Disco 1 300tdi ticking/tapping noise. Your opinions please.

I have been checking around the forum and haven't found an answer yet...although I've found a few old threads with similar issues.
I know given the myriad of faults possible with a 300tdi i'm unlikey to get an exact answer, but rather your opinions please!

I have a Disco 1 which has barely been used for the last 10 years. I've recently bought it, been using it a lot, and I had the oil changed from 10w40 to 15w40. It had an squeal from the engine originally which was fixed by tightening the belt tensioner, but since then, it seems to have developed a ticking noise, which seems to be coming from the rear drivers side of the engine block.

Opinions from friends so far:
- Issue with the lift pump
- Blockage in a fuel injector line
- Something inside the engine block which is making it sound like a noise from the rear of the block.

So what's your opinion?

might be worth removing vac pump and holding some card board over the hole whilst you run engine ,failing that check the tappets

Or put your hand down the back of the head when the engine is running to see if the head gasket is blowing towards the bulkhead.

if you hold a long screwdriver handle to your ear and put the tip on the vac pump lift pump etc may be able to pin point it. mine was vac pump but as brakes are fine and pumps are pricey decided to live with it.

I would put money on it being the Vac-pump too.

Do you have an oil leak too, as they tend to leak when they are on their way out.

A new vac pump isn't pricey, I did mine and it was about 30-40 quid iirc.
4 bolts and a couple of jubilee clips and you're done.

My Disco had been standing a while before I bought it too, so that may have something to do with it.

Mines shared doing this too, exactly the same area also, but intermittently. Be sure to post up when you figure it out

sprogthedog said:

I would put money on it being the Vac-pump too.

Do you have an oil leak too, as they tend to leak when they are on their way out.

A new vac pump isn't pricey, I did mine and it was about 30-40 quid iirc.
4 bolts and a couple of jubilee clips and you're done.

My Disco had been standing a while before I bought it too, so that may have something to do with it.

Click to expand...

where you get pump chief? will do it at that price!

loose injector passing gas / head gasket blowing / vac pump as already suggested.

daisydad said:

where you get pump chief? will do it at that price!

Click to expand...

Got mine from Newbury 4x4. Came in the dreaded blue box, but has been fine so far.

I'm pretty sure thats what it cost, if it was any more I'm sure I would remember, as I'm almost permanently skint!!

i would say vac pump i had the same listen to it with a long screw driver

starplate said:

.

Opinions from friends so far:
- Issue with the lift pump
- Blockage in a fuel injector line
- Something inside the engine block which is making it sound like a noise from the rear of the block.

Click to expand...

Could be the lift pump is knackered they can tap when they fail.
Not going to be a blockage in an injection line, injection lines don't block.
Could be but start simple.

Vac pump is notorious for tapping on these.

I had exactly the same thing that sounded like a leaky injector ... turned out to be the head gasket gone at the back of the block... no oil water mixing etc just gasses coming out under compression... when you say you've checked the head gasket how di you do that ?? cheers

If it is the head gasket this is what happens. I have had 2 in during the last fortnight doing just this.

Here is a picture of how the gasket splits and just let's out exhaust gasses.

Was there an outcome to this?

depends on the noise I guess,mine has similar tapping but its the tappits, give them a try, every thin worth a go I guess,

Was just wondering whether the op managed to find and sort the ticking. Without an outcome, the thread isn't complete, lol

My 300tdi sounds awful to me and taps away (its not the lift pump or lift pump) but ive showed it to a few people who,ve owned a 300tdi and they reckoned it sounded fine!

So first t hing i suppose is to listen to another one before deciding its noisy.

But i still cant help thinking theres something wrong with it.

Will try to post a video of mine running, later. Maybe if a few of us do the same it might provide some reassurance

Tonks, currently got a 110 300 with HG blowing out the back of number 4, at the very back middle of the engine.

In your experience have the engines needed head work?

It just throw a new 3 hole gasket on and be done with it??

Just weighing up the job you see

Well here's mine on tick over. If you listen very carefully, you'll hear a slight ticking noise coming from the drivers side of the engine. The noise on the other side is the air filter housing wobbling about.


300 tdi - YouTube