Isolating ticking sound on drivers side

madsen203 · April 15, 2019

I'm doing my best to isolate this ticking sound that is persistent, yet intermittent.

Data so far:

2018 CC SLT 1500 6.2L 4WD Max Tow 19K miles, all stock

Doesn't happen when motor is cold, much more prevalent when motor is warmed
Doesn't happen when letting off throttle (only under application of throttle), can be heard in neutral, park, and in drive (not in reverse enough to tell--but it happens when transmission is not engaged)
Sound follows steady or increasing RPM of motor
Under light to medium load, noise is prevalent, under heavy acceleration it subsides (not because of engine noise)
If I turn wheels hard left, the noise disappears, straighten wheels, it returns (like wheel is blocking noise from traveling)
Sound only heard on driver side
If I hit some oscillating bumps on the road, it can stop for a while before returning back (under varying loads as well)
If left in tow/haul mode, at 2500 rpm under light load it can still be heard
Ran 2 bottles of Red Line injector cleaner and it didn't eliminate/help noise
The truck was silent until the 700 mile mark and I hit an expansion joint (nothing out of the ordinary) and the sound started and has remained ever since
I've checked exhaust/manifold connectors and no sign of leaks (soot)
I put a hollow aluminum rod (2 foot long) to the vacuum pump and did not hear any abnormal noises directly from the pump
Obviously heard injector noises when put to the injectors; haven't had chance to stop on side of road when the sound disappears to run comparison tests
Sometimes it'll run dead silent when driving down the road (after complete warm up) and power delivery doesn't change but noise comes back within a minute or two
Sound heard in both V-8 and V-4 modes, and while in manual shift mode
Use premium 91 gas ever since purchase (93 not available in Bay Area)--use Costco Top Tier fuel (high volume station)
Oil changed with Mobil 0-20W Full Synthetic every 5K miles religiously and OEM filters (indicator usually states 37% remaining at around 5k miles)
90/10 Highway/City driving

Any thoughts? My MPG is seems close to normal. Lifetime average of 17, most of my time driving is short city trips or long highway driving with a bed full of gear and a dirt bike.

Some of the actions seem like it could be a noise related to the vacuum pump but the pump doesn't exhibit any noises itself. Sounds kind of like exhaust leak--exhaust seems to check out (no notable soot around connections or along piping that is visible). If it was something loose, I would think that even under deceleration (letting off throttle) would cause the noise to persist. It follows increasing RPM.

I've checked around the footwell and haven't noiced any plugs missing or issues there. The fact that the sound is not there when cold or after some bumpy roads makes me think something else is up.

Thoughts? Things to check?

When it is quiet, this truck is wonderful. The ticking in the background that comes and goes is like a form of Chinese water torture. The fact that it does go away sometimes makes me even crazier as I know it could be better. When I bought it, it did not make this noise. Only after 700 miles of driving did it begin to tick tick tick away.

mferry22 · April 15, 2019

I've had this noise for a year and a half. I recently had my vacuum pump replaced and the steering shaft boot. The noise was gone for a month but it is now back but not as loud. So either my new vacuum pump is starting to crap the bed or the steering shaft boot is not seated properly. I personally think it's the boot

Crobinson16 · April 16, 2019

I hear the same noise, I believed it to be the injectors firing. Honestly I never noticed it till I was in the truck with two other people in in and the radio was off as we we're talking. During the times of no conversation I began to notice it. It's very faint. And now that I've heard it once, it's like I hear it every time , it's very very faint and only hear if the radio is off and no one is talking.

2017Darkness · April 16, 2019

NPF

madsen203 · April 19, 2019

I am 98% sure it is this. The noise dissipating when turning left led me to finding this. Thanks GM forums!

Also thanks to this forum I found the TSB that addressed the rear back up camera at full brightness at night. The dealer checked the lifters and all is fine. Ready to get this over and done with!

Boostpatrol · April 19, 2019

I have a ticking from passenger door. I think it’s one of the lock or window switches

madsen203 · April 24, 2019

I am 98% sure it is this. The noise dissipating when turning left led me to finding this. Thanks GM forums!

Also thanks to this forum I found the TSB that addressed the rear back up camera at full brightness at night. The dealer checked the lifters and all is fine. Ready to get this over and done with!

**UPDATE**

The dealer acknowledged this was the cause and is replacing the seal. Woot!!!

PackerChev · August 7, 2019

On 4/23/2019 at 8:59 PM, madsen203 said:

I am 98% sure it is this. The noise dissipating when turning left led me to finding this. Thanks GM forums!

Also thanks to this forum I found the TSB that addressed the rear back up camera at full brightness at night. The dealer checked the lifters and all is fine. Ready to get this over and done with!

**UPDATE**

The dealer acknowledged this was the cause and is replacing the seal. Woot!!!

Madsen,

Did this help with the tick/fluttering? I understand it may block the noise but have you had any luck isolating where the noise comes from? My truck has done it for the life of it and I'm at 50,000 miles. Bothers the piss out of me as well but I've learned to just live with it.

madsen203 · August 7, 2019

1 hour ago, PackerChev said:

Madsen,

Did this help with the tick/fluttering? I understand it may block the noise but have you had any luck isolating where the noise comes from? My truck has done it for the life of it and I'm at 50,000 miles. Bothers the piss out of me as well but I've learned to just live with it.

