Ticking noise on highway sounds like a valve

**180ls1** · 11-27-2007, 09:19 PM

My car a 1999 ls1 with 92,000 starts to tick pretty bad when i have been driving it on the freeway for a while. it has a descreened maf from the previous owner and fipk and tb bypass. i live in southern california so temperature should not be a factor. When i pulled over and let it sit for a short time to put some oil in it it went away but i had enough oil in it allready so then i topped it off. I noticed my oil pressure at idle is right at 20 and then when i am driving at like 1600 it is at like 25 or so. I run Mobile 1 10w 30. Any Suggestions?

**180ls1** · 11-28-2007, 06:32 AM

it will start light and start getting worse the more i drive it but when it sits for a couple of hours then it will go away.

**rbob93** · 11-28-2007, 07:28 AM

Sounds like a bad lifter

**01SOMSS!** · 11-28-2007, 08:53 AM

hmmm... I have that same problem at high rpm's. some one said it might be pre detnating a bit. make sure u run 91oct.pump the good stuff and dont pump any of that cheap am pm crap!

**ice97ta** · 11-28-2007, 08:58 AM

have you been losing any power, nick had this problem when he bought his car and within a week it got bad, turned out it was his oil pump.

**180ls1** · 11-28-2007, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by 01SOMSS!

hmmm... I have that same problem at high rpm's. some one said it might be pre detnating a bit. make sure u run 91oct.pump the good stuff and dont pump any of that cheap am pm crap!

ya i run shell 91 in it. today it started doing it so i put it into 4th at 70 or so and my oil pressure when up to around 35 or so. so i left it there for a good 40 seconds or so and then it went away. it will never do it in the city just the highway when the motor is heat soaked and i have more oil pressure when the motor is cold. i think when the oil gets hot the pump must be failing. i do not think it is an air fuel ratio.

**TrickStang37** · 11-29-2007, 11:31 PM

maybe a lifter. I know a lot of people post to try that Lucas oil additive stuff, i never used it before so i dont know. Sounds like you have enough oil pressure tho. Its coming from the engine 100%, right? not a throwout bearing maybe?

maybe a bearing on a pulley is goin bad?

**Hot Black Trans-Am** · 11-30-2007, 12:10 AM

Have you changed you fuel filter lately?

**Firebirdjones** · 11-30-2007, 03:40 AM

I don't know about everyone else or why this hasn't been mentioned but that oil pressure you say you have sounds very low to me.

You stated you have only 20 lbs. at idle and it only raises to 25 lbs. while cruising down the road at 1,600 rpms? To go from an idle of 700 or so up to 1,600 rpms and only have a 5 lbs. difference sounds a little weak to me.

Although 20 lbs. is plenty for an engine to servive while idling,,,,once the rpm comes up it should sweep up to at least 40 lbs. or more.

My LS1 with the stock pump and all holds 60 lbs. most all the time,,,even idling while hot.

I would find a mechanical gauge that you can somehow splice into for oil pressure somewhere under the hood just to verify the gauge in the car is also reading correctly and something silly isn't going on like a faulty sending unit etc...... If the mechanical gauge also shows a low reading I would start looking into more serious repairs unfortunately.

**xirxious** · 11-30-2007, 08:23 AM

It can be in the valvetrain.. A bad spring or rocker may have come loose. The rocker is relatively easy to check, but bad springs are tough. These usually happen at low speeds, too, not just high. I'd suggest using a mechanic sstethoscope, but at 70 mph I have no idea how apart from a dyno. I would think that if it were pre detonation, your knock sensors would pick it up

**Street Fighter** · 11-30-2007, 10:28 AM

Frist of all the oil pressure is low at 1600 Rpms. you said that it stops once it sits for a while,It sounds like the oil is getting thin once you get to going down the highway.I would get a manual gauge check the pressure cold and with the engine hot.Change to 10w 40 and see if the pressure is higher.cold and hot.if so you may be able to get by using the 10W40.I tried 5w30 and it was too thin once the engine heated up.It's worth a try.

**180ls1** · 12-01-2007, 08:46 AM

thanks for the help guys i appreciate it. I am going to change the fuel filter this weekend and my oil. I am going to use some 5w30 and some 10w40 and see what that does for it. I might addsome auto rx also.

