Cured sticking hydraulic tappet with ease!

I think the 3.9 serpentine engine has the oil pump on the crankshaft which gives better oil pressure than the older V8's so was hoping its not pressure related. I do not get a flickering oil pressure light and no horrible noises apart from this tapping (sounds like ticking with scope).

When I used the wynns lifter treatment(its not sticky like STP so should not affect pressure) it made the noise vanish it was only after 20 miles it came back. I am going to get the oil pressure checked on Wednesday maybe even get a gauge fitted.

I had a ticking which was like a machine gun on acceleration, all down to a leaking manifold to Y pipe gasket.

A re u sure your gaskets are ok?

I am having a cat back stainless exhaust fitted on wednesday so will find out then as it does sound like an exhaust leak but the wynns treatment did work for a while thats why i think its a tappet. I just been out there and started the engine from cold put the scope on and the ticking is there cold and warm and it does increase with RPM.

Ok the tappet noise is intermittent coming from just the oil fill side and does not seem to be temperature related. The mechanic reckons its down to age and nothing to worry about.

Question is if i leave it will it do any harm? and how many miles before a serpentine V8 needs new camshafts?

1. Depends what's wrong ,somewhere something is loose or worn, but the advice from a mechanic who has had a chance to listen to the sound has more value than someone who hasn't.

2. How long is a piece of string? my 3.5 had a replacement cam a 95,000 miles and that vehicle was serviced twice a year by a Main LR Dealer. I have a long way to go, to get to that mileage with my 3.9.

And the type of drive belt has nothing to do with it

Just a thought but I found a site which reckons a loose oil pick up pipe can cause this. I recently had a new sump gasket put on by an independent LR specialist I was hoping they would have checked this anyway, will find out in the morning again.

Ok car fully warmed no ticking purring like a kitten. Give it a couple of blips on the throttle and was surprised that the tap, tap noise came straight back. Car was stationary but obviously the vibration caused by revving maybe moves the oil pick up pipe?

If there is a doubt then the pipe will have to be checked, which is a pain.

Another question is when the oil light should go out? When cold (overnight or more than 8 hours) or warm goes out in under 2 seconds but left for 3-4 hours then start up it takes 4 to 5 seconds for the light to go out which is bad.

robs said:

Another question is when the oil light should go out? When cold (overnight or more than 8 hours) or warm goes out in under 2 seconds but left for 3-4 hours then start up it takes 4 to 5 seconds for the light to go out which is bad.

Click to expand...

should go out straight away under any condition

+1 and even when cranking is possible.