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09 Sierra 1500 LS 4.8L ticking noise

15K views 18 replies 6 participants last post by  skymnky  
#1 ·
Need help guys, Just started today

Have a 2009 sierra 1500 with 4.8L. Got 198,000 kms. I am original owner and have been loyal to the maintenance of the truck. Yes oil changes every 5000 kms. I am not sure on the noise. It started today. It is there whether the truck is cold or warm. makes more clunking when reving. I posted a video on You tube at the link below of the noise.

Sounds like it is coming from the drivers side towards the back on the piston cover. I used a screw driver to listen to the piston housing and that is where most of the noise is coming from. Also if I crawl underneath the truck I can hear noise to from the bottom of the motor but all the noise does sound up high for sure.


Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Thanks

John
 
#2 ·
I don't know but to me it does not sound like a lifter, but the sound changes as you move around so I cant really tell. It sounds meatier (for lack of better wording) than a tick.
Did it just happen on a startup ? Did you have any events such as passing cars, or burnouts, or unusual loading of any kind when it started ?
 
#3 ·
Sorry for the video, I was trying to pin point the spot of the noise. I did kind of the stethascope method to find the noise coming from underneath the piston cover drivers side towards the back is the loudest but not 100% positive though.

The noise just started when I started the truck yesterday morning in the parking lot. I am not hard on the truck, no burnouts or anything.

my most recent service was a transmission fluid change and filter change about a week ago but I am sure thats not related.

I am pretty hands on so I might start by removing the Piston cover and see whats happening. i might even book an appointment with GM to see but i dont want to get raped either in costs

I also noticed the noise is at lower rpms and at higher rpms it eventualy goes away but in the video the noise has a more clunky sound at higher revs too. It is also there during driving at low speeds. I can't hear the noise while driving on the highway and 100 km/hr
 
#5 ·
I put my code reader on the truck and no codes. As for miss firing I am not sure what that would sound like. The idle has blipped at times but rarely. I know I heard a clicking sound sometimes during low revs but not always. Maybe that is a missfire? Also I can't tell about oil pressure because this is the LS model and does not have those readings on the gauge cluster

This morning while driving to work, it sound like something rattling from in the cab of the truck. Tonight I will pull off the piston cover and take a look. I am hoping a rocker arm or something is loose and flopping in there or something. i will pull out the rods as well . I believe I can remove the piston cover and hook back up the coil pack and start the truck to watch the rocker arms do there thing. We will see.

Thanks
John
 
#6 ·
Alright guys, I Took the valve covers off and started up the truck. Also did an inspection. Don't see anything out of the ordinary. All Rockers are tight with no movement. When truck is started they run smooth with none stuck. This is the same for both sides. See videos below:

Right Side video :
Left Side video :

Again I am sure now it is not the Rockers and rods with everything running smooth and tight with no movement when the truck is off. I tried to look further and it seems like the sound gets louder on the Driver side near the bottom of the motor say lower then the header pipes. I can definitely hear the sound when I am underneath the truck looking to the side of the motor on the drivers side by the oil filter.

Again any help is greatly appreciated. I have decided to book the truck at GM for an Diagnostic appointment as I am not sure what to do now.

Thanks
 
#7 ·
It still doesn't sound like a lifter. With the covers off I'm sure you would have heard it and been able to isolate it. I don't know what it is.
If it was rod knock I think it would get louder under load.
Here is a video of a piston slap, does it sound close ?
I'm sorry I cant help out. I can say kudos to you for doing everything you can. Hang in there. Please keep posting on this.
 
#9 ·
Alright GM had a good look for the noise. They determined it is not related to lifters, rods or rockers. The noise is coming from internal of the motor. They used a stethoscope and found the noise coming from pistons 3 or 5 area and the noise resonates through the headers as well.

They are thinking:

1. Piston Slap
2. Piston ring loose or broken

Do you guys think there might be anything I can do for this?
 
#12 ·
Well was doing some more digging around today. The truck is not burning oil at all. So that leads me to believe the piston ring is not the issue. Also in the videos I posted there are 2 different sounds each time and the sounds comes and go for instance this morning when I started the truck it purred with no noise until 15 mins later at the dealer. Also the frequency of the sound does not match that of a piston stroke frequency and spin of the pulley frequency. Is there any part that is connected to the system that turns but very slowly that might match the slow knocking and also increase with revs? Pulleys spin to fast for the sound and the rockers stroke way to fast as well. The sound is a slow knocking constant sound but does go away randomly at times.

This is definitely a weird one will try and look around some more. Dealer gave a quote for engine re-build of $7200 CAD. They can suck it at that price.
 
#15 ·
Your seem pretty good at mechanics. Try popping the belts off first. Disconnect the exhaust or have the cats checked.
Do a compression check. Maybe a borescope to look at cylinder walls and pistons or pull the heads and take a look. I don't know of any easy way to disconnect the tranny to isolate it but before you tear it all down you might try that as a last resort. I'm just trying to help you think of possibilities to try before pulling the engine.
 
#16 ·
Thanks for the info guys it helps a lot.

I pulled the main belt off. Started the truck and noise still there
I have not pulled the belt that connects the AC motor to the main pulley But I dont believe that to be the issue.

I will check my exhaust bolts to make sure. I do have JBA headers on but they have been on for at least 130,000 kms.

I might pull the drivers side head to take a look. I think I am even going to drop the oil pan also and take a look. I do hear the sound more evident throught there also.

Thanks
 
#17 ·
Alright guys I whipped out my mechanics stethoscope and pulled the drivers side valve cover off again and started up the truck.

Note: passenger side sounded good listening all over the motor. I probed all over listen for the sound to find it definitely on the drivers side. So i Can confirm that GM was right on the drivers side, but they can go suck it regarding an engine replacement.

I did find the noise finally it is just determining what the fix will be. I started the truck up and used my stethoscope to listen on each side of the rockers and rods. All but one were nice and uniform. you can actually here the lifters rolling on the shaft. I also heard that all but one had a real nice uniform sound. Kind of like a smooth bearing sound when you spin a bearing and get that nice spin sound. That is what the noise sounds like on 7 of the 8 rockers/rods.

My culprit is at either 5th rocker from the front or 4th from the back underneath the rockers depending how you want to look at it . I can hear a metal clanking sound as the lifters are running along the shaft. If I listen real close around the spring or by the rod itself, The bearing sound I was expecting is quite a loud clunking sound and it would sound like a bearing with no grease and maybe even hopping on the shaft a bit like a metal on metal rubbing sound.

I think the culprit is the Lifter on this one but I would have to take the head off and investigate it further. But for sure I found where all the noise is coming from just got to dig deeper.

Hope this helps and PS, the stethoscope help insanely. :)