Testing for the Dreaded Aston Martin V12 Engine Tick

[@aztecshaman8428]

Luckily, I have no tick. Mainly because I have a V8 Vantage. Mike and his team completely transformed my car with a dual plate clutch, lightened flywheel, and 200 cell sports catalysts. Excellent experience from start to finish. My car now drives amazingly. Thank you Mike and your highly skilled team. Seriously vantage owners... take your car to Mike ❤

[@TheGatMan91]

Same here - 4.3 with clutch/flywheel/cats done by Mike and co. Totally different car and happy to say I’ll continue to bring my car to BR whilst in my ownership.

[@fransb8543]

Best collab of the week!

[@Aston1936]

It was fun to shoot the video in person. One of the highlights of my trip over. Thanks for watching!

[@flyingkirk897]

Oh yes, I remember this sound very well. DB9 2006. I had my engine replaced because of this in 2018. Mileage 110.000Km. Costs around 25k €. Aston Martin Vienna. If I knew it could have been fixed with less effort, I would have driven up to Bamford Rose 🙂 Great channel, I like your videos.

[@Aston1936]

Ouch - at about 70k miles. After your replacement, how has the car been? Tick free? Thanks for watching!

[@flyingkirk897]

@@Aston1936 Engine is totally fine now. It came new from factory.. I would not expect a failure.

[@2kostasd]

I love these videos - very educational. They help owners and prospective buyers tremendously. I'd love to get a DB9 someday, but fear having to rebuild the motor. Will stick with my V8 Vantage for the time being, but these videos will give me more confidence when that day to get a DB9 does come - thank you!

[@Aston1936]

When the time comes you'll know how to test the car for the tick before you purchase. Thanks for watching!

[@redmondial]

OMG on a car with less than 25k …. Aston should be ashamed of that .

[@jules19671]

Maybe that’s why. Low mileage, run cold.

[@peterbriggs8022]

Put me off , I’m definitely not having one. Thanks for the tip off!

[@Aston1936]

Yes and No I guess. Sad that some of the V12's have the issue, but other manufacturers have their engine issues. The Porsche IMS bearing comes to mind. Owners just know to factor this into the experience. Thanks for watching!

[@nealebaigent2938]

Very clear and informative. I will double check my 2005 with 42,000 kms. With the knowledge that it could appear at any time, for no good reason, it may be time to move it on and look for a later model.

[@Aston1936]

I'm not sure its necessary to move on to another model. Even if the car is unlucky and develops the tick, the onset it gradual and you should be aware of it early now that you've watched this and know what to listen for. As Mike says, there is no rhyme or reason to which cars develop it and cars can go 100+K without a problem.

[@nealebaigent2938]

@ I understand that Steve. My issue is, is it worth the constant anxiety of worrying if it will develop at any moment, regardless of how fastidious you are with maintenance and mechanically sympathetic operating. Priming for oil pressure before firing, warm thoroughly before spirited driving etc.

[@MrAvant123]

I know piston slap is not uncommon in many new engines (gets quieter with heat) but this is the first time for 50 years I have heard people talk about small end damage - i thought this was unheard of !

[@Aston1936]

Seems like their is something that was missed in the early design that they identified and solved later in the production. Probably didn't nail the calc for oil pressure in the last two cylinders. Thanks for watching!

[@JustinPandelo]

Nice video gentlemen. Now just get Mike to ship us some Bamford Rose parts in the US. When I rebuild mine I'd love those High Lift Cams & the High Flow Headers

[@Aston1936]

Indeed! How did those get in my suitcase?? Kidding.

[@autobahnproven]

Thank you for a brilliant collaboration with Bamford Rose. Never owned an Aston and have really enjoyed all my Porsches. Feel it's time for a change and have been exploring Astons. Pretty sure Mike put out videos on the V12 tick caused by ingestion of ceramic pieces of the primary cat (caused by misfires - bad plugs/wires/coils). Did you also discuss this issue with Mike?

