Tonyrodz's Tahoe Build Thread

[Tonyrodz]

Started the Hoe to get some pizza and I get a loud tap coming from under the driver side valve cover. Gonna try some Sea Foam in the oil. Weird, came out of no where. I've never had any kind of issue with any valve train noise before.

 

[Sam Harris]

Started the Hoe to get some pizza and I get a loud tap coming from under the driver side valve cover. Gonna try some Sea Foam in the oil. Weird, came out of no where. I've never had any kind of issue with any valve train noise before.

Do not like

 

[iamdub]

Started the Hoe to get some pizza and I get a loud tap coming from under the driver side valve cover. Gonna try some Sea Foam in the oil. Weird, came out of no where. I've never had any kind of issue with any valve train noise before.

Only takes about 10 minutes to pop off that cover and inspect. Or is it only for a few seconds after startup and not constant?

 

[Tonyrodz]

Only takes about 10 minutes to pop off that cover and inspect. Or is it only for a few seconds after startup and not constant?

It stayed constant, but seemed not as loud. Pizza place was only 2 mins away, so it wasn't running that long. I'll leave it home today, as I don't really know what to do yet. What do you think about pouring some Sea Foam in there? I just had an oil change done a few hundred miles ago.

 

[Rocket Man]

Try to determine if it’s lifter tick or exhaust leak before doing anything. They sound very similar. The time I thought I had lifter tick, I freaked out until I put a long screwdriver to my ear and used it like a stethoscope on both heads. They sounded the same, no noticeable loud knocks. Then I pulled the header on that side and could see where it had an exhaust leak. New header gasket fixed it, no more ticking.

 

[Sam Harris]

Same here. I thought I had lifter noise as well, but was really happy to find broken exhaust manifold bolts!

ETA: speaking of: I got the ARH longtubes installed Friday, but heard a strange noise as soon as I drove off. I found at least 1 spark plug was loose in the socket, and I’m praying that’s all that it is. At my buddy’s shop now, because I don’t have a socket that will fit in that super tight space to tighten them up.

ETA2: so there were a total of 6 plugs loose in the sockets!! This, and also the tubes were contacting several heat shields and the transmission cooler lines. I’m so glad it was a simple fix!

 

[Tonyrodz]

Try to determine if it’s lifter tick or exhaust leak before doing anything. They sound very similar. The time I thought I had lifter tick, I freaked out until I put a long screwdriver to my ear and used it like a stethoscope on both heads. They sounded the same, no noticeable loud knocks. Then I pulled the header on that side and could see where it had an exhaust leak. New header gasket fixed it, no more ticking.

Great advice Mark. I was just so disgusted, I couldn"t even think. The noise sounded like it was going through the exhaust--like it was reverberating through it--if that makes sense. I drove my work van today, just in case. With everything else going on in my life, def don't need this!!

 

[Sam Harris]

Great advice Mark. I was just so disgusted, I couldn"t even think. The noise sounded like it was going through the exhaust--like it was reverberating through it--if that makes sense. I drove my work van today, just in case. With everything else going on in my life, def don't need this!!

Let us know Tony. Wishing the best for ya.

 

[iamdub]

It stayed constant, but seemed not as loud. Pizza place was only 2 mins away, so it wasn't running that long. I'll leave it home today, as I don't really know what to do yet. What do you think about pouring some Sea Foam in there? I just had an oil change done a few hundred miles ago.

I wouldn't do anything with the oil just yet.

I skipped right past suggesting you check the exhaust gasket first since you're more familiar with these things than many others. But, as the others said, confirm the source of the sound first. If you can rule out the gasket, then pop off a cover. If it's a lifter or anything in the valve train, running it may only make things worse.

 

[Tonyrodz]

I wouldn't do anything with the oil just yet.

I skipped right past suggesting you check the exhaust gasket first since you're more familiar with these things than many others. But, as the others said, confirm the source of the sound first. If you can rule out the gasket, then pop off a cover. If it's a lifter or anything in the valve train, running it may only make things worse.

