Ticking Noise

**iceman504** · 03-22-2007, 07:16 AM

I jus developed or noticed this ticking noise coming from the front of my car yesterday and i noticed
the ticking noise doesnt go away but quiets down as the car warms up. And as the rpms rise the ticking gets faster.
Most Noticeable when car is started from a cold start.
Noise doesnt seem to be coming from the engine bay but from underneath the car near the passenger front wheel.
What do yall think is the problem?
could it have something do to with the exhaust?

**JonB** · 03-22-2007, 04:03 PM

I would guess exhaust leak. Check your exhaust manifold bolts, then check all the spots where the exhaust meets up. Like the manifolds to the cats ect. This is assuming you still have the stock exhaust.

**iceman504** · 03-22-2007, 06:25 PM

no dont have the stock exhaust anymore i have hooker cat-back exhaust, I will still check all of those things though

**JonB** · 03-23-2007, 05:17 AM

If it sounds like its coming from the front wheel its probably leaking from the manifold although its kinda rare with the metal gaskets that they use on these cars. A bolt or two may have worked there way loose causing it to leak. I have a leak on the drivers side but its because the front bolt broke when I did my headers so there's no bolt there.

**Jasin** · 03-24-2007, 09:13 PM

A good way to check for exhaust leaks it may sound odd, but the bubbles kids play with works great everytime. A little trick my grandpa showed me on his rig one day. Good Luck man....

**iceman504** · 03-31-2007, 04:12 PM

Thanks for the replies everyone but i havent had a chance to look for or try any of the things suggested yet but i looked under the car last night w/ a flash light and exhaust pipes seemed to be free of any leaks and after the car ran for a while the ticking noise became faint so i took it out and it stayed like that but every time the rpms came near 3000 the ticking got really loud(kinda like something is loose or stuck in the exhaust system) so i would bring the rpms back down and the sound would become faint again.
so once it stops raining again i will try the things suggested so far

**twozs** · 04-01-2007, 05:21 AM

bent push rod or bad lifter?

**iceman504** · 04-01-2007, 04:52 PM

i got a friend thats a trusted mechanic to look at it and listen to it and he says its a exhaust leak so I'm taking it to a exhaust shop tomorrow to get it fixed.
thanks to everyone that replied.

**iceman504** · 04-06-2007, 12:54 PM

just got back from the exhaust shop and it wasnt a exhaust leak, they said i had lifter noise and told me to go buy some lucas oil stabilizer, change the oil and substitute one of the bottles of oil with lucas. i said ok then i left.
Ticking noise is mostly noticeable under the car, when starting the car after it sits for a while and u can hear it really well if you bring the rpms up to 3000.
ticking noise can't be heard from the top of the engine and quiets down alot when its at idle after warming up.
Could this be piston slap and if i replaced the lifters would the sound go away?
Will adding lucas help anything, quiet it down?
Am I damaging anything driving the car like this and is replacing the lifters necessary?

**sic2001** · 04-10-2007, 05:18 PM

so what did this turn out to be? i have the same noise and am interested in the fix.

**iceman504** · 04-10-2007, 07:06 PM

still haven't found a fix yet but i did find some interesting info on pistonslap.com.
I took it to a couple mechanics and i keep getting the same answer from them which is "lifter noise"

**ADAM-00SS** · 04-11-2007, 07:15 AM

Piston slap......imo

**97Trans_AM** · 04-12-2007, 04:02 AM

what is piston slap

**iceman504** · 04-12-2007, 07:56 AM

Piston Slap" is a loud knocking noise produced during and shortly after engine start-up that is caused by the engine pistons knocking against the cylinder walls as a result of excessive clearance between the piston and the cylinder wall.

**jerseyjoe** · 07-29-2012, 09:47 AM

Hi All,
Got at ticking issue that I can't seem to get resolved, I have an 01 Camaro SPL SS 44K (never raced), owned the car new sold in o6 bought back in dec 11, the person I sold to put 14k in 6 yrs and changed the oil 4 times, but he took out the Mobil 1and used straight 10w30, I changed back to Mobil 1 & the ticking started, some one on the forum said change to Royal Purple oil ,I did and still have the noise, if I raise RPM's around 1000 it ticks faster,but when I get up to 2000 I can't hear it,but as I back down on the RPM's it comes back. It sounds like it is coming from the top front of the black pelium cover. Could a PVC cause this? If not where do I look. Any help would be greatly aapeciated. jersey joe

**2002ssslp** · 07-29-2012, 10:05 AM

It's just LS1 piston slap. I would also check your manifold / header bolts and put the car in the air to track down the noise but I think it is slap.

**Lunatikgixxer** · 07-29-2012, 12:09 PM

Do you have valvetrain upgrades? If you do then thats your culprit and i wouldnt be very concerned unless it was something you dont have to listen for. If your top end is stock then it is probably a push rod slightly bent. You said its not an exhaust leak then thats out of the way. Have you done anything recently like changed any parts under the hood? If not do you hit the rev limiter a lot or have you recently. If so its probably just a push rod. If not it could be the rocker arms, maybe pop the valve covers off and look over the rockers and see if any of them look crooked or check to see if the bolt holding one on is loose. Id be sure its in the top end.