97 350 Vortec lifter ticking first 3 mins

[burnin oil]

The MMO will help with the lifters but it's a crutch. They shouldn't bleed down. If it works great but the real answer is cleaning the gunk out and possibly a lifter change. I have saved one or two lifters with MMO. Usually if they are over revved the MMO wont help. Also once lifters are over revved the rpm that it will happen will continue to drop. I dont think that you have an over rev situation as compared to a wear issue.

You motor has alot of sludge but I have seen many way worse than ran fine. Sludge used to be common from the east coast oils like pennzoil and quackery state due to high paraffin content in the base stock. Are you sure that yellow gunk is Lucas? On my screen it looks more milky like a little antifreeze or moisture got in there.

[vince1]

I think there is a slight coolant leak inside. I'd put in some bars leak and go from there with getting the crud out. Bars leak will not plug a radiator. I used it for years in two different 4.3's that had leaks into the left rear cylinders.

[made2drag]

Originally Posted by burnin oil

The MMO will help with the lifters but it's a crutch. They shouldn't bleed down. If it works great but the real answer is cleaning the gunk out and possibly a lifter change. I have saved one or two lifters with MMO. Usually if they are over revved the MMO wont help. Also once lifters are over revved the rpm that it will happen will continue to drop. I dont think that you have an over rev situation as compared to a wear issue.

You motor has alot of sludge but I have seen many way worse than ran fine. Sludge used to be common from the east coast oils like pennzoil and quackery state due to high paraffin content in the base stock. Are you sure that yellow gunk is Lucas? On my screen it looks more milky like a little antifreeze or moisture got in there.

Felt like oil, but I'm no expert.

[made2drag]

Originally Posted by vince1

I think there is a slight coolant leak inside. I'd put in some bars leak and go from there with getting the crud out. Bars leak will not plug a radiator. I used it for years in two different 4.3's that had leaks into the left rear cylinders.

Add Bars Leak to the radiator? I don't know much about that stuff.

[made2drag]

Originally Posted by burnin oil

The MMO will help with the lifters but it's a crutch. They shouldn't bleed down. If it works great but the real answer is cleaning the gunk out and possibly a lifter change. I have saved one or two lifters with MMO. Usually if they are over revved the MMO wont help. Also once lifters are over revved the rpm that it will happen will continue to drop. I dont think that you have an over rev situation as compared to a wear issue.

You motor has alot of sludge but I have seen many way worse than ran fine. Sludge used to be common from the east coast oils like pennzoil and quackery state due to high paraffin content in the base stock. Are you sure that yellow gunk is Lucas? On my screen it looks more milky like a little antifreeze or moisture got in there.

I do have water dripping from my tail pipe at crank up... I found a cracked hose below the coolant overflow container and replaced it, maybe still a slight drop of coolant over a week of watching my overflow....maybe 6 oz every week or 2, but I haven't been daily driving this enough to know exactly. Ive been replacing steering parts and brake parts and other things so it does spend a little time sitting in the garage.

[made2drag]

Originally Posted by burnin oil

The MMO will help with the lifters but it's a crutch. They shouldn't bleed down. If it works great but the real answer is cleaning the gunk out and possibly a lifter change. I have saved one or two lifters with MMO. Usually if they are over revved the MMO wont help. Also once lifters are over revved the rpm that it will happen will continue to drop. I dont think that you have an over rev situation as compared to a wear issue.

You motor has alot of sludge but I have seen many way worse than ran fine. Sludge used to be common from the east coast oils like pennzoil and quackery state due to high paraffin content in the base stock. Are you sure that yellow gunk is Lucas? On my screen it looks more milky like a little antifreeze or moisture got in there.

Shouldn't my oil pan level go up.... or shouldn't I see smoke if coolant is creeping where it shouldn't? Ticking could make sense if the parts are seeing water and not oil until oil finally lubes the parts. I wish I would have thought about tasting the yellow globs to see is watery or lucas'y...lol

[made2drag]

Dipstick was dead on full and perfect color when I checked it last night.

[made2drag]

Originally Posted by vince1

I think there is a slight coolant leak inside. I'd put in some bars leak and go from there with getting the crud out. Bars leak will not plug a radiator. I used it for years in two different 4.3's that had leaks into the left rear cylinders.

Are you saying to put this in my radiator and it travels through and seals leaks around the head? https://barsleaks.com/product/head-gasket-fix-1111/

Again, I'm not an engine guy...