[@drhml2010]

Is it less likely to happen with later models , for example 2012 models and onward

[@Aston1936]

While the problem might be able to manifest in any V12, Mike shared that once Aston updated the design of the small end bushing in the connecting rod to include an oil channel this particular failure point seems to have stopped. Essentially the fix for the engines with the tick are to fix the redesigned bushing and new pistons and pins, updating it to the later spec. Follow this process and test your car for the tick. No tick, no problem. Thanks for watching!

[@ckjlgp]

The reason I bought the 470hp 2011 DB9 as it was fixed in 2008

[@patricksorensen8180]

So this would also affect the classic vanquish I assume.

[@luisjorgemc4417]

What year(s) DB9 have this issue, do the V12 DB7s have it and to the V12 Vanquishes have this as well?

[@Aston1936]

My limited understanding is a 'Yes', but there are other reasons an Aston V12 can tick, so I'm not sure what's the most likely cause in the earlier V12 designs. Thanks for watching!

[@James-rf5xd]

Hi thanks for that very informative video ! I guess it could also be interesting to discuss also oil viscosity. If I'm not mistaking AM recommends 0-40 which from my amateur point of view seems very thin for the huge engine that this is. no doubt even if water is stable at the sensor location, the block itself must pick very high temps in this condition. so I guess it s not only mechanical tolerance out of spec due to wear but also oil quality and age. If mine developped such a tick I guess I'll go 10W60 motul 300V with an antifriction additive like MCR or Pecarun p18

[@michaelh6603]

would a change of oil grade help it or make it worse?

[@Aston1936]

Good question, I'm not sure if it would make a lot of difference. I have heard of one track day company that had 10+ DB9's, and they opted to run the cars on the heavier weight 10W60 that the Vantages used. When someone tested the cars (all with over 100K miles now) 9 of the 10 cars had the tick. But, 9 of the 10 cars were still running fine after 100K! Its the dreaded tick, NOT the tick of death. Thanks for watching!

[@kavinskysmith4094]

So when did aston do the change to the bushing for the piston, 08/09?

[@Aston1936]

Mike talks about the 470 bhp cars and beyond have the updated bush, and that the 450 bhp cars won't necessarily develop the issue. Thanks for watching.

[@kavinskysmith4094]

@@Aston1936 okay so if it has 470 on the tin, its generally okay, that includes the DBS too I would imagine right? as I've always liked that car, and its always given off a good vibe like its not too flashy or gaudy, the kind of car in a dark color you could just cloak with regular traffic

[@winstonchurchill9048]

Is this how Tickford was started?

[@Aston1936]

Ahh, I see what you did there. Nice! Thanks for watching.

[@dancundiff3316]

That is amazing , does the DBS of the same era get the "tick"?

[@ReaperRCJS]

DBS came out in 2008, so you would hope that it had the improvements that were applied to the 9 at the same time.

[@manylb2532]

Hello Mike ! Quick question, I see this ticking topic everywhere. I bought my DB9 in June and I daily drive it. If the engine has the tick it should be noticeable after a 1h drive as the engine is at operating temperature ?

[@Aston1936]

I'm not Mike, but the idea is yes, if the engine is hot, like after a good long motorway run, the heat is soaked into the engine. You'd listen for the tick when I do in the video, under the car behind either front wheel.

[@manylb2532]

@Aston1936 Okay thank you for your answer Steve ! So the engine is fine :D

[@CY93LI]

@Aston1936 I have a 2002 V12 Vanquish with a prominent tick as demonstrated in this video. Did Mike comment on whether customers can send cars from the US to Bamford Rose for repairs/refurbishment?

[@Aston1936]

I'm not sure about the answer to that. Shipping your baby overseas is a big step. What would be great is to find an experienced independent here in the US that has all the same facilities. While I visited Mike I also checked out the fab shop and engine shop. Nice to have all the skills in one place. Thanks for watching!

[@Waspfella]

Are all the V12's likely to do this or just a certain range of manufacturing years ?

