Ticking at Cold Startup

[dcholden]

Hi Guys,

I have a ticking noise at startup (only when cold) to me sounds like a bearing is gone in one of the belt pullies. However it goes away very quickly as the car warms up. I have spoken to mechanic about it and he told me to leave the car with him overnight so he can start it cold in the morning. I really don't like leaving my car anywhere overnight, anyone know of any other way to possibly diagnose which pulley it could be?

As always, your help is much appreciated.

[ssgirl2]

This http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=72119&highlight=noisy+lifters and other related searches should help you.

SS :)

[dcholden]

Thanks SS, already had a look at some of that. Don't think its lifters though, think its a pulley. Get tick tick and a little bit of squeek for about 60 secs. Might have to bite bullet and leave with mechanic. Last time he drove my car home and locked it away, didn't want to leave in workshop!

[Peter B - CV8]

Pulley bearing usually makes a chirping sound (a bit like a cricket) - or if really, really bad - a dull roar.
Use a length of garden hose as a stethescope & you should be able to isolate where your ticking is coming from.

[blackbettyhsv]

dcholden, I had a similer problem with my VX clubby, maybe a easy fix for you too, main drive belt gets small pebbles in the grooves if you remove belt and dig them out it might be your problem. took mine to holden dealer hsv mechanic knew as soon as he heard the noise what it was. good luck

[swingtan]

Bearings make more of a "knock" than a "tick", so it's probably not a bearing.

Ticking ( or "clacking" ) at first startup is more likely to be lifters before the oil has a chance to pressurise them. Many engines will tick a bit on start up and it's mainly due to oil pressure at start up as well as lifter condition. If you happen to be running an oil that is on "the thin" side, then it may be draining back to the sump over night leaving the lifters empty. They will then "tick" a bit until all the air has bled out and they are full of oil again. It could also be that the lifters are a bit dirty / old and simply don't hold pressure as well as when they were new. You can hear a normal lifter pump up at the very start of this clip....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9eMzLSyZ1w

The guys at Mainlube (http://www.ls1.com.au/adserver/adclick.php?bannerid=113&zoneid=4&source=&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fmainlube.com%2Fcms%2Findex.php%3 Fpage%3DLS1) have an engine flush that is meant to help with sticky / lazy lifters as well as having some great choices for oil.

[shaness8]

Why dont you take belts off 5 min job and run engine you will know then if its a pulley

[Pilbara SSV]

our belt tensioner failed at about 100K on the WH, sounded like a noisy lifter. Got changed at the next service, all was good after that.

[L98-SSV]

My ssv has done 4700k's and maybe every 5th or 6th start the lifters tick for maybe a second on start up.
its had new oil and filter, but still does it every now and then.

Does yours do this pilbara ssv?

[tlr1000]

My ssv has done 4700k's and maybe every 5th or 6th start the lifters tick for maybe a second on start up.
its had new oil and filter, but still does it every now and then


My ssv ticks the same as yours on cold starts, anyone else?

[crtx]

wow such a new car / engine and the lifters sound hammered take it back under warranty

[Daz Vx Clubbie]

My VX is starting to get a slight tick when at idle. However in the mornings when I take off I can hear lifter noise for about 3-4 seconds then everything quietens down. The car's done 112k now.

Been flushing the oil between changes and using Mainlube oil too. Looks like im up for a new set of lifters. Pitty they aren't as easy to do as the lifters on old Holden V8's.


Regards,

Daz

[Darkrayne]

Pretty sure you will find most of the gen III's do this on startup.. mine does same thing.. until the oil pressure is up and into the lifters.. being an alloy engine also amplifies the noise some too.. totally normal!.. unless its really clanging hard.. then id be a little worried.. but yeah numerous gen III's ive heard do this.. i even went and got them to listen to mine.. at a reputable performance place and said it was normal for them.. as it does quieten down after about 30 seconds when everything has had a chance to pump up.. that and i use penrite hpr10 which i think is a 10/60w? which is thinner.. it will be quieter again if i went to a slightly thicker oil..

DR

[SSV8pilot]

My sons VX s/c commodore had the ticking noises - changed a few pulleys and belts - noise still there.

Sprayed the belts/pulleys with silcon spray - noise gone!

[theVman]

Im still chasing my squeek around - at first I thought it was the belts as soap stopped/reduced it for some time. Ended up doing both the serpentine and A/C belts as both had a bit of a queek.

In the last week it has become constant - tried the water trick where you run it over the pulleys to see which one is the culprit - turns out the A/C pulley is making the noise. Might be worthwhile checking that. I have a new one on order from Holden as most spare parts places only seem to stock the smaller idler pulleys . . argh