[burnin oil]

It will not hurt to slightly overfill the pan. Hecht I have a diesel motor that calls for 11qrts that always gets 3 gallons at oil change. The thing to really be concerned with is that the level stays the same. If you are short tripping the motor you may have some condensation in the oil. This is normal, especially in cold climates. A long drive will take care of it. Water out the tailpipe is also normal in cooler weather. Burning gas makes CO2 and water. The cold exhaust condenses the water and you see it roll out the pipe. You may even see some clouds out the tail pipe after a couple of minutes of running before everything is fully up to temp and carried the moisture out.

Check your plugs and see if you have any white or brownish specs on them. This will be burnt antifreeze. Hold off on barsleak if you dont see anything on the plugs or smell sweet exhaust smell. It is very possible that you have a small heater or radiator leak. Even the water pump was a weep hole on it. No sense adding something that will help clog up a radiator or coolant passage that isnt needed. Baby steps.

[68Timber]

Bars Leak goes in the radiator and it does work. They have several different products so you do have to make sure to get the one for coolant leak.

[made2drag]

Originally Posted by burnin oil

It will not hurt to slightly overfill the pan. Hecht I have a diesel motor that calls for 11qrts that always gets 3 gallons at oil change. The thing to really be concerned with is that the level stays the same. If you are short tripping the motor you may have some condensation in the oil. This is normal, especially in cold climates. A long drive will take care of it. Water out the tailpipe is also normal in cooler weather. Burning gas makes CO2 and water. The cold exhaust condenses the water and you see it roll out the pipe. You may even see some clouds out the tail pipe after a couple of minutes of running before everything is fully up to temp and carried the moisture out.

Check your plugs and see if you have any white or brownish specs on them. This will be burnt antifreeze. Hold off on barsleak if you dont see anything on the plugs or smell sweet exhaust smell. It is very possible that you have a small heater or radiator leak. Even the water pump was a weep hole on it. No sense adding something that will help clog up a radiator or coolant passage that isnt needed. Baby steps.

Love your responses...great info again and I really appreciate it. I did kind of brainstorm for a min...

My Tahoe has a factory oil cooler where lines from the oil filter adaptor run to the radiator and back. Im curious if maybe there's a leak in the radiator reservoir and antifreeze might be being pumped through the filter and up through the oil system. Ive seen people buy a regular adaptor to delete the cooler and just screw the filter on like a plain jane 350 facing down. I guess I need to check out the smell of the exhaust and check the plugs like you suggest. Good ideas man, thanks. Ive been driving our spare car for a week so I need to keep troubleshooting and hopefully all will be figured out. I'll mark the container with a marker and check every drive. My commute to work is about 26 miles one way. My temp guage pegs out at 150-160 no matter what, 3 clusters read the same and ive changed the temp sensor (the mechanical one for the block). I haven't messed with the one sending the signal to the computer. I haven't checked if the thermostat is good or a low temp one or if someone did the drill hole trick. Its possible the 150-160 is really 200 but who knows. My thought was I prefer it there around 150-160 but maybe oil sludges quicker because its not fluid enough. The plugs should tell me something.

[made2drag]

Originally Posted by 68Timber

Bars Leak goes in the radiator and it does work. They have several different products so you do have to make sure to get the one for coolant leak.

If it comes down to it, im glad to know it's good stuff, cause it might just be the fix! You know me, I know a little about suspension but not a whole lot about motors. Im crossing my fingers I can get pass this hump.

[burnin oil]

Ok. With running hot do this. Loosen the radiator cap. Now start the truck and check for bubbles in the radiator. Run the truck up to temp and keep checking for bubbles. If no bubbles then the head gasket is most likely fine and likely not a cracked head. You should see the water move throughout the radiator once the temp comes up. No movement then the thermostat is frozen or the impeller fell off the water pump. I have never seen the last one happen but anything is possible. Vortec heads run a wierd intake gasket that was notorious for failing. Hard plastic shell with neoprene around each port. They are notorious for cracking and causing a vacuum leak. This could cause it to run hot but usually the idle gets really erratic. If it's a intake gasket dont use a GM gasket.

[made2drag]

Originally Posted by burnin oil

Ok. With running hot do this. Loosen the radiator cap. Now start the truck and check for bubbles in the radiator. Run the truck up to temp and keep checking for bubbles. If no bubbles then the head gasket is most likely fine and likely not a cracked head. You should see the water move throughout the radiator once the temp comes up. No movement then the thermostat is frozen or the impeller fell off the water pump. I have never seen the last one happen but anything is possible. Vortec heads run a wierd intake gasket that was notorious for failing. Hard plastic shell with neoprene around each port. They are notorious for cracking and causing a vacuum leak. This could cause it to run hot but usually the idle gets really erratic. If it's a intake gasket dont use a GM gasket.

Ok, thanks, i'll try that and see. I didn't get any truck time in last night.