[@ckjlgp]

@@Waspfella all 450hp V12’s (2004-2006) are susceptible to the tick, they fixed the engine buy adding an oil groove in the top end of the con rod, it’s a shame Aston didn’t step up more to rectify this problem for more customers.

[@Waspfella]

@ Yes it was a shame AM didn’t put in. Solution then is to look at later models from 2007 onwards I guess. The cars are expensive here in Australia.

[@drewmog123456]

Is the clicking coming from one small end? Are they all equally susceptible to the problem or could all twelve end up ticking? (!).

[@Aston1936]

I believe the theory is the old design of the small end bush was a simple oiling hole (not a full grooved channel around the circumference) and the oil pressure at the rear of the engine is lower, and thus the rears get oiled less than the front. Some say the problem appears in Cylinders 5/6 and 11/12 the most. Lots of lore around this issue. This video was just keen to show if the engine _has_ the issue developing. Thanks for watching!

[@mikeprzyrembel]

@@Aston1936 Why should low oil pressure affect the small ends, are they not just splash lubricated? 50 years ago I worked on a mk3 Zodiac which had a similar problem caused by Ford not noticing that a piece of drill bit had broken in the drilling at the big end that fired a jet of oil at the piston.

[@Pete_Finch]

I'm stressed to start the car now 😂

[@Aston1936]

I'd be just the opposite - head out and test your car. No tick - no problem - sweet dreams! Thanks for watching!

[@markchip1]

Would the tick ONLY affect DB9s or are Rapides at risk too? I would assume the Rapide S would not be at risk, being that bit later in the line...?

[@Aston1936]

While the problem might be able to manifest in any V12, Mike shared that once Aston updated the design of the small end bushing in the connecting rod to include an oil channel this particular failure point seems to have stopped. Essentially the fix for the engines with the tick are to fix the redesigned bushing and new pistons and pins, updating it to the later spec. Follow this process and test your car for the tick. No tick, no problem. Thanks for watching!

[@FreedomSOURCE]

I wonder if Liqui-Moly Ceratec would make the tick less noticeable? I'll be trying this on my '05 DB9

[@PSA78]

Never use an additive in the oil, it's known as chemical Russian roulette for a good reason. 😉

[@SailingSVPipedream]

All exotic cars have their failure points. Early Maserati Granturismos have variator issues (same with Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Mercs), Bentleys with those pipes, Porsches with bore scoring on cars in early 2000s. Even normal cars like Volvos etc have issues. The internet and forums can offer solutions, but also drive up the stress levels. People only go on forums when they have an issue, so it begins to feel like these cars are absolute nightmares as you are only seeing the negative experiences. Having said that, this is why it is good to either buy cars that have proven documented fixes, or the latter near end of production run examples where problems have been ironed out by manufacturers after warranty work has forced them to complete the development work.

[@tomf4547]

I consider my LC500 to be exotic, despite what others say. It's bullet proof 👌

[@SailingSVPipedream]

@ LC500 looks cool and was in terminator I think?

[@Aston1936]

Porsche's and their IMS bearings.

[@Phantom-mk4kp]

What is the reason for the tick? Was it a bad batch of little end bushes, is there years to avoid

[@Aston1936]

If you watch, the issue is discussed as the original design of the small end bushing in the connecting rod did not have an oil channel all the way around the bush. In a later redesign Aston added this channel, and it seems to alleviate the issue. Not all cars with the original design have the issue, and happily go 100K+ miles without a problem. The notion here is now you know how to test if you have or are looking to purchase a car that has the tick. Thanks for watching.

[@Phantom-mk4kp]

@Aston1936 Done a bit of research after watching this and I'm starting to believe it is possibly caused by liner distortion. The little end was modified, but hasn't necessarily eliminated the problem As for the liners, installation, block tolerances and casting are likely more random

[@celestialtoystore]

@@Aston1936 It's strange that the German built engine in this video has it as I was lead to believe that it was the early Cosworth built engines without the built in oil channel in the piston that was prone to the tick. Maybe this also had something to do with the shorter dipstick that cause oil starvation in the piston and therefore increased wear? After my first DB9 suffered from this, I rejected the car and luckily the dealer had the decency to buy back the car. My second and current DB9 doesn't have the tick (I hope) but this video does make me very paranoid.

