DB9 engine ticking noise - help please
Discussion
Hello Tony, good to put a face to the name yesterday 
Stereo, don't think I haven't thought about it, and when I do turn it on, the tick does go. The problem is I have a bit of a blast to do soon, and the tick is getting louder, and it must be something, so the last thing I want is the prop shaft dropping off in Berlin
PS - Your cars wicked
Stereo, don't think I haven't thought about it, and when I do turn it on, the tick does go. The problem is I have a bit of a blast to do soon, and the tick is getting louder, and it must be something, so the last thing I want is the prop shaft dropping off in Berlin
PS - Your cars wicked
F1 NDW said:
It may be an exhaust manifold leak developing.
Hello F1, is there any chance you could expand this answer/question. I am looking at the issue of, "ticking", again, and the noise is non existant when cold and only appears when hot, the noise is getting louder with time, not a lot louder, but enough for me to notice.I don't know for love nor money if it is the problem, but I am of the opinion that cheapest option first. I can get the manifold gaskets and the exhaust gaskets and a few of the clamps and replace them to see if there is a tiny hole somewhere. I have looked and I can't see any hole.
However, a number of different forums etc, have given a leaky exhaust as a possible reason for a tick, especially if the tick is developing.......
Manifold...? Exhaust clamps...? Gaskets...?
F1 ..... any thoughts
drofnavi said:
with a good professional exhaust gas analyser?
Hello drofnavi, sounds a good idea, I never thought of this, I just looked on eBay and the gas analysers are related to the pre-MOT testing, for detecting CO in exhaust gas. I think I know what you mean though, the equipement we use when testing/looking for gas leaks in Central Heating Systems. I would use ours, but they are dedicated Natural Gas detectors. If you know of a link, i'll willing look again. F1 NDW said:
Gaskets.
peterr96 said:
Clamps.
F1 and Peter 96, both men of many words ……. But enough words to get be thinking and along with drofnavi PM’ing me with what I think is a bril idea, I thought of ……… 
I have been thinking about the tick and whether it could be the exhaust, the reason for my reticence, is that I know that the gaskets will cost about £10.00 and the work to change them will be a few days (well for me).
The tick is most noticeable on tick-over, now at 750 rpm, that means that the prop-shaft is turning at over 12 times per second. I can hear the tick up to about 1200, maybe 1500 rpm, at that speed the prop-shaft is turning at 25 times per second. However, when I time the tick, its about 2 times per second.Above 1500 rpm, the general noise of the exhaust overtakes the tick, unless the car is on a ramp and I’m underneath it., then I have to listen out for it, otherwise I don’t have to strain to listen.
If it were the prop-shaft making the noise, surely the, “tick”, would be every revolution…!
So I would hear 12 ticks per second, and at 12 ticks per second, increasing to 25 ticks per second, the ticks would merge into each other and no longer be a tick.Whilst on the GenAMR open day I was allowed to take these photos in their workshop, (thank you Gen AMR) these photos are of the prop-shaft torque tube, (ok it’s a manual version not an Auto – but I can’t believe its that different).
If anyone has any idea where a tick could be coming from in this torque tube ………. answers on a postcared please
So if the, “tick”, is running at 1/6 engine speed, and the V12 exhaust is divided into 2 x 6 cyd, could not the, “tick”, be coming from a broken gasket or heavens forbid a broken manifold.
A drofnavi said to look for black or white marks on the manifold, I think this could be a bril idea.
Noises travel really well among metallic objects and hence I’m open to any suggestion …….
Hello Boys, thanks for your input, 7 pages of posts and we can't agree if its a shaft or a tube ....... 
Received this PM from a fellow PH'er who tells me he can't be ar5ed to post anymore .......
Hello Mav
Regarding you thoughts on the tick coming from an exhaust leak.
Don’t forget that on a four stroke engine an exhaust leak close to the head may only tick at half the engine rev frequency i.e. once every other revolution, but depending on different exhaust designs anything is possible.
An exhaust tick will sometimes disappear when decelerating and increase when accelerating. So is the noise there on overrun?
To help isolate an exhaust leak noise, disconnect one injector at a time and see if the noise changes or disappears with that specific cylinder disabled.
But you are saying it ticks at about 1/6th engine rev frequency. Very strange, I will put my thinking cap on, that’s if I can find it
In the past I have found barely audible exhaust leaks with a smoke machine.
