Top end tappety type noise

[Classic Chim]

Sardonicus said:

Massive un-metered air leak Yeh i'd say thats your problem did you re-use the valley gasket or something? not sure what/how you have done this glad you found this

Edited by Sardonicus on Tuesday 25th June 09:26

The engine wiring loom is tightly tucked in on Franks, easy to knock that gasket edge flat with inlet when faffing about trying to tuck it under injector wiring on your own so no big deal really, just a nightmare to diagnose.
This is why threads like this become priceless, all logic has been considered time and again, it’s a big relief in many ways and I’m glad this is not a bigger problem,,, and yes new gaskets are employed Si.

[Classic Chim]

QBee said:

Do I remember from somewhere that the cylinders are linked in pairs, so if you have a huge air leak on 7, it will affect the performance of 5?

I may well be dreaming - I dreamt last night that i had left my metal detector out in the rain, which is all well and good, but I have never owned a metal detector.

I knew a bloke into metal detecting, he was rich enough to send his lacky out though
Serious!

[QBee]

Confuscious say "if you pull everything apart, you will find every mistake"
QBee say "......and if you are QBee, you will create a whole collection of new mistakes, putting it all back together again"

[blaze_away]

QBee said:

Confuscious say "if you pull everything apart, you will find every mistake"
QBee say "......and if you are QBee, you will create a whole collection of new mistakes, putting it all back together again"

Yep thats about the same on this one here
Found and fixed
Distributor.
Vac advance
Harmonic damper
3 dodgy rockers
All sump bolts needed tightening
Valley gasket end rubbers were a bit hard

Good news is these all needed attention and they are now all A1.

[phazed]

Frank, us old guys have to show we have it all together, just lie, tell the forum guys it was mice, they gnawed through some wiring, be discreet!

[blaze_away]

phazed said:

Frank, us old guys have to show we have it all together, just lie, tell the forum guys it was mice, they gnawed through some wiring, be discreet!

Looking further at the gasket area I have found small teeth marks in the gasket. You can clearly see them in the photo. Plus there were clearly mouse droppings on valley gasket.
Now I am no wildlife expert but am now convinced that this has been done by a mouse.

[phazed]

[QBee]

Amazing how easy it is to explain away the aftermath of a dodgy gusset.........

[blaze_away]

Assuming I still have the original noise........I just read this

[i]
https://www.ametech.co.uk/engine-noise-15-c.asp

Rattle that starts at 3000rpm - suspect low oil having caused hydraulic tappet damage and subsequent  rattle noise (see 'Noisy Hydraulic tappets' above) try some RESTORE and make sure to keep the oil level at the top of the dipstick. If the oil level drops the rattle will return at 3000rpm or 60 mph..[/i]

As the cam looks good and cam and tappets should be together what about buying new hydraulic tappets and swapping the internal components over is that doable ?

[Belle427]

If it were me i would change the cam and lifters for peace of mind.
Bit of a pita if the cam looks ok but doing it should hopefully guve you years of trouble free service.

[blaze_away]

Belle427 said:

If it were me i would change the cam and lifters for peace of mind.
Bit of a pita if the cam looks ok but doing it should hopefully guve you years of trouble free service.

Thanks for that and I hear what you're saying, with unlimited funds I might well do that but if it didn't 'cure' the noise then I would then have to look at pistons little ends etc and it could end up as a creeping engine rebuild, I would rather look at a "short engine" than a creeping rebuild.

Have done a bit more research and several posts on various forums have suggested that it could well be sticky, dirty lifters or a blocked oil way. So I am going to get the lifters out and dismantle and clean them and maybe fit new internals from new lifters. If that doesn't cure it then New Cam and lifters for sure

[Belle427]

How much mileage has the bottom end got on it?

[blaze_away]

Belle427 said:

How much mileage has the bottom end got on it?

Good point.
Just been through the history I have from previous owner. Whilst the car has 240,000 the bottom has only 45k on it.
Internally it looks really clean so if I can avoid short engine I dont think its a bad move.
Like your thinking.

[phazed]

As my conversation with Alun earlier.

I would retard ignition to eliminate pinking.

If the tapping noise was still there, given that I have the facilities, I would pull the engine and check and renew all the bearings on it.

Otherwise.

Next move, I would put in a new camshaft and set of lifters before going any further.

Doesn’t have to be expensive, actually I have a new camshaft at home which may well be a standard grind. If you are interested, let me know and I’ll have a look.

[QBee]

Ok, mine isn’t a TVR cam, so doesn’t have TVR tax as well as VAT, but IIRC my standard Range Rover cam was about £85. Plus VAT.

[phazed]

I just checked, that camshaft is a spare H404 so I will keep it for the future if necessary!

[blaze_away]

phazed said:

As my conversation with Alun earlier.

I would retard ignition to eliminate pinking.

If the tapping noise was still there, given that I have the facilities, I would pull the engine and check and renew all the bearings on it.

Otherwise.

Next move, I would put in a new camshaft and set of lifters before going any further.

Doesn’t have to be expensive, actually I have a new camshaft at home which may well be a standard grind. If you are interested, let me know and I’ll have a look.

Thats good advice Petwr, unfortunately I'm doing this on a gravel driveway so pulling the lump is a no go. Will look into camshafts, the one I have is Stealth, car goes like stink on it so am mindful of possible performance loss going standard LR.
Have seen others eliminate tappet clatter just by stripping cleaning and refitting the lifters. Given that I now have ability to get that done easily might well give that a go first before fitting new cam and lifters

[blaze_away]

QBee said:

Ok, mine isn’t a TVR cam, so doesn’t have TVR tax as well as VAT, but IIRC my standard Range Rover cam was about £85. Plus VAT.

Thats interesting thanks.

[Belle427]

I know it's not impossible but I wouldnt expect a well built RV8 to be making bottom end noises at that mileage.

[QBee]

blaze_away said:

QBee said:

Ok, mine isn’t a TVR cam, so doesn’t have TVR tax as well as VAT, but IIRC my standard Range Rover cam was about £85. Plus VAT.

Thats interesting thanks.

Yes, but specc’d and bought by May Smith to satisfy my need for low compression and minimal valve overlap. My 395 bhp from 4.6 litres was by way of farcical induction.