Sudden lifter tick and drop of oil pressure

yz2009 · February 7, 2015

I've got a 2004 5.3 sierra with 139k on the clock. It typically uses 1qt of oil every 1000 miles but other than that runs well. Typically I hot idle at 35-40psi and highway cruise at 50-55psi.

Yesterday I drove a 600 mile trip. Everything went well for the first 200 miles. Then on the highway I noticed my oil pressure was just under 40psi. I didn't think much of it until I got off at the next exit. When I slowed down and turned down the music there was a ton of lifter/valve train noise. I shut it off and checked the oil. It was 1/2 quart low (not even low enough to trigger check oil level light). I topped it off but the lifter tick didn't stop. It was very noticeable at idle and crusing around under highway speeds.

I still had another 400 miles so I had no choice but to keep going. Got gas 200 miles later and the tick was still loud and there. Finished the trip and the tick was gone and the truck sounded like normal. My guess is a oil tube or push rod for a lifter got clogged?

My only concern is my drop in oil pressure. Even at WOT I can barely get 45 psi. I used to get over 60. I'm concerned that this mysterious lifter tick and drop of 15psi across the rpm range started at the same time. Now that the sound has gone away should I worry about my sudden decrease of oil pressure?

yz2009 · February 9, 2015

Incase anyone searches this...

After reading around I heard a bad oil filter can cause low oil pressure. I put a new oil filter on and my oil pressure went back to my normal pressure. My guess is something happened in the oil filter and oil didn't get to the lifters temporarily (hence the loud lifter noises) and then the bypass opened thus having a lower oil pressure?

I only had 2000 miles on that filter too

00Silverado4x4 · February 9, 2015

How did the oil look when you pulled the filter? I ask because, if the by-pass indeed did open then something had to of plugged up the filter. You may have an engine that has a bunch of gunk build up.

yz2009 · February 10, 2015

I actually cut the filter open and it did not look good. I don't know if the filter was poor quality and disintegrating or it was plugged absolutely everywhere. It looked way to dirty for only 2000 miles. I've currently got 1200 miles on the filter I spun on there to "fix" the problem. I'm going to change my oil this week and cut it open to see what it looks like. I also ordered an oil test kit and I'm going to test the oil that comes out of it and see what the results are. I'll keep this thread updated when I learn more.

I always change my oil between 3-3.5k miles so I didn't expect issues like this.

dcheeseman · February 10, 2015

What brand was that oil filter (the one you removed and cut open)?

Daniel

yz2009 · February 10, 2015

The one I removed and cut open was a Hastings. The one currently on the truck I replaced it with is a ac delco.

yz2009 · February 13, 2015

Update:

I just changed the oil and cut open the filter i spun on to "fix" my low oil pressure on my trip.

First picture... It is the filter that got plugged originally when all of this started. It is a Hastings filter that had 2000k since the previous oil change. WHen i cut it open all of the filter material was twisted like in the picture. Deffenitely a restriction there. Also if you rub your finger though the filter material there was a slimy sludge like substance. You can see it in my finger in the picture. That substance was also on the bottom of the filter on the inside.

Second picture... This is the filter i spun on to fix the low oil pressure issue. It is an AC Delco. This filter only has 1000 miles on it but it has the same oil as the Hastings filter (i was in the middle of a trip and could only change the filter in the parking lot, not the oil as well). This filter looked almost perfect when i cut it open. Obviously its stained the color of the oil but the filter material is perfectly straight, and if you rub your finger over it there is no slimy sludge residue.

So now begs the questions what are your guesses for the condition of the Hastings filter. If it got plugged i figured the second one would too, but it didnt. So im thinking either...

1. There was a buildup of sludge in the engine that broke loose, all of it got caught in the filter, plugged it, starved my lifters of oil (hence the ticking), and triggered the oil bypass in my oil pump.

2. The filter material in the Hastings somehow disintegrated and causes a slimy mess, thus plugging the filter, starved my lifters of oil (hence the ticking), and triggered the oil bypass in my oil pump.

Any other ideas?

Also i collected a sample of the oil for analysis and will be sending it out in the morning. I will report back when i get the results.

DwayneJ · February 13, 2015

Definetely an odd occurance and reall happy it seems to have been fixed for $6.