[made2drag]

I ran across this thread a min ago and the guy had sludge like mine and also oil filter sludge like mine. He used BG109 and maybe Kreen? I know i still need to do a bunch of checks before i get to the cleaning part. I think Marvel and freq oil changes might be the way i go. I plan on a new 195* thermostat and put new plugs in since I'm pulling mine to inspect. Hot oil and lots of oil changes....

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forum...47/type/thread

[truckster]

You said you have water dripping from the exhaust at start-up - that's normal, and it's caused by condensation. The hot exhaust gasses hit the cold exhaust tubing and water vapor condenses in the exhaust. It will happen on any vehicle.

I'm not convinced you have a coolant leak. Deal with the sludge issue first (MMO) and go from there. Don't make it too complicated or you'll find yourself down a rabbit hole.

[made2drag]

Originally Posted by truckster

You said you have water dripping from the exhaust at start-up - that's normal, and it's caused by condensation. The hot exhaust gasses hit the cold exhaust tubing and water vapor condenses in the exhaust. It will happen on any vehicle.

I'm not convinced you have a coolant leak. Deal with the sludge issue first (MMO) and go from there. Don't make it too complicated or you'll find yourself down a rabbit hole.

Thanks. I'm hoping so...I'm still going to look into other things first as the suggestions on here are worth looking into. I bought new plugs. I also bought 2 more filters.

[made2drag]

I just got home from work, walked in the garage and cranked up for the first time since Wednesday night. It didnt tick at all! Nothing in oil except the quart of Lucas that went in with the oil change last week. Its 55º in my garage. I might just check the plugs, drain a quart and add a quart of Marvel and drive it for a week then do an oil change. The oil in it has only 10 miles on it.

[Myself]

Add 1/2 quart of Marvel, or trans fluid, or seafoam....whatever. Leave it in there and drive it for a couple hundred miles. Then change the oil. Do it again in 1000 miles with an oil change. It really cleans a dirty engine out.

[burnin oil]

Good plan. Clean the oil cap inside good then drive as normal. Condensation will collect there so its easy to keep an eye on it. Also check the oil daily to make sure that it doesn't resemble a vanilla milkshake. After a week drop the oil filter and replace it. Top off the oil and good to go again. Just keep an eye on the filter for sludge etc since you have the ability to cut it open. As long as the oil is decent there is no need to drain it all. You just want the filter to do its job and catch the sludge as it flows through the system.

[made2drag]

Originally Posted by Myself

Add 1/2 quart of Marvel, or trans fluid, or seafoam....whatever. Leave it in there and drive it for a couple hundred miles. Then change the oil. Do it again in 1000 miles with an oil change. It really cleans a dirty engine out.

Good advice. I think I'll do this.

[made2drag]

Originally Posted by burnin oil

Good plan. Clean the oil cap inside good then drive as normal. Condensation will collect there so its easy to keep an eye on it. Also check the oil daily to make sure that it doesn't resemble a vanilla milkshake. After a week drop the oil filter and replace it. Top off the oil and good to go again. Just keep an eye on the filter for sludge etc since you have the ability to cut it open. As long as the oil is decent there is no need to drain it all. You just want the filter to do its job and catch the sludge as it flows through the system.

Marvel, then filter changes makes perfect sense. I bought two Microguard mgl51036 filters which are copies of the Wix 51036. The Wix filters are $8.99 and Microguard are $4.99. Thanks again for they great advice.

[made2drag]

Thanks to everyone who helped. I heard 5 seconds of ticking Sunday morning. I topped off my coolant jug and to a sharpie mark on the jug. Later around 3 I cranked up again and drove it a good 50 miles and no tick. I cranked up this morning, no tick. Drove 26 miles to work and my coolant is dead on the sharpie mark.

I still plan on Marvel and filter changes. I'm going to let the Lucas circulate a week first. I'll be taking pics of every filter i cut open and at what mileage.

Thanks

[made2drag]

In the case that someone stumbles on this thread looking for an answer...

I sold the Tahoe. The lifter tick went away a day or 2 after the oil change, which was 4 quarts Castrol GTX 5w-30 and 1 quart Lucas Oil Stabilizer. In my case, I think that the oil from the previous oil change was dirty due to sludge sitting in the engine from years of sitting. The filter got a lot of it as seen in the pics. The only other thing i did different from the first oil change done in November, was use a "4WD" Wix filter listed for my Tahoe. This filter is double the length of the one the lube place put on back in Novemeber. I only had 2000-3000 miles on that oil and filter. I never did anything other than open the valve cover and wipe down what i could on the tops of the rockers. I ended up selling the Tahoe and even a week or 2 sitting in the garage, it cranked up and purred like a low mileage 350.

[truckster]

I'm glad it worked for you...