How to - Ticking tapping hydraulic tappets on a Rover v8

[@rosesbite]

A+ been trying to figure this out for 8 years haha

[@ianfleet2376]

Did this help to fix it?

[@moriwaki1105]

Had a lot of those motors in various cars... mostly TR7s.... Beautiful Engine....had a noisy one once.... and Rocker Shaft was upside down on one bank.

[@churchhouseclassics]

the oil flow must have been impressive on that side, and the over all oil pressure too low. The shafts do wear badly, replacement shaft and rockers are still available but do need to be assembled as per the workshop repair and operation manual

[@brianwhittington5086]

I remember reading an article about this problem many years ago. I think it was an interview with Joe Turley, the Buick engineer Rover brought over to help get the engine into UK production, and develop it to their requirements. Persistent engine noise problems were traced to using other branded hydraulic lifters on pre production engines. Apparently, Rover cured it by insisting on sourcing them from the original supplier to GM in the USA, throughout the engine's production life. One point to check is that you mentioned old stock rocker gear. Were they correctly assembled originally on the engine you salvaged them off ? Although the rocker shafts aren't handed, they do need to be assembled for the left or right bank to ensure all the oilways align. There is a notch on the end face of each shaft that should face front on one bank, and rear on the other. They'll still get some oil flow at cold pressure, but it reduces as oil heats up.

[@churchhouseclassics]

It is always great to get this proper OE / old school advice from engineers who knew and understood. The rocker shafts on this engine are the same that were on it prior to cam and follower change. I am careful to keep the shaft matched to it's original side (by dropping into the relevant, upturned rocker cover) You make some very important points about the assembly of the shaft and rockers, very easy for the unwary to get this wrong. The noise on this engine went away with new set of American followers from RealSteel and has done 500 trouble free miles since 👍

[@cristianhernandez5761]

25:36 25:38

[@petershepherd6889]

Must have been lucky with my engine rebuild.no problems with noisy tappets.👍

[@churchhouseclassics]

I have a done a few of these now and this is the first to cause me issues. I think the problem with the cheaper tappets is that QC lacks so that there is a chance for a rogue item to trap into a batch.

[@stefanallan4274]

Very helpful for when I start on my series 3 lightweight

[@francisdavey2386]

Great Video and gives me a clue to what i need to do on my noisy morgan V8

[@struanrobertson3417]

Excellent diagnosis Richard 👍

[@churchhouseclassics]

I elaborated more than I would if not filming but thought you all would like to see the diagnosis process I used 👍

[@ianfleet2376]

I had one where the bush in the rocker arm. That the pushrod sits against had come out.

[@vidodaluca5828]

thank you for a great and entertaining video as always.

[@xcarcraft2350]

Just one question, who’s watching Shaun and the other sheep back at the farm? You know you can’t trust that dog!

[@churchhouseclassics]

Dad sold the place, damned shame but it was too much for him and he is nearly 80. Has a nice appt overlooking The Atlantic now

[@tobyc2173]

Hi Richard, great videos! I've got exactly the same thing going on in my tr7v8, I've changed the lifters twice now, but the noise keeps coming back. I'll take your advice and get some lifters from real steel this time! I've pretty much stopped driving the car now as its just embarrassing when the car warms up 😄

[@churchhouseclassics]

Thank you for your kind words 👍 be sure to check the tappet preload and that the pushrods are straight. Most parts are available to rebuild the rocker shaft should you need that. TR7V8 is quite a lot of fun and to spoil the ride with tap dancing ticking tappets is disappointing for sure.

[@gregbowers50]

Great videos thanks. Don’t know if I’ve done the right thing, but I replaced the pushrod on the tapping rocker with an adjustable one and took up the slack, sounds fine now, think there’s a supplier now selling them separately as to the full 16 as supplied by most.

[@churchhouseclassics]

You have done the correct thing so long as the pushrod is set correctly. The shims are only a workaround for a badly skimmed head or cylinder block

[@stusoldcars4248]

Got me paranoid now about the cam kit I've ordered for my p6, Interesting on the assembly lube though as been trying to decide what to use. 👍

[@nigelbarton8350]

Very glad it’s fixed Richard, it sounds much better. As I said in on the first video when you showed Mr Tappy, it’s a pain taking that intake off again but it was always going to be the only way to shut it up. Is it me- or the mic maybe- but thought I could hear a louder knock lower down when you first started it, a couple of times?

[@churchhouseclassics]

The mic was picking up on the crankcase pressure I think. I couldn't hear that noise while I was working on the engine. And I have been back and checked since and still cannot hear it on the assembled engine. I am chuffed that it is purring away again. And dad has been using it as a daily over the last week

[@mbrown6930]

Great video Richard, very instructive as always.

[@mikethompson7296]

Spanking great content throughout the Christmas period Richard! I hope you had a good one and will manarge to partake sufficiently this evening 🍻

[@churchhouseclassics]

Cheers Mike, glad you enjoyed the content. We all had a marvellous Covid Free Christmas and yes NYE was almost excessive 🍻👍

[@thegiftedjoiner8818]

Looking good bud !!

[@alansmall9071]

Brilliant video I hope you don’t mind me saying you sound a little like Nigel farage

[@churchhouseclassics]

Many progressives would be highly offended by that. me I am mildly tickled but am amused overall 🤣🍻

[@tonysneesby6199]

I had the same problem after a top end overhaul but i found that using 20\50 oil instead of 15\40 cured the problem and i read afterwards that there are a load of faulty lifters about.

