2003 lesabre Loud ticking & coolant loss.

[paulf717]

I have a 2003 lesabre, When I start up, I get a loud ticking and then about 5 minutes it goes away once the oil circulates. I use a GUNK flush when I change the oil and that usually corrects it. Should I have the mechanic drop the oil pan and clean the filter on the oil pump..Also have a head gasket leak on top of the manifold. I don't get the milkshake in the oil when I change it. Car runs fine, but don't want to do more damage. Please if you have any advice...Thanks

[Tech II]

There is no filter on the pump....the oil filter is the filter for the pump.....if you are talking about the pickup screen, I doubt that is the problem....

You are losing coolant....."Also have a head gasket leak on top of the manifold".....kind of hard to have a head gasket leak on top of the manifold.....

It's possible, your upper plenum is leaking, or the upper pleum gasket or throttle body gasket is leaking......

I may be mistaken, but I thought the upper plenum problem didn't happen after '01........You will need a very bright light on a beam(like LED light)....remove the rubber housing from the throttle body....manually open the throttle plate and using the light, look inside at the depressions in the top of the lower intake......if they are filled with coolant, then the upper plenum will have to be removed......the gaskets could be leaking or check where the EGR tube passes through the plastic hole in the upper plenum.....if the plastic has degraded at the opening, coolant can leak out of there and fill the top of the lower intake...if it gets full, it can get by the gaskets and sucked into the intake.....coolant can also get by into the tops of the lifters, causing a ticking noise.....

If this is the case, get it fixed immediately.....

[paulf717]

Thanks for your help.. I found the coolant leak is coming from the gasket just below the cam, just above the water pump. The gasket wants to slip out. Also have oil pooling on top of the engine, might be coming from valve cover gaskets.. paulf

[imidazol97]

Originally Posted by paulf717

Thanks for your help.. I found the coolant leak is coming from the gasket just below the cam, just above the water pump. The gasket wants to slip out. Also have oil pooling on top of the engine, might be coming from valve cover gaskets.. paulf

The oil/coolant on top of the engine in the depressions may be the coolant wicking up along the threads of the bolts holding the lower intake on. This is common.