Regards
C
Hello C , thanks for that. I'm always of the opinon that, "cheapest first", to pull the injectors one at a time is going to be cheaper than changing all the gaskets on the exhaust system, I thought I could disconnect the plugs first, but with no fuel injected into the cyd, then there should be less pressure and thus be able to spot the noise/tick easier.
C, thanks for th input and the idea, you know who you are
Received this PM from a fellow PH'er who tells me he can't be ar5ed to post anymore .......
Hello Mav
Regarding you thoughts on the tick coming from an exhaust leak.
Don’t forget that on a four stroke engine an exhaust leak close to the head may only tick at half the engine rev frequency i.e. once every other revolution, but depending on different exhaust designs anything is possible.
An exhaust tick will sometimes disappear when decelerating and increase when accelerating. So is the noise there on overrun?
To help isolate an exhaust leak noise, disconnect one injector at a time and see if the noise changes or disappears with that specific cylinder disabled.
But you are saying it ticks at about 1/6th engine rev frequency. Very strange, I will put my thinking cap on, that’s if I can find it
In the past I have found barely audible exhaust leaks with a smoke machine.
Regards
C
Hello C
, thanks for that. I'm always of the opinon that, "cheapest first", to pull the injectors one at a time is going to be cheaper than changing all the gaskets on the exhaust system, I thought I could disconnect the plugs first, but with no fuel injected into the cyd, then there should be less pressure and thus be able to spot the noise/tick easier.C, thanks for th input and the idea, you know who you are
GTDB7 ...... where have you been .....?
Your post was not what I wanted to hear, but hear it I did.
I can understand that in changing the lashes etc, leaving the original socket that it goes in, will just result in the problem coming back. The engine tick only happened within my ownership and it was sorted in about 3000 miles (or maybe even less). Since changing the lashes and Rockers, the engine tick competely went, and has now done about 5000 miles since being changed and the engine tick has not come back at all .... at all ....., indeed I am pretty pleased with the engine noise, its justs the noise of mechanical engine whirring
When the lashes were changed the noise went immediately, but when the whole car warmed up, another tick appeared from below the car. It sounds like it comes from the tube or shaft or whatever you want to call it (that long pipe bit between the gearbox and the engine)
I have looked at length at the tube/shaft/pipe thingy and spent a while looking at the original on the bench, and I cannot see where a noise would come from. But confusion is coming from the 12 revolutions per second and only 2 ticks per second. Also when its cold, there is no tick, as it warms up it appears. But then to add confusion sometimes there is no tick at all when warm.
A problem that we are running against is that noise travels really well on metallic objects and hence the difficulty in accurately diagnostics.
You are right about the inlet manifolds though, it does make it difficult to pull plugs whilst trying to run the engine. Do you think the Mr C's idea of pulling an injector would help? Its the same Mr C that you know so well .....
Your post was not what I wanted to hear, but hear it I did.
I can understand that in changing the lashes etc, leaving the original socket that it goes in, will just result in the problem coming back. The engine tick only happened within my ownership and it was sorted in about 3000 miles (or maybe even less). Since changing the lashes and Rockers, the engine tick competely went, and has now done about 5000 miles since being changed and the engine tick has not come back at all .... at all ....., indeed I am pretty pleased with the engine noise, its justs the noise of mechanical engine whirring
When the lashes were changed the noise went immediately, but when the whole car warmed up, another tick appeared from below the car. It sounds like it comes from the tube or shaft or whatever you want to call it (that long pipe bit between the gearbox and the engine)
I have looked at length at the tube/shaft/pipe thingy and spent a while looking at the original on the bench, and I cannot see where a noise would come from. But confusion is coming from the 12 revolutions per second and only 2 ticks per second. Also when its cold, there is no tick, as it warms up it appears. But then to add confusion
sometimes there is no tick at all when warm.A problem that we are running against is that noise travels really well on metallic objects and hence the difficulty in accurately diagnostics.
You are right about the inlet manifolds though, it does make it difficult to pull plugs whilst trying to run the engine. Do you think the Mr C's idea of pulling an injector would help? Its the same Mr C that you know so well .....
GTDB7 said:
The injector test is a simple one and can be done with ease, so it's worth while doing just to tick it off the list.
