Engine Tick and AFM Disabler

[tbgrey2007]

Two questions here. Driving home yesterday and the Tahoe had been running for about 30 minutes. Heard a tick under the hood at a stoplight. Tick increased with throttle. Drove another 7 miles or so to home and no tick. Let it sit for an hour or so and cranked it up, no tick. No tick this morning driving to work. I initially thought it was a lifter, but I don't hear the tick when the motor is cold. Oil pressure, according to the gauge seems normal. Can a lifter come and go like that? Most of the post I have seen indicate the lifter tick is present when the engine is cold. Maybe I'm just paranoid given my recent luck with the truck (ECM, tranny, throttle body).

Second question. I ended up getting a new tranny in the last few weeks and an ECM. Should I consider getting one of the Range Technologies AFM disablers at this point? That roaring/rumbling sound the truck makes when in V4 mode, but otherwise no issues with the motor or the system. Vehicle is 232K on it. Most of the seals have been replaced and it has new plugs and wires. Maybe it's too late to worry about it and I should just address it once I have to do some major engine work?

 

[89Suburban]

Maybe a exhaust manifold leak fading in and out? Can you track down the location of the ticking noise? Check all the exhaust manifold bolts are there.

 

[jdwood1111]

I am wondering something similar. Check out my other thread with my video and see if it sounds like yours! After some research and recommendations from my other thread I just added a quart or ATF to the oil and we’ll see how it goes. May take a bit to work since it’s a second vehicle. My exhaust bolts were also solid but check them out as I regard a lot here they tend to break!

From reading in here the lifters can become stuck and then un-stuck but it usually takes a little effort. I have a range device after researching as well and I do not think it would hurt you. It seems like a proper tune or full delete is the better way to go but probably it at your mileage. I am planning a tune delete soon though!

 

[ivin74]

Two questions here. Driving home yesterday and the Tahoe had been running for about 30 minutes. Heard a tick under the hood at a stoplight. Tick increased with throttle. Drove another 7 miles or so to home and no tick. Let it sit for an hour or so and cranked it up, no tick. No tick this morning driving to work. I initially thought it was a lifter, but I don't hear the tick when the motor is cold. Oil pressure, according to the gauge seems normal. Can a lifter come and go like that? Most of the post I have seen indicate the lifter tick is present when the engine is cold. Maybe I'm just paranoid given my recent luck with the truck (ECM, tranny, throttle body).

Second question. I ended up getting a new tranny in the last few weeks and an ECM. Should I consider getting one of the Range Technologies AFM disablers at this point? That roaring/rumbling sound the truck makes when in V4 mode, but otherwise no issues with the motor or the system. Vehicle is 232K on it. Most of the seals have been replaced and it has new plugs and wires. Maybe it's too late to worry about it and I should just address it once I have to do some major engine work?

I have heard that those are symptoms of a lifter failure. I recommend you remove the valve covers and inspect the heads for sludge. If sludge is present lifter failure is inevitable. Please report after your findings.
How often do you change the oil and do you use synthetic oils?

 

[BG1988]

I have heard that those are symptoms of a lifter failure. I recommend you remove the valve covers and inspect the heads for sludge. If sludge is present lifter failure is inevitable. Please report after your findings.
How often do you change the oil and do you use synthetic oils?

the tick is normal on GM v8 engine just change the oil often...

my engine is ULTRA clean (brand new clean inside the engine )and still makes the "noise" i'm going to get it changed at 110k i'm doing shorter OCI before i was doing 4k it still comes out clean just like it went in..

 

[tbgrey2007]

Maybe a exhaust manifold leak fading in and out? Can you track down the location of the ticking noise? Check all the exhaust manifold bolts are there.

Will do. Out of a 50 mile drive today it ticked for 1/4 mile. I stopped and popped the hood trying to pinpoint it. Got back in and went to pull back out on the road and it was gone. Might swing by the shop and just have them check those.

I have heard that those are symptoms of a lifter failure. I recommend you remove the valve covers and inspect the heads for sludge. If sludge is present lifter failure is inevitable. Please report after your findings.
How often do you change the oil and do you use synthetic oils?

I bought this vehicle a few months ago so I have little history with it. I did change it to synthetic oil and substituted a bottle of Lucas heavy duty oil treatment. It was recommended by a dealership to a buddy of mine who has a 2001 suburban to help with engine noise and leaks. I also ran a bottle of Seafoam through it at the last fill up.

 

[tbgrey2007]

I am wondering something similar. Check out my other thread with my video and see if it sounds like yours! After some research and recommendations from my other thread I just added a quart or ATF to the oil and we’ll see how it goes. May take a bit to work since it’s a second vehicle. My exhaust bolts were also solid but check them out as I regard a lot here they tend to break!

From reading in here the lifters can become stuck and then un-stuck but it usually takes a little effort. I have a range device after researching as well and I do not think it would hurt you. It seems like a proper tune or full delete is the better way to go but probably it at your mileage. I am planning a tune delete soon though!

Yes, that sounds the same, like a sewing machine almost. It’s just weird that it comes and goes. I’m going to look into the range device. That jumping in and out of V8 grinds on my nerves in stop and go traffic. Yesterday I dropped into third so it stayed in V8 mode until traffic was moving better.

 

[89Suburban]

Yes, that sounds the same, like a sewing machine almost. It’s just weird that it comes and goes. I’m going to look into the range device. That jumping in and out of V8 grinds on my nerves in stop and go traffic. Yesterday I dropped into third so it stayed in V8 mode until traffic was moving better.

I hate it too. I run the range device in mine. Only quirks with it are it seems to rev high at times on cold start and it needs to be unplugged about a week before going in for emissions testing. Which I have to do by the end of the month. So I'll be driving around with my asZ puckered up for a bit.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@tbgrey2007 Lifter noise can certainly come and go. My lifters have proof of that by the multiple flat spots on it. I had strange mild lifter sounds for about a year before I had a serious problem. I had AFM tuned off the entire time so that won't help you if it has already started.

 

[ivin74]

@tbgrey2007
Start buying the parts to replace the lifters. I would do the replacement asap before they completely fail and leave you stranded.