10-60 all back to normal now. Just want to say a big thanks to Richard and the crew at stitts motor repairs and wilkinshaw performance in gladstone.