Owners of recent 5.3 chevy motors, I have a question.

[iufan]

I bought a new 2017 Tahoe and am well pleased with the vehicle. However, I notice a loud 'ticking' sound when I start it cold. The service department at the Chevy dealer says it is normal, something about a high pressure fuel pump. While the noise goes away after awhile it sounds like a lifter to me and I thought the fuel pump was in the gas tank. Anyone have experience with this? I never noticed it when it was new but it has made the noise for a long time, perhaps since the day I bought it. Thanks.

[grayline]

All Chebbys have the fuel pump in the tank ... Sounds like a lifted or maybe a injector how many miles? Look at night for cross arc on ignition wires?

[billnorman1]

Direct fuel injection requires pressures in the thousands of pounds. Electric fuel pumps cannot deliver that much pressure on 12 volts without being expensive, bulky and transmitting high pressure fuel in an open environment. That particular pump is internally engine driven, might be a tad noisy.

[like2fish2]

I have the same Tahoe and haven't noticed the noise you speak of at all.

[iufan]

Odd thing is you can't hear the sound from inside the cab, have to be outside then it is obvious from several feet away. Definitely coming from the engine compartment, sounds like the rear of the engine. I am going to the dealership today and have them start up a few. Hope they are right, and it is ok. Seems weird to design it that way. It has 20,000 miles on it but has been doing it for a long time, maybe since the day it was new.

[scott c]

My wife's Tahoe does the same thing. We had it to two different dealers and both said the same thing and showed us tsb from gm explaining the noise. And yes all of them dont tick for some reason. Hers like in a bank drive thru sounds like a diesel at times. My 2014 Silverado does it but not near as much. Just a bad design flaw.

[LgMouthGambler]

Lifter. Common.

[buster502]

don't start it first, just turn the key to the on position and see what it does,if it clicks i would say fuel system

[john3dd]

The 5.3 is a flawed engine. There have been millions of them made and at least a third of them have problems of oil leaks and the noted "ticking noise" yet GM keeps throwing a band aid on a sucking chest wound. Look at the complaints of oil consumption alone, it's staggering and that problem has led to more catalytic converter replacements and the thing that's mind blowing about it is that some engines have it and other 5.3s do not. I was one of the unlucky ones and after being stroked by GM for 3yrs over oil consumption on my engine I just gave up. My advice to anyone purchasing a GM is to go with the bigger engine, the gas mileage isn't that much of a difference and the bigger engine runs great and performance is notable.

[LgMouthGambler]

The 5.3 is a flawed engine. There have been millions of them made and at least a third of them have problems of oil leaks and the noted "ticking noise" yet GM keeps throwing a band aid on a sucking chest wound. Look at the complaints of oil consumption alone, it's staggering and that problem has led to more catalytic converter replacements and the thing that's mind blowing about it is that some engines have it and other 5.3s do not. I was one of the unlucky ones and after being stroked by GM for 3yrs over oil consumption on my engine I just gave up. My advice to anyone purchasing a GM is to go with the bigger engine, the gas mileage isn't that much of a difference and the bigger engine runs great and performance is notable.

6.0s have the same issues.....

[Hez]

6.0s have the same issues.....

So are you guys saying the 4.8 is the best engine? My 4.8 Vortec was a beast...I put over 200k HARD miles on it, and sold it running like a champ a few years back.

[krindgen]

I may remember that in my 2011 which was a great vehicle. Dunno if they still have the AFM on the newer engines. I had that tuned out and was much happier with the drivability. Didn't like the 6-spd tranny shifting all the time either.

[LgMouthGambler]

So are you guys saying the 4.8 is the best engine? My 4.8 Vortec was a beast...I put over 200k HARD miles on it, and sold it running like a champ a few years back.

Nope, 4.8/5.3 same engine.

[Nova Kaw 650]

The 2014+ 5.3 did not have the same oil consumption issues that plagued the earlier engines, and had considerably more power.
4.8/5.3 are not the same engine.
OP; you can't hear the noise in the cab?? It can't be much of a noise. My 2014 will make a slight ticking you can hear standing outside the truck, but not inside.
Are you using the correct oil?

[billius]

I have had several trucks with the 5.3 engine. My current truck, a 2017 Silverado has that engine. I've never had any issues with them. There's nothing wrong with that engine.

[Hez]

Nope, 4.8/5.3 same engine.

I always said that was a Wednesday truck

[LgMouthGambler]

I always said that was a Wednesday truck

They have gotten better recently. Most of the issues were in the eras of the 2008-2012 years. May be off a few. We do a lot of fleet trucks, mostly Express 2500 vans. We were changing engines out like mad then. The vans were only like 4 years old, but pushing the 200,000 mile marks. Some sooner than others (they werent gentle on the vans), but non the less, about the same time frame. Jasper units fixed all the issues they had.

And to the guy who says the 4.8 and 5.3 are different engines, no they are not. Same block, dang near everything identical. This is what I do for a living, so....

[DaveBrabec]

Could be low on oil. My 2014 started burning oil at 50,000 . Traded in on a diesel

[pabasshawk]

I have had several trucks with the 5.3 engine. My current truck, a 2017 Silverado has that engine. I've never had any issues with them. There's nothing wrong with that engine.

Same here, never had an issue. The 2010 I gave my son has 260,000 miles on it with no problems.

[Nova Kaw 650]

They have gotten better recently. Most of the issues were in the eras of the 2008-2012 years. May be off a few. We do a lot of fleet trucks, mostly Express 2500 vans. We were changing engines out like mad then. The vans were only like 4 years old, but pushing the 200,000 mile marks. Some sooner than others (they werent gentle on the vans), but non the less, about the same time frame. Jasper units fixed all the issues they had.

And to the guy who says the 4.8 and 5.3 are different engines, no they are not. Same block, dang near everything identical. This is what I do for a living, so....

If a half a liter difference less displacement and no variable displacement (AFM) in the 4.8 makes them the same engine, then they must be the same engine.
LOL.
I've got an old school 283 I can sell you, but you can tell people it's a 350 if you want because they're the same engine; unless having a different bore, stroke and much less displacement makes it different.