I am new to this LS1 motors so I don't know if this is a common noise, when the car is cold there is what sounds like lifter noise inside of the valve covers on both sides. Sound is kinda like a ticking but its not an exhaust leak.

 

whats the oil pressure? could be injector tap

 

GM product with a cold lifter tap? to say it is common would be an understament.

Normally I tell people to try some seafoam and do a Mobil 1 oil change with a good filter. If I was doing it today I would try this stuff. I have never been a fan of additives but I would trust STP more then the others.

Motor Treatment by STP® | Multipurpose Motor Treatment

 

oil pressure is good, probably 50-60psi at cold idle.

I will try the oil treatment, thanks

 

It's very common to have piston slap with these cars when they first start up. Could be just that.

 

I am very new to this so can someone explain what exactly how a piston slap sounds like? When the car is cold I increase the rpms slightly and noticed the noise is gone let off the gas its back again. The noise seems to calm down when the engine is warmed up. Also I noticed the only after I changed oil with 5w30 mobile 1 synthetic oil and a fram filter.

 

Friends don't let friends use Fram.
Lift tap and piston slap are different but I can see how it could be confused. Lifter taping makes a pretty distinct sound I guess I would call it “tinny”. It has more of a vibration sound. Piston slap sound more like ball peen hammer tapping on the side of the block. IMO it is easier to confuse bearing noise with piston slap.

The problem is that being worse when cold and fading away as the car warms up is a common symptom of both. Piston slap is always there cold and will be worse as the overnight temps drop. A lifter may not bleed down every single time. It can get a little worse when colder but not as much as piston slap. Lift tap is more likely to return after sitting a ½ hour where piston slap will not return until the car has completely cooled down. I have had customers that only heard piston slap on the coldest mornings, 10 degs F and down.

You said you changed the oil then it started? The old oil was a different kind? Some of the higher grade oils have strong detergents in them and could dislodge existing carbon. These can get trapped in the pump in the lifters.

Edit: piston slap is cause by the piston being too small for the cylinder. When the cylinder fires it ***** the piston and slaps the side of the cylinder. This is almost always a manufacture defect or a machine shop mistake. It is a very common issue with the early LS1s. I have yet to see it cause an issue except at rebuild time. It tends to wear the cylinder out of round.

 

sorry about the fram filter I know its junk but its the only thing I could get 10pm at walmart I have been playing with cars for a long time now so I know what filters are junk and which one is good. I had to replace the oil because I just purchased the car so I don't know when they did the oil change. The oil I used was mobile 1 full synthetic 5w/30.

I maybe leaning it maybe piston slap now but I seems louder in the mornings. If the car sits for 8 hours I don't really notice it, but still in the mornings it not that loud anyway.