First I know there are million different threads and areas in this forum to look regarding these engines and their ticking a common problem I have a 2003 Land Rover Discovery with 77000 miles with a 180 stat, & brand new radiator with Peak. I run 15w 40 rotella with 16% MMO

 

My bet would be on lifters.

What do you mean 16% MMO in your oil?

 

That was my first thought, my second thought, should i worry about it. And i calculated 16% of my oil to be MMO to clean (hopefully clean) lifters before oil change 10% - 25% drain .5 quarts fill .5 with MMO

 

MMO = Marvel Mystery Oil.

 

I so feel your tick, and I am writing this after just pulling my engine apart last night.

I have 2003 disco 4.6 bought it ticking around 80,000 miles. I pulled it apart at 145,000 miles. The ticking came and went with aggressive oil changes, it improved but never really left for more than a month. Last April it got loud, and the week before we were going to do a sleeve pinning, the oil pressure went into the toilet.

We pinned the sleeves, replaced a broken oil pump, replaced the rod bearings, without pulling the engine, and the oil pressure never returned. After pulling the motor last night and dismantling, it was two bad lifters, and the oil pressure was from a walked cam bearing.

I'm betting lifters are your issue.

What I have learned from this experience you can drive that motor a long way. In fact, it probably would have run even with the walked cam bearing. However, ticking and an oil pressure warning light ...I would have lost my mind.

 

Thank you kind sir! Yes the ticking is real on this support group... AHEM! (Forum). Hey i also was reading about people successfully stoping a slipped sleeve with an inline 160° thermostat. So maybe that can be a cheap fix. Im just worried its the sleeves and there is nooooooo way i can muster the *****/skills/knowhow to pin them myself. But maybe when my headgaskets go before 100k i can dig deep and see whats up.

 

If you're not noticing a coolant loss and it's ticking at all rpm then it's not liners. I would try a more aggressive detergent additive for a couple hundred miles and then change the oil.

What are your oil pressure numbers?

Also, the cold thermo is a poor fix and just masks one problem while creating others.

 

I replaced the following on my 04
lifters(and pushrods), rocker shafts, and a cracked oil pump gear....and it still ticks. No oil or Co2 in coolant, no coolant loss, holds pressure for hours, doesn't heat, runs(ran)great, no walked cam bearings.
Next, I'm pulling the engine. All gaskets, seals, bearings, pinning all 8 liners, and a new flexplate (apparently they crack and can tick too).
If it ticks after that..........
Bottom line, I really like this thing, and...I absolutely hate it. What an awesome, poor quality, POS these things are.

 

cold idle: 50 psi
cold 2000 rpm: 60 psi

hot idle: 19 psi
hot 2000 rpm: 45psi

have you heard any good things about BG like the 44k fuel cleaner I'm sure they make oil cleaning products I'll have to look into those

 

it's just the poor build quality of the engine and cooling system that baffles me but they are so lovable nothing else looks like them drives like them or has that feel, not an old crusted out Wrangler, not a boring modern-day Land Cruiser, not a glorified Chevy Colorado (hummer H3). Discos are special.