Cold start rattle on LS3 - piston slap :) Engine replaced

[Ron Burgundy]

Update
Since the car hit 20 000km the noise is all but gone...
Odd...

 

[VS 5.0]

That is good news @Ron Burgundy

 

[Murdoch]

Update
Since the car hit 20 000km the noise is all but gone...
Odd...

haven't changed fuel or oil brands?
same outside temps as when issue was occurring??

 

[Voodoo_SV6]

The LS3s are fairly robust from what I read everywhere. I recently had my cam, pushrods and lifters replaced under warranty (at 85,000kms approx). Mine wasn't a cold startup issue, but more noticeable when cold. The ticking came and went but I captured it clear enough that the dealer dealt with it.

I hope your issue doesn't reappear.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

haven't changed fuel or oil brands?
same outside temps as when issue was occurring??

All variables are still the same. I only replaced stock air filter with k&n panel filter but very unlikely this would have any effect on it....Who knows...

 

[Wellsey]

Thanks so much for posting this, I bought the last of the Utes to come to NZ and started to notice a cold knock/rattle at around 18,000km. I have now done about 21,000 in a year and a half, am totally disappointed and it seriously takes away from the joy of driving. I am still discussing the noise with the Dealer and was looking forward to a track day having treated it to a long trip on collecting it to run it in nicely, some short running but mostly it has 160km highway trips away each weekend, only use 98 octane from BP or Gull, use Mobil 1 with dexos2 at half the specified time frames, and I’m pretty easy on it from cold. The noise is prominent as revs approach 2000 rpm and at 2500 when it changes gear is a dull rattle/knock and once warm is gone. Not sure what I will do now as I love the warmed up driving experience and as an investment in a driveable classic it’s not really anything that I expected.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Thanks so much for posting this, I bought the last of the Utes to come to NZ and started to notice a cold knock/rattle at around 18,000km. I have now done about 21,000 in a year and a half, am totally disappointed and it seriously takes away from the joy of driving. I am still discussing the noise with the Dealer and was looking forward to a track day having treated it to a long trip on collecting it to run it in nicely, some short running but mostly it has 160km highway trips away each weekend, only use 98 octane from BP or Gull, use Mobil 1 with dexos2 at half the specified time frames, and I’m pretty easy on it from cold. The noise is prominent as revs approach 2000 rpm and at 2500 when it changes gear is a dull rattle/knock and once warm is gone. Not sure what I will do now as I love the warmed up driving experience and as an investment in a driveable classic it’s not really anything that I expected.

Mine now has about 30000km and the noise is back when cold. More noticeable in winter. It is not getting worse so I just learnt to accept it
Annoying...yes...but not much I can do...

 

[Skylarking]

The LS3s are fairly robust from what I read everywhere. I recently had my cam, pushrods and lifters replaced under warranty (at 85,000kms approx)..

A bit of an oxymoron isn’t it,... fairly robust with a bunch of things replaced under warranty at 85k kms

 

[Voodoo_SV6]

I see your point, but they're not engines that seem to die easily, unless you pump way too many lbs of boost into them without some bottom end work done on them.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

There are days when i wish the c u nt t would just explode so i throw in a new engine. Really annoying sometimes...