**Firebirdjones** · 12-01-2007, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by 180ls1

thanks for the help guys i appreciate it. I am going to change the fuel filter this weekend and my oil. I am going to use some 5w30 and some 10w40 and see what that does for it. I might addsome auto rx also.

I guess it wouldn't hurt to try,,,but I run 10w-30 in mine with 60 lbs at idle when hot. I don't think jumping up a slight amount in viscosity is going to give you another 35 lbs. in oil pressure like I have.

Since you only have 25 lbs at 1600 rpms, I would be more comfortable with at least 40 lbs.,,,but I still don't think the viscosity change will give you that either. But it may make things a little quieter for you for a short time.

Check the GM manual,,,,I haven't looked at this spec for a while, but I believe GM gives you an oil pressure reading that is considered acceptable at a certain RPM. I believe they take it from 2,000 rpms,,,and it's usually around 40-45 lbs. hot.

**blackhawk01** · 12-01-2007, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by 180ls1

it will start light and start getting worse the more i drive it but when it sits for a couple of hours then it will go away.

nextime put in Castrol 0w30 (European Formula) in your car...but before you do that seafoam it...i bet that makes it more quieter...I did it..MAN did my car sound quieter and run a whole lot better

**180ls1** · 12-01-2007, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

I guess it wouldn't hurt to try,,,but I run 10w-30 in mine with 60 lbs at idle when hot. I don't think jumping up a slight amount in viscosity is going to give you another 35 lbs. in oil pressure like I have.

Since you only have 25 lbs at 1600 rpms, I would be more comfortable with at least 40 lbs.,,,but I still don't think the viscosity change will give you that either. But it may make things a little quieter for you for a short time.

Check the GM manual,,,,I haven't looked at this spec for a while, but I believe GM gives you an oil pressure reading that is considered acceptable at a certain RPM. I believe they take it from 2,000 rpms,,,and it's usually around 40-45 lbs. hot.

I agree with you that it will need a new oil pump soon. I am going to try some seafoam or auto rx and new oil since that will only cost me $50 and if that does not help i am goint to take it in to a shop or try to replace the oil pump myself. Any ideas on how much it will run me to have it replaced and should i go with a ported ls6 one while i am doing it? because i might add a cam in a few years

**180ls1** · 12-03-2007, 04:53 PM

Well i added the seafoam and it took away the tick so far but i still have pretty low oil pressure. Will it harm my motor even if it is not ticking?

**Firebirdjones** · 12-03-2007, 05:13 PM

Thats really a judgement call. What does the oil pressure do at higher rpms,,,,like 3,000 or 4,000? Does it just stay at 25 lbs.?

Hopefully it's an oil pump and not a bearing clearance problem,,,eeeek. Oil pump is cheap enough to give it a shot I guess.

**180ls1** · 12-03-2007, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Thats really a judgement call. What does the oil pressure do at higher rpms,,,,like 3,000 or 4,000? Does it just stay at 25 lbs.?

Hopefully it's an oil pump and not a bearing clearance problem,,,eeeek. Oil pump is cheap enough to give it a shot I guess.

it will shoot up to 40 or so at like 3,500 and more pressure the more rpms i rev it out to.

**Firebirdjones** · 12-04-2007, 03:24 AM

Originally Posted by 180ls1

it will shoot up to 40 or so at like 3,500 and more pressure the more rpms i rev it out to.

Oh,,,,I was somewhat under the impression it was stuck at 25 lbs. As long as it climbs with RPM it sounds livable.
Smokey always said that the gen 1 small block chevy oiling system was so well designed that it would live fine as low as 10 lbs. oil pressure at idle and then 10 lbs. every 1,000 rpms after that.

I don't see why this gen III engine would be any different? I have never had anything that low personally. But if you are going to do an oil pump,,,I agree, why not go with a ported LS6 setup while your in there.

**blackhawk01** · 12-04-2007, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by 180ls1

Well i added the seafoam and it took away the tick so far but i still have pretty low oil pressure. Will it harm my motor even if it is not ticking?

okay..good that you added the seafoam..now when you do an oil change get this kind of oil.

6qts Castol Syntec 0w30 European Blend..and also an K&N 2006 oil filter (holds a bit more oil than stock)...trust me man you wont be dissapointed...and it doesnt matter about the mielage on your car...0w30 will NOT harm it