I have an 03 Disco in the vin range with 90k. Runs like new but just developed an intermittent ticking/tapping sound (more like a light rapid tap, definitely not a knock) that seems to be emanating from the top of the engine on the driver's side. It happens mainly when warm at idle and disappears at around 1000 rpm. The car when running above that is full of power and quiet.

Before the usual suspects here start screaming - "You're F****d! It's the oil Pump! Get a new truck!" Sorry to disappoint y'all but my cold oil pressure at idle is 25 and cold pressure at 2k is 55. Oil pressure at hot idle is 20 and pressure hot at 2k is 51. So oil pump is good (you could eat off the engine when I bought it at 70k so my gut tells me this one got replaced early on).

I'm **** about oil changes and change oil and KM 301 filter every 2k with Rotella 15-40. I don't think it's a 'slipped liner' because a slipped liner is very rare on an 03 or 04 (different design), especially since it only rears its ugly head at idle and it's intermittent.

Someone here mentioned that sometimes a lifter won't fill and gets stuck and that one can sometimes remedy this right after an oil change by driving for 20 minutes or so at 2k or higher? Urban legend?

Anything else I can try without tearing down the top of the engine?

Thanks in advance. BTW: Truck runs perfect so if I have to live with it, I can.

 

Mine has been ticking as long as I have owned it, it has 210,000 miles now. I would not worry about it, just turn the radio up.

Willie

 

I've an '04 that "ticks". It's ticked since 45k miles and has 93k now.

 

My 03 ticks as well, exactly the same. My tick normally goes away if I drive about 1 hour at highway speed, then slowly comes back over a couple of days. It is definitely worse on short trips.

 

Mine started tapping about a week or so ago. Have you crawled underneath to see if its louder under more then at the top? Here is what mine sounds like: DSCF2909.mp4 video by 94svt50 - Photobucket

 

Hey 94svt50... Thanks for recording and posting what your's sounds like.... Until I changed my head gaskets, I hadn't paid attention to what my engine sounded like. This being my first V8, and the only DiscoII engine I ever hear, I don't have a baseline reference for what it's supposed to sound like etc...

Any chance anyone else could post a recording of what their Disco sounds like?

Cheers,

Thomas

 

Thanks for the audio. That's the sound. Mine isn't quite as loud and is tonally a bit higher. It disappears for awhile after I rev it and IS a bit louder on short trips.

What exactly is it? Hydraulic lifter that gets intermittently clogged? Would 10-40 be better than 15-40? It's been very cold this winter in so cal and I'm thinking maybe the 15-40 is too thick. It never did this in the summer.

 

I would run 10-40 and see if that changes out the sound next oil change for sure. Slight lifter noise is nothing to be too concerned about though.

 

Mine actually started after I switched to 5w40 synthetic. I have tried going back with 10w40 and 15w40 but it makes no difference. The noise on mine is the loudest directly underneath the engine and equally loud when listening from each front wheel well. Its the quietest when listening under the hood at top of motor thats why I doubt its top end related. My current theory is one or two bigend rod bearings. I need to drop oil pan and have a look, I also ran my oil pressure numbers and they where all in specs.

 

Been there done that, it's not the bearings. Big ends make a deep thump, not the more metallic tick you are hearing. I recon it's piston slap.