I'm really hoping it's that. I only replaced the header gasket on the pass side last summer, so the driver side still has the ****** gasket on it.

Let us know Tony. Wishing the best for ya.

Thank you @Sam Harris I really appreciate the good wishes. And thx to everyone who has replied.

 

[Rocket Man]

I'm really hoping it's that. I only replaced the header gasket on the pass side last summer, so the driver side still has the ****** gasket on it.

Thank you @Sam Harris I really appreciate the good wishes. And thx to everyone who has replied.

Well then it makes total sense. I’m willing to bet that’s it. A good visual will let you know if you have broken exhaust manifold bolts to start with.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Here's a vid of the noise.

Here's what the header bolts look like also.

Opinions on the vid?

 

[Rocket Man]

Could be an exhaust leak, like I said they sound almost identical. Use something as a stethoscope like I said. If it’s in the valve train it will be super noticeable from one side to the other. Compare by listening to both sides and compare. If the ds isn’t making way more noise that the ps then it’s an exhaust leak. Any of those bolts could be broken and you don’t know it until you try to loosen or tighten them. When you did the other side, did you break any when changing the gasket? Those look like they’re not in good shape. You should use ARP or stainless ones when you re-do the gasket.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Could be an exhaust leak, like I said they sound almost identical. Use something as a stethoscope like I said. If it’s in the valve train it will be super noticeable from one side to the other. Compare by listening to both sides and compare. If the ds isn’t making way more noise that the ps then it’s an exhaust leak. Any of those bolts could be broken and you don’t know it until you try to loosen or tighten them. When you did the other side, did you break any when changing the gasket? Those look like they’re not in good shape. You should use ARP or stainless ones when you re-do the gasket.

I should've done both sides at the same time--even if it was just the bolts. I didn't notice how bad those header bolts were until today. When I did the ps, the bolts were still in good shape, so none broke. I did replace those with grade 8's iirc. Those bolts are still in good shape.

 

[iamdub]

Maaaaaaaan... I'm hoping it's just a leaking gasket but, through my laptop speakers, it's really sounding like valvetrain noise to me.

My best description of the two sounds is an exhaust tick is a steady "tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick" and slack in the valvetrain is a "CLACK-clack-CLACK-clack-CLACK-clack-CLACK-clack-CLACK" at twice the frequency. I'm hearing the "CLACK-clack...".

You must really be busy cuz that would've eaten me alive until I at least ruled out something. If I worked late, I'd be under the hood with a flashlight trying to diagnose it in the dark.

 

[wjburken]

If I was a betting man, I would put money on a lifter failure. It sounds eerily similar to what my 6.2L sounded like in my '07. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Rocket Man]

I still say it could be an exhaust leak. Listen when he first starts it up and his phone is up near the engine. Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick....like I said, I was sure mine was lifter tick too but it wasn't. But yeah, I sure would be figuring it out instead of letting it worry me for days. Come on Tony!

 

[Tonyrodz]

I honestly don't have time to do ANYTHING. I wake up at 4:30 am, out of the house at 6:20, and not home til 5 pm--or later. Shit, shower, shave then bed. Repeat again. Idk what it is with this job, but it really is taking its toll. Days off are usually working my business or taking my gf somewhere. I got a hold of my friend today to see if he has time to look at it for me. So hopefully he'll come through, til then it's just sitting. Weird how it's been running good, and then this. Nothing leading up to it. I already know--just a guess, and with my luck--it's the worst case scenario.

 

[Sam Harris]

Best case! Best case! I understand the stress this puts you under Tony. After I took the Yuk home from the exhaust shop, I was a wreck all weekend until I started her back up, and saw the plug wire moving. Then I just prayed all day, that it was just loose plugs.. and it was.. with some additional tweaking needed.

 

[Snowbound]

Sorry to hear about your luck and being a slave to your daily routine. I know all about this too well. To me, sounds just like a lifter issue. I’ve been there and done that. Sucks but just thinking about it is the worst part. Disassembly and repair is easy enough.

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