TAPPING NOISE
 

AN INTERMITANTENGINE TAPPING NOISE STARTED YESTERDAY. NOW IT IS LOUDER AND MORE PERSISTANT.
LIFTER? IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE?
2003 96K D2

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

Um, no, it is NOT safe to drive.
How long have you owned the truck? How many miles were on it when you bought it?

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

I HAVE OWNED IT 20 MOS. FROM 87K TO 96K

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

Do you know any of the history of the truck from when before you bought it?

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

NO

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

Ok, I was afraid of that.
You need to have it towed to a shop and have the oil pressure tested. I am betting that your oil pump went bad and if you continue to run the engine you will be buying a new one.
With your mileage it is likely that your oil pump was replaced before when it went bad, and now it has gone bad again.
There is about 40,000 2003 Discoveries with bad engine blocks and the oil pump is inside the front engine cover and the bad engine block causes the oil pump to wear out prematurely.
When the oil pump starts to go bad you loose oil pressure, no oil/low pressure will cause the engine to wear out prematurely.
The only permanite fix is a new engine, or a used engine out side of the bad engine range.
Do a search on the forum for the 2003 VIN# range of bad oil pumps.
The only way to conferm or deny the bad oil pump is to have the oil pressure tested.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

IT IS NOT IN THE BAD VIN RANGE.
I HAD THE PRESSURE CHECK AND IS IS OK.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

Ok, that is good to hear. When did you have the oil pressure tested? Today?

I assume that you checked the oil level.
Does the speed of the tapping increase in speed when you rev the engine?
Do you have ACE? Or secondary air?

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

PRESSURE CHECK WAS 5 MOS AGO.
OIL LEVEL GOOD NOW, WAS CHANGED 1 K AGO, USING FULL SYNTHETIC.
YES ,IT INCREASES WITH ENGINE RPM.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

Alot can happen in 5 months. You need to have it towed to a shop and have the oil pressure tested again.
Just because you are not in the VIN# range doesnt mean much.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

I MOVE IT OUT TO THE DRIVE, QUIET NOW.
A LIFTER ACTING UP?

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

Lets hope thats all it is.
I think I would still get the oil PSI tested just to be sure.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

I wouldn't even want to to start it unless it was to verify your oil pressure at all 4 points, cold idle, cold at 2000 RPM's warm idle and warm at 2000 RPM's.
Then have the pan pulled for a full inspection.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

I POSTED AN OIL LIGHT PROBLEM BEFORE. THE LIGHT WOULD FLICKER AT LOW IDLE. THE DEALER PULLED THE OIL PAN CLEANED IT AND SAID THE PRESURE WAS BACK IN RANGE. I SWITCHED TO SYNTHETIC OIL AND THE OIL LIGHT HAS NOT EVEN FLICKERED. THAT WAS 7-8K AGO

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

TOWED TO SHOP TODAY. OIL PRESSURE GOOD, BUT IS NOT TAPPING. WILL KEEP TOMORROW TO RUN IT AND SEE IF THE TAPPING RETURNS.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

The flickering oil light at idle and the tapping noise that you are now getting is the typical warning signes that your oil pump is going out.
Sorry about your luck. You can thank Ford for this.
The dealer should have told you when it was in for the flickering oil light.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

HE CAN NOT REPRODUCE THE TAPPING NOISE.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
IGNORE TILL IT HAPPENS AGAIN?
TAKE ENGINE APART?

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

MECHANIC DID NOT GET IT TO TAP. DID DRAIN ABOUT A QUART OF OIL BECAUSE IT WAS OVERFILLED.
20 MILE DRIVE HOME, GOT LIGHT TAPPING AT MILE 19?

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

Consider flushing the engine with 6 quarts of ATF, sometime there is some sludge that will cause lifter and or rocker noise.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

AGAIN THIS AM , QUITE AT START THE TAPPING RETURNSWHEN UP TO OPERATING TEMP.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfTwiE-D3Gs

I too have a 2003 Disco that develops a ticking noise once in a while.

Does your ticking sound like my post on youtube?

If so it's an easy fix.

MWMG

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

Ok, I am intriged, whats the fix?

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

I'd be curious what the fix is also. Sounds like something that would be good for everyone to know.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

read the comments of vid, he says just oil additive.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

ATF flush works.
Mobil-1 definitely helps.
Mobil-1 filter likely helps.

My tick comes and goes, mostly goes.

When I hear the tick I simply do an induction cleaning, then I follow it up with a Seafoam crankcase cleaning. And it's gone... meaning in suppression for 25,000ish miles.

My resolve: I simply drain 10oz of oil. Then I replenish it with 10 ounces of Seafoam. I start the engine and let it idol until the ticking stops (usually 30-45 minutes). Seafoam publishes a tech sheet that suggests driveing 100 miles, but I prefer to go the softer route idol+time.

When finished, the oil will drain out like water and the scum that is causing the lifters to stick will be loosened and hopefully drain out with it.

I replinish the oil, replace the filter and it's good. Another oil change at 1,000 miles to expell any residual Seafoam and grime.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

I have a 94 that has a similar problem. I have done the ATF, induction cleaning and seafoam in the gas, and still have the tick. In fact the motor ran worse after it all. I have not tried the seafoam in the oil so I might try that next. I actually think that the seafoam in the tank toasted the fuel pump. If that does not work then I am getting the heads rebuilt. Good luck with your solution.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

THAT IS THE TAPPING NOISE.
USING SYNTHETIC OIL KMN FILTER FOR LAST 2 CHANGES. SEA FOAM 10 K AGO. DEALER PULLED OIL PAN, AND CLEANED SLUDGE 10K? AGO.
NOW SITTING IN DEALERS LOT FOR AM SERVICE.
HOW FAR DID YOU DRIVE THE LR WITH THE TAPPING? RISK OF DAMAGE?

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

If that is your exact same tapping noise then you have lifter noise, you can drive it like that forever.
These trucks have hydrolic lifters, the only real fix is new lifters.
Keep using the full synthetic motor oil, change it every 5,000 miles and dont worry about it.
If/when you replace your head gaskets do new lifters at that same time.

I had a Chevy that did the exact same thing, thicker motor oil made the lifter noise go away.

My old Ford work van did the same thing too, over 100,000 miles later it still ticked and still ran great.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

mine is on the same frequency as that but it is coming from underneath and more "tinky". like someone tapping a metal pipe with a hammer. worse when it is cold and not bad when it heats up

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

The audio in the youtube post is tinnier than it plays back.

My video camera has a background noise reduction feature that gates ticks, clicks....

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

As for mine i have been driving on it for over a year and a half now. It is not there when I start the engine cold and then it will come later on. It sounds like there is no oil getting up there. I have thought about replacing the lifters too since they are fairly cheap. I am going to try the seafoam in the engine and see what it does.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

Rob-what weight of motor oil are you using?

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

I have been using 10W40 full synthetic. I tried running 20W50 but it seemed to make the tapping far worse. I have also used Lucas Oil additive which seems to do some good but not really. Needless to say the previous owner never took very good care of the truck, I personally feel I have some oil valleys or tracks somewhere that are clogged in the heads.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

Have you tried a engine flush?

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

Yeah I have done the ATF flush twice. I had posted a pic of what the valve train looked liked after too and it was bad, I cannot find the pic right noe but believe me it would make you cringe.Thatis why I was just thinking of getting the heads rebuilt. I have spent more money on flushes and oil than it would have for the heads almost.

RE: TAPPING NOISE
 

I am with you, I would just wait until my head gaskets went and then new lifters and rockers at the same time.