[@churchhouseclassics]

paradoxically I found my high mileage 3.9 Rover v8 on a nice southern English climate to run much better on a 15/40. Full mineral and high zddp are recommended. No oil will fix a faulty tickedy tapedy tappet though

[@billsinclair6515]

Ssuperb channel man, i have EXACTLY this problem on 1994 3.9 Vogue SE , question: what makes the pushrod and hydraulic tapper turn and why do they need to please Richard?

[@churchhouseclassics]

no idea what makes it turn, certainly not wizardry but something designed either inside the tappet or with the cam operation makes it turn. the reason why is to extend the life of the unit

[@simo736]

Top... 👍

[@richardholland1116]

Interesting video. How quickly does the oil pressure come up on start up and what is "good oil pressure" ?

[@churchhouseclassics]

I would expect that the oil light go out within 3 or 4 seconds from a cold start. Good oil pressure on a Rover v8 can be very low indeed. like 20psi at hot idle. they do not generally run high oil pressure.

[@bpmail1]

Ciao Mic! Intresting video. I have a 4.6 v8 thor on a range rover p38 150.000 km that has me a similar problem on cyl 7. Quiet when cold at sturt-up and "tick tick" when hot from idle till 1200 rpm. Over 1200 rpm the tick desapper. I already replaced rockers and shafts because of some wear, and removed and cleaned-up tappets one time, but the tick come back after 2-3 hundred km. I didn't replaced tappes because i don't want to replace camshaft too.... but this time i suppose i will have to replace tappes if i want to quiet that noise. Hope not having problem matching new tappers and old (but in perfect condition) camshaft. Great videos!

[@churchhouseclassics]

camshaft and timing chain would certainly need replacing if not done already on your vehicle. you could use a single adjustable pushrod to get the length spot on

[@julianthomson7398]

If it is a rear tappet it could be a blocked oil gallery in the block. Common fault on the V8 That is why the rear lobes on the cam wear out first, The back lobes are last in the chain where oil delivery is concerned.

[@churchhouseclassics]

black death and a badly advised flushing oil treatment 🤦‍♂️ often ends up with this. I have seen a few cams where the rear lobs are terrible and the front cam bearing is down to copper. Engine still sounded sweet though. 👍

[@wjthehomebuilder]

I've got a 4.2 Range Rover that has a similar ticking. But I'm leanimg toward a slipped cylinder liner since the oil looks like chocolate milk. I don't know.

[@churchhouseclassics]

Very rare for oil and water to cross on a rover v8. If it does I would be looking at radiator oil cooler integrity first

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

Very interesting... I had been wondering what the fix would be. Running lovely and sweet at the end I'm glad to say. I get something similar on my Fiat Brava 1.2 16V when it starts in the cold after sitting a few days. Quite disconcerting when the engine still runs very well despite high miles, so perhaps there is drain-down and it's slow to refill with sticky oil ?

[@churchhouseclassics]

It purrs now, the only downside is that the 3.9 standard cam makes for a ever so slightly rough idle. I tried to turn the idle speed up a little to smooth it. Sorry I don't know the answer to your Fiat tapping issue

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

No it’s just reassuring to know that a lazy / sticky / sloppy tappet can cause an occasional noise on cold startup… it’s a highish mileage engine, I have cured it in the past with an oil change.

[@bertiewooster3326]

Use the best tappets you can get.

[@Harry-kw1fy]

...more interesting than the breaking wind video at least.... 😁 and I may ı take the opportunity to wish you a velly Clısmus from myself Mr Wang King from Wuhan, and friends Mr Rob Souls of Cheltenham Mr Dıck Hertz of Vegas and Mr Holden Mc Groın of Stockon on Tees.. Thank you and hope you get better soon.

[@churchhouseclassics]

Many thanks indeed sir, glad you are enjoying "most" of the content. Christmas was a belter here and wish you all a Happy 2022 👍

[@eprohoda]

How is it goin?g! like-top !see you on my side,guy!💥

[@julianthomson7398]

Mic the followers to see the difference.

[@churchhouseclassics]

I am just going to send the set back and not going down that route again

[@garielgrenadius7564]

Great video, thank you a bunch for posting it. Real mechanics are worth lots more than fanfare dollies prancing with wrenches. One note, almost a question of sorts. I was thinking you were going to hook up an electric oil pump when all the lifters were out, to flush out any grit in the passageways. Do you think there was possibly some grit in that lifter, altering it's performance? I'm also following another Rover guy here on KZbin, but he hasn't done noisy lifters. www.youtube.com/@Politicotube

[@churchhouseclassics]

If the engine was full of black death and someone had lobbed some flushing oil through it I might be inclined to use an airline. There are better products available to slowly dissolve black death deposits than to loosen big hard lumps of the stuff and let it float around the engine. In theory though the pickup and oil filter should prevent anything from jamming up the tappets

[@julianthomson7398]

Sloppy follower is loss of oil pressure.

[@churchhouseclassics]

but only to one tappet? In this case sloppy follower was due to a fault inside the unit. Oil pressure on this engine is good 👍

[@julianthomson7398]

@@churchhouseclassics I explained badly With a sloppy fit the cam follower will loose oil pressure the same as if a big end is worn and it looses oil pressure.

[@deniscudahy4549]

Finally be gone you pain in the arse noise 🤣🤣🤣🤣👍👍👍👍