GotMoJo

This is what I've been told by a guy much smarter than me.

Lifter bores in some engines whether due to abnormal wear or expansion differences cause the lifter to bleed down prematurely thus causing the valve to slap. Much like a valve that has too loose an adjustment. Since there is no adjustment on these you are pretty much stuck with what you have. Find a set of adjustable rocker arms (if they make such a thing for the LS7) and you should find happiness.

Makes sense to me.

spartanc6z06

Just bought my 06 with 40000kms. Stock. Runs HARD. makes alot of noise idle or slow cruise. Sounds like a sewing machine and worse. From my experience owning pushrods and mod motors since i was 16, perfectly fine. My 04 cobra did it. You should here my jeep srt8 lol. If it lets go, just build it bigger and better.
cheers.

ghostmech

I've had the same issue as the OP....an annoying ticking noise from about 2000 rpm to 2500-2800 rpm. I've posted it before and like this thread, all sorts of reasons and remedies were given but it usually ends in...."that's normal."

I've taken it to the dealer on a couple of occasions to diagnose and he hears it, calls GM tech.....and the answer is..." that's normal" Their advice to me at the time was, drive the car to break it in since (supposedly) GM sets the computer to run a little richer until about 800 miles for break in purposes and the Mobil 1 oil breaks down quicker during this time period.

Lets face it, GM is not going to say anything else at this point (and it's not the first time they've denied a problem with a vehicle). Other than the oil tank tube O-ring issue (which seems to be BS as far as a fix for this ticking problem.) the ticking will be considered ....."normal."

The one area I want to explore is playing with oils and viscosity choices. I noticed when I finally changed my oil (for the first time at about 800 miles) the ticking was noticeably reduced with the new oil. As time went on, it returned to its normal annoying self..especially after warming to normal operating temperature. I was wondering if I switch to say, 5/40, 10/40, would the thicker viscosity ease the noise at normal operating temps....now the question is which brand is best.

Paul_in_Germany

Corvette recommends Mobil 1. Porsche uses Mobil 1. Why would you use anything else?

TARANTULA

Factory oil changed @ 5,000 miles

ErnieD

Thanks for posting, Marcos. I guess it will take time and a few oil samples to determine if the ticking is causing unusual wear. At least you have a baseline on your engine. I may have mine analyzed a few thousand miles after the next oil change and then periodically thereafter.

08msmZ06

Mine started the loud ticking tonight. I have 28.4K miles on it now and have never heard anything even remotely like what I heard tonight. I went for a late evening drive like I usually do and got on it after the oil temp reached 180 or so; not too hard, just 7K in first and second, and then I got on the freeway and settled into a 5th gear cruise at 70 mph. About ten minutes into the cruise the tapping started and lasted for about 15 minutes; I was in the 2K RPM range the entire time. When I got to a red light near my home the ticking stopped completely, and the car went back to sounding like it always does. It was like nothing happened. I have noticed recently the car is acting a little differently on startup. After sitting overnight or for at least 3-4 hours it revs high on the first startup but then immediately idles normally. It did it again tonight. I doubt this is related to the ticking, but something has changed. I'm anxiously waiting to see how it behaves later today.

TARANTULA

That’s my plan, next oil change will be at 3,000 and of course I will report back.

ErnieD

Well, I tried two things as experiments to see if they would reduce the valve train noise:

1) I tried a 10W-40 oil. This made no change to the sound level that I could tell. This was just an experiment and I won't continue to run this oil on a regular basis. So after a shorter than normal change interval, I'll go back to a 5W-30.

2) I added some 1/8-inch thick "Dynaliner" acoustical foam to the inside of the fuel rail covers. (The LS3 engines have sound absorbing material under the covers and also on top of the intake manifold as supplied from the factory.) The only "instrumentation" is my ears, but the foam seems to have reduced the noise level by perhaps 25%, or so. I'll try this for a while to see if I notice any problems from heat (Dynaliner and adhesive are spec'd for use up to 225 degees F). Then, if no heat problems, maybe I'll try the thicker 1/4-inch Dynaliner to see if that attenuates the noise any better than the 1/8-inch stuff.

If I get the opportunity, I'll also try a set of LS3 fuel rail covers with the factory sound-absorbing material, assuming they'll fit on the LS7. If I discover anything additional that might help, I'll "post it up".

blaine123

Again, the LS7 does make ticking noises and this is normal. BUT.... you need to know what the normal is which is described like a sewing machine.

If your ticking noise sounds like a JACKHAMMER------------------> Not normal.

Everyone describes the ticking noise differently so don't just flat out say ticking is normal.. a certain volume (dB) of tick is normal. Or someone is going to have a LS7 motor with a Jackhammer ticking noise.. and think.. "Oh I read this is normal.... I'm fine" Then time goes by and an exhaust valve decides to make love with his piston.

And yes adding headers will amplify the tick noise you hear... to an extent. You may also get a tick noise from headers if you have an exhaust leak where the headers connect to the motor.

