P38A Got's me some ticking....

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.

Liner or Cam wear?

  • Liner

    Votes: 2 15.4%
  • Cam

    Votes: 3 23.1%
  • Fecked Follower

    Votes: 5 38.5%
  • Tick what tick? Wait, where's me hearing aid?

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Who cares? You bought a P38 cheap what do you expect?

    Votes: 3 23.1%

  • Total voters
    13
Sounds like a plan. You're sure the exhaust manifolds aren't cracked anywhere? Strip of bog paper on a stick might get blown about by a leak. Just thinking that'd be less work!

I'd pop down and help but I'm absolutely maxxed out with work at the moment. Struggling to find time to ****.
 
Sounds like a plan. You're sure the exhaust manifolds aren't cracked anywhere? Strip of bog paper on a stick might get blown about by a leak. Just thinking that'd be less work!

I'd pop down and help but I'm absolutely maxxed out with work at the moment. Struggling to find time to ****.
That is going to form part of the ongoing investigations - many thanks for the help, but the vehicle is located in a secure (like need passes and forms to fill out and signing of security/secrecy documents sort of secure - they are a research contractor to the MoD) car park at work, but I appreciate the offer!
 
Sounds like a good staged response to me. Big jobs breaking out there mate. The advantage of one day a week is you can get all the bits wait for them to come during the week then fit them at the weekend.. rinse and repeat.
I felt i was successful because i could properly clean everything with jizer and a jet wash. This was after a hot wash or 2. The amount of gunk even on the last wash was surprising to me. That's hard to do with the engine in the motor. Possible but tricky.
 
That is going to form part of the ongoing investigations - many thanks for the help, but the vehicle is located in a secure (like need passes and forms to fill out and signing of security/secrecy documents sort of secure - they are a research contractor to the MoD) car park at work, but I appreciate the offer!
So my bus pass wont do then lol !
 
So, today I spent some time stripping down and getting me bits and bobs out.

Bonnet into service mode....

10.JPG


20.JPG


First point of call was to address the comments on oil pressure - whipped out my hose and adaptors, the realised that getting to the oil pressure switch (which is the easiest place to plug the gauge into) can be a bit of a sod - there is a hard coolant pipe that runs very close to it, the alternator bracket is above it, and trying to get to it from underneath is difficult because of the oil line to the cooler!

Any how, whipped the Alternator and bracket off, got the switch out and put in the pressure gauge

30.JPG


40.JPG


Run the Engine and bled the air out of the line....



So, with good pressure, I proceeded to strip the manifold off.

First, mark up the LPG injectors and harnesses

50.JPG


60.JPG


70.JPG


Removed the gas injector rails, petrol injector splice harness and vaporiser coolant pipes

80.JPG


Then, take all the intake ducting off, remove multiplugs to the throttle pot, IACV - remove the coolant pipes to the body warmer, breather to the rocker cover and the throttle and cruise control cables

90.JPG


100.JPG


Undo the 6 socket cap bolts for the plenum chamber and lift off

110.JPG


Took the passenger side rocker cover off and had a gander - all looks fine under there too - all the rockers are firm, the rods are seated nicley, no play of excessive movement anywhere!

120.JPG


Sooooo, cover back on - time to dig deeper and get the intake manifold off

130.JPG


This is a bit of a faff, but basically, undo the bolts for the injector wiring harness, undo the bolts holding the fuel rail in place and the ignition coil brakcet in place, carefully lift he fuel rail to release the iggy coil bracket. Undo the fuel supply and return pipes from the fuel rail (carefully depressurise the lines first (cover the rail schreider valve with a rag and depress the inner valve.)

Remove the multiplug to the iggy coil, undo the 12 manifold bolts in the published order

160.JPG


Then carefully prise the manifold off the gasket and lift away.

140.JPG


150.JPG


Once I then retreived the iggy coil packs and took the leads off - one post and lead was covered in oxidised corrosion..!!!!

170.JPG


180.JPG


Ah ha....... this probably explains the misifres and popping and backfiring - uneven idle etc etc - but not the ticking!! But it is a step forward!

Pulled the old plugs out and they are fecked - I am surprised the car ran at all

300.JPG


310.JPG


320.JPG


330.JPG


340.JPG


350.JPG


360.JPG


370.JPG




So, with he manifold off, undo the two bolts holding the valley gasket clamps in place and lift off the old valley gasket to reveal the camshaft and followers.

190.JPG


200.JPG


210.JPG


220.JPG


230.JPG


240.JPG


250.JPG


260.JPG


270.JPG


280.JPG


290.JPG




Looking at the lobes and the followers, looking at there movement relative to eachother, there would appear to be no excessive or worrying signs of wear on the cam at all (surprisingly).

So it would initially appear that the ticking may not be due to worn cam lobes or a dicky lifter/follower....thats a bugger!

The ticking/tapping only happens when it gets warm, and that points to potential liner issues...maybe.

Speaking with the other half, she says I have got this far, and to get the heads off, is just faffing with the exhaust manifold and heatsheilds, and then the heads bolts, so I may aswell go the whole hog and lift the heads and look at the gaskets and liners whilst I am there.

But that will have to wait a couple of weeks now as I can only do the work at the weekends, and we are busy with birthdays etc for the next couple!

What are your thoughts peeps??

Watch this space....
 
Its been a long long time since I saw plugs in such a state. I am gobsmacked it ran at all.
Impressed how far you got today. Very surprised that oil pressure was ok
 
Seen plugs similar to them this week, my mothers car.
Long life Iridium I believe, but they don't look good at 40k, mahoosive gaps lie Saints.

Funny thing is, it doesn't drive any better with new ones!!
 
Visual inspection suggests cam-lobes are all good then?
What's this failed-lifter I have heard of before?
What if just one "lifter" is not pressurising even with good oil pressure?
Don't know how they work or whether its possible to have a failed/leaky one.
 
Visual inspection suggests cam-lobes are all good then?
What's this failed-lifter I have heard of before?
What if just one "lifter" is not pressurising even with good oil pressure?
Don't know how hey work or whether its possible to have a failed/leaky one.
worn cams dont tick ,lifters do they are just little cylinders with a piston and an oil feed hole,oil pressure takes up any gap between them and the cam unless they fail then they dont hence tick
 
Drop the sump as it's probably still less work than taking the heads off even at this stage and look for any coolant crud at the bottom of the cylinders.

Have seen plenty of slipped liners where there's no pressurising of the coolant system. To be honest it always goes this way with ticking - the hope it's lifters or worn cam/push rods and it usually turns out to be liners.
 
Don't really have any experience with the dreaded slipped liner. Mine was ( poorly )top hatted when i i brought it. Your really left with a puzzler. Min work means keep peeling back the layers until something shows. Liner would be new engine/top hat plus rebuild. Not to many possibles at this stage that don't involve major works.assuming the cam and lifters are ok.head gasket could be one. So i guess sense says to get the heads off. This will give most info re gasket and liners. And will allow access to the b@#$#rd bell housing bolts if you need to go further!
 
Back
Top