ticking from engine

[bilge rat]

300 tdi, got a very light ticking from engine, not always been there, did wonder iff it was start of head gasket. but looks o.k. checked tappets there all o.k. is it poss it could be the brake vacume pump, heard they can get noisey but unsure of the noise they make ?. sounds to the rear of the engine. cheers alan......

[Disco69]

Have you changed the oil recently?
Has the engine been overheated at all?
Does it lose any coolant?

Are you using the same fuel that you usually use? my old 300tdi used to be noisier when using lower quality 'supermarket' fuels.

[TEMPL4R]

Check the lift pump arm.

Chris

[bilge rat]

Have you changed the oil recently?
Has the engine been overheated at all?
Does it lose any coolant?

Are you using the same fuel that you usually use? my old 300tdi used to be noisier when using lower quality 'supermarket' fuels.


changed the oil about 500 mile ago, 10w/40 semi synth
never over heated since ive had it.
doesnt use any coolant, did replace the p gasket some time ago and have tweeked the pump slightly . milage is about 140.000 she pulls like a train and doesnt smoke. think there is a little piston slap there but eases up when warm, thanks alan....

[bilge rat]

Check the lift pump arm.

Chris

does the lift pump arm just where out , guess it runs off the cam ?. to the rear of the engine isnt it. i'll check with me stethascope. i know there not the quitest engine by no means but has got noisier lately which is why im a little concerned. cheers alan......

[Budgie]

If it's the head gasket then you'll be able to feel it.
It goes at the back of the head and you have to stretch to feel it as it's between the cylinder head and the bulkhead that you're looking for.

Mine had the same ticking noise at the back of the engine and it took ages before I found it.

The photo below is my old head gasket so you can see where it split.

[TEMPL4R]

does the lift pump arm just where out ..
The pivot wears, the lever arm wears on the cam and the primer arm can rattle if it isn't clipped back up.

Chris

[toppa]

My exhaust gasket blew, it made a ticking type sound, louder with more revs and under load...


Cheers

[bilge rat]

thanks guys, will have a look cheers. alan......

[coop11]

Just finished changing a blown head gasket on our old fordson tractor. Made the same clicking noise as you described - the clicking became faster with higher revs. Was not immediately obvious as the gasket had blown between the engine and the bulkhead. As well as the clicking there was a slight loss of power.

[bilge rat]

the noise seems worse , heavier than it usually is. theres something not quite right but just cant put me finger on it. dont know iff the 300 block suffers from piston slap but worse when cold, cheers alan....

[Disco69]

It could be the injectors - when they get warn or 'coked up' they lose their fuel spray pattern and just dribble the fuel into the cylinders instead of atomising it.
This can cause a louder knock and causes more piston slap than usual. Its usually worse when engine is cold but then they're noisey engines at the best of times!

[bilge rat]

thanks for that, i have altered the pump fuelling but only slightly. did wonder iff the cold and the fact me adjusting the pump may have something to do with it ?. (like a deisel knock). alan.....

[Disco69]

There have been a few days this winter that I've thought there was something wrong with my disco because it was noticably noisier some days but then realised the weather has been a bit odd this year - relatively warm then suddenly cold mornings then warm spells then cold again.

I've adjustd the pump on mine and it made it slightly noisier too.

[bilge rat]

think i'm going to have to see how it goes . still seems to pull o.k. cheers alan....

[Budgie]

I still had plenty of pull on mine when the head gasket was leaking!!
Have you checked at the back of the head/block for the signs of a blown head gasket?

[bilge rat]

yeah had a look with a mirror, and a good feel round with the engine running. couldn't feel any thing, thanks i will recheck it .alan......

[bilge rat]

The pivot wears, the lever arm wears on the cam and the primer arm can rattle if it isn't clipped back up.

Chris

hi chris, just been under me landy to check a few little bits, looked up at the lift pump and the primer arm was unclipped and pointing towards the floor. i didnt think it had one, last time i changed the filter couldn't feel it . know why now. clipped it back up bent the arm slightly to hold it better, interesting iff that is the noise. cheers .alan....

[nzlandies]

Something else to think about. The caps that sit on the valves under the tappets are a ****** for falling out. If they do they make a tapping sound. I wonder when you did the tappets was one well out of adjustment.

[bilge rat]

thanks but all were o.k. did have that happen to me 200, does make eck of a difference too. alan.....