Hello. I have a question about my GMC Sierra 1500. Starting yesterday we started hearing a ticking from the engine. We got home and let it sit until today. We drove it for about 10 miles and started again. My husband said something about the lifters. We also noticed that when this ticking happens the oil pressure goes down to 20. I still have another 2000 miles until the next oil change but he is actually fixing to change the oil now. Any ideas what it is? Thanks.
ticking and oil pressure gauge.
- Thread starter sgordy09
- Start date
98trck
Member
how was the oil level before you changed the oil?
do you use standard oil or synthetic?
more than one friend that has had a lifter start ticking then started using synthetic and it helped
what year truck how many miles on the truck?
which engine and trans?
most ECM's will shut the engine off if there is no oil pressure
do you use standard oil or synthetic?
more than one friend that has had a lifter start ticking then started using synthetic and it helped
what year truck how many miles on the truck?
which engine and trans?
most ECM's will shut the engine off if there is no oil pressure
Thanks for replying. It is back to normal now (so far). But its a 2002 with 151,000 and I believe a 5.3. He said the oil looked old, had a few clumps in it when he drained it. It was at the full line before he changed it. The last place we got the oil changed used an off brand, cheap oil filter and prob oil, so he bought the top dollar stuff. Not sure if synthetic or not... so he will be doing it himself for now on.
98trck
Member
if the oil was that ugly I won't put 500 miles on this new oil, and change it and the filter again, that would be inexpensive protective insurance on the engine
Molson02536
New member
http://gmcowners.com/gmc-forum/showthread.php?t=21201
Hope this helps you understand more about the oil we are using these days.
Molson02536
peirek
New member
Clumps are bad, real bad............. Someone let the oil change interval go to long or the engine was overheated or both. I can't image what type of oil the oil change place may have used, other than from some other vehicle, to make the oil clump. Is it possible they used a high detergent oil and thus loosened the muck inside? If clumps are present the oil filter may have clogged but the built in bypass valve should still allow oil pressure.
If it were me I would run it a little (50-100 miles) and drain. If clumps are still present change the filter and do it again until the clumps are eliminated. For reference these clumps can clog critical oil ports and in short order cook the lower end bearings. Ticking lifters are the least of your worries with low oil pressure.
Hello. If anyone sees this, this is an update. The truck was fine for a couple of weeks but now the pressure is going back down. It is not making the ticking sound that it did last time or anything. I just took it to a shop and the guy said he is going to order an oil sending unit. Could that be the issue? I checked the oil this morning and it looks good. Thanks.
98trck
Member
I could be the sending unit
was the pressure reading higher for a while?
then I don't understand why its going wrong again
how many wiles since that last oil change?
was the pressure reading higher for a while?
then I don't understand why its going wrong again
how many wiles since that last oil change?
It has only been about 400 to 500 miles since we changed the oil after the first occurrence. I have never let it go past the due dates and always change it before time. It has been reading normal until yesterday. The mechanic is going to order the oil sending unit and replace it tomorrow so hopefully that is what's wrong with it. Thanks.