I picked up a 97 SS 30 Anniversary in late May. I had to have something to take to Myrtle Beach for the month of July. Most importantly Mustang week but anyway. I love this car but it has a little issue. TICKING. Under 1800 RPM it has no tick and if you shift quickly and keep the RPM's low its barely noticable through 4th. If I go over 1800 RPM it will tick until 4th gear winds to about 2200 to 2300 RPM. This only happens through the gears the first time after its cranked. From then on no problems. Turn it off for ten min. and it will do the same thing again. Any help would be great. I have tried some random fluids and oli additives and they make no difference. About 100,000 miles, stock, 6 speed, mobile 1, and its an lt1. Thanks again. . .

 

Dang I cant even spell oil.

 

Possibility. Worn lifter draining down when engine is stopped & makes noise when engine is restarted. After running a while the oil pressure pumps lifter up & stops making noise.

 

I thought that was it I guess my question should have been what do I do to fix it? Is it even possible to with the engine in the car? Its probably foolish to tear an engine down that far with that many miles on it and not rebuild it right? Will driving it damage anything else? I havent ever heard that it will but I have never asked a bunch of Camaro guys either.

 

How long after a start-up does it take for the ticking to go away? If it's like an "around the block" kind of thing, I wouldn't sweat it. As long as it goes away and stays away while you drive, then the lifter is working. It just doesn't recover from a rest very well, but not worth ripping the engine open for that imo.

 

I had a ticking problem too. But it turned out that i snapped a push rod in half probly because the oil was low and i reved it up to high. If i were you take off the valve covers and inspect each lifter and push rod carefully and move on from there it is not to hard to do. I was lucky with my problem. costed 2 bucks for a new push rod. I am gonna buy hardned push rods soon to prevent it from happening again and make sure the oil is at the right level. Also my car was throwing a misfire on cylinder 7 code. The intake valve was not opening cause of the push rod.

Good luck

98 camaro Z28 6 speed t-tops

 

Its definitely an around the block kind of thing. Well really its not even that. To be specific: I crank it, there is no ticking at idle. I let it sit 30 seconds to a min just to warm up a little and then ease it out the driveway. Still no ticking. When first gear turns up to around 1800 rpm it begins. I generally shift around 2300 rpm. So it will tick in from 1800 to 2300 rpm through first, second, and third gears. When I shift to fourth it will gradually go away and never come back until I turn the car off and restart it. I don't have a check engine light on or any codes. If I let it warm up for 5 minuets it wont do it at all. If I shift at 1500 rpm it wont do it at all. I have been wanting to take off the valve covers and take a look . I will if it ever stops raining here. I'm a Chevy fanatic with 8 of them tagged and insured everyday including a 92 Z28 TPI Camaro so I'm not going to sale it. I should probably just turn up the radio the first time through the gears right. Thanks for the help. "Eats rice and poops out Fords" Classic!

 

sure sounds like it could be an exhaust leak. a small one that closes once the exhaust warms up. whats your oil pressure?

 

Be sure to check out:
http://www.pistonslap.com/

 

Hummm, no idle tick, no lifter prob.... piston slap not so common on LT's.

As Craby said, prob a exhaust leak, had one in a header that was making me crazy, until the header just open wide, and the sound could not cloak anymore.

Also give a check to the lifter rods.....and to the spark plug cables, sometimes around the boots can happens a click if they are open !!!

Keep us posted.