2006 LS2 GTO Ticking at Idle w/ Cam and Kooks Headers

[@tjsaline1553]

My LS1 makes the same damn noise! Headers, PAC 660 Valve springs. TSP Stage 3 cam and pushrods. Drive me up a wall but oil pressure is great hasn’t. Noise hasn’t changed in months. After reading these comments I’m having a lot of relief, still makes 80lbs of oil pressure under a hard pull and 45-50lbs of oil pressure down the highway.

[@thatkat5570]

I know this video is old but it helped me confirm the noise I was hearing is normal. I run BBK LT headers on my 07 GT and have the exact same noise.

[@daviddjordjevic8191]

Took my ss commodore back to the performance shop who did the cam and lifters for this reason. Big cam and long tube headers. He checked the oil pressure and valve lash. All came back good. He said pretty much from the valve springs and all the other mods it’s fine. Reckons some ls’s are louder and some are quieter than others. It’s annoying to hear the sound when passing concrete walls and other cars but there’s not much that I can do.

[@izayzuh6797]

Dude same. I have A 2010 Camaro SS and I got a Texas speed stage 3 cam kit w trunion upgrade, springs, rods, new lifters and I hear it on one side of the engine more than the other. I’m taking back to the performance shop that did it tomorrow lol. Hopefully it’s the same problem others are having (nothing mechanically failing)

[@jherrera0729]

@@izayzuh6797 any update?

[@MadtownGrad06]

Since this video I have put approximately 3,000 miles on the car. There has been no noticeable change in noise. I did remove the intake manifold and valley cover several months after this video to expect the cam lobes that were visible. Of the 8 out of the 16 cam lobes that are visible none had any signs of excessive wear.

[@NickAx3]

This sound is driving me insane. Mine seems to have gotten worse "I believe". I hear mine from inside the car and from 1k-3K rpm the very best. Seems to clear up slightly after that. I just bought the car about a month ago and I'm getting ready to tear it apart because I gotta diagnose this noise before i lose my mind. Btw I have a Colorado speed El Toro LS2 stroked to 413ci., Scat crank, Pistons and Rods, All Pro heads, comp cam, Fast 102 intake, Nick Smith throttle body, LG headers, SLP exhaust. Any insight would greatly helpful. I'm thinking it's a possibility of a lifter though

[@Caddydaddy2003]

@@NickAx3 piston slap is most likely.

[@BeardsandCars]

Still going strong?

[@DukenukemX]

Did a cam kit install on my C5 Corvette and thought something was wrong. Saw your video and realize this is how it should sound.

[@adambryant3546]

Thanks for this video!! My 06 gto has the same sound & I was concerned something was wrong but after reading all the comments I feel at ease!! Omg

[@SkepticalVex]

2001 SVT Cobra with a decent cam, Springs, Retainers, lifters all upgraded with the car. Long tubes also. Makes a noise pretty similar.

[@1badk20]

Normal sound with headers and a larger cam/heavier valve springs.

[@zachdeberry8018]

My 5.3 vortec sounds just like this! Installed btr stage 1 new lifters pushrods and ported heads with a tbbs intake. Took it to performance Shop they had a listen and said it was completely normal🙄 to my ears it doesn’t.

[@Christian-lg1ko]

Did you happen to find out the problem? I’m looking into buying a cammed 5.3 as well and the guy told me it has a ticking sound

[@smbaker84]

mine is just as noisy.. and it drives me nuts lol.. always feel like it's going to come apart at some point.. but i've decided thru videos like this.. that it's just normal ls bs noise lol.. i can't seem to find any evidence that mine is unhappy in any way so just going to keep running it until it fails. no other way to go about it i guess.. noise is the only complaint i have about any ls engine. sucks. but such is life.

[@SuperKevin73]

I had the same issue with the TSP V3. It was my exhaust gasket. Now its not there anymore. I replaced them with the factory gaskets.

[@mambaracing]

Very similar noise on my engine, I also have Kooks headers, AFR heads and aggressive cam. I really think this is normal with this engines... Thanks for video....

[@Avalanche2]

Yup - normal, annoying but normal.

[@spartangto424]

i had a noise that was very similar last week. pulled the heads and cheched and rechecked and everything was fine. when we checked the rockers they had some play in them. replaced the rockers with Ls7 rockers and comp cam's tronion kit upgrade and the car is a lot quieter than before. got the car back yesterday drove it for some time and it is quite.

[@Chubbza5]

I'm thinking it's the ls7 lifters. Did a similar big cam spring build on a 6.0 with 7.4's stock heads sounds just like this.

[@gogivettenut]

My 2012 GS with 57k sounded just like that with the thin 5w30 till I switched to Mobile 1 10w30 noise dam near went away

[@carman499]

i have the exact noise to nobody seems to notice it except me...i have an f body and i can hear it in the car a little inside the car and it comes from under the car if it was a lifter i would think i could hear more when i pop the hood but thats not the case.

