Its ticking when I firs start it up, than after about 1min. or less it goes away. It just started doing this yesterday. I drove the car without a problem, and it did not tick after that initial start up. Its a lot more easily heard under the car, than it is up top. However thats only in park. when I put it in drive it ticks a bit more, but like I said it goes away after the first minute. I am using the synthetic mobil one thats 5000 mile oil. Should I change it with ATF in there a bit, or what would you recomend. It sounds like lifter noise to me. Just one tick tick tick tick till it gets oil, but It would help if someone more experienced could give me some tips. Thanks. P.S. IS it safe to drive it like this??? There is no ticking whatsoever after that 1st minute, not even a minute. Thanks again.

Hey Sasha, I'm guessing that you're probably right - based on the description you've given, my first instinct would be to suspect a lifter that's making a bit of noise until it gets some oil & pumps up like it should.

One thing you can do to narrow it down a bit is to take a medium-length piece of heater hose (maybe about 2 ft or so) & hold one end where you suspect the noise is coming from, & hold the other end to your ear - that should give you an idea of where it's coming from. If you don't have the heater hose, a long piece of metal like a ratchet extension works too, just not quite as well.

EDIT: Yeah, you're probably OK to drive, once the noise goes away.

Good luck man, & let us know what you find!

I have a little subaru wagon that I bought to drive in the winter. When I first got it the lifters were noisy all the time, but worst at idle. I installed some Sea-Foam fuel system cleaner into the motor oil to clean potential sludge from lifters. With a full can installed I let the engine idle for about twenty minutes, then performed the rest of my oil change. After oil change service there was no lifter noise. I did end installing a BG-moa additive with the motor oil after I verified the lifter noise was gone without an additive. Sea Foam is an old school, and there is other engine oil flushes out there designed specifically for this, but this is what I personally have used. In my shop we use a napa brand engine flush for cases like this. Its worth a try at the next oil change, a least cheaper than new lifters.

I would agree that it is most likely a lifter sounding off till you get oil pressure to it.

Conrad

Dicked around with the motor today, and it sure does sound like a lifter not priming, not getting oil. After about 1min. it goes away and the car idles fine.
So, I am thinking that it must me gummed up or so just because it starts working after that initial start. Oil change is happening in next few days, once I get some money. I am going to clean out the engine with this stuff and get back to normal oil instead of synthetic that was runing in there. Its just a bit too light for my tastes. Especially on the 140k bottom end.
My top end is brand new though . Thanks for your help guys. I am soo glad there are people out there willing to help.

If any of you need help with your car, be it a motor swap or just wrenching let me know. I am down to help.
Saturdays work best for me!

Laters.

dude its a small block, they tend to do that lol, i had it but never bad i think every small block i've owned does it at one time or another.....Get a bottle of marvel mystery oil throw a few ounces in the crank case before you change your oil run it for a few days, does wonders on cleaning that stuff up, throw some in your tank every fill up too, 4 ounces or so to a full tank, it'll keep everything clean and its cheaper than running a cleaner through, trust me my dad yanked apart the carb on his truck after a few years running marvel every fill up and it was spotless

Well, today I ran the Chemtool through the system for 5 min. this morning. Followed the directions exactly. Than I put in some mobil1 high mileage oil in there. The ticking did not stop. I listened around the block and I can't hear it coming from the block. Its weird, but it does not sound like its coming from the engine. I went all around top and bottom, and could not spot it anywhere in the engine. I can hear it from the left side of my car, right behind the wheel. It sounds like its coming from the back of the engine, or front of transmission. I am not sure cuz I could not pin point the spot, but its kinda weird.
The last time I drove the car after about half hour of sitting it did not rattle/tick. So, I am hoping that it got fixed.
I gotta have somebody listen to this since I never really heard a lifter sound off. I had loose rockers before on my 79 bird, and it sounds nothing like that.
Weird.
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The funny thing is that the car started making noise right after I mentioned selling her.

well then its time to get rid of the lil bitch, i mentioned selling my firebird back in the day...took it to teh track and it ran low 20's all day......i put a for sale sign in it before i even left the track

Low 20's. Sweet, what motor was in it???

I am thinking of getting a camaro, preferably iroc, but z28 will do. 350 plz!

Sounds to me like it could also be an exhaust leak either at the header or the collector. Once it gets some heat into it, it seals back up? Just a thought. Also whoever may be looking for a thirdgen project there is an 89 Camaro RS on craigslist.org for 300 bucks

, retorque header bolts?

Mine does the same thing. I tried tightening the rocker arm, but that did pretty much nothing.....I plan on trying a thicker oil next time, instead of the 5W-30, maybe 10W-40 or something. I usually wait for the ticking to go away before driving it.

It does not sound like a lifter. Its weird. Anyways, I am having a good friend of mine who helped me re-build my engine listen to it sunday. He is the only person I trust with the car.

