So i believe something is going wrong with my Disco. I know it sounds like engine ping. Here is the problem though, it comes and goes. Wrong type of gas? Engine overhaul now? I am fairly knowledgeable when it comes to knowing whats wrong wits cars to an extent. But this has me puzzled. Help please?

 

Timing is adjusted on the fly for each cylinder independently by the ECU. One of the sensors used in that calculation is the knock sensor (there is one on each side, C0626 in attached). If sensor was loose (big bolt), connector yukky, etc., who knows what the computer would think. And of course there is always "bad gas", water contaminated gas, cheap gas, and use of non-premium fuel within 2000 kilometers of a dealership...

Premium does help. New plugs and decent wires help.

 

Well i use Costo Gas here in California and have only used regular, not premium gas it it since i have bought the truck. I honestly dont 126K miles on the motor would have anything to do with it, but i will check the knock sensor asap to see if the bolts tight or if its bad. It sounds like its coming from the passenger side of the motor in the back.

 

Exhaust gasket leak? A SeaFoam treatmet will reveal leaks...

 

You need to start using premium gas first and see if ti goes away.
I also buy my gas at Costco, I use premium, its a extra $4 for a tank of premium vs regular.

 

My cousins husband (Who i bought the car from) said that it sounds like the lifter being gunked up, Marvels Mystery oil is what he said to use. Apparently he has had that problem as well i guess. And why start using Premium? That will just make my gas millage even worse, already bad enough at about 14 to the gallon. Also doesn't help i only live 15 minutes on the freeway from work, lol

 

Actually the premium will get a little better mpg. "Ping" normally shows up when load on engine increases, like going up a ramp or hill. "Valve train noise" can happen whenever, usually will be more noticed at cold start. MMO can be used in fuel or oil or both. SeaFoam can also be used in same places, and can be sucked in thru a vacuum line and "smoke" things out. If your "ping" is coming from a carbon buildup on the pistons, which slightly increases the compression ratio, and makes need for premium even greater, some of these solvent treatments can offer some help. If valve train parts are starving for oil, that can be any number of issues. Just like running good gas, runing 15W40 Rotella with a jumbo oil filter is a good first step. Also investigate the various BG pro sold products.

 

Even in California, use 15W40? wow, and i can somewhat see the need for the premium gas. Sounds like the lifters are starving for oil yes. Might have to pull the covers off and take a look see. First time through a motor with 126k on it. Hmmm, somewhat joyous and nervous, lol. Last time i worked on a motor i had to replace it due to a spun connecting rod bearing. (NOT FUN)

 

Do me a favor, on the drivers side head just below the spark plug level and right dead in the middle there are a set of numbers. Can you get those for me? I'm sure it's covered in oil sludge but try to clean it enough to read. Very important and it will kill the premium vs regular argument. Some motors in the Cali config had low compression to meet the tougher pollution restrictions. Let's find that out first before we get our panties in a twist.

Secondly the short trips are killing your motor. If your idling on the freeway like most do in Cali forn I A that too will add to sludge. Pull your covers and take a good look at how much baked on sludge there is. It's a PITA but you can open up your oiling to the lifters some more by cleaning out the rocker shafts and rockers. They are notorious for occluding to the point of zero pressure. Not good. The lifter bodies get oiling through their bores, one after another. One of those is probably not passing enough. They further get oil from above by drip off the pushrods which in turn receive their oil from the rockers and then the shafts. Remove the entire shaft all at once, very easy to do. Take a look at the front shaft pillar (both sides) and you'll see the oil drilling to the shafts. Probably occluded as well. Stiff metal wire will pull most of the bakelite out. Either kerosene or diesel fuel if left to soak will soften it up.

Spun bearings are common with Rovers because they are left to careless owners who think these are maintenance free engines, they aren't. If they had a carburetor and dizzy they'd be antiques of yesteryear. There is nothing modern about them from a engineering point of view. The cams wash out early due to the annealing process not being deep enough so it's ultra critical that they be looked after unless you want a US made cam. I do but I'd rather just baby what I have so it doesn't cost more than gas, oil and towing (insurance) to run it.

Oh, and the oil weight. It's about boosting the pressure with the thicker weight oils. It does help keep parts (bearings) from being too friendly with their partner. I run 10W30 high mileage all the time now. Don't care to get jiggy with what type or weight because I have a clean as a babies *** motor inside. Prefer the light weights because it moves crap quicker to the filter. These motors don't really care about who you buy your oil from or how much it costs. They only make noise if it doesn't get changed.

 

I base the oil on outdoor temp. Above 95, 40W oil, in the owner's book. Some say the premium gas also does not have as much wash down thru the rings to help make sludge. Here's pix of regular oil changes with Rotella, and oil changes whenever. Frequent oil changes are very important, not the 25,000 mile service interval. Also, for noises under the valve cover, poke that listening stick to the cover, you'll hear better what is going on inside.

And the valve train can wear so much you have low oil PSI even with a brand new pump.