5.3 Tick/Knock?

[JPVortex]

If it is a lifter tick could my current oil pressure cause this?


I know 40psi idle is like the norm for these trucks. My truck on cold start idle has around 45-50psi. When warm idling it has around 35psi. When I am cruising at 1500 rpm warm it has around 45psi. And finally at around 4000rpm it has like 60psi.

Would this be too low? I feel like it’s not but just looking for a second opinion.

 

[rockola1971]

If it is a lifter tick could my current oil pressure cause this?


I know 40psi idle is like the norm for these trucks. My truck on cold start idle has around 45-50psi. When warm idling it has around 35psi. When I am cruising at 1500 rpm warm it has around 45psi. And finally at around 4000rpm it has like 60psi.

Would this be too low? I feel like it’s not but just looking for a second opinion.

Your oil pressure numbers are fine. General rule of thumb is 10psi for every 1000 rpm. We of course get much more than that at idle. Lack of oil changes (dirty oil) can cause crap buildup in your oil passages and in your lifter bodies which can cause them to stick. That crap in your oil will also eventually end up embedded into your cam, rod and main bearings if the problem is severe enough.

 

[JPVortex]

Something I forgot to note here. My oil pressure gauge does have an issue where it jumps all over the place. I don't think its a real problem with oil pressure, but a problem with the stepper motor for the gauge itself. What's your guys opinion, think it could be fluctuating due to something mechanical?(like pickup tube oring) and causing the tick or just a bad stepper? Debating if it's worth throwing a manual gauge on it.


Heres the video for this.

SORRY for swearing like a sailor lol.

 

[viven44]

Something I forgot to note here. My oil pressure gauge does have an issue where it jumps all over the place. I don't think its a real problem with oil pressure, but a problem with the stepper motor for the gauge itself. What's your guys opinion, think it could be fluctuating due to something mechanical?(like pickup tube oring) and causing the tick or just a bad stepper? Debating if it's worth throwing a manual gauge on it.


Heres the video for this.

SORRY for swearing like a sailor lol.

Don't know what's going on with the gauge... but definitely not worth installing a manual gauge with what I see there...... The gauge is responding to RPM, so you are good (and btw I am not hearing any knocking in the background.)

 

[JPVortex]

Don't know what's going on with the gauge... but definitely not worth installing a manual gauge with what I see there...... The gauge is responding to RPM, so you are good (and btw I am not hearing any knocking in the background.)

yeah the knocking cannot be heard while normal driving. Only hear it while outside near the engine or revving it while totally still in my driveway. AND in the drive thru with echoes of the walls. Was at o'l Mickey D's today and I could hear the think clicking and clacking off the wall of the drive thru lol. honestly may be an exhaust leak.

 

[2008yukonxlslt]

yeah the knocking cannot be heard while normal driving. Only hear it while outside near the engine or revving it while totally still in my driveway. AND in the drive thru with echoes of the walls. Was at o'l Mickey D's today and I could hear the think clicking and clacking off the wall of the drive thru lol. honestly may be an exhaust leak.

That’s what my 5.3 sounded like. I had 2 broken studs, rear most on both sides. I am just a hobby mechanic but the job was not bad. Lots of posts about it. Mine had tops broken off like yours so lots of stud left to grab on to. I cracked all the remaining bolts on both sides to make sure would not have a problem and ran all the flange bolts on the y pipes off. The outboard flange bolts were toughest as had to remove fender liner and get at them that way rather than from below. I used a box wrench on those and that worked. Once everything was nice and free, I put pipes back on loose just with one bolt, the easiest one from under neath, ran engine about half an hour and then with a good pair of gloves dropped the y pipes and pulled the manifolds off as I had read that having the heads full hot would ensure those broken bolts come out without breaking. I grabbed them with a vice grips and they came free quite easily. New gaskets and new ARP bolts and she been good since.

 

[JPVortex]

That’s what my 5.3 sounded like. I had 2 broken studs, rear most on both sides. I am just a hobby mechanic but the job was not bad. Lots of posts about it. Mine had tops broken off like yours so lots of stud left to grab on to. I cracked all the remaining bolts on both sides to make sure would not have a problem and ran all the flange bolts on the y pipes off. The outboard flange bolts were toughest as had to remove fender liner and get at them that way rather than from below. I used a box wrench on those and that worked. Once everything was nice and free, I put pipes back on loose just with one bolt, the easiest one from under neath, ran engine about half an hour and then with a good pair of gloves dropped the y pipes and pulled the manifolds off as I had read that having the heads full hot would ensure those broken bolts come out without breaking. I grabbed them with a vice grips and they came free quite easily. New gaskets and new ARP bolts and she been good since.

Thank you for the advice, about to post an update right after sending this message!

 

[JPVortex]

Update time, and it's a good one!!!

Finally got the time to pull the valve cover off and see what was happening. And what is happening, seems to be everything that should happen! Nothing seems out of place and none of the rocker arms have any up and down slop. They have a little bit of side to side movement, but pretty sure that is normal?

So it is seeming like after all, it's just a NASTY exhaust manifold leak causing a lifter tick like noise!

Here's the video I took:

 

[JPVortex]

Has FEL-PRO gotten worse in quality or something? Went to go get the valve cover gasket grommets installed on the bolts. HALF of them completely ripped in half with not a lot of pressure. Reading Amazon reviews, seems to be quite the common problem.

I now ordered MAHLE grommets, that won't be here until Wednesday, people in reviews say they're MUCH more flexible and don't tear like the FEL-PROs. FEL-PRO completely screwed me 3 days out on this one... Now it's raining and I only have the valvetrain covered with paper towels. Lets hope the hood seals are good!

 

[Fless]

@iamdub has a procedure that he says works great for the valve cover grommets:

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