I thought it looked difficult to do, I’ll give it a go and tick it off list. GTDB7 said:
good probe around the engine with an electronic stephoscope.
If you can narrow down the area and location it then gives more chance to focus our thoughts
I have a video edoscope now and a metal stethoscope. The problem is that metallic things have an uncanny knack of transmitting noise. If you can narrow down the area and location it then gives more chance to focus our thoughts
I spent about 30 minutes with the stethoscope yesterday, and the noise is coming from all over the place.
The coolant thermostat sounds like it has a proper tick in it, but there are no moving parts in it, so noise is being transmitted. There is also the alternator, this has a tick in it, but it obviously does not because it can’t, again noise transmission. When I stand by the side of the car (either side) you can hear a clear tick, when you go above the engine you cannot here it so well, the top of the engine sounds great. I have put the stethoscope on the exhaust manifolds (actually the heat shields) and there does appear to be a tick. But then there is with the thermostat and alternator.
When the engine is cold, there is no noise, when warmed up there is a noise I said 2 ticks per second, it could be as many as 3 ticks per second, but no more. Its really difficult to count the ticks.
I could not believe that the crank was turning at 12rps, until I watched it and listened to the tick at the same time, they are defo running at different speeds.
GTDB7 said:
Some cars do have noises that will NEVER go away no matter what you change or do.
I didn’t want to read that ….. GTDB7 said:
From what I can gather if the tick is at a much reduced frequency to the engine RPM, then it has to be either valve train, Cam chains, Gearbox related.
or that …… GTDB7 said:
If you can narrow down the area and location it then gives more chance to focus our thoughts.
I am rather very hopeful about the exhaust issue as a guess. 
The tick is quite a pronounced tick, and as such, if there was something snagging or hitting on something, if the engine is turning at 12 times per second and then much faster, then something, “rubbing”, wouldn’t last very long, let-alone 3000 miles at autobahn speeds and a few thousand miles of normal driving.My experience of metallic failure is that it does not last long before it fails.
Couple this with the fact the engine runs like a turbine, full power, no drop off, drives a dream, driving mile after mile …….
An exhaust leakage would last forever, give no power drop off, would allow the engine to run smooth and would get slightly worse as time went on.
I think I will order all the manifold gaskets and exhaust gaskets, nuts a bolts and get them changed. I’m just about to take the old girl on a run to France, it would be nice to get the manifolds perfectly secure and then test it on a 1500 mile run at a stead 129kmh .....
Hello Boys and Girls, Have been away for a while and now the cooler weather is back I want to try and look at resolving this matter, it’s gone on long enough, although whether this problem is for resolving is another matter.
Over the past few months I have been in contact with a few quite tech minded individual, 2 very good guys up north, one in Northern Ireland, Florida and more recently our Dubai contact, really does sound like a script from James Bond, with people that far away…..
DB7 and DB9 engines are, obviously different, but also the same, there seems to be a number of noises and ticks that emanate from them, there was a guy in Spain with a DBS and I understand that it was more an oscillation problem.
Our friend in Dubai and I think up north are (and it’s a guess) having problem with the Lashes etc, Myself and Florida are suffering a more deeper seated tick, but less intrusive.
What I did not know is that there are a lot of people with some sort of noise and as the V12’s get higher mileages, 50k + so the noises are starting to appear, what I’m saying is, its not just a few of us whack-ball idiots with a problem, more and people are joining our ranks.
There are some quite considerable forum threads on this and people are still adding to them now ....
http://www.dubaipetrolheads.com/car-chat/aston-db7...
http://www.dubaipetrolheads.com/car-chat/aston-db7...
http://www.amoc.org/forum/index.php?action=printpa...
http://www.astonmartinlife.com/forums/engine-ticki...
Not forgetting Piston heads
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=122...
…and of course this thread
There has been a number of ideas as to what it could be, very common were the changes of Lashes etc on the top of the engine. There has been a lot of talk about this and some people have done it and others have not. In some cases the lashes etc have been changed and no difference has occurred or the noise has come back after a while. TBH, I can see this coming back, if the lashes are responsible for the noise and they are changed, only the symptoms are being addressed and not the cause.
For me, I changed the lashes and a huge metallic, “tick”, on the drivers side of the engine went immediately, brilliant. But then ONLY AFTER the engine warmed up and reached normal operating temp, did a lesser tick appear, I think that tick was always there, but was hidden by the nice big tick on the top of the engine.
