Another ticking engine thread

DiscoGreg

DiscoGreg

Member
Dec 4, 2017
17
5
Pittsburgh PA
Team -

2004 Disco 2 - 4.6 Gas
96k miles

Any suggestions other than "Slipped Sleeve"?

Im not saying its not a slipped sleeve(s), I just want to ask a few other questions.

Situation:
  • Cold start and up to about 140 degrees F, sounds perfect.
  • Warmed up, starts to tick.

What I've done so far:
  • Tore engine down and replaced
    • All Hydraulic lifters
    • Push Rods
    • Rocker Arm Assemblies
    • Everything torqued down as per RAVE.
  • Fresh Rotella HD Oil
  • 180 Degree Thermostat
Now the ticking is significantly even worse. Sound like multiple ticks on both sides. Its definitely worse sounding.

Otherwise, runs perfectly fine, no CEL, power as usual just sound like an old Diesel.

Are there valve trane adjustments that I should have made? If yes, what did I miss? I've done head gaskets on these trucks before and never had to think about any adjustments.

Any thoughts before I have to consider pinning the sleeves?
 
4Runner

4Runner

Well-known member
May 24, 2007
663
111
Boise Idaho
I tried pinning sleeves and would probably not do it again. If I did, I would pull the motor and do it that way. It’s a real PITA. I had oil leaks from the pins that I could not get rid of. I feel like you would need an empty block to do it right. And if your that far in why not find another block or do the top hat liners. The only real adjustment you have for your valves would be adding lash and making any loose clearance worse. You could machine all the valve shaft towers to tighten it further but I don’t think that would be your problem. How is your oil pressure? When you assembled your rocker shafts did you get the holes I. The shaft in the right orientation? Sorry your having such a rough go of it.
 
D

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,735
1,026
Northern Illinois
Can you change the noise by killing cylinders? Also the sound of a sleeve hitting the bottom of the head is a sound I have a hard time describing. But I don’t think I would call it a tick. If it doesn’t change when you kill cylinders then it’s probably valve train
If you end up taking it apart I would check your rockers. Put a small pocket screw driver in the cup that sits against the pushrod. Gently cock the screwdriver in the oil hole and try to turn that little insert. If it moved at all in the aluminum rocker it’s ticking when it’s hot.
Then if the heads end up coming off again you should look for witnes marks on the compression seal ring of the headgasket. It gets stamped when the sleeve hammers it. I’ve seen a ring get stamped off the gasket and wrap itself around the valve spring. That’s the best way to know for sure the sleeve is moving.
 
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boxster

boxster

Well-known member
Jun 1, 2009
479
96
Fallbrook Ca.
Like Disco says maybe isolate the ticking noise first, you changed all those parts and you have more ticking? What’s the oil pressure at when hot? Maybe oil pump?
 
D

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,735
1,026
Northern Illinois
And then there is a very common mistake I see people make. When you buy new rockers for this engine you get 8 left and 8 right hand rockers. Each bank gets 4 left and 4 right rocker arms.
 
DiscoGreg

DiscoGreg

Member
Dec 4, 2017
17
5
Pittsburgh PA
Really appreciate the responses so far - thank you. I actually have 2 Disco's with the same issue. I have video, link below, that allows you to hear the ticking and when it happens.

This one is a 2003 with 127k miles, brand new oil pump and Rotella HD oil, 180 degree T-stat. I made a little video that lets you hear the "tick". This 2003 isnt as bad as the 2004 but they both started out with the same basic sound. The 2004 I describe above is the one that I replaced all the parts (Lifters, Rods and pre-assembled Rocker Arms for both sides). This 2003, I was going to do the same but now that I have made it worse, I'm not keen to throw the money away again.

VIDEO of the ticking

Also - I chatted with a person on FB and he suggested that the "pre-load" of the tappets needs to be set. I was a bit surprised this would have to be done on a hydraulic lifter but he insists its must be considered. Check out this link HERE on pre-load tappets and rocker arm shims as needed.

As for "killing the cylinders", simple as pulling the plug wires? Would you do one at a time while running?
 
D

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,735
1,026
Northern Illinois
DiscoGreg said:
Really appreciate the responses so far - thank you. I actually have 2 Disco's with the same issue. I have video, link below, that allows you to hear the ticking and when it happens.

This one is a 2003 with 127k miles, brand new oil pump and Rotella HD oil, 180 degree T-stat. I made a little video that lets you hear the "tick". This 2003 isnt as bad as the 2004 but they both started out with the same basic sound. The 2004 I describe above is the one that I replaced all the parts (Lifters, Rods and pre-assembled Rocker Arms for both sides). This 2003, I was going to do the same but now that I have made it worse, I'm not keen to throw the money away again.


As for "killing the cylinders", simple as pulling the plug wires? Would you do one at a time while running?
Click to expand...
I usually use a pair of plastic pliers made just for grabbing the end of the wire and pulling it off the plug. They aren’t strong so your going to need to get all of them unstuck from the plug.
I’m not even going to listen to the video. That shit never works. Just this week I had some guy make me listen to a video of his door rattle when he closed it. It sounded like someone shot a gun in a submarine
 
Blue

Blue

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2004
10,070
881
AZ
Yes, at least 2 interior liners had slipped and two interior pistons had play within the cylinders. You could put your finger on the top of the pistons and rattle them back & forth. They were going up & down like castanets in a Mexican steeet band.
 
waveridin1959

waveridin1959

Member
May 17, 2004
14
4
NC
Normally you need to replace the lifters and cam at the same time. Mix matching can increase wear.

I had a tick i chased for a long time. Replaced everything and it ended up being a piston separating. After that ended in spectacular fashion, the used block i tore down also had a piston that was cracked from more than likely running the wrong fuel and screwing up the timing.
 
1of40

1of40

Well-known member
Oct 23, 2017
254
63
Va
The ticking sounds like a worn high-mileage Rover V8 to me. My 200K mi 4.0 GEMS has this level of ticking as well and I'm pretty sure it's simply time for a rebuild. Other than that it has good compression and runs well for a 200K mi buick engine that is still on all original gaskets/seals.
 
Knightspirit

Knightspirit

Well-known member
Sep 22, 2019
251
84
Mount Shasta, CA
I have the exact same tick in my engine - 4.0 GEMS with about 180K. Exact same sound, and starts at about that same temperature. I don't think mine is a slipped sleeve either, as it has been doing that for as long as I've had the truck - about 20,000 miles or so. Otherwise runs good. So I am leaving it alone for now while I get another engine ready to go in.
 
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