Piston slap, lifters, exahaust leak, or something else? vid

**elwood** · 01-26-2011, 04:37 PM

Saturday i greased my pulleys because i thought it was them squeaking at startup. After putting them back on and letting the car sit overnight i cranked it up and the noise was still there!

I got the car at the beginning of the month, i'm pretty sure it wasn't making this noise when i bought it. The two things i've done since i had it was change the oil with Mobile 1 synthetic and a Mobile 1 filter. I also switched from 87 to 93 octane (previous owner was running 87).

The noise goes away within 5-10 minutes when the engine comes to temp.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RC8iooijEk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RC8iooijEk[/ame]

**FMBL** · 01-26-2011, 04:57 PM

Try using a long screw driver or long extension. I had to do the same thing to pin point my waterpump. Put your ear to the end of the extension and move it to different parts of the engine it works like a stethoscope.

**Sarge** · 01-26-2011, 05:06 PM

That is a pump or a pulley.

**elwood** · 01-26-2011, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by FMBL

Try using a long screw driver or long extension. I had to do the same thing to pin point my waterpump. Put your ear to the end of the extension and move it to different parts of the engine it works like a stethoscope.

Did your water pump sound anything like this? Tomorrow i will try and find a stethoscope.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 01-26-2011, 08:04 PM

Were you playing with the idle so we could hear the sound better or does your car idle like that on its own?

**elwood** · 01-26-2011, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS

Were you playing with the idle so we could hear the sound better or does your car idle like that on its own?

HAHA! Yeah man, i was revving it. It's louder when it revs.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 01-26-2011, 08:11 PM

The fact that it goes away after warming up makes me believe it could be a lifter...but it seems too loud for that.

**FMBL** · 01-27-2011, 05:51 AM

Originally Posted by elwood

Did your water pump sound anything like this? Tomorrow i will try and find a stethoscope.

In the begining it would squeak until it warmed up. I thought it was a belt. When it started going bad it sounded more like yours. I used a 2 ft extension and put one end on the water pump and then tried the same thing on the idler pulley arm and it was without a doubt the pump. Changed the pump sounds as good as new now.

**elwood** · 01-27-2011, 04:53 PM

Bought a mechanics stethoscope. After letting my engine cool i started it and put it on the water pump, valve covers, and intake.

It was the loudest on the intake. So i guess it's either piston slap or lifters? Probably lifters.

**BashamWS6** · 01-27-2011, 05:39 PM

this is exactly what my car is doing. took it to the dealership...they called me 45mins after i dropped it off telling me i needed a rebuild...lazy bastards... if its just a lifter. im going to be upset. once spring roles around... im definantly getting someoone else to look at it...

**elwood** · 01-27-2011, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by BashamWS6

this is exactly what my car is doing. took it to the dealership...they called me 45mins after i dropped it off telling me i needed a rebuild...lazy bastards... if its just a lifter. im going to be upset. once spring roles around... im definantly getting someoone else to look at it...

45 mins isn't long enough to completely cool off. So it was making the same noise when up to temp?

Maybe mine is just getting started and will eventually make noise when up to temp but it's only making it at a cold start for now.

I'm really thinking about just trading it in now. Two major problems (also need to replace the rear end) and i just don't have the money if i have to have the lifters replaced.

**BashamWS6** · 01-27-2011, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by elwood

45 mins isn't long enough to completely cool off. So it was making the same noise when up to temp?

Maybe mine is just getting started and will eventually make noise when up to temp but it's only making it at a cold start for now.

I'm really thinking about just trading it in now. Two major problems (also need to replace the rear end) and i just don't have the money if i have to have the lifters replaced.

well mine doesnt start the noise until after shes warm. however. piston slap. bent pushrods. bad lifters. rear end. clutch. tranny. cheap interior flaws. etc are all too common on these cars.
i dont know how many miles are on your 02. but remember these cars are 9,10,11,12 years old. things are going to need replaced. and on a trade in...your looking at $6-8K... and with that youd just be getting another car with problems/soon to arise. if i were you. put money into this thing. their beautiful. and most people enjoy working on them (if you have the skills/time/money/etc.) get it check'd out. and as the old saying goes... if it aint [too] broke, dont fix it.
and the LS7 lifters (better than LS1 lifters which are dicontinued) are perfict fit. and cost...like what... less than $200 i believe?
if you could get a backyard mechanic to fix it or even some reputible shop...it shouldnt be but 4-6hrs labor...

**elwood** · 01-27-2011, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by BashamWS6

well mine doesnt start the noise until after shes warm. however. piston slap. bent pushrods. bad lifters. rear end. clutch. tranny. cheap interior flaws. etc are all too common on these cars.
i dont know how many miles are on your 02. but remember these cars are 9,10,11,12 years old. things are going to need replaced. and on a trade in...your looking at $6-8K... and with that youd just be getting another car with problems/soon to arise. if i were you. put money into this thing. their beautiful. and most people enjoy working on them (if you have the skills/time/money/etc.) get it check'd out. and as the old saying goes... if it aint [too] broke, dont fix it.
and the LS7 lifters (better than LS1 lifters which are dicontinued) are perfit fit. and cost...like what... less than $200 i believe?
if you could get a backyard mechanic to fix it or even some reputible shop...it shouldnt be but 4-6hrs labor...

78k miles. I just hope a miracle happens and it turns out to be not something inside the engine.

**BashamWS6** · 01-27-2011, 06:06 PM

but mine started at 85.5K... most people drop a new engine or rebuild theirs sooner than that. im looking at an ls6 swap late this spring. then ill have the ls1 to rebuild and put it in a '90s Fox-body<-- of course. this will be a while

its good to dream big

**35th-ANV-SS** · 01-27-2011, 07:17 PM

If it is a bad lifter, you can try seafoam and see if that cleans it up...

**elwood** · 01-27-2011, 07:18 PM

I seafoamed yesterday, about a half a can.

**BashamWS6** · 01-27-2011, 07:39 PM

im seafoaming when my sister's bf comes back from columbus... hes been dying to get his hands on my car anyways...
if that doesnt work then ill take it to his cousin and see what he has to say about it... also need to have charles take a look

**elwood** · 01-27-2011, 09:04 PM

When i seafoamed there wasn't much smoke that came out. I didn't dump the last bit in fast to kill the engine though. I just poured half the can slow then killed the ignition and let it sit for 20 mins. Then ran it good.

**BashamWS6** · 01-28-2011, 06:59 AM

when we seafoamed my sisters stang. there was so much smoke that we couldnt see thru the intersection on the way back... but it was 3 in the morning
safety first

**redbird555** · 01-28-2011, 07:30 AM

sounds to me like just normal piston slap... exhaust is a high pitch tick, lifters ande rod bearings are more distinct than that it seems is usually the case

rod bearing:[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT4mQa8_YH0&feature=related[/ame]

my engine after lifters were replaced its piston slap:[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiR0WQhYXsU[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe3UBVcVEi4[/ame]

lifters:[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHsz7qStdlA&feature=related[/ame]