5.3 slight ticking in the morning??

[TrailseekingTB]

Have a slight ticking sound in the mornings. Usually does it more when it's cold outside like it is now, but does anyone have any suggestions to make this go away?? I run castrol gtx high mileage in it now. I have also noticed a really small tick after the truck has been running for say a hour. It has only 98k on it and was owned by one other guy, a good mechanic apperently from what I hear. I also have noticed it uses a slight amount of oil every once in a while. Not much but it just goes down to the lower section of good on dipstick, so I fill it back up. Don't leak don't smoke...???? Weird....

[fishsticks]

There was a TSB for cold piston slap in the 5.3L. I'd expect it would show up before 100k miles though.

[bartonmd]

The cold tick is very likely piston slap. Very common with the 5.3L of that era.

The tick later on? Is it a once-a-cycle thing, or more than that? The injectors do make some clicking, and sometimes the tensioner can click or make some noise as it moves around.

Mike

[TrailseekingTB]

There was a TSB for cold piston slap in the 5.3L. I'd expect it would show up before 100k miles though.

What do you mean by a tsb? Sorry if this is a stupid question I'm just now 20 and I'm trying to get my truck nice and make sure it isn't a lemon at the same time before I sink too much money into it.

[fishsticks]

There was a TSB for cold piston slap in the 5.3L. I'd expect it would show up before 100k miles though.

What do you mean by a tsb? Sorry if this is a stupid question I'm just now 20 and I'm trying to get my truck nice and make sure it isn't a lemon at the same time before I sink too much money into it.

TSB = Technical Service Bulletin


Basically a heads-up distributed to GM dealer service centers informing them of known issues.

[TrailseekingTB]

The cold tick is very likely piston slap. Very common with the 5.3L of that era.

The tick later on? Is it a once-a-cycle thing, or more than that? The injectors do make some clicking, and sometimes the tensioner can click or make some noise as it moves around.

Mike

Anything to fix this piston slap or is that just something not to worry about. Also It may be te injectors ticking later. I have had a mech. Here in town that is prolly just injectors. I believe the mechanic that owned it before me had put in different injectors and a fuel pump seems like it's a high flow pump. Idk. It's very loud when it pumps when I turn the key on before start just like my friends silverado with some special 'high flow pump'

[TrailseekingTB]

There was a TSB for cold piston slap in the 5.3L. I'd expect it would show up before 100k miles though.

What do you mean by a tsb? Sorry if this is a stupid question I'm just now 20 and I'm trying to get my truck nice and make sure it isn't a lemon at the same time before I sink too much money into it.

TSB = Technical Service Bulletin


Basically a heads-up distributed to GM dealer service centers informing them of known issues.

So will Chevy do anything about this if I bring it to say Kenny kent Chevrolet? Is there anything that can be done or that they have done? Thanks

[fishsticks]

So will Chevy do anything about this if I bring it to say Kenny kent Chevrolet? Is there anything that can be done or that they have done? Thanks

A TSB is different than a recall. A recall would involve service provided for free by GM. A TSB is informational only.

If you had a newer TB still covered under the 5yr/100K warranty, and the slap was bad, you might get something done. Might.

Just let it go. Not much you can do about it. It's made it 100K so far without blowing up, it will probably last for awhile.

[TrailseekingTB]

So will Chevy do anything about this if I bring it to say Kenny kent Chevrolet? Is there anything that can be done or that they have done? Thanks

A TSB is different than a recall. A recall would involve service provided for free by GM. A TSB is informational only.

If you had a newer TB still covered under the 5yr/100K warranty, and the slap was bad, you might get something done. Might.

Just let it go. Not much you can do about it. It's made it 100K so far without blowing up, it will probably last for awhile.

Ok, it is a slight tick and it lasts about idk 3 minutes till the engine is warmed a little bit. Idk if it is piston but if that's what y'all think then ok. It almost seems like a little bit of a lubrication fail.. like a dry start.. Thanks for all the help

[bartonmd]

Yeah, there are all kinds of 5.3's out there that piston-slapped from day 1, with 250k+ miles on them, and other than burning some oil from it, it's not a big deal.

Mike

[TrailseekingTB]

Yeah, there are all kinds of 5.3's out there that piston-slapped from day 1, with 250k+ miles on them, and other than burning some oil from it, it's not a big deal.

Mike

Alright, thank god... I was getting worried!! HAHA thanks for the information guys!! means a lot to me and I can't wait to get to lifting it and putting some new tires on it. Which I think im gonna search in the shoes thread for some tires!! Thanks again

[05trailblazer4x]

Might also be an exhaust tick from a broken manifold bolt had it happen on both of my last 5.3s one a 99, the other an 05. silverados but the same concept. It would have a loud tick for several minutes when starting cold then would go away for the most part after the motor warms up.

[darring70]

I bought my TB 2002 in 2006 with about 24k miles and then noticed that sound, when I brought it to the chevy dealer they told me that is very common in the TB even his own TB has the same problem, the guy from the dealer told me is not worth it fix be cause is not a big deal, now I have 100k miles in my TB and still running great and the same ticking noise, but it does not bother me anymore lol

Good luck

[v7guy]

Yup, could be piston slap, not a big deal
Could be the ole exhaust manifold cracked.
Could be a lifter or an injector.

[SaltWaterDrinker]

Mine makes that stupid noise all of the time. I got so paranoid that I thought it had to deal with all of the bloody lights I have wired on the truck. It's whatever, I've began to tune it out...especially because its tapping ALL of the time now.

[dvanbramer88]

Mine

You don't have a 5.3 V8...

[SaltWaterDrinker]

Mine

You don't have a 5.3 V8...

I missed the memo! This was my first post on here in like 10 years, excuse my disabilities xD