Valvetrain Knock

[z28cwby]

I went to start my 2000 Escalade a few days ago to take my boys to school and heard a horrible knocking noise coming from the engine compartment. Running behind I shut it off and got the kids to school in my other truck. When I returned I started it up and tried to locate the noise. I was coming from the passenger side valve cover. After just maybe 20 or 30 seconds the knocking stopped. I thought I may have had a bad lifter. I pulled the valve cover off and checked for anything loose or out of the ordinary. Everything seemed normal. I let it set overnight so I could listen for the knock after cold starting again. When I started it I noticed there is no oil coming out of the push rods. When the knocking stops I can see the slightest trickle of oil from the pushrod oil holes. The oil pressure is 50-60 pounds cold and drops to 40 when warm. I pulled a couple pushrods and tried cleaning them out and trying again. This did not help any. The truck has 130,000 miles on the original Vortec 350 and besides replacing the fuel pump a couple times I have never had a problem until now. I am home on leave and need to get this fixed before heading back to Florida this weekend. Any ideas or if anyone has ssen this problem before would be greatly appreciated.

[pennzoil29]

The oil pressure you're describing is normal. The noise under the valve covers sound's like what mine did when the intake manifold gasket took a crap, and dumped some coolant in there. Good luck.