5.9
fairly significant- Typical Repair Cost:
- $2,690
- Average Mileage:
- 71,200 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 29 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (24 reports)
- add marvel mystery oil to engine every oil change (1 reports)
- purchase a high performance oil pump (1 reports)
- replace bad wrist pin knock (1 reports)
- replace enigine (1 reports)
- switched to synthetic motor oil (1 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Chevrolet dealer.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
The 5.3 V8 burns excessive oil that deposits on the pistons and heads causing the compression to riaise.
This caused excessive spark rattle. Chevy tries to "top end clean" the problem but it comes bace in a couple of months. They can't seem to fix the problem even after 6 times in the shop. Time for the lemon law! They even gave me a lifetime warranty to calm me down. ha!
- Brett M., Mesa, AZ, US
This truck was my fifth brand new Chevy, My 20th over all. This ticking/piston slap is driving me crazy. Someone please let me know about some kind of class action suit. I have tried to sell my truck a few times. No one wants a truck that might be on its last leg.
- lightskin, Reynoldsburg, OH, US
Truck started making a knocking sound this Winter - after the truck is warm the knocking goes away. Took to an auto-mechanic - they told me they didn't see anything wrong with it. Very annoying, affraid it's going to break-down while driving. Not happy with this truck.
- Lorri P., Trenton, MI, US
Engine sounds like a diesel at start up due to the well known issue of piston slap.
- fake_usa, Plainfield, NJ, US
In the winter, or when the temperature is cold, this vehicle starts like a diesel, but it is a 4.3 V-6. It sounds like the rods are knocking or the lifters are bad. This happens especially in very cold weather and throughout the day, even after the vehicle has been run to warm it up. If we leave it setting for more than 1/2 to 1 hour, the knocking is there in the colder weather. The dealer says nothing is wrong, this engine makes this noise and it is okay. (Surprise on that one!) See more complaints listed.
- sdr, Gladwin, MI, US
the engine knock has been occuring since the truck had 7000 miles on it. Chevrolet says this is normal and not a problem, funny when I bought this truck new, no one said by the way this thing will knock and make more noise than like the lifters are bad. I have had the truck back to the dealers since the 7000 mile mark and they say Chevrolet (GM) says this is a normal sound. Some mornings i think I have a Ford diesel engine in the truck. I think I am going to record the sound, document the
miles and put it on a web site to help GM sell more trucks. I think people should know what a GM truck sounds like after you are stuck (there is another word but I won't use it).
- harley1, Omaha, NE, US
I took it to dealership and they said it was the oil pump and they put in a new one but didn't fix anything
- jimenez, Rogers, AR, US
I own a 2001 silverado 3500 with a 6.0L engine. Since mile 1 I have heard tons of pinging from the engine, up hills, under load, and just cruising. I put some super unleaded in the tank and it seemed to help. But when I called the dealer they said "don't use super it will screw it up, the knock sensor will take care of it". The knock sensor is worthless. Every person I have talked to with this engine has had the same problem.
- Ben H., Honor, MI, US
When the motor is cold a ticking sound occurs and can become more of a knocking at times. It sounds like a bad lifter or rocker arm that is bad. It has been going away as the motor gets warm. I took it to the dealer to have them look at it and tell me whats wrong. I haven't heard from them yet.
- mjk, Elyria, OH, US