I have a 96 chevy tahoe and not until recently everytime I start the tahoe up there is a ticking noise in the engine. But after about 10-15 minutes the ticking noise goes away and she sounds like her old self. I was wondering if anyone can steer me in a direction that would help me eliminate this annoying and embarassing noise that is coming from under my hood. Thxs.

 

How many miles do you have? It could be your lifters bleeding down or crud in them. Does it start up quietly when you re-start it? Meaning the lifters are still pumped up.

There are some detergents you can run like Rislone that may clean them up. You could try a lighter weight oil e.g. 5-30 instead of 10-30

 

I have 243,000 and when she starts up there is the ticking and it quiets after about 15 minutes.

 

You got 243,000 miles on a Tahoe... If ticking is your only prob, your doin' good. But If you decide to try a detergent, Seafoam is the best. ran it through the wifes car, Couldn't beleive the difference.

 

the ticking is more than likely lifter(s). it happens. the oil drains out until startup, then will take a few minutes to refill with oil again. changing them isn't hard to do.

 

If you do decide to replace the lifters, inspect the bases on them. More than likely they will be cupped. Check the journals on your cam too. It's decision time: you may want to add a low end cam for better mileage and while you are doing that, replace your timing set. With that many miles the chain is probably stretched.

Or try the detergent and oil idea and live with it.

 

If you replace the lifters, then you'll have to replace the cam. A quart of auto tranny fluid will free up sticky lifters also.

 

You do not have to replace the cam if you get new lifters. The bases of the new lifters will be flat and not create undue wear on the cam lobes.
On the other hand, if you replace a cam you need to replace the lifters. The cupped bases of the old lifters will wear out the cam lobes prematurely.