VNAMVET

After 24,000 miles, pronounced ticking started in my 2008 Z. Engine had been totally quiet until now.

It doesn't matter if hot or cold engine, noise was always present at 1500-1700 rpm.

Car is stock and I have owned it since new and has never seen a drag strip or been abused and has been maticuliously maintained.

Dealer diagnosed noise to be coming from both sides of engine, so all 16lifters were replaced. They also replaced o ring (sump).

Not only did these procedures NOT cure the ticking, but now there is pronounced ticking at 3300-3500 rpm, in addition to the 1500-1700 ticking. Dealers states normal for this vehicle.

I really find this point of view very hard to accept, and I don't think this is normal, especially after having had NO ticking noise for 24,000 (mostly highway) miles.

After I told them I don't drive the car hard, I was told "perhaps you should"...........

z51vett

My 2009 Z06 make this noise also its not cold start related. I've had my air conditions lines at firewall moved by tech telling me this was the cause. My Z still does it with 15500 miles would like to get it fixed. I often think low oil bad gas. I change oil every 3000 miles so what gives.
z51vett

tim414

I have a '10 Z06, bought new, now with 2300 miles and hear ticking. However, I do not believe it is a single lifter. While I'm no mechanic or engineer, back in 1987 I had bought a Camaro new. Drove it near 120k miles. At around 100k it developed a ticking which was a lifter. It ticked at any speed whether cold or warm.
My 'Z does NOT make the same sound. It's multiple ticking if that makes any sense. I have been told it is likely the injectors due to 'composite' fuel rails. I hope so. Sounds logical to me. The car seems to run fine. (except the last time I drove it a week to ten days ago, it was running a bit rough so I ran all the gas out and filled it up again and seemed to be fine) Anyway, it is under factory warranty so if it crashes then I guess I'll seek satisfaction. I hope it's okay. If it gets worse I will have it looked at to document the issue.

What else do I do?

arkus

I had a zo6 08 with 30 miles on it and made the ticking noise very bad . I took it to the dealer many times back and fourth . Some said they could hear it others said they cant . I sold the car and got an 09 z new and the car ran totally different . The 09Z runs extreemly quiet . Its a night and day difference between the two cars ..
BTW the 08 was purchased new also .
The 08 was so bad i didnt want to drive it . It was that loud.
Is it possible that my 08 wasnt broken in correctly or abused by the dealership ?

z06RN

My 2008 z06 with around 16,000 miles makes the noise as well. Took it to the dealership and they said it was normal, but what do they know!! haha My neighbor had a 2001 c5 and he to had a ticking noise too. He took it to the dealer several times when under warranty and same response "normal". He had 80,000 miles on his car with no problems what so ever, but the ticking. I'm starting to think this is normal "a corvette thing" since most of us do have the ticking noise and most have not had any other engine problems but the ticking, this leads me to believe it's just a "corvette thing".

VNAMVET

..........I have decided that I am not going to lose sleep over this issue. I was not concerned ABOUT the noise, but what might happen if this issue was not addressed.

In my particular case, all 16 lifters were replaced, so in any case, all that can be done HAS been done. The radio will be on, drowning out this "tick". Besides, I always drive with the oil pressure showing.................just in case.

VNAMVET

Took car back to another dealer................just for advice on the ticking sound........THEY TOLD ME..........after inspection, that "you definately have a problem".
They even took me to the used car lot where they had a 2009 (8,000 mile) Z06. They told me to get in and then started it up, reving it up through 4,000 rpm........quiet.

"See" he said. Something is not right with yours.............

I never told them I just had ALL 16 lifters replaced at another dealership...........



All I REALLY want is my engine to sound like it did for it's previous 24,000 miles....QUIET!!!


Dealer has offered to buy me out of it for what I owe and put me into a 2010 Z06.

bass mechanic

all the Ls7 will be quiet on a fresh oil change and especially when cold.

trust me when i tell you its normal! i changed oil to 15-w50 mobile one, that is what the guys use on the track. Lingenfelter performance suggested i try it.
now i have almost no ticking whatsoever when cold and about 95% gone when oil temps are 200 degrees!

that dealer is only trying to sell you another car!
but if they are really trying to help you out then i would not buy unless they pay you what you owe and sell you a new 2010 with all the discounts. thoes discounts being 16,000 off like many of the forum dealers are doing. a new Z with 2lz package i think would be right around 67,000 without the 5,000 discount and GM finance 0 for 72 months. your payment would be right around 1000 a month with nothing down.
if the numbers dont work like that then WALK! your car is fine!

AKMac

How about a recording of the noise so we can use our collective knowledge to help diagnose the sound?

mirage2991

Fuel injectors can be noisy and sound like valvetrain noise. I'm surprised no dealer has tried to replace them. My 06 gto made the sewing machine ticking sound as well. My 05 vette was less pronounced but it was there. My 08 is noisy when cold then gets quiet. I wouldn't be to alarmed. Getting the tach above 4k more than once a year also help. Ever notice how a motor seems to run better after some hot roding? Sometime you just gotta go clean out the plugs...