95 Disco 129k fresh "rebuild" in Costa Rica. I have a strange, intermittent click,(could almost describe it as a lifter noise, just louder). Comes from the center of the engine, up high, more towards the firewall end. More prominent when cold, actually gets livable when warmed up. Doesn't seem to fit the description of sleeve slippage. Seems like I read on here about a similar click and the cause was found to be a bolt protruding into someplace it didn't reach before the heads and block were shaved. Anybody else read that and can comment on it? Tomorrow the mechanic will pull intake to check status of the lifters ie. not maintaining the charge, they were of course all pulled, discharged and cleaned, but I still suspect a possible problem. Don't they have an "O" ring?

Drove 20 miles today into the shop, car just purred along with the stepper disconnected, got there and it fell on it's ***. I looked at fuel pressure which read 29 psi with key switch on, and as much as 34 with engine running. Sort of expected the opposite reading!

Thanks so much for your help, there's not much of that down here. Bill

 

Fuel pressure seems nominal, 32-34 is expected, with a highly accurate gauge. You can listen to the valve covers and such with a yard stick pressed against your ear and perhaps narrow it down. The stepper controls idle speed, underway it is not much of a factor.

Mechanic may find this example of the "tick" - the forgotten wrench! Found inside motor after a shop made repairs.

 

That pic looks like a typical CR repair! If the car starts up and drives like it should with the stepper disconnected, is there a down side? I really hate the way the RPM's shoot straight to 2k or more on start-up, can't be good for the dry motor. Plus it burns about a liter of fuel every time it does that! We've "listened" to every part on the motor, just can't narrow it down. Tomorrow we will find out if it's a wrench, actually I asked the kid today if he was missing any tools! I'm reading about flex plates. Could that be my culprit? Engine was just reinstalled. Thanks

 

Possible. As for down side you said it fell on its face after warm up.

 

Thanks, I'll update you tomorrow.