Oil pressure.
- Thread starter phil
- Start date
Hi Stina, the oil feeds, were they the holes, one under the rear rocker shaft mount and one at the front? I didnt run it with the rocker covers off, time was getting on so my plan is to remove the covers at the weekend and see how oily it is under the covers then. It was absolutely caked under there in dried crud. I have put it back together and it seems much quieter so maybe I've done it?
Dave Herns wrote,...
Hello Dave,
None of the pushrods used in the Rover V8 over the years were hollow, but those used in the Leyland P76 V8 were and some of the Holden V8 engines also from Australia used hollow pushrods to facilitate oil delivery.
Hello Phil,
I remember back in 1987 or so saying to a Rover expert that my rocker shaft appeared to be covered with dry dirt. This I could see through the oil filler. He said..."Crook oil". I had been using Castol oil, so I changed to another brand. The engine continued for another 20 years during which time I put another 140,000 miles of top of what had been there at the time.
Glad you feel better about doing what you did. If the pressure is just the same, don't worry just drive it.
Ron.
Hello Dave,
None of the pushrods used in the Rover V8 over the years were hollow, but those used in the Leyland P76 V8 were and some of the Holden V8 engines also from Australia used hollow pushrods to facilitate oil delivery.
Hello Phil,
I remember back in 1987 or so saying to a Rover expert that my rocker shaft appeared to be covered with dry dirt. This I could see through the oil filler. He said..."Crook oil". I had been using Castol oil, so I changed to another brand. The engine continued for another 20 years during which time I put another 140,000 miles of top of what had been there at the time.
Glad you feel better about doing what you did. If the pressure is just the same, don't worry just drive it.
Ron.
unstable load
Well-Known Member
Oven cleaner and in the dishwasher..... 
stina
New Member
Hi Phil .
I can only comment on the experience i had with mine . I had an annoying tapping . I cured it with sorting the oil feed as discussed and replacing rocker shafts that had worn due to the poor oil feed , i also replaced the push rods . My understanding is that the hydraulic tappets can drain down and become noisy without regular use and can quieten down with a good run . ( and good oil )
One of the experts will hopefully expand on my answer .
stina
I can only comment on the experience i had with mine . I had an annoying tapping . I cured it with sorting the oil feed as discussed and replacing rocker shafts that had worn due to the poor oil feed , i also replaced the push rods . My understanding is that the hydraulic tappets can drain down and become noisy without regular use and can quieten down with a good run . ( and good oil )
One of the experts will hopefully expand on my answer .
stina
Don't discount the possibility you are listening to an exhaust blow. The V8 is known to produce quite high pitched metallic sounding noises this way. At tickover, or not under load, you probably won't hear them.
There again, if you do have a metallic tick, or tap, in the engine, the most likely candidates are in the valve train. If you've had bad oil supply in the rocker chamber, then you may well have worn rocker(s) and or shafts. Going down, the pushrods are known to wear on their ends, sometimes to the point of popping out of the rocker. Down further and next up is the hydraulic cam follower, Known for wear causing it not to seal and no longer pump up, leaving the valve train loose as if you had too large a tappet clearance. But this noise is much more likely at very low revs, and especially on start up. Then the engine will sound like a bag of nails and then quickly quieten down. Finally there is the cam. Badly looked after V8's - ie oil changes ignored, are very likely to wear the cam lobes away. You are unlikely to notice until the process is very far advanced, so unlikely to be your noise.
So my best guess would be a rocker shaft and or rockers, or possibly a push rod. It'll be really difficult to find until it's really far gone, though. So unless you fancy playing hunt the tap round the engine, renewing great chunks as you go, I'd simply wait for it to announce itself properly.
No harm having a careful listen in case it is something in one of the ancilliaries - alternator (I'll get my coat), power steering pump etc And don't forget an exhaust tick!
Chris
There again, if you do have a metallic tick, or tap, in the engine, the most likely candidates are in the valve train. If you've had bad oil supply in the rocker chamber, then you may well have worn rocker(s) and or shafts. Going down, the pushrods are known to wear on their ends, sometimes to the point of popping out of the rocker. Down further and next up is the hydraulic cam follower, Known for wear causing it not to seal and no longer pump up, leaving the valve train loose as if you had too large a tappet clearance. But this noise is much more likely at very low revs, and especially on start up. Then the engine will sound like a bag of nails and then quickly quieten down. Finally there is the cam. Badly looked after V8's - ie oil changes ignored, are very likely to wear the cam lobes away. You are unlikely to notice until the process is very far advanced, so unlikely to be your noise.
So my best guess would be a rocker shaft and or rockers, or possibly a push rod. It'll be really difficult to find until it's really far gone, though. So unless you fancy playing hunt the tap round the engine, renewing great chunks as you go, I'd simply wait for it to announce itself properly.
No harm having a careful listen in case it is something in one of the ancilliaries - alternator (I'll get my coat), power steering pump etc And don't forget an exhaust tick!
Chris
stina
New Member
Hay Phil i,m watching this thread with interest after what i went through with mine . I didn't want to say before you did but you can find yourself " over listening " when you suspect a problem . I'm still telling myself to just enjoy driving the thing ! I think judging by what i've read here as long as you have good oil , and it's flowing around the motor as it should you won't hurt it .
Again willing to be corrected .
stina
Again willing to be corrected .
stina
ghce
Well-Known Member
I suspect you have good cause for worry. If your motor is quieter when cold and then noises up I would say you have a serious oil pressure problem to an engine componant, whilst your oil gauge may be reading fine at its pressure sensor pickup point thats not to say that it's good furthur into the engine. Whilst I would suspect valve train rockers etc as the most likely I would not rule out other things also, a stethoscope approach to tracking it down may lead to narrowing down of the area of concern I would not let this one lie until it becomes too obvious.
Graeme
Graeme
Lifters can tick during operation but they won't cause the engine to fail any time soon by doing so. You can if you wish replace all the lifters and the camshaft and the timing set, but it all depends on how much you plan on driving the car. Heavy knocking is a cause for concern but light ticking noises I wouldn't worry too much about. A Rover V8 can make many noises, but very few will stop it from working.
Ron.
Ron.
I'm definitely with Ron here. If your tap only comes on when the engine is warm, it is unlikely to be lifters, in which case you could chase it round the engine for months! And you'd be unlikely to dramatically improve the performance of the engine when you did find it!
The only thought that does occour, did you change your oil for Millers? I know we had a discussion about which oil to use. If you haven't changed it yet, it might be a good idea to get on and do so.
Chris
The only thought that does occour, did you change your oil for Millers? I know we had a discussion about which oil to use. If you haven't changed it yet, it might be a good idea to get on and do so.
Chris