lifter noise on cold start

[Tbruz]

1997 Tahoe with 110K milkes. Northeast location where the overnight temps can get to 0 degrees F or slightly below 0 on occasion.

I'm getting some lifter noise on initial cold start; clatters for around 15 to 30 seconds then gets nice and quiet for the rest of the day.
Currently using traditional oil, oil weight is 5/30 and only has around 2500 miles on since last change.
Should I be using a 0W/30 or should I be looking for something else wrong.
Thanks
Tbruz

 

[SunlitComet]

what is your oil pressure like throughout all this.

 

[Donnie Yukonie]

mines been doing that for the last 2-3 years I've had no issues

 

[KPOD]

I too noticed the same thing on mine a couple days this week when it got cold overnight. By cold we're talking low 30s. Just had it rebuilt so I'm a little worried something may be going bad already?

 

[Tbruz]

Pressure is right around 60 at initial start.
Tbruz

 

[stereodesigner]

mines been doing that for the last 2-3 years I've had no issues

Same here....
All pressure is good..
Hope you can find the culprit

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[SunlitComet]

then i would put it as an lifter leak down or carbon build of in it s oil feed line. or perhaps some really out of adjustment valve. when is the last time you had the adjusted?

 

[Tbruz]

Sunlit: you suggesting a valve adjustment?

If a carbon buildup then a Seafoam treatment correct?
How do you test for lifter leakdown?
Thanks
Tbruz

 

[taylorjm]

I'm not usually one to suggest a "snake oil" treatment, but my neighbor had the same thing with his truck last winter, and used the lucas oil stablizer stuff with his last oil change. It fixed the noise, but again, I'm not sure. He used the quart of lucus and synthetic 5w30, and his truck sits outside in Michigan, so we get some real cold nights in the winter. He was in the same situation as you, older truck, higher miles, figured what the heck, may as well try the simple thing first. I would probably use synthetic with the lucas, especially in winter since the synthetic doesn't thicken up like conventional oil does when it gets cold.

 

[SunlitComet]

if you have not done one it could help a bit but good detergent oil would help clean passages, tranny fluid helps a stuck lifter and the lifter would have to come out for testing.

 

[gpracer1]

While traveling 99% of the time for my last job, I never used my truck. Then about 5 months ago I started getting the cold start lifter tick that would go away after 3 seconds or so.

It continued to do this every startup.

I got tired of it and put 2 cans of seafoam in the crankcase and left it there for 2 weeks of driving (mostly just weekend) and sitting the other time.
Changed the oil.

Lifter tick is gone.

Be advised that sefoam will clean all crap from everything, so you may have an oil leak that could get worse.......just putting that out there.

 

[MACHO]

Brand new, mine did this for about 10 sec after startup cold day.

 

[Tbruz]

Changed oil and filter today with 5 quarts of 5w-30 Pennzoil high mileage oil.
Will report back tomorrow.
Also have a 16 oz can of Seafoam standing by for step two if the fresh oil doesn't quiet it down.

UPDATE: Last two days have been fairly warm here in NH, overnight low temps in the 50's.
I can still hear the tick but only for 10 seconds or so and not quite as loud as pre-oil change and colder temps.
Will wait a few days before I try the Seafoam treatment

Tbruz