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Ticking sound when idling

71K views 36 replies 23 participants last post by  Mickey D 
#1 ·
Hey does anyone else experience a ticking sounds outside your truck under the passenger side when its parked at an idle? My truck does this periodically I've noticed when I hop out after driving it. It usually subsides after a few minutes but its an early concerning issue I've picked up on in my less than 500 miles I've put on the thing. Thanks everybody.
 
#2 ·
Do a search for Duramax "typewriter tick" to read more about it. I am on my third Dmax pickup having bought the first one in 2001 and they all have this tick. GM has issued information TSBs for it but in short it is normal and not a problem and it is not something that needs to or can be repaired. It tends to be more noticeable for a few hundred miles after an oil change and some oils tend to make it more obvious than others but it isn't anything to worry about. It was ticking with 10 miles on it and if you treat it well it will make the same typewriter ticking noise after an oil change a few hundred thousand miles from now :)

It will be very noticeable when idling in a drive through or anyplace else where a wall reflects sound back at you.

Enjoy your new pickup!
 
#4 ·
Yuup! On my forth Dmax, everyone of them have done it.
 
#5 ·
Same here, it’s like it’s coming from the dpf area. The noise is not consistent though. It can tick twice then pause, then tick half a dozen times then pause,..then sometimes it stops altogether. It’s almost like the sound of and old style radiator heater that’s hammering from warm condensation in cold pipes. Do you know what is actually causing this sound on your truck?
 
#7 ·
Isnt it the CP3, fuel related?
 
#8 ·
I believe in some instances you will hear a tick from the DEF injector on these trucks but I have never noticed it with mine, just the classic Duramax typewriter sound.
 
#10 ·
I had a ticking noise since i purchased the 2017 Sierra in April 06 2017.. Since day one the duramax has been ticking i mentioned to the dealer, and he showed me a memo and later on a bulletin that came out indicating the ticking noise was normal,,, Well now i am over my warranty by 50,000 km's and the truck came to a dead stop, with extremely loud ticking noise.. Got towed in to GM dealer.. One of the cam lobes was worn down to just about nothing, that created the ticking noise from the rocker to the bridge.. Now the engine is contaminated with metal particles i requested a new motor... New motor installed no noise whatsoever.. Now i am stuck with a $25,000. bill.. GM does not want to come good for the bill as i am over my warranty, even though i have been complaining since day one.. ( all on record ) Just got my truck back on the road after being down for a month.. A cam lobe was not properly lubricated at the factory during assembly.. All other lobes were perfect and to spec.. I see you are from AB i am next door in BC.. I am getting a lawyer over this issue.. GM misleading customers to believe the ticking noise is normal and when engine comes to stop with no indicator lights on the dash a find out the one lobe is totally worn out i have to pay because i am over my warranty.. ?? I guess GM must afraid to acknowledge that they an issue with the cam lobes,. I Have owned many duramax's and this is the first one that has given me grief.. Good Luck
 
#11 ·
Welcome to the forum, that's quite the first post.

So you are saying that the engine came to a halt with zero warning and that it was caused by a worn camshaft lobe, just one?

I have owned several Dmax's and they all have had the typewriter tick after an oil change. Never lasted long, but you should know that since you have had many of your own.
 
#12 ·
Cam lobes if made correctly just don’t go bad, and it’s not a flat lifter design so not caused by improper lubrication during assembly. Most likely a defective roller on the lifter or other valve train issues. When I first saw the tiny LS style lifters they went to on The L5p, I just knew they would be a failure item. Also, if you search bent pushrods, you will see quite a few post about those. I am thinking if the pushrod bent, then the tiny roller on the lifter has to get flat spotted and the same thing that just happened to you will happen to those people. Only time will tell.
I hope you find a good lawyer, your case sounds like GM is clearly at fault. I would demand the cost of the motor plus a full buyback of the truck.
 
#13 ·
He has 190000 kms on his truck, GM won’t do anything to help.... We don’t even know if he changed his oil...

Loosing one lobe on a camshaft won’t cause the engine to come to a halt, I do think we aren’t getting the full story here.
 
