5.3 Tick/Knock?

[JPVortex]

Not the main harness. Usually I find an empty spot on the firewall (just double check it is truly empty and out of the way), make the smallest hole and fill it with a grommet. I have a grommet assortment I bought off Amazon.

If your main harness or other harness Ingress points have room to feed the conduit, use them by all means.

Where did you put the mechanical gauge in the truck? Just trying to figure out the best mounting spot.

 

[viven44]

Where did you put the mechanical gauge in the truck? Just trying to figure out the best mounting spot.

I don't have one in these newer trucks. On my old trucks I mount them somewhere under the dash... pic below shows oil and coolant temp gauges.

 

[JPVortex]

I don't have one in these newer trucks. On my old trucks I mount them somewhere under the dash... pic below shows oil and coolant temp gauges.

View attachment 441705

Thank you!

Unfortunately the gmt800 dashes don’t have a flat edge on the bottom of the dash and have the center console in the way, did still find a good mounting spot.

I’m going to put it on the front removable panel(the one below the steering wheel you’d take off to service the steering column area). Should fit nicely there and I can probably hide the copper line and wiring for the light pretty easily.

 

[JPVortex]

For installing mechanical oil pressure gauge think this would fit? So it’s a tee that I’d screw in where the stock sending unit goes, with a port for a mechanical gauge, then up top there’s threads for the stock sender.

I’m scared with the stock sender attached up top it’ll hit the intake and be too tall.

 

[viven44]

Thank you!

Unfortunately the gmt800 dashes don’t have a flat edge on the bottom of the dash and have the center console in the way, did still find a good mounting spot.

I’m going to put it on the front removable panel(the one below the steering wheel you’d take off to service the steering column area). Should fit nicely there and I can probably hide the copper line and wiring for the light pretty easily.

I have installed a half-dozen of these gauges. I don't bother with the wiring for the light. How often do you need nighttime gauge visibility?

 

[JPVortex]

I have installed a half-dozen of these gauges. I don't bother with the wiring for the light. How often do you need nighttime gauge visibility?

That is true. Probably won’t bother with it now that I’m thinking about it

 

[viven44]

For installing mechanical oil pressure gauge think this would fit? So it’s a tee that I’d screw in where the stock sending unit goes, with a port for a mechanical gauge, then up top there’s threads for the stock sender.

I’m scared with the stock sender attached up top it’ll hit the intake and be too tall.

View attachment 441762

A tee like that is a good idea if that will fit. That is how it was done on the older trucks where an oil pressure switch was required as well to control power to the early electric fuel pumps (early dinosaur computer technology!)

 

[JPVortex]

A tee like that is a good idea if that will fit. That is how it was done on the older trucks where an oil pressure switch was required as well to control power to the early electric fuel pumps (early dinosaur computer technology!)

I highly doubt it’ll fit though. Barely enough room even for just the sender. Think I’m going to try my hardest to get it in that plug on the block where I tested the pressure from

 

[JPVortex]

A tee like that is a good idea if that will fit. That is how it was done on the older trucks where an oil pressure switch was required as well to control power to the early electric fuel pumps (early dinosaur computer technology!)

Also have no clue how I’d tighten the compression fitting down there, no room. Would be almost impossible.

 

[JPVortex]

Well, ended up being long enough for the plug on the block and it's all set!

Heres a video here:

Now I just want to do something about this stupid tick, it bothers me soooo much. I don't hear it at idle until I move my head next to the passenger wheel well looking right at the exhaust manifold straight on. When I rev it I can hear it from up top. Hopefully it truly is just an exhaust leak!

Did empty my oil drain pan today into a bucket, and swore I saw some metal in the oil, so I still think the engine is at end of life, but we'll see how long it lasts!

 

[JPVortex]

Well here’s a sending unit update lol.

The NAPA one was garbage, read like 15psi at warm idle.

So I actually managed to get the oil pressure test gauge behind the intake and test it, 45psi cold, 30psi warm.

So I returned the Napa one and ordered a GM Genuine off Amazon. Came in today, and got installed in 5 minutes(I’m becoming a certified pro at getting my hand back there at this point) and fired it up.

Now the thing reads 65psi cold, when it does only have 45psi. I’m going to say it’s good enough.

I’ve heard other people on here say the dash gauge for oil pressure is not accurate and it’s basically “Just a way to tell that you actually do have oil pressure”, so I’m going to choose to believe that.

Now pretty much, I’m going to throw some 10w40 in there instead of 5w30, thing it’s due for a step up in viscosity. Also ordered a snake oil, Liqui Moly lifter additive, in case this tick is a lifter and not exhaust. And lastly, I have plans to put shorty headers in place of the manifolds. Hopefully no other bolts will break getting it out, but I’m going to heat using a torch before I spin them out. The 2 that’s already broken thankfully are sticking out and are not lodged in the head. So I’ll use a stud removal tool or vice grips to get those out.