If concerned about sludge the best product I have found is AutoRX. I is a bit expensive with nice discounts if you buy several and a hassle to buy because it is online only, but it is good stuff and ester based NOT a solvent. Other thing I have done is run diesel marketed oils that are API approved for use in gas engines like a Rotella 10w-30. Since diesels are dirtier the reasoning is they have more detergents and when switching to diesel oil on high mileage cars I have gotten the lifter noise after the first thousand or so miles that went away with a filter swap which is at least anecdotale evidence of some cleaning.

00Silverado4x4 · February 13, 2015

I'm still willing to bet you have some crud build up in the engine. The first filter probably took the big hit and the second being driven for less miles wasn't quite so bad.

Btuggle88 · February 21, 2015

Did you put a cleaning additive in when you did the oil change or put anything in that might have broke stuff loose when you changed it that might have caused that? Just wondering.

Gurrzt · February 21, 2015

I've got a 2004 5.3 sierra with 139k on the clock. It typically uses 1qt of oil every 1000 miles but other than that runs well. Typically I hot idle at 35-40psi and highway cruise at 50-55psi.

Yesterday I drove a 600 mile trip. Everything went well for the first 200 miles. Then on the highway I noticed my oil pressure was just under 40psi. I didn't think much of it until I got off at the next exit. When I slowed down and turned down the music there was a ton of lifter/valve train noise. I shut it off and checked the oil. It was 1/2 quart low (not even low enough to trigger check oil level light). I topped it off but the lifter tick didn't stop. It was very noticeable at idle and crusing around under highway speeds.

I still had another 400 miles so I had no choice but to keep going. Got gas 200 miles later and the tick was still loud and there. Finished the trip and the tick was gone and the truck sounded like normal. My guess is a oil tube or push rod for a lifter got clogged?

My only concern is my drop in oil pressure. Even at WOT I can barely get 45 psi. I used to get over 60. I'm concerned that this mysterious lifter tick and drop of 15psi across the rpm range started at the same time. Now that the sound has gone away should I worry about my sudden decrease of oil pressure?

I'm still willing to bet you have some crud build up in the engine. The first filter probably took the big hit and the second being driven for less miles wasn't quite so bad.

Old timers trick, drain 1qt of oil out, and add 1 qt of transmission fluid, and run the engine @ normal idle for 20 min, drain out all the oil and replace the filter, this SHOULD have removed the gunk from the engine, drop the oil pan and clean.

Transmission fluid is highly detergent, and should remove a lot of sludge.

yz2009 · February 21, 2015

Thanks for the replies. On my most current oil change I did not add any cleaning additives. I've been back and fourth whether or not to do the transmission fluid trick or cleaning additives. On one hand I would like to clean the engine and remove the sludge (if there is any) but on the other hand it is running well right now (minus my usual quiet lifter tick and oil consumption) and I'm worried if I add anything to the oil it may break some sludge loose and possibly clog something.

So I'm back to the dilemma it's running like usual now so don't mess with it or try and add something to clean the engine

yz2009 · February 25, 2015

UPDATE:

I received my oil analysis today. On the wear metals it looks great but i also have coolant showing up on the oil. About 8k miles ago my thermostat failed and my truck got to about 240 degrees before i realized. I put a new thermostat in and did a coolant flush but ive had to constantly add a little coolant. (ive had to add about half a gallon over 8k miles) I always chocked it up to a bubble in the system working its way out. I did some research and saw 01-07 5.3's can have castech heads which are prone to developing cracks. Im wondering if when it got a little hotter than usual after my thermostat failed it caused the head to crack?

Before this my coolant level stayed the same for 80k miles. Attached is my oil report. Comments are welcome.

Carl Johns_GMC 1500_Gasoline E_15187790_Severe_15564349.pdf

DwayneJ · February 26, 2015

The "high detergent level in ATF" is a MYTH what in a tranny would cause much need for detergent? Diesel oil can be higher in detergent because diesels are sooty.

rdnkcpa · February 26, 2015

If you have coolant in the oil, that is one of the causes of your lifter tick. Since your truck is a 2004, you most likely have the Castech head problem. More than likely your heads are shot and this is the root cause of your funky oil filters, and lifter tick.

Good luck.