I can live with the tick, but for me I ask myself, “why should I”, and to be honest it detracts fro the love of the machine, who wants a gloriously elegant machine with a tick?
Other ideas, and sound ideas as well, were not the cause. I changed the injectors, the exhaust joints, the exhaust manifold gaskets, more recently I was told it could be bearings or piston slap. I dropped the sump and changed the bearings. I am currently putting the engine back together and hope to start to run it in the next week or so, but the bearing shells I took out were as good as the day they went in, I also looked at the rest of the engine and piston bores were perfect, almost text book like, so is it piston slap, I very very much doubt it.
I also was told that the flywheel and the, pressure plate bolted to it, could be cracked and making the ticking noise, this sounded like a serious contender. Changed the plate, but it did not resolve the issue.
When running I will warm her up and wait for the tick, then disconnect the ancillaries and see if any of those were making a noise. I very much doubt this will do anything, but its certain a easy way of checking a lot quickly. If the bearing were going on the alternator, then I have a feeling that a grinding noise would be made.
Incidentally I asked Aston Martin for a tool that slackens off the drive belt, they said it was about £350.00 plus vat, but they would not sell it to me in any event, as they only sold it to Aston garages, so I went on to eBay and bought this…
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16-Piece-Ratchet-Action-...
Seems to fit mine and 10% of the costs, result. Thanks Aston, you saved me over £400.00.
Oil viscosity, there has been a discussion about this, I too have used different oils, all to no avail. DB9 is 0-40, available is 5-50 and 10-60, in the USA 0-50 is available (but not in the UK). Personally I have come to the conclusion not to. Use the 0-40, if you read through one of the forum threads, GTDB7 has discussed this and explained that the thicker oil may not make it all the way to the top of the engine, which is what we don’t want. GTDB7 does go into some detail.
In theory, in hot countries they should use thicker oil. But thinking about it, you only need thinner oil in a cold country on start up. Once started, the engines (all over the world) should run, “about”, the same temperature.
I could drone on and on, but the other forum links are interesting, and worth a read
if you have this issue, or if your engine is starting to get noisy. This is important, my engine did NOT develop a noise over night, it was a very slow process and gradually got worse, but then once a noise was apparent, it has not got any worse.
Other people on the link have terrible rattley engines, only to be told by Aston, “its normal”, in the links these people have had engine failures, which is understandable. If the engine came out of the factory, nice and tight and quiet, it cannot be normal for the engine to tick like a bag of nails.
From all nations across the world, people seem to be ranting on about the oil pump.
Either the oil pump is making the noise its self, or its not pumping enough oil and making something else tick through lack of oil or oil pressure. The oil pump could be worn and not providing enough pressure. Again GTDB7 has said that at tick over, the oil pressure is low and returns to normal when driving.
This could be important….
My tick ONLY appears when the engine is warmed up, and appears on queue….! As I rev the engine, even slightly, the tick goes, so I am not driving around with a ticky engine, only when stuck in traffic …….. Question is, is this a pump issue.
Alternatively, is the tick still there, but that the noise of the engine overtakes the tick, and the tick is still there, but I just cannot hear it. Having said that, I have driven quite a few miles and the engine runs like a turbine
, not a hint of a problem.
If it was the pump, what can be done?
Correct me if I am wrong, I’m sure people will, did this engine not start out as a XJS engine? Certainly the DB7 engine is the same as the DB9 and the Vanquish and indeed the DBS, its just all the bits and pieces on the outside that are the same and the engines itself has just been evolved.
The original DB9 oil pump part number has changed some what…
Original --- 4G4E-6621-AB
Ist evolution --- 8G43-6660-AB
Final evolution --- 8G43-04-11112
A Franchise dealer tells me that the current pump is the same for the DB9 as the DBS, so if I wanted a pump for my DB9, they will give me a DBS pump, brilliant ……..
So why does someone not just change the pump and see?
Ummmm, well first it cost £528.00 plus VAT , then you have the labour to put the damned thing in. Its not bolted on the side of the engine, its embedded in the engine.
I’m not certain as to what to do, but it looks like you take off the AirCon radiator, and the Coolant radiator, then the drive belt and any ancillaries, the camshaft covers, then the front engine cover. Then the cam chain, or chains, replace the pump and put back.