[@MARCD832]

I have almost the same setup fast 102 kooks headers and any aggressive comp cam. Tightening my roller rockers and using 6.5qts of oil instead of 6qts has seemed to help. My noise is very faint now.

[@livewiregto]

2006 gto stock motor with kooks headers catless mids and sane sound. I used a stethoscope and pretty well determined we’re all 4 runners meet and are welded in the primary as a pin hole. Drivers side too

[@pocketmaster19]

Sounds like mine too....I've researched and from what I've read it's normal being that the headers are thinner than the cast manifolds so more engine noise is audible....have yet to find any resolution to it

[@MadtownGrad06]

From the reading and research I have done that is what I have come to understand as well. With the fast ramp rates of the Torquer V2 cam and the thin walls of the headers the noise from the valves slamming shut is more audible. Sill annoying since my ears have become keen to picking it up.

[@shibby12435]

Sounds the same as mine, headers, cam, double valve springs. It drives me insane, but it's just how it is.

[@camarogs1]

Remember aluminum block and aluminum heads transmit more noise.

[@rigo713se]

Is the car still running strong I have a Pontiac g8 with a Texas speed cam and looks headers sounds identical

[@bwill03z76]

Ever figure anything out with yours? My cammed c6 sounds identical

[@imgumby7897]

Mine sounds the EXACT same literally no different that what you posted 05 LS2 GTO M6 after reading the comments I feel more relaxed about it but man is it annoying. Do you have any updates? Also have cam, ported heads LT’s etc.

[@jamzgto]

Ok I just did a cam swap btr Stage 3 fast 102 new oil pump and ls7 lifters and I here the same noise. Kinda freaked out myself cause before I seen this video and read comments i seen videos where some people were saying lifter failer but now I don’t know. Anyone can help with insight I’m all ears!!!

[@grimey5.565]

After reading your comment I guess I feel a little bit better. I'm hearing the same noise but I don't have the LS7 lifters which I was about to purchase along with the trunnion upgrade. And it sounds like purchasing these items doesn't make it better.

[@estebanloya5086]

I put a stage 2 cam in a 5.3 and had this exact same noise. I added an oil flush solution and let the car idle for 15 minutes. Changed exhaust manifold gaskets and everything quiet downed a lot

[@rodneyorodneyort5955]

I know I’m late to the party 🎉 same issue after tsp stage 3 cam did all new springs lifters pushrods shortly headers and I’m getting the ticking right where the header meets the down-pipe is what it sounds like

[@ss8512]

I have your setup and more with ligenfelter 100 maf 102 throttle body and bigger fuel rails. Same exact sound and location on the passenger side. I put 0-40w oil and it quite it down alot. Multiple tuners told me to run a thicker oil with the setup. They also said the kooks headers are thin and the noise is more prominent

[@blawsonbl]

Does the ticking get louder and faster with more RPMs?

[@ss8512]

@blawsonbl no, only at idle. And some pinging on deceleration.

[@hoonaticbloggs5402]

Yep My 232/236 cammed Holden sounds the same.

[@andrewpelly2388]

My ve ss cammed, sounds similar, cold starts sound bad sometimes but only for a minute or 2. Ls have noisy valve train

[@frankdatank7751]

Thanks for posting, recently cammed out a c5z06 with a btrstg4, and it sounds just like it.

[@igrowdankk3405]

Dude!! Same here bro and its driving me insane! Did it also do it during acceleration? And did it ever worsen iver time?

[@danielcarl5075]

​@@igrowdankk3405 my Camaro made this noise. I had a bad oil leak cause the oil filter had a pinhole and I didn't realize till it was almost too late. Noise got louder and louder eventually I had to replace it all. But my Caprice has had this noise for 5 years with no issues

[@chandlerlofton6536]

Just built a 408 stroker with Mamo heads, Yellaterra rockers, and American Racing headers. My engine sounds very similar to this! I think long tubes are thin steel and act like a tuning fork amplifying all your valve train sounds. I think I’m going to add some sound deadening in the floorboard so I don’t have to listen to it!

[@07STINKYBOY]

Same here I have your same engine head combo and sound the same.

[@bd692]

Same noise with mine too. Just going to drive it until it blows up. 😅

[@CUSTOM.BUMPER]

And it blowed up? 😅😅😅

[@BeardsandCars]

Still fine Or blown?

[@RealRestartPWN]

Sounds the same as my ls1 with btr stage 3. I’ve done a lot of research into the sewing machine noise here and I have a lot of reason to believe it’s incorrect pushrod length.

