I've changed my oil twice on my Rover and both times I've noticed a slight metallic shimmer in my oil (using Valvoline Maxlife 10-40 synthetic blend)... I have to add about a quart of oil every 3-4 weeks... the weather has heated up here in Alabama and I now get a tick at idle in my afternoon commutes, never in the morning... I have exactly one drip of oil under my rig every morning.

It still runs like a champ, but I have a feeling something will go wrong sooner rather than later.

 

where talking maybe 20+ flakes with lots of smaller sprinkles. I basically have parked it untill I figure out what to do with it.

 

Well, I got rid of 3/4 of my lifter noise. Using a mechanic's stethoscope to track down the tick mine seemed to be coming from the upper part of the engine on the driver's side rear. I accidentally put the scope on the purge valve and the tapping noise blew out my ears! It was faster than the other 'tick" I was hearing but the two together made it seem like one tick that was quite a bit louder. The purge valve is about the only thing I haven't replaced on the upper part of my engine so I bit the bullet and bought a new one (LR part for $94 at Brit pacific with hoses and quick connects - ouch). After replacing it the engine runs way smoother and putting the scope on the new purge valve revealed absolute silence even after an hour thunder run to test it. I should get better mileage as the engine runs a rich fuel adaptation when the valve malfunctions.

Then for kicks I did a 20 minute ATF flush, which I had never done before. (Don't worry Spike I have changed my oil 12 times in 2 years to get ready for this and after the flush the drained atf was crystal clear - so my engine is pretty dang clean). I refilled with rotella 15-40 and the lifter tick is still intermittent (but a lot less intermittent) and maybe half as loud as it was after the purge valve fix and before the flush. So I fixed 3/4 of the problem and I'll live with the rest.

Moral of the story - if the tick is coming from the top driver's side rear - check the purge valve - it should be whisper quiet - if it sounds like a freight train like mine did - replace it.

 

I will never understand why you guys fill your engine with a non lubricating fluid and run it, you are just asking for trouble in my opinion.

 

X2: replacing bearings is next.

 

Right. Maybe I should just junk out the truck because I'm in the vin range and my oil pump will go bad. Maybe every single guy who's done a 10 minute atf flush has totally hosed his engine and should just junk his car right now and buy a new engine like you did. Or maybe you should just relax and quit thinking everyone else is going to have the same sh***y luck you had with your truck. I feel for you, bro, I really do but that doesn't mean I'm doomed to walk in your footsteops. X2 ;-)

 

I've never done an atf flush in my Rover but, I have done them in other cars I've owned. Spike has a point, atf is a hydraulic type fluid, I always just used one quart atf added to the engine oil, idled the car for maybe 10-15 min. and then the oil came out pitch black when I drained it. I learned this from an old military mechanic who has used this trick for decades. He told me that you just want the detergent properties of the atf but, still need the lubrication of the oil to run the engine. Just a thought, I mean no offense to anyone and I can't tell you what to do, but that's what I've done in the past.
My Rover LOVES to tick, sometimes it goes away for days at a time but always comes back. I would just drive it. These things are known for having oil passages which are just plain too small. I think that's why they tick mostly at low rpm or idle. It doesn't take much sludge in the oil to partially plug something up and restrict oil flow.
The metal flakes in the oil could be the hardened surfaces of the lifters and/or cam shaft wearing away, or the surface of the main bearings flaking off.

 

So, in your opinion are the flakes normal?

 

There should never be any flakes in any oil drained from any car.

 

I'm not dumb enough to do an atf flush, never did one and never will. I don't see the reason for your post.
BTW I had a slipped liner and rebuilt another engine, things break and you fix them, that's part of Rover life.