Disco 300tdi 'ticking' from r380?

The aux belt has always been noisy on mine - a new belt stops the 'chuffung' sound for a while, but then it comes back.

(I mention the above as part of the description)

My initial though was that it was belt noise, but its not - its a ticking / chuffing / flapping noise, dependent on engine revs, from the gearbox area.

Before people mention head gasket, and vac pump, or lift pump - its none of those. Its certianly a gearbox area issue.


Now the r380 has been making more and more of a whine over the past few months, so there's obviously something up, but this is new (and occurred after a number of hours of motorway driving)


Nothings going to get fixed without some spanner time, but im wondering if it sounds familiar to anyone, and if im on borrowed time (ie sooner rather than later) or if i can turn up the music for a while, knowing that ill have to sort it soon ish?



I have a breaker disco, with an r380 - i know that it drove onto the trailer, but thats all. My plan is to swap them over at some point, with my fingers crossed....

Have you tried to listen if the sound goes away when you press the clutch?

Sound is the same in gear or out of gear, and, i think, the same with the clutch down.

I had another listen tonight - it really sounds like its from the bellhousing sort of area, rather than the top side of the engine.

I changed the front section of the exhaust about 3 weeks back, but im sure thats not blowing.

I tried taking the oil filler cap off (see if it was valve / rocker noise) and it did not seem to be from there.
Had a good listen arround the brake vac pump, nothing louder. Same with the lift pump.

I would still think that it's the clutch springs. Some rattle, some don't.