Odd ticking noise that disappeared - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

cc-rider · 10-16-2016, 10:01 PM

Hi fellas,

Wondering if you can help me diagnose something. Like usual for something like this, I've got to explain the situation in gory detail so sorry for the long post...but for those brave enough to read through it...I'd appreciate your thoughts here.

Went for a ride the other day, car ran great. Was pulling into my garage and I noticed a light ticking/tapping noise. I popped my hood and was just about to open it when all of a sudden the engine idled down and stalled out. At this point, I was about shitting myself thinking that it just seized up. Got back in the car, and it started right up. Idled for 10 seconds, the tick came back again, then the car idled down and chugged a few times, recovered, and then the tick went completely away. I shut it off and stared it a few more times...no tick...no hiccups. The only odd thing I noticed during all of this other than the tick, was my fuel pump doing the click, click, click reset or whatever it does from time to time (I think this is evap purge?). This was a bit odd because I don't usually hear that often, and it was doing it every time I shut the car off and restated it. The tick sounded like it was coming from down low under the car, and not valvetrain (though I'm not ruling out valvetrain). Sounds can be deceiving. But it was a tick, and not a knock. An it went away so fast and that's all the diagnosis I can offer.

So fearing the worst, I changed my engine oil to see if I had any metal. Nothing. Came out clean as can be. I then started it a few more times...no tick, no noises, all perfect. Took it for another ride and hit it with boost a few times. All perfect. No signs of anything wrong.

Any ideas on what this dissapearong tick was?

Engine issues?
Fuel supply issues causing injector tick? (the idle down and stall out combined with the fuel pump purging makes me wonder)
Could it be a broken clutch component?

2010SSRSM6 · 10-16-2016, 10:33 PM

Mine started out that way. I wound up with a broken lifter that killed the rest of the motor because it went away and I kept driving it for about a week. When the noise came back, the car was done.

SeaCompiler · 10-16-2016, 11:14 PM

It is easy to take the valve covers off and inspect the valve springs and see if anything looks abnormal, cracks, broken. Sometimes engines give warning signs before something major happens. Not sure what this could be, but this is what I would do first before driving it much more. Maybe it is something minor with your SC like a solenoid, actuator, bypass - whatever. Perhaps some other owners with your SC can chime in for advice.

supergt99 · 10-17-2016, 12:10 AM

Plugs or wires?

1KillerSS · 10-17-2016, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cc-rider

Any ideas on what this dissapearong tick was?

Engine issues?
Fuel supply issues causing injector tick? (the idle down and stall out combined with the fuel pump purging makes me wonder)
Could it be a broken clutch component?

Check fuel pressure to rule out your fuel supply.

cc-rider · 10-17-2016, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1KillerSS

Check fuel pressure to rule out your fuel supply.

Sure wish I was datalogging when this happened.

The whole stalling out thing makes me very suspect that something happened with the fuel. Not sure that a lifter tick would make the car idle down and stall out?

But if it was fuel...what could it be? Vapor lock in the rails?

cc-rider · 10-17-2016, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by supergt99

Plugs or wires?

I gave the wires a visual once over to see if maybe I had a burn through and was arcing. But they all looked good.

JusticePete · 10-17-2016, 11:11 AM

Have you pulled a cover to check the valve train?

cc-rider · 10-17-2016, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Have you pulled a cover to check the valve train?

Not yet. But that's what I plan to do. But in order to do that...I need to pull my entire blower off. So its not as easy or quick to do as a stock LS3 would. But I'll do it. At least its the end of the driving season here in MN. I'll take it off this winter and have a look...

hillshooter · 10-17-2016, 12:07 PM

I had this exact issue this summer. very intermittent ticking that was hard to hear sometimes.

It ended up being collapsed lifter on #7. I was running around 700WHP when it happened and my builder suggested I upgrade to comp cams lifters and I haven't had a problem since.

looking at your build in your signature, I would imagine you are beyond what the stock valve train can handle.

cc-rider · 10-17-2016, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hillshooter

I had this exact issue this summer. very intermittent ticking that was hard to hear sometimes.

It ended up being collapsed lifter on #7. I was running around 700WHP when it happened and my builder suggested I upgrade to comp cams lifters and I haven't had a problem since.

looking at your build in your signature, I would imagine you are beyond what the stock valve train can handle.

Yeah...listening to you guys...I'm starting to think that this might have been a lifter that went down for a brief moment but pumped back up with oil again now. But probably not a good sign for expecting many more miles out of it.

What are the lifter options out there? I've never really studied lifters.

10aSSee D · 10-17-2016, 07:17 PM

Just change them when you forge the internals

cc-rider · 10-17-2016, 07:37 PM

Yep. Defintaley thinking about that!

