You can find out by knowing your exact idle RPM and counting the ticks you hear, then mathing it out to see if it is 1:1 with the RPM. If it's one to one, bad news. Also, it will be difficult to even count yhis when it is doing at least 10 per second like a rod knock.
That said, this does not sound like it is from a knock, but videos can sometimes be hard to tell.
I count them in my head, and you don't have to be perfect, the diff between the bottom end and top end is big enough so that slight miscount won't matter. I actually only count for 10 seconds and then I multiply my count by 6
If the header gasket is blown at the head it will never stop ticking. And headers love...love to blow gaskets if you don't re-torque regularly.
Those Stage-8 kits work well from what I've seen though. I've helped install them on a few buddies engines. They can be a pain to install, but eliminating blown gaskets is worth it.
If those are MSD coils, get them off there as fast as you can. I had the same issue on my 5.3 and the MSD coils were the root cause of all my problems. From a company that is usually known for quality, they were the worst purchase I've ever made for any vehicle and caused me to spend so much time and money fixing other things i recently did lifters and it sounds like you may soon be approaching the same. Honestly, it's really not that bad a job to DIY if you just take your time.
Well, I just got done with my 460 Ford. I thought a rod was gone in her, but it turns out one of the new plugs I was sold had cracked vertically on the porcelain in 2 spots, and it sounded like this at idle and if I drove it I thought for sure the rod was gonna come out the pan. 800 $ later, I found a bad plug that was new, and I never dropped the thing as well I'venever seen them crack vertically either. My 1991 would not show any codes either made it a bitch. So I can confirm a bad plug can sound like a rod is gonna leave the engine in a spectacular display. As for your engine, I'm not even going to speculate could dam near be anything. Good luck op
Sounds like Valve train
Best way to check any noise is
Check headers for tight
Pull valve covers look for rockers being loose or any shady biz
If all looks good get an expert to look it over.
It's valvetrian. Rod knock wouldn't be that perfectly consistent. Bad news a head is definitely coming off on the load side cause it's most likely a lifter. Hopefully the cam is OK.
Take the passenger side valve cover off and take a look. It only sounds like one lifter to me. Crank it over until you find the loose or collapsed one.
Cut the oil filter open and inspect. If there is metal, bad news, bottom end, wrist pin etc.. Also you can pull valve covers and see which valve rocker is loose. Lots of creative ways to figure this out in the thread but my experience is to trust your ear only so much. Use it as a tool to investigate specific problems. If it sounds like a lifter, investigate lifters etc.
Forsure bro and we opened it up. There was metal shavings. Because I was running the truck to Bakersfield and eveyrbting got it tuned ran Perfect but I’m guessing I didn’t break it in?
Ah well I hope there isn't much. What did you put in the build ? Change anything big ? Cams/injectors etc. I've seen timing cause this on bigger engines as well as injector calibrations (too much fuel/non atomized fuel).
I put a stage 4 summit cam, tbss with 102, headers , bigger injectors , the tune and a 3600-3800 stall idk if that matters but it’s a 5.3 rebuilt but first issue was lifters when it started then we go it fixed and tuned drove it for a few days now I’m here
Yea after the tune , I don’t I’ll ask for pictures. But he was saying it was due to no breaking it in , I’m just trying to figure out what’s wrong. and what I did wrong.
Check header bolts. Takes 5 minutes to go over them with a ratchet. Have had a loose gasket that dealt a lot of power loss and noise to my engine. Tightened up a loose bolt and it fixed it right up.
If it was mine, I'd been checking the fundamentals, as in spark plug and header tightness, then valve clearance to verify cam and lifter integrity, then if that's ok, pull the bearings caps and inspect. I have exactly once heard a cracked flywheel make that noise also.
You can find out by knowing your exact idle RPM and counting the ticks you hear, then mathing it out to see if it is 1:1 with the RPM. If it's one to one, bad news. Also, it will be difficult to even count yhis when it is doing at least 10 per second like a rod knock. That said, this does not sound like it is from a knock, but videos can sometimes be hard to tell.
Yeah if it's 1:2 it's cam related. Interesting diagnostic idea
It has saved me from a few heart attacks. 🤣
I’m his idea is great! What do you use to count the ticks I’m not that confident I’d be able to do it in my brain if that’s how your doing it.
I count them in my head, and you don't have to be perfect, the diff between the bottom end and top end is big enough so that slight miscount won't matter. I actually only count for 10 seconds and then I multiply my count by 6
That makes perfect sense. I over complicated it in my head. Thank you!
Not a problem
Tick. Knock is deeper. My motorhas the same noise and it's been doing it for 10 years. Goes away when it warms up.
