Modern Camaro Forums banner

LFX 3.6L Valvetrain noise

4 reading
33K views 20 replies 9 participants last post by  S.Bretz  
#1 ·
Hello all ;


I am new to the MC community and unfortunately my first post is not the most positive. Kickback, grab a snack ! my apologies ahead of time for the long read.

I purchased my "New to me" 2012 3.6L Camaro (Black) with only 21,000KMs on the clock. I loved the car from the get go, even despite my HORRIBLE experience with the dealership that I purchased it from (That's another story).

After approximately 5,000kms of driving, I started to notice what sounded like a soft lifter, or a lifter unable to pump up properly, now some would say the LFX does not have lifters, but it certainly does, just not the ones us SBC guys are used to seeing. This sound comes from the drivers cylinder head and can be heard easiest when in a drive-through, or when I open my door at idle.

I owned a Solstice and certainly am familiar with what a properly operating DI setup sounds like in all its glory, the hard part is trying to get a technician to not automatically puke out the automated response " Oh that's just the normal noises the High Pressure Fuel Pump Makes, or the Injectors are injecting at 1,00000,00000000,0000 PSI....... " Rubbish.

So two months ago I made an appointment to have it checked out, I left it with them over night, and low and behold I get the call the next day that "Everything is normal, we were not able to reproduce the sound you describe".

With that said, I continued to drive the car knowing very well whatever issues I was having would rear its ugly head eventually and surely it did.

That brings me to the reason of this post. I had an appointment with the dealership today, (2 months after original visit) and I took the technician aside and showed him the DI TSB for normal noises, and explained to him how my situation has nothing to do with the TSB. The technician then says "Oh yes, what you are hearing is valvetrain noise, this is very common on these engines".

**** I nearly lost it on the poor soul folks..... This car is quietest when cold, only ticks when hot, that rules out the DI setup right there. the issue is due to hydraulic lash mechanism, low oil psi, soft cam or excessive valve clearance, no brain is needed here ..... BUT ! even after personally listening to 3 new 3.6L Camaros, and 3 used Camaros with varying KMs on them (none of them make this noise, in fact they were all MUCH quieter than mine ever was. here comes the best part.


After rambling on and stumbling over his words, his response to me was " We will not tear the engine apart", and "This is not excessive valvetrain noise" (even though I told him several times that this is the quietest you'll hear it, maybe you should keep it here until you can classify it as excessive like I have"

I then told him, that I no longer wish to own the car if this is considered to be NORMAL, and that he should put me into contact with his manager so that I may voice my concerns with him/her as well, as it really is that loud folks, Ive included a video but I don't think it does much justice, if a city bus pulls up beside me, I can here the ticking over his flipping diesel motor !!


He then says to me "I will seek approval to replace your HPFP" . I said to him "Can I leave the car hear with you ? so that you can PROPERLY diagnose whats wrong with it ? "

" No need to leave it here, Chevrolet will not approve the replacement of lifters, pistons,cam, cam followers or the cylinder head". but he's going to try and throw a part at it that's guaranteed not to correct the issue ??

This needs to be escalated , I cannot drive this car as it is ridiculously embarrassing.

Chevy Buy back ? whats the qualifications for that ?

Canadas version of the Lemon Law "Canvap ???"

Any advice would be greatly appreciated guys, I work very hard for my money and Ive just started to finance this wonderful machine.

HELP !!!!!! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twHw4VUuV3w&feature=youtu.be)
 
#3 ·
Sorry but I don't hear it.

I don't have the best hearing though. Can you post some more sound clips walking around the car and with the hook up?
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the replies folks. No other dealers that are close to me other than the aforementioned dealer that I had a horrible experience with.

I'm so horribly sick from this situation. I've babied this car and changed my oil every 5000kms (even when olm still says 60%+ remaing). M1 and delco filter.

Will try to get my canon rebel out with 0gain on the inputs. That should separate the exhaust from the sharp tick.
 
#6 ·
S. Bretz

Thank you for the chime, much appreciated. I used the term "lifter" loosely in this context for the lack of a better word, but you seemed to nail it "Hydraulic Lash adjustment".

Oil level is on the mark, have also changed the oil twice in one regular period with Mobil 1/ Delco filter.

Here is another video I took at the same time as the first one, the noise truly is loud enough that I must turn off the car to place an order at a drivethru, can hear it in busy Toronto traffic if anyone pulls up on my drivers side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsfcFDTj9KU&feature=youtu.be

Thanks again for any and all feedback !.
 
