Your opinions

[K9Gunner]

Hello all, I have a 2005 GMC Yukon SLT with the 5.3. I am the original owner and it has 266,000+ miles on it. It is in great shape. Paint is very good for the year and it has never been wrecked. It still has the original motor and transmission. I am getting a loud ticking from the motor a couple times a year now. Seems to be often during the cold months. I change oil religiously every 3k miles. No lose of power or mileage at all during the ticking. What do you think the ticking is? And would you all make a motor swap when it decides to die? I can get a GM crate motor for around $3700. It’s not a reman. Thanks in advance


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[UmmScott]

Could be lifters...
Or more likely, a cracked exhaust manifold.

These 5.3s like to crack especially on the drivers side and they make odd ticking noises that sometimes go away once warmed up

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[OR VietVet]

I suspect the lifters because of the cold start ticking noise. With that kind of mileage I would opt for the engine when the problem finally rears it's ugly head on a very regular basis. These engines are typically 300k engines, give or take. If it ends up being the broken manifold stud problem then fix that and keep running the engine. You will either have to remove manifold and get lucky that enough of the stud sticks out to grab and twist out or it is flush and you have a PITA on your hands.

While I have never used one, I have seen after market clamp kits that that you bolt on to push the manifold close to head and seal off the exhaust leak. They seem to be designed for just the ends of the manifolds. There is a recent thread here about them.

 

[swathdiver]

Hello all, I have a 2005 GMC Yukon SLT with the 5.3. I am the original owner and it has 266,000+ miles on it. It is in great shape. Paint is very good for the year and it has never been wrecked. It still has the original motor and transmission. I am getting a loud ticking from the motor a couple times a year now. Seems to be often during the cold months. I change oil religiously every 3k miles. No lose of power or mileage at all during the ticking. What do you think the ticking is? And would you all make a motor swap when it decides to die? I can get a GM crate motor for around $3700. It’s not a reman. Thanks in advance


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Get a stethoscope from HF or a long extension/breaker bar next time the noise appears.

https://www.harborfreight.com/Mechanics-Stethoscope-63691.html

You could pop the heads and replace all the lifters and maybe the timing chain and drive it another couple hundred thousand for about $500.