#14 ·
Just picked up a 2019 Silverado 3500. Mine has done it since new.

For everyone that is saying it’s the “typewriter” tick it’s not. If your truck is making the noise described you know. The engine sounds like a gem when this metallic tapping noise is not happening. I took my truck to the dealer at 800 miles and they couldn’t get me out fast enough. The first service writer was caught off hairs by the noise as I pulled in. He told me something was definitely wrong to quickly be shut down by a senior writer who handed me a TSB and chased me out. The dealer didn’t even want to put my visit into the computer... not sure what to do.
 
#15 ·
I have a similar ticking noise in my 2017 Sierra but I only notice it at really low speeds. It stops when the truck stops and immediately picks back up when you let off the brake and the truck starts to move on idle. I hear the tick pick up on speed and then the engine noise takes over and I cannot hear it any longer. Is this what you all are experiencing as well?
 
#26 ·
Hi I have an "old style" 2019. Reading through this forum due to a ticking sound I was concerned about. What you described is EXACTLY how mine sounds. I signed up for this forum to respond to your comment. So here we are a year later. Did you figure out what it was or is it the same "typewriter tick" everyone else is unconcerned about? Thanks
 
#16 ·
I bought my 2018 new and only have 12,000 miles on it. I just changed the oil myself, from the last dealer change, and it started the ticking around the oil pan area.
 
#18 ·
I changed the oil twice with Rotella T4 15w-40 two times, then the dealership did the courtesy change with a very thick black looking oil that I kept in it for 5,000 miles, then this time I changed it myself with Rotella T4 15w-40. That's when it started. It ticks very loud from the oil pan and increases with RPM increase.
 
#20 ·
I've had my truck for 15k miles now, and never had the tick until I put Rotella T6 in it last week. There's no rhythm to it, just random. But I do know that I would have noticed it before now had it done it. It does sound something like a heat shield warming up, but doesn't seem to stop.

Should I change my oil? If so, what gets rid of this ticking? It's driving me nuts.

Any helpful info would be greatly appreciated.
 
#25 ·
I've had my truck for 15k miles now, and never had the tick until I put Rotella T6 in it last week. There's no rhythm to it, just random. But I do know that I would have noticed it before now had it done it. It does sound something like a heat shield warming up, but doesn't seem to stop.

Should I change my oil? If so, what gets rid of this ticking? It's driving me nuts.

Any helpful info would be greatly appreciated.
What you are describing is the common type writer tick. Very common after an oil change. Basically you get some air trapped in the lifter oil passage and it takes a bit of time for it to work out. When my LMM does it it takes 30 to 50 miles for it to clear up. Some claim that T6 or Amsoil are more prone to this. Not sure about that, always used T6 and the last few years have not heard the dreaded type writer tick after doing oil changes. Dean
 
#22 ·
Understandable, but I can't take it. Yes, I'm a little OCD. I will change to an oil that doesn't do this when I find said oil.
 
#27 ·
@josh19, hello and welcome. It's completely normal and trying to "fix" it will more than likely not happen. You can experiment with different engine oils if you'd like, but there are no guarantees that you'll stop it from happening.
 
#29 ·
Yup, no worries. I was in your shoes as well after my first oil change I did myself. Thankfully, I had discovered this forum and my concerns quickly melted away.
BTW, swing by the introduction section and throw up a post, maybe even a pic or two of the truck. Also, fill out your signature so we all know what truck you have whenever you need help. Congrats and good luck with the truck.
 
#30 ·
Just an update on mine. The ticking went away after about 500-600 miles driven from my last oil change.
 
#34 ·
This may also be a 'thing' on the 3.0 LM2 Duramax as well... just had the oil changed at the dealer on the weekend and now I notice a rhythmic light tapping sound (reminds me of a lifter tap) coming from the engine, louder on the passenger side... Didn't have this before... hopefully it will go away as well. Not sure why it would all of a sudden start doing this after the oil change when it was not an issue before at all.
 
#37 ·
Mine is more like a Tourette Syndrome tick. 🫣
 
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