SeaCompiler · 10-17-2016, 09:46 PM

I had a stuck lifter over a year ago and this is what mine sounded like before I fixed it... you can compare it to your sound. https://youtu.be/LkrSyFky2I8

10-16-2016, 10:01 PM	#1
cc-rider Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: MN Posts: 1,172	Odd ticking noise that disappeared Hi fellas, Wondering if you can help me diagnose something. Like usual for something like this, I've got to explain the situation in gory detail so sorry for the long post...but for those brave enough to read through it...I'd appreciate your thoughts here. Went for a ride the other day, car ran great. Was pulling into my garage and I noticed a light ticking/tapping noise. I popped my hood and was just about to open it when all of a sudden the engine idled down and stalled out. At this point, I was about shitting myself thinking that it just seized up. Got back in the car, and it started right up. Idled for 10 seconds, the tick came back again, then the car idled down and chugged a few times, recovered, and then the tick went completely away. I shut it off and stared it a few more times...no tick...no hiccups. The only odd thing I noticed during all of this other than the tick, was my fuel pump doing the click, click, click reset or whatever it does from time to time (I think this is evap purge?). This was a bit odd because I don't usually hear that often, and it was doing it every time I shut the car off and restated it. The tick sounded like it was coming from down low under the car, and not valvetrain (though I'm not ruling out valvetrain). Sounds can be deceiving. But it was a tick, and not a knock. An it went away so fast and that's all the diagnosis I can offer. So fearing the worst, I changed my engine oil to see if I had any metal. Nothing. Came out clean as can be. I then started it a few more times...no tick, no noises, all perfect. Took it for another ride and hit it with boost a few times. All perfect. No signs of anything wrong. Any ideas on what this dissapearong tick was? Engine issues? Fuel supply issues causing injector tick? (the idle down and stall out combined with the fuel pump purging makes me wonder) Could it be a broken clutch component?

10-16-2016, 10:33 PM	#2
2010SSRSM6 Drives: My wife crazy with my C5 usage. Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: DFW Posts: 6,558 View My Garage	Mine started out that way. I wound up with a broken lifter that killed the rest of the motor because it went away and I kept driving it for about a week. When the noise came back, the car was done. __________________ UNDER CONSTRUCTION......again......

10-16-2016, 11:14 PM	#3
SeaCompiler ...not a marine biologist Drives: 2012 Camaro RY SS LS3 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Clarkesville, GA Posts: 752 View My Garage	It is easy to take the valve covers off and inspect the valve springs and see if anything looks abnormal, cracks, broken. Sometimes engines give warning signs before something major happens. Not sure what this could be, but this is what I would do first before driving it much more. Maybe it is something minor with your SC like a solenoid, actuator, bypass - whatever. Perhaps some other owners with your SC can chime in for advice. __________________ Forged 416 stroker Turbocharged with Huron Speed with Cam Motion custom grind,Tuned by Vengeance, 8psi, 25% PowerBond UDP, Ported TB, shaved heads, LS9 gaskets, chromoly pushrods, BT trunnions & dual valve springs, IWIS, Might Mouse CC, SJM Line Lock,, MSD 2-Step, ZL1 Rear End, ZL1 spoiler, Strut Brace, ARP bolts, Skip shift elim, A-Pillar Gauges, FR Style 41 20X10, 3 inch exhaust, blackouts, Lowered, Custom badges, Hines vents,RPI fender vents, Technostalgia Tail Lights, Metra Kit, Pioneer stereo, Morimoto RGB Halos, "The Great Awakening" on gab.com

10-17-2016, 07:17 PM	#12
10aSSee D Drives: Silver 2010 SS Camaro Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: TN Posts: 2,562	Just change them when you forge the internals __________________ MODS: ADM built 417, 2.9L Whipple with 3.250 pulley, ADM ported and polished LSA heads,ADM stage3 cam,ADM LSA belt drive system,ADM CAI race scoop, ADM dual fuel pumps, ID 850's, BMR full suspension, Gforce 9 inch kit with 3.5 inch driveshaft, Street Slayer twin carbon clutch, Lingenfelter oil seperator. Tuned by built by ADM Performance, 763rwhp,705rwtq

10-17-2016, 09:46 PM	#14
SeaCompiler ...not a marine biologist Drives: 2012 Camaro RY SS LS3 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Clarkesville, GA Posts: 752 View My Garage	I had a stuck lifter over a year ago and this is what mine sounded like before I fixed it... you can compare it to your sound. https://youtu.be/LkrSyFky2I8 __________________ Forged 416 stroker Turbocharged with Huron Speed with Cam Motion custom grind,Tuned by Vengeance, 8psi, 25% PowerBond UDP, Ported TB, shaved heads, LS9 gaskets, chromoly pushrods, BT trunnions & dual valve springs, IWIS, Might Mouse CC, SJM Line Lock,, MSD 2-Step, ZL1 Rear End, ZL1 spoiler, Strut Brace, ARP bolts, Skip shift elim, A-Pillar Gauges, FR Style 41 20X10, 3 inch exhaust, blackouts, Lowered, Custom badges, Hines vents,RPI fender vents, Technostalgia Tail Lights, Metra Kit, Pioneer stereo, Morimoto RGB Halos, "The Great Awakening" on gab.com

10-17-2016, 12:10 AM	#4
supergt99 Drives: 2013 Camaro SS 1LE Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: earth Posts: 288	Plugs or wires?

10-17-2016, 11:11 AM	#8
JusticePete Drives: Camaro Justice Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 20,174	Have you pulled a cover to check the valve train?

10-17-2016, 12:07 PM	#10
hillshooter Drives: 2015 Camaro SS commemorative Join Date: May 2015 Location: Utah Posts: 425	I had this exact issue this summer. very intermittent ticking that was hard to hear sometimes. It ended up being collapsed lifter on #7. I was running around 700WHP when it happened and my builder suggested I upgrade to comp cams lifters and I haven't had a problem since. looking at your build in your signature, I would imagine you are beyond what the stock valve train can handle.

10-17-2016, 07:37 PM	#13
cc-rider Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: MN Posts: 1,172	Yep. Defintaley thinking about that!