Engine tick--lifters or something worse?

[fldrummer]

So recently, I took my Camaro to a different shop (Jay Healy at KraftWorks) to see if he could figure out my hot start issue and check my tune. He was alarmed though when he heard this noise though and decided not to go further, thinking it could be rod bearings!?...

https://youtu.be/dbMhar0EW4Q

Trouble is, I have <7k miles on this rebuilt & forged LS3--cam was new also, along with new lifters & trays. I also recently had a trunion upgrade done, along with new .660-lift BTR valve spings. 'Ran 2 rounds of BTR-30 Oil for break-in and have had 2 LS-30 oil changes since.

Jay also removed and cut open the oil filter and found several small (and I mean tiny, dust-like size) metal flakes on it and recommended taking it to the engine builder to be safe and get his opinion. So, I drove it up to them (Total Engine Concepts--63 miles, round-trip), gently, of course. Mike, the owner, came out, listened to it, and immediately said it's just valvetrain noise and that some cams and lifters are just noisier than others. He also inspected the filter and concluded the metal flakes were aluminum and also not uncommon. He doesn't seem to think it's anything to be alarmed about. My oil pressure was good the entire trip up and back also...

I don't know though. Should I bite the bullet and have the lifters and cam inspected? Drop the oil pan and have the rod bearings inspected? Or should I roll the dice and have him go ahead and put it on the dyno as-is?

[fldrummer]

Also, before the rebuild, I had a lifter failure that resulted in a chirping noise, but that was at 70k miles--the last 35K with cam swap and last 9K of that with the Maggie, running Mobile-1 the entire time (before I knew any better):

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=341823

[Olddudesrule]

Send an oil sample to Blackstone. They will tell you exactly what metals are in there, their concentrations, and give you a narrative explaining exactly what they think they see going on. If the oil is fresh, the analysis may not be as thorough. Give them a call and ask.

[xc_SS/RS]

Does the sound increase with revs? Sounds pretty loud, but that could be placement of the camera.

It does sound pretty constant like a lifter that isn't pumping up but who knows. Have you pulled valve covers to see if there's a bad spring?

[mrimpala02]

I'm with xc_SS/RS it sounds a lot like a lifter issue. I had a lifter failure last year and had a similar sound. I had about 20,000 miles on my car when it happened. It took out the cam and one lifter, but all else was good.
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=471435

I got my cam right before comp cams had a several bad cams so I'm really not sure if the cam took out the lifter or the other way around. I decided to go with a cam motion cam just in case this time around.

I recommend looking at your valve springs and if nothing bite the bullet and pull the heads to look at the lifters. You have too much vested in it to ignore that noise. Could get a lot worse! Also send oil off to Blackstone.

[fldrummer]

Originally Posted by xc_SS/RS

Does the sound increase with revs? Sounds pretty loud, but that could be placement of the camera.

It does sound pretty constant like a lifter that isn't pumping up but who knows. Have you pulled valve covers to see if there's a bad spring?

This appears to be the same sound that was pointed out by the shop that did my work, the last time I picked it up from them (it might be louder now, but I'm not quite sure). They suggested (as did the engine builder) then that I might want to switch to a heavier oil, as these rebuilt motors don't have the same tight tolerances (if that's the right term) as stock motors...

I did have another mechanic pull the valve covers to check the springs a few months ago and he said everything looked good, though I was not present to witness it myself.

[TheFlyingBananaSS]

That sounds exactly like a rod bearing. (Been there with my last camaro) Though microphone placement could be fooling me. I expect a "tick" from a lifter to be a much higher pitched tone. From what I hear, yours sounds like a deep "thunk" tone.

[xc_SS/RS]

Originally Posted by fldrummer

This appears to be the same sound that was pointed out by the shop that did my work, the last time I picked it up from them (it might be louder now, but I'm not quite sure). They suggested (as did the engine builder) then that I might want to switch to a heavier oil, as these rebuilt motors don't have the same tight tolerances (if that's the right term) as stock motors...

I did have another mechanic pull the valve covers to check the springs a few months ago and he said everything looked good, though I was not present to witness it myself.

I'd pull the valve covers (or have a shop do this) and check the springs personally to see if anything is out of the ordinary now. If that all checks out and the noise exists you're gonna have to pull the head and inspect the lifters.

In the mean time I'd get an oil sample to Blackstone so you know for sure what the flakes are. I'm sure someone with a little more expertise will chime in, but my initial thought is bad lifter.

On the hard starts: check all power and ground connections in the engine bay. Clean up your ground contacts and clean the positive contact at the starter. I found a ground wire wasn't grounded properly and the positive cable connection to my starter was heavily corroded. Fixed all that and she hasn't had a hard start since.

[hunter1660]

If the engine builder says it's fine an warranties it...Drive it like you stole it

[UNRIVALED SS]

Drive it. Send in the oil sample. It could an exhuast leak, lifter, rod bearing. Usually you lose some pressure on hearing issues but it depends.

[TRC-SS]

That doesn't sound "normal".......

[booneSS13]

Not to be the bringer of bad news but I had a sound kind of similar to that after a shop did my heads/cam install and I thought it was a lifter. I did a few passes at the track and went up in a cloud of smoke that came from the tailpipes on the last pass . the sound got worse so I took it home, pulled the heads and found 3 broken pistons

That may not be the case for you but honestly It's really all just guessing and speculation until you at least pull the heads off.

Here's a sound clip:
https://youtu.be/V8s3VQqTNe8

[jrhagen]

If your tuner can't tell the difference between lifter noise and rod bearings, you have the wrong tuner.

[BiggFoot]

I would be asking the first shop about the rebuild warranty to see where you stand and explain what is going on. If you haven't had that noise all along then something is wrong. Mine is "noisy" but it has always been that way. Yours does not sound normal to me, but a video doesn't paint the whole picture. Good luck and please keep us posted.