S

shepejps02

New Member
Hi,
Not sure if I am posting this in the right place but anyway... I have recently bought a 1995 Land Rover Discovery 3.9 V8 ES. When I first bought it about a month ago there was a slight ticking noise but nothing really too noticeable. After a couple of weeks of buying it I changed the oil using Halfords own brand 10W40 semi-synthetic (as recommended in Haynes manual) along with a new oil filter (again Halfords own brand). Since driving the Discovery over the past couple of weeks since changing the oil I have noticed that the ticking noise is getting slightly worse (more noticeable). It's hard to tell but from listing carefully it sounds like it's coming from the drivers side, top of the engine.
Here's a quick video I done today (NOTE quality is poor as it was filmed on my phone camera and the video makes the noise sound more like a knock whereas it's more of a ticking in real life):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vnqAc2ry0s
Anyone any ideas?
Cheers Josh

Forgot to mention, the ticking noise seems to be slightly more noticable when the engines warm.
 
Last edited:
Could be worn lifters or cam lobes or both. This happened on mine and it just got so bad it was embarrassing...people turning to look. Although mine was a 4.0l I was told the engine webs/castings can shield oil from getting on the lifters at the back of the engine so they wear more. Taking it apart revealed two lifters with completely dished surfaces so I replaced the cam/lifters in one epic Sunday (it was a long day). I'm not saying this is your problem - could be a small end I suppose - but it would be first on my list
 
I use Halfords 20w-50 classic oil as the semi synthetic stuff is a bit too thin and has too much detergent for the old v8 lumps. I made my noisy cam followers even worse
 
You have a slipped liner me old china.

Exact same symptoms as mine - you have probably got a worn camshaft as well.

the liner issue will prove terminal for the engine.

you have four options.

1. Rebuild the engine with top hat liners and new cam (3k minimum)
2. Use the car until it dies and put up with the noise and then sell it for spares.
3. Sell it as is.
4. get a secondhand engine fitted - with the knowledge that this can happen to any 3.9/4.0/4.6.

Unfortunately this is a very common problem and may of us have had the same experience.

Derek Allfrey Landrovers at Kirdford in Sussex will supply and fit you a low-miles secondhand 3.9 engine for about 1500 pounds - he has a dozen or so Discos and Range rovers with terminal rust sitting at the back of his farm but the mechanicals are all in fine fettle. His number is 07793 238964.

he has just restored my defender and has done a great job.
 
worn lifter or cam lobes
worn rocker arm
slipped liner

does it get worse when hot or cold?

the halfords oil has fook all zinc in it even the classic one. if you want 20w50 get comma sonic, loads of zinc for the flat tappets and only £13 for 5liters.
 
fett said:
worn lifter or cam lobes
worn rocker arm
slipped liner

does it get worse when hot or cold?

the halfords oil has fook all zinc in it even the classic one. if you want 20w50 get comma sonic, loads of zinc for the flat tappets and only £13 for 5liters.
Click to expand...
Gets slightly worse when hot.

I am starting to think a possible blow in head gasket? Could that be causing this sort of noise? Just noticed she's using a bit of coolant (no leaks so assume engine is burning it) and when I shut her off there's an odd smell which reminds me of a smell a friends car made just before the head gasket completely went on that.
Cheers,Josh
 
its defo one of those where it could be a number of things.

either dive in now and hope for the best, or forget about it for a while and see what happens.

i think its drastic to say slipped liner as it could easily be a bad tappet, which i endured on my old 3.5 for a few years without any serious bother apart from noise and worn engine power output.

if its got a slipped liner you need a block so think hard about your plan fro the future as top hat 94mm bore rover v8 block is basically a good investment if you will be playing about with v8s for years to come as the block will last you well not matter what engine you build into it.

let us know what your thinking is.

cheers :)
 
okayyyyy should have watched the video first!! :eek:

that does NOT sound like cam followers to me!

GULP.
 
Thanks for all the responses chaps. Been doing a little reading and I came across something somewhere that stated that a slipped liner would generally only be heard once the engine is warmed up... in this instance the noise on mine is there all the time, just gets slightly more noticeable when warm, leading me to think perhaps it's not a slipped liner? Noticed that the engine has been using more water as well, not loads but the level has dropped a little after circa 200 miles of driving.
I guess my question now is, is there an "easy" way to confirm that this problem is the liner(without taking the heads off, for example)? Out of interest, what causes the liners on these engines to slip, is it mainly down to poor design or could it be because, for example, the engine has overheated in the past and subsequently the block has developed a crack, causing the liner to no longer be gripped securely in position?
I have experienced no overheating as such, which again from reading up is a possible symptom of a slipped liner?
I paid £900 for her, 1995, 170k miles (full dealer/specialist history to 130/140k)... haven't owned it very long but really like it, would like to try and fix the problem and keep her if possible (maybe buy a second hand engine for a few hundred quid and rebuild that so I know everything is spot on then just swap the engines out). What are your thoughts?
Cheers Josh
 
Yes in response to most of above re slipped liner, overheating is very bad for these!

poor design, quality and manufacture is the cause.

you could get a sniff test done, they are no conclusive if negative but if positive it will at least mean the heads have to come off for hgf and then you could see if a liner has slipped too with a visual check, not 100% either but the most common way we tell here
 
Had a look yesterday turns out the drivers side exhaust manifold bolts were loose! Tightened them up and instantly the ticking is much quieter, although not completely gone. I have assumed that the exhaust gaskets are gone so have ordered a set of 4 for £9, hopefully this will fix the issue. I shall keep you posted.
Josh
 
Gaskets have arrived today.
With regards to coolant use it turns out I have a very small crack in the top of my radiator, have used some araldite to repair it and seems to have done the trick. Will continue to monitor the coolant level hopefully the leak was the only cause of coolant loss.
Should get the exhaust sorted tomorrow, post an update once done.
Cheers Josh
 
Very bizarre noise if it is exhaust leak, sounded completely irregular which I couldn't figure out!
 
Well how about that!

The kind and good people on here generally give honest advice based on the assumption that things like rad leaks, exhaust manifolds etc have been checked as a first line of investigation before posting and that the the owner is still at a loss having done all the basics

Obviously all replies to V8 questions with funny noises now need to start as follows........

'Have you made sure the exhaust manifolds are done up tightly!!!!!!!!!'
 
shepejps02 said:
Gaskets have arrived today.
With regards to coolant use it turns out I have a very small crack in the top of my radiator, have used some araldite to repair it and seems to have done the trick. Will continue to monitor the coolant level hopefully the leak was the only cause of coolant loss.
Should get the exhaust sorted tomorrow, post an update once done.
Cheers Josh
Click to expand...

ee you lucky bastid, well done pal, this lot would of had you buying a bleeding new block, ooh, aah... Result.
 
fett said:
worn lifter or cam lobes
worn rocker arm
slipped liner

does it get worse when hot or cold?

the halfords oil has fook all zinc in it even the classic one. if you want 20w50 get comma sonic, loads of zinc for the flat tappets and only £13 for 5liters.
Click to expand...

Fett - what exactly does a worn rocker arm sound like? Does it tick, knock, rattle?
 
fett said:
Yes in response to most of above re slipped liner, overheating is very bad for these!

poor design, quality and manufacture is the cause.

you could get a sniff test done, they are no conclusive if negative but if positive it will at least mean the heads have to come off for hgf and then you could see if a liner has slipped too with a visual check, not 100% either but the most common way we tell here
Click to expand...

Why not check from the bottom? After all - its easier to remove the oild pan than take the heads down
 
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