Just because a car can do it and was meant for it doesnt mean u have to beat the **** out of it. How about just cruising around. Maybe some people just like to drive normal but still have the grunt, sound and feel of a TA. Ever think of that. I mean for example i own a 2003 Yamaha R1 sportbike. Now this thing was made to race right off the showroom floor. Also people do tricks on them. Now since that is what it is for does that mean everytime i ride it i should accelerate to the redline before shifting or go 170 miles an hour because it was meant for racing and meant for speed. Um well thats bs. Most people just enjoy riding. Ocassionly you will get on it and do wheelies but not constantly. Just because it was made for it doesnt mean im going to be doing 110 through turns. I bought the bike to ride it not race it. If racing is what u want, buy a race car and a camaro/firebird isnt one. Actually when u look at the more expensive sports cars most people that have them are older people that enjoy cruising in their car. They dont have to drive like a bat out of hell to have fun with their car. How many times you see the owner of a lamborgini or ferrari doing 190 down the highway because you know thats what their car was built for. Speed isnt everything alot of people just enjoy the experience of their car. Maybe you should have bought a race car instead of a z28.

Bryan

 

Sorry Bryan, but I whole-heartedly disagree with you.

A) I'm not disputing that maybe fuel injectors make a "ticking" noise, but there would be several "ticks" each second coming from all 8 cylinders (since there are 8 injectors) and the noise from LS1's is NOT a uniform fuel-injector ticking. You can't convince me that you can hear a small shot of fuel spraying when you're standing 20 feet away from your car with the hood closed............especially NOT over the sound of the exhaust?!?!
B) The issue of piston slap is 100% GM's fault. I bought my car with 32 kms on the odometer, and from that day forward (now reading ~48,000 kms), my car has displayed audible signs of piston slap (and another noise which sounds like lifter noise or something? ). Since I am NOT the first person to complain about it, AND, since GM has replaced many customers' engines under warranty, AND, since they tried to acknowledge the problem by using different piston rings in the engines in an attempt to quiet the problem, I DO NOT place the blame on the owners.

No flame intended, I'm just making a point.

 

Very good point and i like the way u laid it out and didnt flame. Im not saying its just the owners fault like in ur case but sometimes it is. Although the LS1 is an all aluminum block. These block do not insulate noise better than an iron block so you can expact noises. Sorry to hear about ur car and i hope they will fix it for you. Now the question i have is if gm would hav decided to put forged piston in place of the aluminum ones they use stock do you think that might have solved the problem? I think in some cases like urs it is gms fault but when i see people start there car cold and then beat on it, i mean what do u expect to happen? the piston will expand rapidly and once that happens they will start slapping. I still dont think it is as common of a problem as people make it. I mean what 600 or so thousand LS1 type motors built ans put in trucks, vettes, camaros/TA. Maybe more and what there may be 2,000 or so case of piston slap. I do see it from ur poiint of view as well and i hope it all works out or u.

Bryan

 

ok what about a ticking/tapping type noise AFTER the car has been turned off for a few min.. it seems like this noise just started a few days ago and my water pump isnt dripping so its ok, nt there.. bot sure what it might be when the engine is turned OFF? (after its been really, really warm..).

/tek.

 

Your engine taps after u shut it off? How long does it do this? I have hear of intermitient tick after the car is off. I think its just the metals contrating after the engine starts to cool down.

Bryan

 

One question and one comment:

Question: Why would you purchase a car that exibited piston slap from the moment you saw it?

and my comment:

You must admit that there are enough clowns on this and other f-body sites to suggest that SOME owners are to blame for their engine woes. However, I would agree with with a statement that not ALL owners are responsible for the problem. I am certain that some engines were manufactured improperly. That is the nature of mass production.

Steve

 

I kinda skimmed the responses, but if I had to diagnose the car from far away, bent pushrods would certainly tick. Really bent pushrods would knock. One way to help diagnose it is to get a stethoscope (like the 5 dollar kind) or a long piece of pipe/cardboard tube and place it along the valve cover trying to isolate the cyl the noise is coming from.

Once you find that pull the sparkplug and compare it to the ones around it. If one has a dissimilar burn pattern on it, I would guess that it would be something in the valvetrain. A valve that opens not as far can lead to incorrect combustion chamber air volume and incorrect chamber temperatures. Its kinda a PITA to change em, so might as well drop in new ones while you are there. The OEM platinum plugs dont last long... the caps come off and the gaps go screwey. I am happy with my bosch platinum +4's.

If that doesnt work, or to confirm this pull the valve cover on the offending side and pull the pushrods out one by one. Roll them on a mirror or piece of glass. IF they dont roll smoothly, ie tapping or stopping replace all 16 as a set.

Usually a bad ring, wrist pin, or connecting rod bearing, causes a knocking, not a tapping so at least you have that in your favor.

Also remember, it is all aluminum, so you are going to hear everything that goes on inside, as aluminum cannot dampen noise as well as iron.

 

From my experience, it is possible something with the AIR pump pipes. Either the gaskets connecting them to the exhaust manifold or the check valves. It may not throw an SES light if the sensors don't pick it up. Mine never did. Use a long screwdriver or a cardboard tube to locate the noise like z28chrizz said. FYI, my noise increases frequency with rpm and volume with engine load.

 

Like z28chrizz said I would 2nd the pushrods but only if its a m6, due to the fact he said it ticks after its good and warm........On the piston slap issue being discussed, I've heard gm uses some type of teflon coating on the pistons, not shure why?? maybe to keep the clearance tight for a few hundred miles(and you now own the car) then the piston slap starts, ask people who have piston slap and bought the car new like I did, and ask them when they started to notice the problem, I bet they will tell you 300mi to 800mi. Believe me I listened to my car very carefully b4 I bought it and it was very quiet!! until about the 500mi mark came around, and yes I ALLWAYS let my car warm up b4 driving it (not beating on it) And since "its my fault" I have piston slap it was very nice of GM to extend my warranty for a few years!!!!!

 

Have u recently done a tune up on the car? If so the AIR pipe may have been removed and if it was that could cause the ticking noise. Here is a quote from http://www.installuniversity.com

"There is a metal gasket in between the AIR pipe and exhaust manifold. Be very careful not to damage this gasket. If it is broken or missing a piece you will get a loud ticking sound when the engine is under load. The part number for a replacement gasket is 12553617."

I now have the noise coming from my car as well after my first tune up. I have had problems from the fuel pump on my car so I havent had the oppurtunity to fix it.

I think that would be your best bet to check for first before you worry yourself to death about bent pushrods and such.

Hope it helps & good luck

Vinny

 

 

Good call.... forgot about that gasket. Although i tore the gasket when I did my plugs and was able to massage it into being quiet. I just figured with the low miles on the car it probably hadnt been apart yet.

 

Piston Slap... Welcome to the club.

 

i have the ticking to..but its all the time..from a cold start..to when its warm...no pefromance lost..but it is rather annoying.