'07 Yukon XL Denali motor tick when 1st startup

[SUMTOY2]

I've only had tahoes and silverados forever! Driving them beyond 300000 miles. First change your oil since its due. Then see what happens. All My vehicles have had the ls motors in them and All get the tick after about 100000 miles Sometimes sooner. I have always used Lucas oil synthetic stabiliser. you have to use the synthetic not the regular Because IT works in both cold and warm weather I lived in Colorado where the weather got cold in the Winter and hot in the summer Sometimes no matter what you do the tick is always there If it starts to get worse and worse then you have a problem If you like me iTs just that annoying sound when you 1st start the vehicle that bothers you the most LOL!

 

[petethepug]

Our 08 Denali had the tick when purchased used at 96K in 14. It was initially camouflaged by an oil additive. The Mopar dealer provided a complimentary engine warranty contract for 90 days. They weren’t sure if the tick was piston slap or something bigger, hence the mysterious free warranty to CYA the dealer and their sale.

In 2015 a Caddy dealer verified the tick was piston slap, not anything bad. Here in SoCal the tick only became noticeable on cold start up when it was less than approx 45* F.

As the years went by the diagnosis proved to be correct. Both exhaust mani gaskets were changed too. One of the articles below nailed the 50* F. benchmark when the slap starts. I also see that the helpful website pistonslap.com has been taken down.

The buyer of our 08 AWD Denali XL was aware of piston slap and I had documentation from a dealer to verify that’s all it was. A little research showed the slap was less prominent 08>. Sitting in my buddy’s ‘13 3500 Duramax w/ a/c seats got me motivated to get cooled seats.

Swapping the vehicle is easier than cracking the block open to cure a noise that’s an annoyance, not a servicing red flag. Selling our 08 Denali for $12.5k private party and buying an 09 Platinum Esky ESV AWD clocking 130k mi for $1.5k more cured the a/c seat issue, cured the piston slap and gave me flex fuel on the one year only bullet proof L9H motor w/ no AFM.





http://www.denalitrucks.com/documents/GM TSB's.doc

https://www.jepistons.com/blog/what-is-piston-slap-false-knock

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2016/SB-10078428-7690.pdf


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[avalonandl]

Piston slap sounds MUCH different IMHO. It almost sounds like a motor knock but then goes away after 2-3 MINUTES.

Lifter tick goes away after 20 seconds....

 

[petethepug]

Tomatoe, tomato, noise, slap, tick, annoying sound that’s not bearing or exh mani. I’m just glad to have it gone. True that on the differences though.

Feels like I dodged a bullet that never left the barrel and got some peace of mind and wallet.


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[TxVet33]

I have had my '07 Yukon XL Denali since 2008, bought it from dealer with 12k miles, they said it was a lease that was turned in.

Pretty much from the very beginning there was a very small ticking sound when it was first started. I am very aware of all the noises my cars make (done many frame off restorations, rebuilt MANY SBC/BBC/Buick motors) and this tick always sounding like a lifter, but not serious since it went away after a minute or so when the engine warmed up.

Recently (in the past month or so) it has gotten more pronounced when I first start it up and lasts a little longer, usually until it is warmed up, then seems to run fine.

I have changed the oil every 5k miles, filter every other oil change, use good brand of synthetic oil, use 5/30 in winter and 10/30 in summer.

Last time I changed the oil I added some STP oil treatment (I am old school and that has always been good for the lifters, especially in my BBC's). Seemed to do some good, ticking was not as pronounced nor lasted as long until yesterday. Weather has gotten a bit more chilly, but my truck is ALWAYS been kept in a climate controlled garage.

My question is about replacing the lifters in these LS motors? From the engine work I have done, very aware of the ins/outs of just replacing lifters versus a new cam/lifters/head work and what it would probably take to do all of that since I have done any work on these newer LS motors.

Are there any other additives that I can try (about to change the oil in the next week or so)?

BTW, the engine has 158k miles on it and like I said, oil changed every 5k miles!

could the ticking sound you r hearing broken exhaust manifold bolts?

 

[wjburken]

could the ticking sound you r hearing broken exhaust manifold bolts?

This has been suggested, but have not heard if the OP has actually checked. He seemed pretty confident that it wasn’t based on his experience. Personally, its such an easy thing to check, and such a common cause of motor tick sounds, I’d look just to rule it out.​

 

[thompsoj22]

stick to 5/30 full syn. I have been wrenching along time also, piston slap is inherent to the LS, LS engines dont like/Dont need thick oil! i advise trying mobil one 5/30 and the delco filter. No more additives, and change the $4 dollar filter every change. hopefully it is simply a lifter collapsing statically and than having to pump back up on startup.Honey additives wont stop bleed down and will increase the time for the lifter to recover.

 

[TxVet33]

This has been suggested, but have not heard if the OP has actually checked. He seemed pretty confident that it wasn’t based on his experience. Personally, its such an easy thing to check, and such a common cause of motor tick sounds, I’d look just to rule it out.​

bought a new RAM 2016, one year later started hearing the ticking on start that went away after manifolds warped back to head. dealer found 7 total broken exhaust bolts, common on hemi's. Just a thought.

 

[petethepug]

This is getting interesting , but I need another cuppa as I’m losing traction on a possible solution until more diagnostics come in.




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[TxVet33]

This is getting interesting , but I need another cuppa as I’m losing traction on a possible solution until more diagnostics come in.




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I did not mean to butt in butt I try to trouble shoot using the KISS method first. “)