did you pay someone to install your headers? when do you plan to take it in? were you going to a different dealer than before?

 

I have a shop. one of my staff did it.
That's why I change my exhaust 2-3 times till I get it where I want.

I will take the truck in soon as I have a day I can do without it, at this point I will leave the headers on and take it ot the same dealer.

 

What is going on with your issue?

 

No change, I have been too busy to take it back to the dealer.
I am still on the fence whether it is piston slap or lifter noise. Lots of people have different
opinions.

 

Still no updates?

 

Still too busy and I need the truck during the day.

I had another good tech[non-dealer], listen to it and he doesn't think it is piston slap.

So, nothing to report.

 

Mine is 08 5.3, as per your description I think I have the same noise!!. replaced all lifters including the dod's !, cam and oil pump also, a week later the noise returned but not as bad and only on cold start...one of the technicians told me they found lots of carbon build up and added....valves were sticking but claims I should not have any problem if use higher octane?!

tried a catch can and i can tell you I noticed a real performance improvement!

I was told mine was nothing compared to others where things looked horrible when opened the cylinder head!!

Hope this help in someway, and also hope to know what is really causing the noise and carbon buildup to return so quickly!

 

My '99 5.3 did that, but only on a cold start. If I let it idle for two minutes before putting it in gear it was fine. When I had to get the head gaskets replaced they cleaned out a bunch of carbon and that made a big difference. A year or so later it started doing it again but very minor compared to what it had been.

Re higher octane: all that high octane does is make the gas harder to ignite, so that hot carbon buildup in the cylinder or combustion chamber is less likely to make it go boom before the spark gets there. That might help with that one particular symptom, but won't change the amount of buildup. Better gas from one of the top line oil companies might have more/better detergents, though, and maybe some other brand of better regular, mid-grade or premium will work better for you. Cheap gas = problems, IMHO.

I've also heard that the piston hitting the built up carbon can make the noise, but that didn't explain why mine got quiet after a minute or two.

 

Thanx for the responces,
I have already done a c/chamber cleaning, the long way, removed the plugs and sprayed it in direct. Not thru the intake. Made no difference whatsover.
I had a minor fender bender recently, insurance is giving me a rental and the truck will
be at the dealer for a few days, hopefully I can get someone from service to listen to it again for more that 20 seconds.
They are stupid busy and it is hard to get their attention.

 

Just went through the same issue with my 2011 5.3. Contact your nearest Caterpillar dealer. Get an oil sample kit, pull a sample and send it in. The results don't lie! Usually you have to sample oil at every oil change to get a good history on engine wear. But in this case you may be able to catch elevated particulate debris such as aluminum, chromium, cast, silicates and other materials used in the engine parts. If these particulates are elevated it may entice the dealer do a more thorough inspection.
Just a thought it only cost about 20 bucks.