ticking sound at cold temp idle?

[thermal izod]

i have a 2000 impala...anyone else's imp make a ticking noise, maybe from the serpentine belt, when it's idleing before warming up? It goes away soon after starting...

[cougar694u]

That's fairly normal for OHC engines. The lifters make a little tapping/ticking noise before the oil warms up. My mom's 2002 impala does it, my eclipse did it, my 97 mustang did it.

[ogre73]

Originally Posted by cougar694u

That's fairly normal for OHC engines. The lifters make a little tapping/ticking noise before the oil warms up. My mom's 2002 impala does it, my eclipse did it, my 97 mustang did it.

Yupyup, that's what they told me when I asked about it with the '96 Lumina 3.1L I used to have. There was even a TSB written on it, just telling them what to tell the consumer. If it's just that, I wouldn't worry too much about it.
Jim

[thermal izod]

awesome, thanks guys...

[bermis519]

my car does this also for whats it's worth, i took it in complaining about it and they said it was normale because the car has a hydraulic oil pump. I have heard other cars doing it also.

Mike

[victimizati0n]

i may be wrong, but OHC's dont have lifters, i thought the cam itself just pushed up on the rocker arms to open/close the valves?

the 3.4 has an OHC?

EDIT**

sorry, i really wasnt thinking.. for some reason i was thinking you guys said pushrods

[victimizati0n]

Originally Posted by cougar694u

That's fairly normal for OHC engines. The lifters make a little tapping/ticking noise before the oil warms up. My mom's 2002 impala does it, my eclipse did it, my 97 mustang did it.

it isnt because the oil is cold, it is because the oil pump didnt pump the oil up in the rocker arms yet.

[thermal izod]

yea, that makes sense...for some reason i origionally thought it might be the serp belt clicking...wan't ever worried, hear it on every imp i've been around...thanks for the info though, it helped cure my curiosity.

[victimizati0n]

Originally Posted by thermal izod

yea, that makes sense...for some reason i origionally thought it might be the serp belt clicking...wan't ever worried, hear it on every imp i've been around...thanks for the info though, it helped cure my curiosity.

Acually, alot of cars do this, but when you hear the ticking after a few minutes of warmup.. then you probably have a problem.

[robharrisva]

Originally Posted by thermal izod

i have a 2000 impala...anyone else's imp make a ticking noise, maybe from the serpentine belt, when it's idleing before warming up? It goes away soon after starting...

My 03 Impala LS with the 3.8L engine sounds like a freakin diesel in a PeterBilt on cold mornings. It has been this way from day one. My question is, are all Impala owners with this engine experiencing the same thing? If the answer is yes, I would be inclined to follow the theory of certain parts waiting for the oil. If the answer is no, I'm thinking this is more of a quality control issue.

[57chevyragtop]

Originally Posted by cougar694u

That's fairly normal for OHC engines. The lifters make a little tapping/ticking noise before the oil warms up. My mom's 2002 impala does it, my eclipse did it, my 97 mustang did it.

The 3400 & 3800 engine are not OHC, but the 3.4 ltr of the 90's was....If and this is my opinion, the lifters are a bit noisy at cold start up and quites down after warm-up it's probably OK. but if they remain noisy, there is a problem perhaps with worn lifter springs or push rods. Generally it used to be that if they were noisy at cold start summer or winter you would suspect lifter leak-down after sitting for overnight...I know mine, a 3400, 62k is noisy, more so than I am comfortable with, more than my 3.1 at 140k. But I have heard that the 3400 is normally noisy but I have not had the chance to check this out for myself. I think the only solution is to replace lifters as there are no adjustments available on these newer pushrod engines. Maybe the suggestion of the hydraulic oil pump in one of the other threads is the cause but I don't know that for fact. I am thinking of trying Lucas oil additive next oil change which is an oil stabilizer and has really good reviews. If I do and it does help, I will post results in this Impala forum.