2005 Chevy Silverado 1500 5.3 Tick/Knock at idle

[GunLake]

2005 Chevy Silverado 1500 5.3 - 208k miles

I was unhooking my boat at the boat launch (not on the incline yet) so I left my truck idling. As I was unhooking, It started ticking. Similar to this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZnUiM6rsEE 

I shut it off, checked oil and all that. Started it back up and it resumed the noise. I was down a mile long 2 track and didn't want to get stuck there so I decided to drive out. Once I started driving the noise went away. Drove home fine, It has been 4 days and the noise hasn't returned. 

I called a shop, without looking at it he said it was a lifter and quoted me 10 hours plus parts. / My brother swears its a fuel or oil pump related issue if it goes away. I would like to confirm the issue, Where should I start?

My oil pressure is around 35 at idle and 40ish while driving. After inspecting spark plug wires, I found 1 where the rubber had a big tear in it and basically disintegrated when I grabbed it. So not sure if this could cause anything.

Oil & filter were changed about 500-1000 miles ago.

Edited April 25, 2023 by GunLake

[richard wysong]

Broken or missing exhaust manifold bolts? Did you look at the oil pressure when it was noisy? Possible bad oring on the pickup tube for the oil pump

[bubbanbrenda]

How similar? If your tick was les “metallic” then it’s probably just plugs wires and maybe coils. I would think because of the disintegrated plug wire I would start there, with new everything.

[GunLake]

23 minutes ago, richard wysong said:

Broken or missing exhaust manifold bolts? Did you look at the oil pressure when it was noisy? Possible bad oring on the pickup tube for the oil pump

I will inspect the manifold tonight, I did not look at the pressure, But I know I had issues with Oil pressure reading low / occasionally dropping to low 20s when letting off the gas. I was told it was an oil filter issue and I changed the filter, Hasn't happened since. That was 2 oil changes ago. 

[GunLake]

5 minutes ago, bubbanbrenda said:

How similar? If your tick was les “metallic” then it’s probably just plugs wires and maybe coils. I would think because of the disintegrated plug wire I would start there, with new everything.

 

Mine, Was probably a bit higher pitched of a tick. I did order new wires, Just trying to get an idea before dropping money on plugs, coils and wires. 

Edited April 25, 2023 by GunLake

[dna9656]

The 5.3 had a wrong O ring installed between the oil pump and the oil pick up tube. By the book you have to drop the oil pan and remove the timing chain cover to get at the O ring location. When I did mine I repl. the timing chain and sprockets, I installed a Mellings High volume pump, changed the pick up tube and added the other half of the collar used to hold the pick up tube to it's port connecting it to the oil pump. They are on Amazon. PM me for more info. Yes you have a lifter starving for oil, it's not a stuck lifter. Getting a lifter outta that engine is going to be really expensive. There a lot more to do that just pull the intake. A 5.3 is not the small block we played with in days of old.

[GunLake]

8 hours ago, dna9656 said:

The 5.3 had a wrong O ring installed between the oil pump and the oil pick up tube. By the book you have to drop the oil pan and remove the timing chain cover to get at the O ring location. When I did mine I repl. the timing chain and sprockets, I installed a Mellings High volume pump, changed the pick up tube and added the other half of the collar used to hold the pick up tube to it's port connecting it to the oil pump. They are on Amazon. PM me for more info. Yes you have a lifter starving for oil, it's not a stuck lifter. Getting a lifter outta that engine is going to be really expensive. There a lot more to do that just pull the intake. A 5.3 is not the small block we played with in days of old.

Thank you, I will PM for the part numbers or links from amazon. 

[69RSer]

Had a "similar" sound on a 09 5.3. We found a loose spark plug that was causing it.