Okay so i've done some reading around clicking noises and I thought at least I could identify valve train noises but i'm not sure now. I had this a while back for a couple days... did nothing and it eventually went away. At that time there were power loss symptoms but those turned out to be other things(fuel filter, cap and rotor, coil etc). The other day this loud clicking returned...at startup. This time i let it warm up and after about 20 seconds it was gone. Truck ran fine to work, no symptoms whatsoever. Then leaving work, loud clicking again... lasted about 30 seconds and went away. This morning, same thing...lasted 30 seconds maybe a bit longer and went away. Again this afternoon..probably about 3 minutes of light driving and then went away.

It gets quicker with throttle so it might very well be a rocker or lifter but it seems louder and then just goes away after a while.

It's very noticeable under the truck which the video will back up.

From what i can tell it's either coming from the drivers side head or the intake but i can't really tell for sure.

Please listen to the video(sorry it's 15mb) and tell me what you think? I am probably skilled enough to remove the valve cover and examine the rockers but it would take me hours so i'd love to have a lead before i start tearing things open

http://www.kwfbody.com/images/clickingblazer.AVI

Thanks!

 

I had the same exact problem you are experiencing. Although I am not a mechanic, and I really don't know what it exactly is (valves, or lifters, etc.), all I do know is that I was told to put in an oil detergent called "Cd2". I had some oil drained out and had a bottle of "Cd2" put in. I haven't had the problem any more up to now. I also had it put in at my last oil change. My truck would make the same exact noise as in your video, and it would get louder with acceleration. Then after about 30 secs or after I reached two or three blocks, and the engine would warm up, it would go away. I would try that oil additive before doing any major repairs and see what happens. It only cost me about $7 or $8 at my local auto parts store, and it solved my problem. HopeI helped you.

 

You have rockers rattling. Check & see if you have oil in the valve cover area. My bet is you don't. You can try draining some oil out and adding a quart of ATF and run it for a few days & see if that helps. What is your oil pressure? Because the rockers are oiled from the cam bearings and your oil pressure is taken from above your cam bearings so if your pressure is OK then your cam bearings are most likely OK. Then you have a plugged oil galley or your low on oil.

 

that would get annoying.....sounds like an old tractor

 

This sounds reasonable. You can also take a long screwdriver, place the blade on the valve cover and the handle to your ear to hear it better. Try one valve cover, then the other. One should be louder and give you a better indication as to where the problem is.
Try the screwdriver on the oilpan also.

 

ATF as in auto trans fluid??

Oil pressure is normal(sorry dont' know the exact number but the guage still sits where it has prior to the noise).

I checked the oil level a few days ago and it was bang on.

 

UPdate: I put in a half bottle of seafoam, went for a nice highway drive then to mr lube for an oil flush and high mileage oil change. Substituted a bottle of lucas for the last litre... when i left the shop it was clicking for just under a minute...i wasn't happy But... the next two time's i've started the truck it's been quiet as a sleeping baby... so i guess i'll keep an eye on it.

 

UPdate: So i've put 3000kms on the truck since the oil flush/lucas treatment and the clicking noise at startup was gone. Just last week though it started again. I'm about to go on a long 4000+ km trip out east so i was going to do another oil change anyways... added a litre of lucas oil treatment for the last litre of oil and the clicking noise is gone again!

So i'm conflicted... clearly this lucas stuff is magic...but there's also something wrong with the motor... it has 275000kms on it so it's not unexpected i should have to do some freshening up in there.

I think i'll take a bottle of lucas on the trip just incase but later this summer i'm going to open the engine up and see what's in there. Maybe a lifter or a rocker needing adjustment? What is it about the LUcas that would quiet the noise? Am i driving a ticking time bomb?