So I've posted several times about my rovers engine knock/ tick or whatever you want to call it. I have gotten a lot of very good replies and idea's on what to check to see what exactly it is. I have been stopped at gas stations and super markets more times than I can count with people giving me there opinion about the noise my truck makes. People have said "blown head gasket, broken rocker arm, lifter noise, cracked flex plate, rod noise, crank case issues". Now over the past few months of driving it locally mostly and on a few occasions for hours at a time here is what I have noticed. It leaks oil mainly from the valve covers and maybe from the rear main seal. Its a slow leak and is only apparent on long drives when I can smell oil burning and I top it off about once a week and I check it daily. The noise takes about 2 minutes to start and up to five minutes on colder days when the temp is below 50 degrees. After that initial start up it starts the clobbering sound immediately when cranked up. When I drive on the highways it just sounds like a really fast clicking that isn't very loud or noticeable at around 70 mph and at 80 mph it is gone. Slower speeds and its loud as heck. Yesterday I was out at a friends house and his neighbor heard me has I started her up before I left and we talked about it for several minutes. He said the rocker arm was broken and when I mentioned the other things people had said he mentioned that it could be the flex plate as well. He said either way I want to fix it sooner than later (*which is something I think everyone agrees on except my wallet*) He said that for some beer he can help me fix it any time. Very generous fella, I think he was half drunk when he said this and I'm pretty sure he's a retired mechanic and definitely an alcoholic. Either way I think I'm gonna have him help me because I get to learn a lot in the process. Here is a link of the sound on first start up of the day down below. What do you guys think we should do first to find out the problem? There is not any smoke coming out of the exhaust but it does drip a little water. It does not over heat, Shifts and drives good, some times when I floor it it seems like it hesitates a little its hard to explain but it feels like a slight jump if you try to floor it.

 

If he's a mechanic and an alcoholic that probably means he's worked on Rovers before.

 

Lets hope so!

 

It's not the steering pump is it? Mine was making a noise like that when the engine warmed up a bit, and it would come and go at various times.

 

This noise is definitely consistent the only time I don't hear it is some times at high speeds its rattling really fast and will go away for a bit then come back but i've only recently noticed that while going 80 on the high way and even at 75 you can hear it. To me its more of a clicking or like an old locomotive sound maybe but at high speeds its much faster and slightly quieter but that may be from the wind and other cars on the high way that I can't hear it as well. I'm gonna try to get it to that guys shop pretty soon so we can finally take it apart and find out what it is for sure and fix it.

 

A few vids from driving it today. In the first video I record from under the truck. The main sound sounds like it is coming from above where the transmission pan is. So is that indicative of a cracked flex plate? Also if you listen closely you can hear a second noise coming from possibly the lifters.

 

Doesn't sound like a rod or main bearing knocking. pull the inspection cover on the bell housing and take a root around

 

Try cutting off about 4 feet from an old garden hose and make a stethoscope. Probe around with one end, while holding other end directly on your ear. When you find the source of the noise, it will be unmistakable. Be sure to check all exhaust flanges for leaks too.

 

Yes. This☝️
Get your a$$ under there and put hands & eyes on things. Enough with the noises & sound clips; opinions on everything from PAS pump to valve train. Get your tool kit out and lets start pulling parts.

 

Hard part about this is that I live in an apartment and they threaten to kick me out if I change my oil let alone drop a transmission. I am very eager to start pulling this thing a part however. Found a guy with a shop a few miles away who has reasonable prices and will let me help him tinker with it. I will update once I can get it in there and we can take think a part and finally figure this one out. Thanks for all the help so far guys you have been great!