I contacted HR Owen in Cheltenham who want 26 hours at £136.00 per hour plus vat. Cardiff want 20 hours, and gave a cost of £3,300.00 plus vat, but he might be able to cut me a deal.
But at £4,000.00 plus vat, plus other stuff, then £5,000.00 is a lot of money to bury in a theory…..
I did take the car to Exeter Franchise dealer, who looked at the engine and said, “we don’t know”, then charged me £180.00 for the privilege of that information. I was impressed……
So what to do now , I think, aside from the oil pump and the ancillaries, I’ve tried most things. GT has just emailed and pointed out that whilst we can try all these things, at the end of the day it could be anything such as a piston ring etc.
What to do now …… ?
I have posted a separate thread on Piston Heads asking if anyone knows of an email address for Gaydon Tech Engineers. We could really do with their help….. I am guessing they are fearful that there will be a long trail of law suits, but I don’t think there will. If the engine fails after 6 months then, yes, Aston have an issue, but with the engines making a decade old and 100k miles, then I fail to see what Aston are worried about.
Having said that, are our engines designed for this kind of mileage? Look at the Lambo V12, I’m told a clutch lasts 5000 miles (if you’re lucky) and the engines are being rebuild all the time.
…am of course very interested as to what others are experiencing with this issue…….
Over the past few months I have been in contact with a few quite tech minded individual, 2 very good guys up north, one in Northern Ireland, Florida and more recently our Dubai contact, really does sound like a script from James Bond, with people that far away…..
DB7 and DB9 engines are, obviously different, but also the same, there seems to be a number of noises and ticks that emanate from them, there was a guy in Spain with a DBS and I understand that it was more an oscillation problem.
Our friend in Dubai and I think up north are (and it’s a guess) having problem with the Lashes etc, Myself and Florida are suffering a more deeper seated tick, but less intrusive.
What I did not know is that there are a lot of people with some sort of noise and as the V12’s get higher mileages, 50k + so the noises are starting to appear, what I’m saying is, its not just a few of us whack-ball idiots with a problem, more and people are joining our ranks.
There are some quite considerable forum threads on this and people are still adding to them now ....
http://www.dubaipetrolheads.com/car-chat/aston-db7...
http://www.dubaipetrolheads.com/car-chat/aston-db7...
http://www.amoc.org/forum/index.php?action=printpa...
http://www.astonmartinlife.com/forums/engine-ticki...
Not forgetting Piston heads
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=122...
…and of course this thread
There has been a number of ideas as to what it could be, very common were the changes of Lashes etc on the top of the engine. There has been a lot of talk about this and some people have done it and others have not. In some cases the lashes etc have been changed and no difference has occurred or the noise has come back after a while. TBH, I can see this coming back, if the lashes are responsible for the noise and they are changed, only the symptoms are being addressed and not the cause.
For me, I changed the lashes and a huge metallic, “tick”, on the drivers side of the engine went immediately, brilliant. But then ONLY AFTER the engine warmed up and reached normal operating temp, did a lesser tick appear, I think that tick was always there, but was hidden by the nice big tick on the top of the engine.
I can live with the tick, but for me I ask myself, “why should I”, and to be honest it detracts fro the love of the machine, who wants a gloriously elegant machine with a tick?
Other ideas, and sound ideas as well, were not the cause. I changed the injectors, the exhaust joints, the exhaust manifold gaskets, more recently I was told it could be bearings or piston slap. I dropped the sump and changed the bearings. I am currently putting the engine back together and hope to start to run it in the next week or so, but the bearing shells I took out were as good as the day they went in, I also looked at the rest of the engine and piston bores were perfect, almost text book like, so is it piston slap, I very very much doubt it.
I also was told that the flywheel and the, pressure plate bolted to it, could be cracked and making the ticking noise, this sounded like a serious contender. Changed the plate, but it did not resolve the issue.
When running I will warm her up and wait for the tick, then disconnect the ancillaries and see if any of those were making a noise. I very much doubt this will do anything, but its certain a easy way of checking a lot quickly. If the bearing were going on the alternator, then I have a feeling that a grinding noise would be made.
Incidentally I asked Aston Martin for a tool that slackens off the drive belt, they said it was about £350.00 plus vat, but they would not sell it to me in any event, as they only sold it to Aston garages, so I went on to eBay and bought this…
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16-Piece-Ratchet-Action-...
