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?

 

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 ???

 

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