Ticking sound

**GottaHaveLS1** · 09-06-2007, 12:13 PM

I was putting my car away this afternoon and I heard a ticking sound when it idles. it's easier to hear if you're right next to the car but not so much when ur in front with the hood open. You can hear it pretty good if you get down and look under the car where the headers collect. It starts up about ten seconds after the car starts. what could cause this? could it develop into anything serious?

**b.lee** · 09-06-2007, 12:17 PM

check the oil level would be my first thing.

maybe it could be the infamous piston slap?

**98formy** · 09-06-2007, 01:01 PM

Exhaust leak or bad rocker arm in my case

**89LX** · 09-06-2007, 02:09 PM

Back plug wire or header leak?

**2001NBMZ28** · 09-06-2007, 02:31 PM

To me an exhaust leak is more of a tapping sound - ticking sounds electrical. Loose plug/wire/something arcing on the header....

**SeVeReDiStOrTiOn** · 09-06-2007, 05:32 PM

How long after the headers install did it start ticking?

**GottaHaveLS1** · 09-07-2007, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by SeVeReDiStOrTiOn

How long after the headers install did it start ticking?

I just noted it yesterday and the tuner noticed it as well. I had it tuned about 2 weeks after the install and I started noticing it yesterday.

**0rion** · 09-07-2007, 08:21 AM

my first thought would be an exhaust leak from the way you describe it. An exhaust leak will sometimes make a ticking sound that sounds like someone pecking on metal with a screwdriver or something like that. If it's less noticeable with the hood up but more pronounced from under the car I would look at the exhaust first. What kind of exhaust clamps did you use and are the headers slip fit or flanged?

**GottaHaveLS1** · 09-07-2007, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

my first thought would be an exhaust leak from the way you describe it. An exhaust leak will sometimes make a ticking sound that sounds like someone pecking on metal with a screwdriver or something like that. If it's less noticeable with the hood up but more pronounced from under the car I would look at the exhaust first. What kind of exhaust clamps did you use and are the headers slip fit or flanged?

They're pacesetters... so they're slip fit. I used 3 in band clamps on the two collectors and where the y pipe connects.

**02ultraZ** · 09-07-2007, 12:31 PM

watch that piston slap if its right upon start up.

**02ultraZ** · 09-07-2007, 12:35 PM

http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread...ht=piston+slap

In post #11 there is an audio and a video file of the piston slap in this thread, check it out and see if that's the noise you are hearing. My car does it really bad...

**02ultraZ** · 09-07-2007, 12:40 PM

http://http://ls1tech.com/forums/sho...highlight=crap

There is a thread that is on ls1tech. Not sure if that is the same noise or not, i can't listen at the moment, i'm at work and don't have any speakers. They state in this thread that it's the lifters...