#7 ·
In both videos, I am gently depressing the gas peddle and hovering between 700-1100 rpm, ticking is only present when car has reached operating temperature.

No CEL, I get the light misfires on cold start, but read that many others also have this, so I let that one slide. The car performs well, and doesn't seem to affect drivability, but it has crossed the threshold of my acceptance.
 
#8 ·
My 14 LFX doesn't sound like AT ALL! You need to escalate. Sorry you're having to go through this. Did it sound this way when you first bought it? Did the sound appear right after the first oil change that you did? If so, I'm guessing someone ran this hard and low on oil, then put heavier weight oil in it before selling.
 
#9 ·
Ycpanther.

That's certainly how it sounds bit this has been happening for a while but albeit a lot less noticeable 2 months ago. I brought it in then and they tried telling me its the di.

If this clatter was present when I was viewing the car I never would have bought it. Its horrible. I've been a chevy guy all my life and never thought I'd be treated in this manner.

The mechanic that last looked at it has opened a work order only for the rwason of contacting hq to see what options he has. He also told me he is going to tell them this noise is not excessive... well it certainly is.

I will not give up. The dealership is going to be very sick of me as I'm now on them like white on rice.

Won't open the engine to repair ? Then I guess a new engine is what ill shoot for.

:( I uber sad chevy owner. I have great connections in the social media scene, it cert as inly would be in chevys best interest to take care of this customer.
 
#10 ·
:hello: & welcome to MC, please post our new members thread so we can give you a warm welcome.. Please keep us updated on what happens.. :thumbsup:



 
#12 ·
GM dealership called back today. Stating there is a new tsb out related to 3.6l engine inevitably developing valve train noise and that they will not open the engine unless the ticking is clsssified as excessive..... and it is excessive however they won't touch it until its misfiring and knocking. I advised him that this answer is not good enough and that I am extremely unhaapy with my vehicle.

Even though I have given this dealership ample time and opportunity to correct this issue, the issue is unresolved. His only advice was to return to the point of sale dealership and carry on with them (same dealership that I have already had horrible experiences.

I have an appointment book there tomorrow. Will update.
 
#13 ·
Apologies and thanks to all who have been following my nightmare.

I want to recant any statements I have made against chevrolet. I've been a chevy guy all my life for good reasons. Including making such safe vehicles, I was hit by a transport truck, loaded, tandem trailers loaded with earth traveling at 80+ kmph, I walked away from it but the truck was finished. I had 634, 000kms on her and she looked an ran like new.

I have faith that the general will come through
 
#14 ·
The DI high pressure pump can make some noticeable noise...especially if the sound deadening foam that goes around the pump has been removed for some reason.

It does sound like a valve train tap noise. On the older hydraulic lifter you could put in a qt of atf dex3 when it was hot and run it at a fast idle for about 15min before an oil change and that would usually solve the problem...it may be worth a shot since ATF is relatively cheap.
 
#15 ·
I could not get it to reproduce this horrible noise at the shop. However its now going in for a leaking timing cover :(. I also smell a minor hint of coolant under the hood. I think I'm in for a world of trouble with this car :( wish I had bought the v8. I haven't even put a work order in for the smelly a/c ducts or cold start misfires yet either :/
 
#16 ·
Keep us posted, I have a small tick coming from mine as well, but since it does have the 100,000 warrenty I'm not worried. Hope yours get better. But I am noticing a small miss in the mornings...
 
#17 ·
Guapo ;

Yes, mine started out as a barely noticable tick in the drivers side head, it clearly separates itself from the usual di noise. I only ever hear the ticking when its at operating temperature and at a stop. The noise picksup with rpms and can be heard between 500rpm -》1100 rpm.

The noise was minor and intermittant at first but now is almost always there when hot but the intensity of the ticking seems to vary from day to day.

Also guapo. Be sure to check and see that you timing cover is dry, had mine ip on the hoist and there was oil all over the steering rack and behind the harmonic, it never reaches the ground but still.

Saddening :(
 
#18 ·
The timing cover leak at the cover/block/head junction is pretty common. I used to put extra silicone in those areas to help provide some extra seal. .....IDK why gm never made an alum gasket with impregnated rubber, but I'm sure if they had one the problem would be solved.

Coolant smell is either the pump or the t-stat housing. The pumps leaking are more common than the t-stat, but both are covered under powertrain, so its all good.