ticking noise
 

I have a 2001 Chevy 1500 and it makes a ticking noise when it starts up. Sometimes it goes away quickly other times it has to warm up for awhile. While it is making this noise and I step on the gas it gets a little louder. What could it be? :confused:

Very common on the 1999 and up (4.8, 5.3, & 6.0) motors. GM calls it piston slap and claims it doesn't harm anything. I have to agree since I have had a few of these trucks with 300K on them that tapped from the day I bought them used - usually around 120-150K is when I bought them. You can sometimes make it a little better by running thinner oil. What oil are you currently running? We were running 10W40 in my wife's Yukon and went with 5w30 and a quart of Lucas oil treatment and it only would do it briefly on cold mornings.

My 04 has the piston slap every morning at a cold start up and some times after it is warm and hot too. I just let it run at idle about 30 seconds and the tick goes away. And I have run mostly 5w30 oil.

Once you've eliminated all the other possibilities. ie: exhaust manifold leak, low motor oil. You can pretty much assume it's what Mr. Shamrock and Timer74wolf said.
WELCOME to TruckForum.com Atgs1987

thanks for the replies! :)

Is it just 99 and up motors, or Vortec motors? My 98 does it for 30-45 seconds on cold startup

So ??? What's the verdict ??? What was the mystery TICK ???:confused:

I am sure it was just the ordinary GM piston slap when cold.

I second that.

maybe a sticky lifter or maybe sticky valve or posibly rod knock

I've heard the piston slap when its cold (34 degrees in sunny ca) but my truck recently had a little louder tap at start up. I took it to a guy here that does performance LS motor stuff. we originally thought it was a lifter sticking. I couldn't get the noise at his shop cause the motor was warm. so he came to my work after it had set a while and was cool. turns out it was the cat takin a poop. since then its turned into more of a rattle... all the time! I need to get it ironed out but a replacement is near a grand. I have to get a CA legal unit. I hate CA. I hope its just piston slap in your case...