Seems to fit mine and 10% of the costs, result. Thanks Aston, you saved me over £400.00.
Oil viscosity, there has been a discussion about this, I too have used different oils, all to no avail. DB9 is 0-40, available is 5-50 and 10-60, in the USA 0-50 is available (but not in the UK). Personally I have come to the conclusion not to. Use the 0-40, if you read through one of the forum threads, GTDB7 has discussed this and explained that the thicker oil may not make it all the way to the top of the engine, which is what we don’t want. GTDB7 does go into some detail.
In theory, in hot countries they should use thicker oil. But thinking about it, you only need thinner oil in a cold country on start up. Once started, the engines (all over the world) should run, “about”, the same temperature.
I could drone on and on, but the other forum links are interesting, and worth a read
if you have this issue, or if your engine is starting to get noisy. This is important, my engine did NOT develop a noise over night, it was a very slow process and gradually got worse, but then once a noise was apparent, it has not got any worse.Other people on the link have terrible rattley engines, only to be told by Aston, “its normal”, in the links these people have had engine failures, which is understandable. If the engine came out of the factory, nice and tight and quiet, it cannot be normal for the engine to tick like a bag of nails.
From all nations across the world, people seem to be ranting on about the oil pump.
Either the oil pump is making the noise its self, or its not pumping enough oil and making something else tick through lack of oil or oil pressure. The oil pump could be worn and not providing enough pressure. Again GTDB7 has said that at tick over, the oil pressure is low and returns to normal when driving.
This could be important….
My tick ONLY appears when the engine is warmed up, and appears on queue….! As I rev the engine, even slightly, the tick goes, so I am not driving around with a ticky engine, only when stuck in traffic …….. Question is, is this a pump issue.
Alternatively, is the tick still there, but that the noise of the engine overtakes the tick, and the tick is still there, but I just cannot hear it. Having said that, I have driven quite a few miles and the engine runs like a turbine
, not a hint of a problem. If it was the pump, what can be done?
Correct me if I am wrong, I’m sure people will, did this engine not start out as a XJS engine? Certainly the DB7 engine is the same as the DB9 and the Vanquish and indeed the DBS, its just all the bits and pieces on the outside that are the same and the engines itself has just been evolved.
The original DB9 oil pump part number has changed some what…
Original --- 4G4E-6621-AB
Ist evolution --- 8G43-6660-AB
Final evolution --- 8G43-04-11112
A Franchise dealer tells me that the current pump is the same for the DB9 as the DBS, so if I wanted a pump for my DB9, they will give me a DBS pump, brilliant ……..
So why does someone not just change the pump and see?
Ummmm, well first it cost £528.00 plus VAT
, then you have the labour to put the damned thing in. Its not bolted on the side of the engine, its embedded in the engine. I’m not certain as to what to do, but it looks like you take off the AirCon radiator, and the Coolant radiator, then the drive belt and any ancillaries, the camshaft covers, then the front engine cover. Then the cam chain, or chains, replace the pump and put back.
I contacted HR Owen in Cheltenham who want 26 hours at £136.00 per hour plus vat. Cardiff want 20 hours, and gave a cost of £3,300.00 plus vat, but he might be able to cut me a deal.
But at £4,000.00 plus vat, plus other stuff, then £5,000.00 is a lot of money to bury in a theory…..
I did take the car to Exeter Franchise dealer, who looked at the engine and said, “we don’t know”, then charged me £180.00 for the privilege of that information. I was impressed……
So what to do now
, I think, aside from the oil pump and the ancillaries, I’ve tried most things. GT has just emailed and pointed out that whilst we can try all these things, at the end of the day it could be anything such as a piston ring etc.What to do now …… ?
I have posted a separate thread on Piston Heads asking if anyone knows of an email address for Gaydon Tech Engineers. We could really do with their help….. I am guessing they are fearful that there will be a long trail of law suits, but I don’t think there will. If the engine fails after 6 months then, yes, Aston have an issue, but with the engines making a decade old and 100k miles, then I fail to see what Aston are worried about.
Having said that, are our engines designed for this kind of mileage? Look at the Lambo V12, I’m told a clutch lasts 5000 miles (if you’re lucky) and the engines are being rebuild all the time.
