So I have an engine Tick, imagine that??? I've been trying to narrow it down to thecause of being one of the following.

1. lifter
2. Rod Bearing
3. Piston Sleeve

It sure sounds like a collapsed lifter to me and I was thinking about this, now please somebody call me out if this is ridiculous.

Cutting an opening in the valley pan gasket near the front if I can get in to it with some form of cutting tool. Running the engine and see if I can pin point the sound.

It may be to loud in that area to be able to tell anything but it was just a thought.

Responses welcome.

Thanks,
Rob

 

Hey Rob,

Even if you manage to cut the valley gasket, you are going to get a major oil leak. I am not sure about the back of the engine, but I did see 2 pipes for oil squirting in the front of the engine (inside valley pan). That entire area is being soaked with oil.
Personally.....wouldn't recommend it.

No other ideas except for stethoscope and carefully listening around. After you get a good idea where it might be coming from......tear the pieces down fella.

Boris

 

I know I would have to replace the gasket but thought I would get in to the area with a piece of tubing and really listen. I just don't want to throw $400.00 worth of cam and lifters and it being a bearing. Doing this I could also get into the area with a boroscope and see what's going on with the engine not running.

 

Take a look at E T's post, he has a video about post 51, that has a video of what you could see. https://landroverforums.com/forum/di...-repair-43960/

Would wonder on lifter, if valve covers off, minor oil leaks, but you could put pressure downward which might change noise at particular lifter, one by one. Could do this outside, not on garage floor, etc. Really won't be a lot of oil at idle.

 

I was thinking I would also buy a set of used valve covers and cut the tops off to retain the oil and see what I could hear doing this. This would be easier then cutting a hole in the valley gasket.

 

if you really must do it there is no need for special valve covers, you can use cardboard around the bottom of the valve cover area to keep most of the oil in. Used to have to do it to the old Y-block and slant 6's to adjust lifters while the engine was running.

 

Amen on the 225 one barrel slant six. Had two of them.

With the level of work required for a valley pan gasket, instead of head gaskets, might just want to do the gasket, put Mark 1 eyeball, calipers, and Mark 1 palm reader on what's inside; then decide on the cam, lifters, etc.

As to lifter, consider before an oil change application of a couple of quarts of Marvel Mystery Oil (basically a thin oil), crank and run for a short period of time and see if tick changes. The thin oil can get places other stuff cannot, such as a lifter. Same could be said for application of SeaFoam, it might take a little longer to work. There are some who suggest engine flush with ATF or kerosene based products, right before an oil change. Of course, these products are not regular viscosity oil, and while they can remove some gunk, they can also cause large chunks to break loose and plug up the oil pump intake screen, which is usually a terminal disease. So if you flush, watch oil pressure light for sure.

Now back to the lifters (hydraulic tappets) - you'll see from the RAVE (Rovers A'int Very Economical) page that there is a small ball check valve inside the lifter. If that passage way gets gunked up, it either won't hold pressure or takes longer to build up. Old Skool guys have removed and soaked lifters in a variety of magic fluids to get the gunk out, then re-installed them if not too worn. Keep in mind that this type of engine has been around for decades, and mechanics were not always so well equipped as today.

There's another kind of clean out fluid that works slower, it is called Auto RX, and it started out as a fluid to clean hydraulic systems in printing plants. It is slow working, and you keep changing the oil filters every thousand miles while it is in there. Makes your oil turn quite dark with whatever it is dissovling.

End of rant. If sludge is making your tick, it might be helped by more frequent oil changes, with cheap diesel rated oil; and/or your choice of solvent or flush. But locating noise would be good, and front cover with oil pump is one area. Original post did not list oil pump as a possible, but perhaps should re-think that, if oil gauge indicates issues (cold or hot, idle or 2500 rpm).

Is problem on the 04 or the 03 ?

 

The Ticking doesn't start till the engine warms up. This could be of course due to-

1. The oil viscosity breaking down
2. The Expansion/Contraction of the engine materials.

I've also thought about throwing straight 50 weight oil in and seeing if this makes a difference.

I'm thinking that if the heavy weight oil would stops the ticking it would mostly likely be a lifter which is now being held from collapsing by the shear weight of the oil.

 

Since you have an oil PSI gauge, what PSI at idle cold, and what does that change to at the time the TICK appears?

 

Good question, never watched it that close. I'll do so today and report back.