Phantom Ticking

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Snowfish Blue

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Hey all. 2006 GMC Yukon XL here. A few days ago I filled up Bertha with mid grade gas as I normally do. I get a knocking in the engine if I used regular unleaded when I have to put the pedal down hard. Anyway! I didn’t fill it up, but about 3/4 tank. I had a ticking sound immediately at idle, that increased with speed. No warning lights on dash. Oil level is great. On the way home it simply disappeared. For days.

Just now I got gas at the same station and it immediately did the same thing, for about ten to fifteen minutes, then went away. What gives? Anyone else encounter this mystery?

TIA for any suggestions.
 
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Snowfish Blue

Snowfish Blue

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Makes me wonder if you have a bit of predetonation. What happens if you put premium in?
I don’t think it’s that. The examples I’ve heard of predetonation have a much different quality from what I’m hearing. I haven’t filled up since then, however the noise did present itself again. I will be putting gas in today, but probably will get gas from a different station, same midgrade, before I try going back to regular or splurging in premium.

She ran perfect until yesterday when 15 minutes into a 30 minute trip it started. The engine wasn’t cold when I started out. I’d used it maybe an hour before I left with it again.

The tick started quietly, then built up to what I’ve come to see as “normal” by the time I parked it. At idle it was ticking driver side. She sat unused for about four hours. I said a prayer before starting again, it fired up with the ticking, and then it went away before I left the parking lot and hasn’t returned.

Anything else I can think of would have presented itself and not gone away, including an exhaust leak maybe, unless it’s possibly gunk with the lifter that manages to clear itself here and there? I did a flush to see if it would help.
 

afpj

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Put some Techron fuel system cleaner through it. Maybe bad gas, injectors?
 

96-2D-Hoe

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Sticky lifter? I hear so many cars/trucks doing it. Mine does it too. Seafoam in the oil and a couple quick cheap walmart synthetic oil changes quietened mine down a lot, but it's still there every now and then.
 

SnowDrifter

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Humor me: pop your engine cover off. Go fill up, wait for the ticking. Pop your hood and look on top of your intake towards the front of your engine. There's a valve in there. Upright thing in the middle. Can't miss it.

What happens if you unplug that? Still ticking?
 

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