I think it’s just the GDI injector noise and a little exhaust resonance. I still have a very faint flutter sound but nothing like before. Most days it’s not really noticeable and I can live with it.

Its a minor thing to an otherwise relatively smooth and reliable truck. I get some leaf spring squeak on the rear driver side over speed bumps and some times a clunky shift but nothing that has me racing to the dealer. Pick your poison and GM’s poison seems to be the less toxic for my needs for this 5/8’s Ton truck (NHT package).

Baytrucker · August 7, 2019

I get a ticking noise on the drivers side of the engine too. Its much louder and more pronounced than the standard DI ticking. The "tick" happens slightly less than every second when at idle. The sound reminds me of a metronome or a large mechanical clock. I asked the dealership about it, and he says its "normal" (typical GM response for everything), but was not able to explain what the tick was or what part was making it. They were adamant it was "normal" though, even though they had no idea what it was and none of their other trucks made the noise. They could not explain whey the noise didn't develop under I had owned the truck for over a year.

I've got too many other clunks, squeaks, shudders and other problems with my truck to worry about this at the moment. That being said, I've had no success localizing the source of the noise.

madsen203 · August 7, 2019

4 hours ago, Baytrucker said:

I get a ticking noise on the drivers side of the engine too. Its much louder and more pronounced than the standard DI ticking. The "tick" happens slightly less than every second when at idle. The sound reminds me of a metronome or a large mechanical clock. I asked the dealership about it, and he says its "normal" (typical GM response for everything), but was not able to explain what the tick was or what part was making it. They were adamant it was "normal" though, even though they had no idea what it was and none of their other trucks made the noise. They could not explain whey the noise didn't develop under I had owned the truck for over a year.

I've got too many other clunks, squeaks, shudders and other problems with my truck to worry about this at the moment. That being said, I've had no success localizing the source of the noise.

Use a long screw driver or pipe to help isolate it?

300 Blackout · August 8, 2019

I get a ticking noise on the drivers side of the engine too. Its much louder and more pronounced than the standard DI ticking. The "tick" happens slightly less than every second when at idle. The sound reminds me of a metronome or a large mechanical clock. I asked the dealership about it, and he says its "normal" (typical GM response for everything), but was not able to explain what the tick was or what part was making it. They were adamant it was "normal" though, even though they had no idea what it was and none of their other trucks made the noise. They could not explain whey the noise didn't develop under I had owned the truck for over a year.

I've got too many other clunks, squeaks, shudders and other problems with my truck to worry about this at the moment. That being said, I've had no success localizing the source of the noise.

Check that your spark plugs are fully screwed in and seated. I had a very similar noise and was really was worried about it. Turns out my cylinder 5 spark plug backed out a little. Not enough to cause a misfire or check engine light, but the sound had me convinced I was gonna have to put a new cam in it. Tightened the plug and the noise disappeared.

madsen203 · August 8, 2019

24 minutes ago, 300 Blackout said:

Check that your spark plugs are fully screwed in and seated. I had a very similar noise and was really was worried about it. Turns out my cylinder 5 spark plug backed out a little. Not enough to cause a misfire or check engine light, but the sound had me convinced I was gonna have to put a new cam in it. Tightened the plug and the noise disappeared.

Wow! I know our U Bolts are loose but spark plugs? Would a loose plug cause some knocking noise under load due to incorrect gapping where the fuel spray is?

300 Blackout · August 8, 2019

Wow! I know our U Bolts are loose but spark plugs? Would a loose plug cause some knocking noise under load due to incorrect gapping where the fuel spray is?

I replaced my plugs just prior to the noise starting. I didn’t torque it enough and it backed out.

I’m not sure about the plug gap causing a knock. The fuel won’t spray into the spark. The ECM regulates the injector pulse width to prevent this, if that’s what you’re asking. I never had a MIL come on, and it really only needed half a turn before it was snugged back up.

I’ve fixed a ton of my creaks and squeaks. One of the biggest offenders was my brakes. I replaced calipers, rotors, pads and cleaned the hell out of the parking brake components along with lube in the right spots. Whisper quiet.

I used Super Lube spray in between my leafs and that eliminated the creaking I was experiencing from them.

I got rid of my mechanical vacuum pump, turned off V4, and now pull vacuum from the intake manifold. No more choo-choo train.

I just finished sound deadening the entire truck interior with KilMat and neoprene. It’s down to 76 dB(a) at highway speeds 2250 rpm. That’s with long tube headers, dual exhaust and no baffle mufflers dumped before the rear wheel.

When I sound proofed the truck, I addressed a lot of the plastic panels that squeak. The center console in particular was the main offender. The trim panels (immediately next to your right thigh) were very loud. I removed them, applied strips of butyl rubber and then smothered the contact points with Super Lube grease. When I reassembled, I put a small piece of plastic at the front most corner of the trim panel, near where it meets the dash board. No more squeaks.

As for the sewing machine of the direct inject engine, well that’s an easy fix; long tube headers and a dual exhaust. Bye bye sewing machine, hello happiness.