2004 5.3 lifter tick what's the fix?

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Matthew Jeschke

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Also keep in mind that the LS series engines are notorious for piston slap which can be confused with lifter tick, exhaust manifold leak, loose rocker and even an ignition fault in coil/spark plug wire. They all sound similar.
I forgot about that. does piston slap go away as engine warms up?

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rockola1971

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I forgot about that. does piston slap go away as engine warms up?

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Typically yes but if its bad enough it will be faint when engine is warmed up. Could even be one lifter sticking and not pumping up all the way causing both lifter noise and loose rocker arm noise. Lifter noise and piston slap is truly nature of the beast when it comes to the LS engines. You gotta learn to embrace it...after you check to make sure it isnt something mechanically fatal first causing the racket.
 

dougo

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I add Marvel Mystery oil every few oil changes to all my vehicles to avoid build up and clean the internals, My Tick was caused by a loose spark plug, I also use seafoam in the gas to keep the fuel system clean.
 
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Wes
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added a qt of trans fluid yesterday drove it a bit and changed the oil it's been parked since everyone in the house is sick except me, just went out and started it up sounded like piston slap for about 10 seconds and then quieted up, did the water pump about a month ago and then it's decided to have a coolant leak, passed a pressure test yesterday but I found the leak just now drivers side steam pipe T that comes off the throttle body so I guess I know what I am doing today
 

Larryjb

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I know your tick is different from mine, but I've noticed a few things which are giving me a few new places to look and consider.

Upon start up on a cold morning, it is quiet for about 5 or 10 seconds, then begins to tick until the coolant temperature reaches 20 °C (about 70°F). Then it becomes quieter until it's virtually unnoticable. I believe that I would hear piston slap immediately upon startup. Lifters would also begin noisy. I have used a stethoscope and found that the heads are quiet when compared to the tick.

When I touched the stethoscope to the exhaust Y-pipe, I could hear the tick. My exhaust manifold bolts are torqued correctly and I've checked the flange connecting the exhaust manifold to the Y-pipe. My thoughts are a warped exhaust manifold, poorly mated exhaust flange, or something else. The stethoscope has been useful so far, I believe.

Mine is very temperature dependent however.
 

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