Anyways, there is a 92 iroc black with 5 speed 305TPI that I am looking at. It has 150k on it, and I was just wondering if there is a place that can do my engine instead of me. I just don't have a place to do it... Unless any of you could volunteer a space for me to do it at. . I am thinking about getting that iroc and putting in a crate engine from summit. What do you guys say?? It was a 260hp, 340tq gm crate engine. I was looking at that. 1400 bucks shipped.
Maybe even a 400 engine. I just wanna get something going here.

1992 - IROC? Did you mean Z28. As you know I love that style might be a good choice. As for the engine, man I would let you use my third car, but you know where I live. I know nothing about those crate engines, but I would run it untill it pops then drop and ls1/t56 combo. Thats what is planned for mine, but I don't want to pop my engine, I'd rather drop mine into my 1st gen s-10. Maybe by the time yours drops I will have some experince on the swap.

Hey Sasha, I'm sending you a PM...

What, no link??? What a punk!

EDIT: Never mind, (found it...)

Z28 and I belive I saw B4C on the RPO sheet. It was pretty dirty and I did not wanna give the girl any hints. So, I am saving money now for that. Its hard to get it into first, but shifts fine otherwise. New clutch, new fuel pump, and the engine seems to be runing good! The hood says 5.7L, but the vin code is F. So, I am going to do a bit more of investigating and looking at everything I can think of on that car. I'll update you with what I find out.

Thanks for all of your help. I am so glad to be a part of milehigh third gens.


Laters.

Mine does the same thing. I tried tightening the rocker arm, but that did pretty much nothing.....I plan on trying a thicker oil next time, instead of the 5W-30, maybe 10W-40 or something. I usually wait for the ticking to go away before driving it.

Walt, have you done this yet???? Cause I need to do something also...Sasa, my girl has some ticking too. She's ready for an oil change. Need a spot to do & get supplies...also need proper tools...Who wants to help me? But I am concerned about using thicker oil since 3rd gens tend to run hot....What about at this altitude? Just wanna do the right thing by my girl..what do you guys think? cause I've ALWAYS used the good stuff. a synthetic 5w-30..... Laters, Keli D.

I use 10w30 and I don't run hot at all. Ofcorse I have a custom chip from TBIchips.com. So I run 170 thremostat and a fan switch. 10w30 should not be a problem, but runing 40 would probably help.
I say you should try seafoam, or chemtool before you go with something thicker. I am going under the car to figure out WTF is ticking.
But, I am gettng closer to getting that z28!

sasa if that Z is a five speed it is not a 350, you could only get the 5 speed with a 305, i looked into this hard because of the fact i wanted a 91-92 350 5speed, no dice can only get the bigger bore with a stick.....As for a b4c car, b4c's came to my knowledge off the top of my head (i'd have to go grab my dads book) an oil and tranny cooler, 4 wheel discs and a ROLL BAR, thats the quickest way to tell from the info i remeber is the b4c came with a bar

Its a 305 from the VIN. However, the hood thats on the car says 5.7L. It could easily be a different hood. However, there is chance of the previous owner swaping a bigger motor in. EIther way the TPI's that year made 230hp which is quite ways up from 170TBI power. Also 5 speed is good too. I just glanced at the RPO codes and belive I saw B4C. I just did not want to make it obvious. I could be very wrong about this, and its OK. The car has manual windows and AC. Some of the B4C cars were bare bones, and they did come with just front discs. They have 3.42 gears (the manuals) and usually the hard top was a good sign of the B4C. Even if its not B4C I still think its a good car. Just need few more moolah's and I'll get it.

Does anyone know how much places charge to re-built and re-install a tranny??? I am thinking about getting it done on that Z28 since its hard to get it to first gear.

Wait...B4C's were RS's not Z28s. Someone correct me if I am wrong. I don't think I am though.........I found this....

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/hi...light=B4C+info

Conrad

Chased a 'tick' for a long time once in a rebuilt motor. Finally gave up and pulled the motor and trans to go thru it. Pulled the motor and trans apart and found a cracked flywheel. Just a thought.

Chris

You are right conrad, but they were z28's dressed up as RS's. Looking at this car, the hood is most likely changed (5.7 emission sticker), and as far as I know it might have different ground effects. Looking at all the detail I am starting to doubt that its a B4C car, so I am going to check the car out in next few days and make sure I read that RPO sheet right.


Ok, how bad would a cracked flywheel be???
Tommorow I am taking it to my friend who is a mechanic and he is going to find out what the ticking is. I figured that it only happens at higher RPMs on warm up and when I shift into gear. It sounds like its hitting something as the car idles. Also, today I tried to troubleshoot the tick and noticed that my transmission cooling lines were right on the y-pipe. So I carefully bent them out of place, and I run 10 degrees cooler. Crap, its a good thing I installed a tranny cooler a year ago. Probably saved the tranny right there.

I am getting pretty excited about the camaro.