 

[JPVortex]

Been a while since I've updated about the Suburban's tick. Just kind of been living with it ticking, so no the engine did not have a catastrophic failure! Finally took the time today to rig up a way to see if the broken exhaust manifold bolts were causing the tick, and based on the results in this video, I'd say it is! Lol.

Time to put some Ebay chinese special shorty headers on it, hopefully I don't break anymore manifold bolts pulling them out! Probably going to use PB Blaster, hit them with heat and then impact them off, scared the twisting of a ratchet is going to snap them all off. The ones that are already broken are both sticking out of the head. A stud extractor should get at them.

 

[JPVortex]

question for y'all. The headers I bought have a primary port diameter of 1 5/8", but every MLS gasket I can find has a primary port diameter of 1 7/8", will those gaskets work with the headers I bought?

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

I did the adult dose of crankcase cleaner. My attempts with instructions on label were not successful until I did that.

First Berryman B12 spray cleaner. Removed both valve covers... Sprayed an entire can of berryman B12 down pushrods into lifters. Then poured an entire can on top of that over valvetrain. Let set overnight.

Next day I drained oil... Put new oil with entire can of crankcase cleaner... Ran engine for 1hr idle only. Changed oil again...

No more lifter tick. Was all gone after that.

As far as bolts I got ITC billet bolts for my exhaust but worth looking into ARP studs. The bolts commonly break.

I am not big on headers. Too much heat under hood. Been wanting to do LS1 manifolds which are cast headers but not sure how to fit them

 

[JPVortex]

I did the adult dose of crankcase cleaner. My attempts with instructions on label were not successful until I did that.

First Berryman B12 spray cleaner. Removed both valve covers... Sprayed an entire can of berryman B12 down pushrods into lifters. Then poured an entire can on top of that over valvetrain. Let set overnight.

Next day I drained oil... Put new oil with entire can of crankcase cleaner... Ran engine for 1hr idle only. Changed oil again...

No more lifter tick. Was all gone after that.

Actually didn't end up being lifter tick in my case, it's just a severe exhaust leak from broken manifold bolts.

Going to be putting a pair of shorty headers in it that come with crappy paper gaskets, and id like to use an MLS gasket on them. The headers have a primary diameter of 1 5/8" and I cannot find MLS header gaskets with that diameter literally anywhere. Closest I can find is 1 7/8", which I'm not sure if that'll work or not.

 

[JPVortex]

I’ve done the right thing and cancelled the order on the cheap Chinese headers. Going to run stock manifolds, it’s a stock truck doesn’t need anything fancy.

Just going to get bolts and new gaskets and hope the manifolds aren’t warped at all.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

You can get a set of manifolds and polish the runners. There's a machine shop by me who has machine I think can do that. Might be worth looking into. I didn't think to try it when I had mine off.

 

[JPVortex]

You can get a set of manifolds and polish the runners. There's a machine shop by me who has machine I think can do that. Might be worth looking into. I didn't think to try it when I had mine off.

What do you think the chances are that they’re warped? I’m trying to do this as cheap as possible lol. I will order new manifolds if I have to though.no good machine shops near me

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

I didn't have any issues. Probably you just had a loose bolt.

That said, I did electrolysis on mine to clean them up. Then painted them with high temp exhaust paint. In the process of doing that I hooked the electrodes up backwards and ended up pitting one of my exhaust manifolds. Long story short, I ghetto fixed it with a belt sander. I carefully sanded the mating surface. Worked like a champ. Have to be very careful not to round the surface though. There's quite a bit of compliance in the gasket so mine sealed up perfectly. Have worked great since then.

Worth mentioning you'll want to make sure you have ALL the bolts for the heat shields. If you're missing one you could get heck of a racket when that rattles against the manifold.

Good news is the manifolds aren't hard to get off. May like to purchase a spark plug wire removal tool. I broke some wires fiddling around.

 

[JPVortex]

I didn't have any issues. Probably you just had a loose bolt.

That said, I did electrolysis on mine to clean them up. Then painted them with high temp exhaust paint. In the process of doing that I hooked the electrodes up backwards and ended up pitting one of my exhaust manifolds. Long story short, I ghetto fixed it with a belt sander. I carefully sanded the mating surface. Worked like a champ. Have to be very careful not to round the surface though. There's quite a bit of compliance in the gasket so mine sealed up perfectly. Have worked great since then.

Worth mentioning you'll want to make sure you have ALL the bolts for the heat shields. If you're missing one you could get heck of a racket when that rattles against the manifold.

Good news is the manifolds aren't hard to get off. May like to purchase a spark plug wire removal tool. I broke some wires fiddling around.

Well I just tried to pull off one of the heat shield bolts, and it snapped right off. probably going to get a cheap pair of manifolds from rockauto. SKP brand. $60 each.