[@PaulyBoy]

Mine has ticked on and off from the day I bought it, that was seven years ago. I drive it like I stole it and it hasn't gotten any worse. I bought it for 30K and if the engine goes bang tomorrow it will still be worth 15k as a parts car. So I just drive it and enjoy it 😂

[@Aston1936]

The primary cat issues are well discussed by Mike on his channel. I think the moral of that story is to do a primary decat if possible. Or, make sure your engine is in top shape annually and not suffering any misfires (that means a careful review during service for misfire data). Thanks for watching!

[@dcasteaux9181]

Put some Aston-Martin approved fine sawdust in the engine oil.

[@jamest5149]

Get Lake Speed Junior (motoroilgeek) involved in your video and investigation, he is a Tribologist and his daughter has an Oil analyst business so they are well based to help and be informative.

[@kerbsidemotors9249]

Ai audio compare would be easy.

[@MJR67]

The question is, if one’s car does not have the tick now, what are the chances it will down the road?. If this is a design fault, best put a few shekels aside as it will likely happen to you or any other 450 bhp owner.

[@beartybollocks7782]

1,000 miles a year and it’s worn?!

[@Aston1936]

Sadly this is the case with some of the engines. Some never develop it, and some get it early.

[@devaplan]

I had an Alfa Romeo 33 1.5 ti with the flat four engine with exactly the same noise when the engine was properly hot. It only had a few hundred miles from new. The dealer ( Magoletsi) had several attempts at fixing it including changing the cams but to no avail. It might have been the same little end fault it seems. I could not live with the noise and sold it taking a big hit. I will never buy Alfa again. For this to happen on an Aston is disgraceful.

[@Aston1936]

It would be nice if Aston stepped up and helped those owners with the tick in someway. Perhaps an extended engine warranty for up to 100K that covers the tick. Even just providing the parts needed at cost would be something major. Thanks for watching!

[@buggerlugz6753]

Is it just me or isn't this a manufacturing defect? (like using substandard pistons/rods/pins) Like Mclaren using rods that are too thin in their engines!

[@leeattwood5443]

Wow mines a 2005 and is a real shed , had a engine rebuild by McGurks a few years ago by the previous owner , makes all sorts of noises but not that one , few lol

[@Aston1936]

I love my 2005, but she gets a fare bit of attention from me. Labor of love. Did your engine have the tick or some other issues? Thanks for watching!

[@sagetheowlfatfeathery2083]

If the original owner had done proper mileage, it could have been fixed under warranty…….

[@Aston1936]

Interesting point. I suppose if you had this, or the 'timeless warranty' it would be covered. My car is 19 years old now, and only passing 53K miles. Still no tick. Is it time, or mileage, or luck of the draw. Frustrating for the owners with the issue. Thanks for watching!

[@gr0wler147]

it’s so unacceptable for a car of that value to be as poorly engineered. Newey and Stroll others have so much work to do restore faith in the brand.

[@Aston1936]

Perhaps. DB9's are touching 20 years old now. It is stupid that some cars are developing this mechanical issue after only 20K miles. Connecting Rod bushings generally outlast any car's lifespan and 100's of K miles. But, bushings need oil, and these may not be getting enough (just like the infamous Porsche IMS bearings). Thanks for watching!

[@davidcameron7597]

That wear at 23,OOO miles. I'll stay with Mercedes.

[@russellshrubsall6626]

Aston Martin’s should be replaced engine!!!!!

[@jackkallemdjian3945]

That’s poor engineering how about ball park quote for carrying out a re bush instead of saying it’s going to cost a lot. I had my eye on them for a few years. Not anymore.

[@ROYROGERS-h1j]

CRAP MOTOR THEN . 23 000 THAT'S REDICULESS.