LS3: Rattling sound when stone cold

[Micks]

They said oil pressure is good, so they aren't replacing or upgrading the oil pump. Re the lifters, they found that one roller had come off it's pin. Also, there are now revised lifters - my engine had the old, non-revised ones. Btw, this article recommends replacing the lifters every 100,000km:
https://www.oztrack.com.au/2013-09-2...-3-l98-l76-l77 Whether this still applies for the revised lifters I'm not sure, assuming their advice is/was sound.

Cam is ok, so that's one more reason not to upgrade the cam - all that extra labour, for something I most certainly don't need.

You getting Oz to do the job? Good luck with it!

[skip100]

No, because they're a long way away. I did contact them though and they gave me a little bit of free advice, and even after I told them I was going elsewhere, they still gave me a bit more help - nice people.

[skip100]

Also, note that another HC driver I know lost his engine at 132,000km, and yes, it was due to a lifter failure. Same car as mine - late model Caprice with the LS3.
Thanks for the well wishes guys - appreciated.

[skip100]

I've got the car, but the acid test will be when I have had a chance to leave it off for about 12 hours. By the way, they said I definitely did NOT have the revised (=LS7) lifters, and they were surprised - most LS3s do.
They also put 10W/60 Castrol Pro Edge in, and told me that I'd "f*ck my engine" if I kept using the 5W/30. They said that the Dexos 1 5W/30 is more to do with emissions and fuel economy, than it is protection. As long as it gets through warranty, that's all they care about. Hmmmmm.
They said my engine was very clean inside - that's comforting. I've been using 95 RON.

[Micks]

I've got the car, but the acid test will be when I have had a chance to leave it off for about 12 hours. By the way, they said I definitely did NOT have the revised (=LS7) lifters, and they were surprised - most LS3s do.
They also put 10W/60 Castrol Pro Edge in, and told me that I'd "f*ck my engine" if I kept using the 5W/30. They said that the Dexos 1 5W/30 is more to do with emissions and fuel economy, than it is protection. As long as it gets through warranty, that's all they care about. Hmmmmm.
They said my engine was very clean inside - that's comforting. I've been using 95 RON.

Be surprised about the lifters not being LS7 style as GM haven't made the early lifters for quite a few yrs now were well known to be problematic!
Have run 10/60 in all my rides L76 AFM, L98 cammed & my stock LS3 no problems.

[skip100]

Left it for about 9 hours overnight, which is enough to cause the rattle at least a little bit - it didn't rattle. Onwards & upwards! ☺️

[Micks]

Left it for about 9 hours overnight, which is enough to cause the rattle at least a little bit - it didn't rattle. Onwards & upwards! ☺️

Glad it's behaving well now.
I'm a bit intrigued, your installer said "the cam was ok" a loose roller on a lifter will be abrasive on the lobe? Heads were lifted to replace lifters, did they put a scope down the lifter hole to inspect the cam or did they remove it?

[skip100]

Micks,
Unfortunately I can hear the rattle again, so now I'm wondering whether there was anything wrong at all. Re the loose roller, I don't know how they inspected the cam, but they did say that they would. It's a big job to remove the cam - yes? I doubt whether they had time to remove it, so I guess they must have put a scope down, if they're being honest.
Did you take a listen to the recording? Btw, I've started a thread over here as well: https://forums.justcommodores.com.au...normal.274021/ , because noone here offered an opinion on the recording. They insisted I upload the file to a more common/trusted site, so I (reluctantly) did so: https://soundcloud.com/stations/trac...d-start-rattle
Again - the suspicious sound seems to be the loudest at about 40 seconds in.
I still haven't had a chance to leave the car off for 12 hours+, but even for about 6 hours, I think the sound is still there a bit.
Another question: do you agree with this statement about lifters, in general? Quoting from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrau...#Disadvantages

Frequently, the valvetrain will rattle loudly on startup due to oil draining from the lifters when the vehicle is parked. This is not considered a significant issue provided the noise disappears within a couple of minutes; typically it usually lasts only a second or two.

[Micks]

Yes the lifters do leak down a little when left over that period though in your engine it should be negligible. Two minutes is way too long on warm up for this noise to disappear. Have the oil pressure checked first, you may well be chasing a faulty/damaged lobe on your cam.

[skip100]

The first thing they did was check the oil pressure - they said it's fine. Thanks.

[whitels1ss]

The first thing they did was check the oil pressure - they said it's fine. Thanks.

A pitted or damaged cam lobe won't show up with a drop oil pressure.

[skip100]

Micks: just noticed your comment re 2 minutes being too long. I never said it took 2 minutes - that 2 minutes is from the Wikipedia quote. Mine takes about 1 minute.
Had another listen this morning, after being off for about 7 hours. It seems to me that the "edge" has been taken off the sound - less high frequency energy in the sound - less metallic.

[whitels1ss]

Micks: just noticed your comment re 2 minutes being too long.
I never said it took 2 minutes - that 2 minutes is from the Wikipedia quote.

Mine takes about 1 minute.

Had another listen this morning, after being off for about 7 hours.
It seems to me that the "edge" has been taken off the sound -
less high frequency energy in the sound -
less metallic.

Brand new lifters should not be making any strange noises for any length of time.

[skip100]

Brand new lifters should not be making any strange noises for any length of time.

Ok, but I'm not skilled enough to know which noises are "strange", and which noises are normal. ;^)
Here's a recording of how it sounds AFTER the lifters were replaced (Note: I've amplified this one, so ignore the fact that it will sound louder than the first recording):
https://soundcloud.com/sullivang/not...fters-replaced

Opinions? I think it sounds quieter than before, but I don't know whether it's 100% normal.

[whitels1ss]

Hard to tell from the clip but that sounds like it does have a little bit of lifter rattle at first start up.

The sound certainly changes & gets nicer as time goes on during the clip.