XSeries-forum

Hi,

Please see link below:-

https://youtu.be/E5CAi6za_28

The ticking noise comes and goes every few minutes and lasts for a couple of minutes each time. In the video you can hear when the noise stops near the end of the video. It is coming from left side of engine (UK passenger side)

What is this noise?

EDITED - response only applied to diesels. In which case it’s the Webasto heater. This car is a petrol V8.

Sorry I forgot to mention mine is the 4.4i petrol engine (M62TU). So it does not have that webasto heater.

Try the video now.

Sounds more like chain noise. When was the guides last changed and what is the mileage

Thanks for the reply. Mileage is 115k. I bought it at 107k but don't know if guides have been done.

Why does the noise come and go? If it was guides would the noise not be there all the time?

Having done 2 of these now the noise seems to be dependant on how far gone the guides are, my sons sounded like yours and was actually guite quiet/not noticeable when driving, I only knew mine were gone when I dropped the sump to replace a leaky gasket and they were completely shot. Only way I know to be 100% sure is to drop the sump, if there is any plastic bits in there,their gone.

its a shame you're not local or you could have done mine

Mine is only a suggestion as to what the noise might be, but if there is any thought that it is the tensioner then it needs confirmed before you put any more mileage on it. Dropping the sump is the cheapest way to confirm it.

If I drop the pan, would I need to replace the oil pan gasket?

Hmm. I’m not so sure it’s the chain guides. I’ve never heard of them partly going. Mine just fell to bits after a cold start and it made such a racket you couldn’t miss it.
You could put in a new hydraulic chain tentioner circa £70 to see if it is a bit quieter.
To me it sounds more like the tappets rattling. What about manifold gasket leaking? It’s only one side..

I’ve had another listen. I seem to recall that similar coming and going noise on another car- I think it was a Porsche 944 I had years ago. I reckon it is the tappets. Give it an oil change and chain tensioner and see what happens.

As said change the oil.
I would drop the oil and refill with some low cost oil and give it a 50 mile run then change the oil and filter and put good oil in.

I changed the oil a year ago at 111k miles. I am now on 115k. I used Mobil 1 5w-30.

It will be interesting to see the end result. Hope we’re all wrong and it’s a 10p fix

Sounds quite like a noisy tappet to me like a lot of older cars have when they get some miles on them but I have no experience of v8's