Engine Ticking.... until it shifts

Bogle45 · February 8, 2007

Whenever I start my truck and it is cold outside my truck ticks, almost sounds like a manifold leak. The ticking gets worse when you put it in gear and drive it, the strange thing is that it will stop ticking once the truck shifts out of first....? Its is in a 2000 Silverado. 5.3 V8 Vortec.

Clavin78 · February 20, 2007

Ticking like knocking?

C & A s Dad · February 20, 2007

The ticking I have heard of before but never heard of it going away when it shifts.

If it is a lifter issue, try changing your oil, leave out a qt and replace it with a qt of Rislone. If it is simply a deposit issue with a lifter, the Rislone will typically take care of it in about 500 miles. If it does not help, you have some deeper issue.

The Rislone is worth a try becasue it certainly will not hurt a thing. I have sold it for almost 30 years and have had great results.

pwall · February 20, 2007

Hi Trey.

My truck has a similair ticking sound (sounds like a lifter to me). It will go away after 30-60 seconds.

When I add this 'rislone' stuff to my next oil change, do I leave it there until the next oil change, or do I replace the oil sooner ?

I'm certainly willing to try it as this ticking can't be good.

C & A s Dad · February 20, 2007

Patrick, I have konwn people use it with every change and I believe back in the 70s and 80s, it likely did help improve the cleaning capabilities of motor oil. I do not recommend it at every change any more but only for a "ticking" issue such as this. I am sure the folks at Rislone would say use it with every change.

With that said, I have to use it occasionaly in my Dodge 3.3L Caravan and I leave it in until my next change. Funny thing with these engines ( I have had 3 of them). They will develop a brief tick that lasts for only a few seconds at start up when they are warm. I can change the oil and add Rislone, and I will not hear the tick again for several oil changes and then it will rtn. I repeat the process and it goes away again.

pwall · February 20, 2007

Thanks Trey.

I'll see if I can find Rislone here and go get the oil changed.

It's embarrasing to start up a $50K CDN truck and have it tick-tick-tick all the way down the road. ;)

pwall · February 20, 2007

Just called Canadian Tire and they do carry Rislone. So, I'll try it out tonight!

Bogle45 · February 20, 2007

What does Rislone do? I always add Lucas Oil Stabilizer when I change my oil.

yeehaw87 · February 21, 2007

I am not sure why it stops when it shifts, but I know that GM knows about the ticking problem and they say it doesn't hurt the engine. My dad took his in for it and the tech said there is nothing they can do, it doesn't hurt the motor and there is no reason to fix it. I know of a few 5.3's that do the same thing now.

C & A s Dad · February 21, 2007

What does Rislone do? I always add Lucas Oil Stabilizer when I change my oil.

Brad, Rislone's base is a high quality 10W 30 (I think) oil with a really highly concentrated cleaning package added to it along with some friction modifiers. This is why I said I believe it had a place in every oil chage several years ago but with today's oil quality, I just do not recommend it unless there is an issue. I have never known it to hurt a thing and have countless people tell me it solved their lifter issues. When I worked on the counter, I always told my customer: "if this does not stock the lifter noise, you can get out your wrenches."

Concerning Lucas, we sell enough Lucas products in a month to float a battleship. I feel the same way about it as with any other oil additive. I simply no longer recommend any oil additive for every change. Oil is an engineered product and when you mix an additive with it, you can create a "Chemical Mess" in your engine.

With all that said, is there a place for Lucas. Absolutely !!! IMO, a very high mileage engine with wear can benefit from any viscosity improving additive such as Lucas. You will find many people that disagree with me and they have been using it with every change for years.

IMO, Lucas' best product is their Fuel Treatment. I do use it with every fill up at the rate of 3 ozs per 10 gallons.

Schmids5.3l · February 21, 2007

Mine does the same thing.

Bogle45 · February 22, 2007

Mine does the same thing.

Yours makes the ticking sound too?

Schmids5.3l · February 22, 2007

Yep, when its cold/freezing outside on the morning start up. Doesnt last very long tho. I cant make if its a lifter or spark knocking. I had it bad one day back in January so I started running 89 again, and it seemed to be fine afterwards on morning start ups, so I think mines spark knock. Try running some 89 octane (if you run 87 usually) once and see if it helps. If not it might be a lifter or a leak.

Doesnt really bother me, it only lasts for half a minute or so, and its nothing drastic. Must be a winter thing, this never happend until below freezing weather came around

Trick1 · March 3, 2007

I just bought a 2k silverado and I filled it with 87 octane and had bad ticking cold went up to 89 on the next tank and the noise was cut in half so the next tank I put in was 93 and the noise went away.

I also got 2 MPG better fuel mileage, might be a fluke and will check it again on this tank.

It went from 11 to 13 MPG

I have yet to pull the plugs and see what they look like.

Trick1 · March 3, 2007

I just bought a 2k silverado 5.3 and I filled it with 87 octane and had bad ticking cold went up to 89 on the next tank and the noise was cut in half so the next tank I put in was 93 and the noise went away.

I also got 2 MPG better fuel mileage, might be a fluke and will check it again on this tank.

It went from 11 to 13 MPG though it might be me getting use to it.

I have yet to pull the plugs and see what they look like.