Q: My 2015 silverado 1500 5.3L is making a ticking sound at startup and during acceleration...

asked by on August 27, 2017

I have a ticking sound that is loud during startup. As the engine fully warms up the sound diminishes. During driving it is present. It can be heard inside the cabin of my truck. It gets louder during acceleration. There has been no modifications to the computer in anyway. What can it be, the belt, fuel system, oil system. bad lifter, bad cam lobe??

My car has 62000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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What you are describing sounds like the noise associated with hydraulic lifters which are a part of the valve train. In the mornings or when the engine is cold, the oil has had the chance, due to gravity to drain out of these back down into the oil pan. When you start the engine when it is cold, this can produce a ticking sound as you describe. This happens as the lifters are moving without oil initially. As the engine warms up and oil circulates back up to the top of the motor where the lifters are and they begin to pump up full of oil, the ticking sound should become lighter and eventually go away. I would recommend getting a fresh oil change which should help clear this up. Fresh oil will help remove any sludge that may also contribute to any potential lack of oil circulation. Use the sound as a guide for future oil changes and if this does not clear up or gets any worse, this could be something to be concerned about and should be looked at by a mechanic.

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