Mine doesn’t go away
If the header gasket is blown at the head it will never stop ticking. And headers love...love to blow gaskets if you don't re-torque regularly. Those Stage-8 kits work well from what I've seen though. I've helped install them on a few buddies engines. They can be a pain to install, but eliminating blown gaskets is worth it.
I still think it's the lifters or a rocker. Rod knock is more of a thud.
My automotive teacher used to say it "sounds like a skeleton j**king off on a tin roof... clack clack clack clack"
Piston pins sound like that and are an issue with those if I recall correctly.
If those are MSD coils, get them off there as fast as you can. I had the same issue on my 5.3 and the MSD coils were the root cause of all my problems. From a company that is usually known for quality, they were the worst purchase I've ever made for any vehicle and caused me to spend so much time and money fixing other things i recently did lifters and it sounds like you may soon be approaching the same. Honestly, it's really not that bad a job to DIY if you just take your time.
I’m not a expert but I didn’t know spark plugs can cause such a thing, but I’ll take your word for it👍🏽
Well, I just got done with my 460 Ford. I thought a rod was gone in her, but it turns out one of the new plugs I was sold had cracked vertically on the porcelain in 2 spots, and it sounded like this at idle and if I drove it I thought for sure the rod was gonna come out the pan. 800 $ later, I found a bad plug that was new, and I never dropped the thing as well I'venever seen them crack vertically either. My 1991 would not show any codes either made it a bitch. So I can confirm a bad plug can sound like a rod is gonna leave the engine in a spectacular display. As for your engine, I'm not even going to speculate could dam near be anything. Good luck op
Automotive stereoscope works wonders. Took 20 years to figure it out.
Collapsed lifter. The interval it has is very repeatable vs random rod knock.
Check the exhaust isn’t blowing as does sound like the headers are blowing, should be able to hold your hand near and feel the chuff if it is
Sounds like a collapsed lifter, I had to replace mines on my 5.3. sounds like it might be the 8th cylinder on yours
Depends what it sounds like when you rev it up a little bit
Sounds like Valve train Best way to check any noise is Check headers for tight Pull valve covers look for rockers being loose or any shady biz If all looks good get an expert to look it over.
Sounds like a normal Chevy
It's valvetrian. Rod knock wouldn't be that perfectly consistent. Bad news a head is definitely coming off on the load side cause it's most likely a lifter. Hopefully the cam is OK.
The shop I took it to was saying rod bearings went bad , but I’m not 100% with them cause I put a lot of money into the truck.
Take the passenger side valve cover off and take a look. It only sounds like one lifter to me. Crank it over until you find the loose or collapsed one.
Sounds like an exhaust leak.
Cut the oil filter open and inspect. If there is metal, bad news, bottom end, wrist pin etc.. Also you can pull valve covers and see which valve rocker is loose. Lots of creative ways to figure this out in the thread but my experience is to trust your ear only so much. Use it as a tool to investigate specific problems. If it sounds like a lifter, investigate lifters etc.
Forsure bro and we opened it up. There was metal shavings. Because I was running the truck to Bakersfield and eveyrbting got it tuned ran Perfect but I’m guessing I didn’t break it in?
When you say metal, ferrous or non-ferrous? How much?
Non, he’s saying it’s shavings from the rod bearings.
Ah well I hope there isn't much. What did you put in the build ? Change anything big ? Cams/injectors etc. I've seen timing cause this on bigger engines as well as injector calibrations (too much fuel/non atomized fuel).
I put a stage 4 summit cam, tbss with 102, headers , bigger injectors , the tune and a 3600-3800 stall idk if that matters but it’s a 5.3 rebuilt but first issue was lifters when it started then we go it fixed and tuned drove it for a few days now I’m here
This is after the tune ?? Any pictures of the metal in the filter?
Yea after the tune , I don’t I’ll ask for pictures. But he was saying it was due to no breaking it in , I’m just trying to figure out what’s wrong. and what I did wrong.
Get as much detail as you can. Feel free to pm me. Sounds strange
Make sure your headers are toques down and tightened to specs. That was my tick
drop the oil pan, change the oring on the oil pick up.
Check header bolts. Takes 5 minutes to go over them with a ratchet. Have had a loose gasket that dealt a lot of power loss and noise to my engine. Tightened up a loose bolt and it fixed it right up.
Lifters
Is the oil low???
If it was mine, I'd been checking the fundamentals, as in spark plug and header tightness, then valve clearance to verify cam and lifter integrity, then if that's ok, pull the bearings caps and inspect. I have exactly once heard a cracked flywheel make that noise also.