…am of course very interested as to what others are experiencing with this issue…….
DB9VolanteDriver said:
Do try the cam cap fix mentioned above
Thanks DB9VDriver, I may have missed it, or forgotten it, what is the cam fix again....?At the mo I'm looking at the Oil Pump, but it means taking off the cam chains, which scares me a bit ......
..... but how hard can it be .....?
The Ice Lake season is coming up, and I'm considering taking the old 9 for a spin up to Sweden, but I've got a lot of work on at the moment, so I don't know whether to continue with the oil pump, or go out for a sprint through Germany ......
Advice from the reputable indi was in fact taken and acted upon, 
indeed the reputable indi, solved the problem ......
The answer is something like......
In very short summary, the tick was a mixture of small end bearing wear and liners going oval (piston slap). The small end bearing wear causing piston slap is extremely common risk for early vin## because on later Vin## the bearing was superseded with a design revision which eliminated the problem. The liners going oval was a problem specific to my block. My car is an extremely early vin## which had probably been used as a factory engineering car (harsh early life) and had a Cosworth built engine not Cologne factory.
I had to have new block which was built with new internals - problem solved and because latest level design parts, the problem wont come back!
....and she's wickedly good .....
Just did this ......
French Alps run ...... snow tyres were perfect ...... engine ran like a dream ..... as I expected it to
So, from one, "Mav", to another, "Mav", ... whilst I'm game for a good pi**ing contest ..... the actual answer is above ......
from the reputable indi was in fact taken and acted upon, indeed the reputable indi, solved the problem ...... The answer is something like......
In very short summary, the tick was a mixture of small end bearing wear and liners going oval (piston slap). The small end bearing wear causing piston slap is extremely common risk for early vin## because on later Vin## the bearing was superseded with a design revision which eliminated the problem. The liners going oval was a problem specific to my block. My car is an extremely early vin## which had probably been used as a factory engineering car (harsh early life) and had a Cosworth built engine not Cologne factory.
I had to have new block which was built with new internals - problem solved and because latest level design parts, the problem wont come back!
....and she's wickedly good .....
Just did this ......
French Alps run ...... snow tyres were perfect ...... engine ran like a dream ..... as I expected it to
So, from one, "Mav", to another, "Mav", ... whilst I'm game for a good pi**ing contest ..... the actual answer is above ......
Cerberaherts said:
Aston haven't sold ex-engineering cars since the V500. They aren't allowed to. Have to say that's very unusual. Never heard of bore ovality in that engine...
They dont sell engineering cars? Check out the wave of KX cars out there which if you believe they were all never raced, rally'd or used for anything other than static photo shoots, maybe fooling themselves.....Oval liners sure enough.
Put the piston in at correct orientation and twisting past 10 o-clock and 2 o-clock and piston would totally lock up in bore. Then move piston downbore and it would go loose / tight. Based on fact i was already grade 2 piston and the amount of work necessary to correct would take well past grade 3, meant new block.
Now I may be barking right up the wrong tree, I'd like to think that Mike at Bamford Rose agreed with what I am writing......
Thanks Mav, for your kind words, personally I don't think people should be afraid to try different stuff.....
Cost wise ..... its no big secret, phone BR up, talk to Mike and I'm sure he'll put you right. I do know it was waaaaay cheaper than having Aston replace my engine for me.
Sump said:
Mav I have a question for you. Is the special tool needed to disconnect the fuel line when removing the manifold? According to the manual a tool is required? Thanks.
Sorry I don't know ...... 
I didn't take the engine out.....
A reputable Indi did and they put it back in for me .....
That reputable Indi, after I had visited a few times during the work, then spent the best part of 2 hours, explaining the situation, talking me through the engine, what they did, what noises to expect (this normal whining noises etc)
We warmed the engine through a full cycle, we listened to other V12's to compare. What I am trying to say is, rather than throwing me my keys and saying, "se ya", the Reputable Indi had time for me, a rare thing nowadays. It was me that left the garage, having exhausted all avenues of questions, not him throwing me out.....
Apparently these are a major, "contributor", ......
Something to do with the inside of them, on the left the old one is smooth, on the new one there is a huge, "oil allowing groove", .....
I'm all for changing the oil, trying different tyres, even a certain amount of DIY, but might I suggest the, "Reputable Indi", for resolving the, "Tick", issue .....
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