[@alejandroamaya5907]

Hi, I have the same problem in my LQ4 block with 243 LS7 liffters heads and a stage 4 cam .621 / 592 lift with 7.425 rods. This noise is driving me crazy and I can't find the fault, someone has been able to find the solution. this problem

[@grimey5.565]

I have almost the exact same setup as yours and the noise drives me crazy. Especially when you're in a Drive-Thru.

[@Notyourdaddy123]

Duuudeeee, I couldn't agree more with what you said. The noise is driving me crazy.

[@grimey5.565]

@@Notyourdaddy123 These engines are noisy man. Unless it is absolutely unbearable they are just known to tick really loud. Especially with a cam setup. But it is hard to get used to when you're trying to find a problem that doesn't exist lol.

[@bentrishaleemartin926]

Sounds just like my stage 3 btr ls1

[@tonyfry1097]

Is there anyway to silence header noise other than wrapping

[@arturotrevino6987]

Did you find out what was wrong with it i have an lq4 with the tqv2 cam and is making the same noise!

[@alejandroamaya5907]

Hi, I have the same problem in my LQ4 block with 243 LS7 liffters heads and a stage 4 cam .621 / 592 lift with 7.425 rods. This noise is driving me crazy and I can't find the fault, someone has been able to find the solution. this problem

[@tylerty7324]

Amen I am in the same category as the rest of you. It could be piston slap or valve train. I tried disabling cylinders to see if that would make the noise any less and it didn't. If it was piston slap i would want to think it would go away when it doesn't have the force of the ignition behind it. Someone else suggested a sticky valve. Idk i am lost too. I took it to a dealer and he said "bottom end, " buy a new engine.

[@alejandroamaya5907]

How did you solve that problem with the noise? Normal ones that work like this

[@Defstonned]

Figure out or diagnose the sound yet?

[@pecanthejelly5854]

My truck is making the same noise from the driver's side and I have a stage 2 truck cam springs and trunnions all from BTR. I also have speed engineering long tubes and I thought it could be a failed rocker arm trunnion so I checked the driver's side bank and it has brand new lifters in it so Im doubtful thats it. Maybe cammed LS's just make noise or something idk. Although mine is consistent with rpm

[@chrisbrooker6502]

Same here in my silverado. 13 5.3 lc9 btr stage 2 v2 cam spring and trunions upgraded

[@jonathonmcgowan1464]

Push rod need 7.425

[@sk8rboy1491]

Mine makes the exact same noise. 06 cts-v with ls2. completely stock. seems to be coming from the bottom rear of the motor when i had it on the lift

[@MadtownGrad06]

Thanks for the feedback

[@aperezp6528]

Iifters

[@tylerty7324]

Mine is making a very similar noise too

[@Forduss]

Is it normal, my 07 ls2 ss makes the same noise

[@MrQuandow]

what kind of oil are you using because I've read before that some oil's can make It do that.i went Redline synthetic an it did that went back to mobile 1 10-w30 an it went away.also did you put the insulation pads under the intake because it Can make a loud noise also.oe header gaskets are the best to use also.

[@ThJbomb]

ive had the same noise for about 13000 miles and nothing has changed. May have been doing it the whole time but exhaust was too loud to hear it till a while back.

[@MadtownGrad06]

Thanks for the feedback

[@jherrera0729]

Any updates?

[@AlchemistHawk]

My fresh LS2 is doing this EXACT thing. Same sound, same intensity based on location. Was it just your valve train? Mine does it when its warm.

[@jodaddy3135]

My ls3 camaro does the same thing when warm also

[@izayzuh6797]

Same here. Only does it when warmed up/after driving. Did y’all ever figure out what it was? I started hearing it after a performance shop installed new TSP Stage 3 cam kit w new lifters. 2010 Camaro ls3

[@bishop5166]

my tbss makes same sound.

[@MadtownGrad06]

Thanks for the feedback

[@robl7532]

Mine also, was worried but it seems that's the way these mills sing.

[@stefdeb7232]

The problem is resolved??, my c6 ls2 makes the same noise with header and cai but no problem power sorry for my english iam french

[@aarontrozzi8078]

Normal for a LS engine, they are supposed to sound like a sewing machine.

[@andrewpelly2388]

My 408 ls stroked sounds the same

[@gearheadhuff7853]

Does she still run strong

[@903wagesgt]

Mine does the same exact thing. you figure it out?

[@MadtownGrad06]

Have chalked it up to normal valve train noise due to headers and an agressive cam profile.

[@NorthernUnion13]

Sounds like my ls2

[@ThereAreNoHandlesLeft]

Any luck?

[@Achi11es83]

Mine does the same thing

[@MadtownGrad06]

Thanks for the feedback

[@hellafastgto6267]

Hellafast so it's been three years since you posted this video, I have to ask did that noise prove to be any problems?

[@Mr-th5hw]

@@hellafastgto6267 have you had any problems?