I have a V reg st24 and I've got a really annoying tapping noise coming from top engine I've been told its the lifters so I've tryed small things like oil change, flush and also lifter cleaner but still have this problem, it only accurres when engine is warm and in low revs.

Can anybody help before I go mad 😉

 

First things first - are you sure it's not the injectors? They 'tick' quite audibly.

It's doubtful it's the lifters, as they'd quieten down as the engine became warmer.

Another couple of possibilities that aren't as drastic as they sound and that's the exhaust manifold gasket, or the head gasket. The head gasket blows 'to atmosphere' through a weak point in the gasket design. You'll loose no oil, nor water, but will be losing a small amount of compression (so power) from one cylinder. They can go on for thousands of miles like it without issue. The exhaust manifolds can also leak, although they too tend to be worse when cold.

 

Ill try some injector cleaner first see if that helps any but with you saying about compression it dose feel abit sluggish if you like so head gasket maybe the way forward

Thanks for your help dan

 

Sometimes the exhaust manifolds start to blow and when they do they make a ticking nice when you rev the engine.

 

Thanks Glenn ill check that to

 

I had this with mine many years ago, it started very light and got a bit worse over time then on way to work one day BANG two con rods left the engine! When i took it out to replace it i found the exhaust cam caps nearest the rad had all come loose the noise just sounded like a noisey tappet

 

Tryd injector cleaner today and still the same so I'm thinking manifold gaskets, ill have to get it on some ramps and have a proper look at it :-(

 

As Dan said, you need to distinguish whether the noise is a tap or a tick. For want of a better description, the gasket noise is like a loud clock ticking about twice as fast as it should do. HTH

 

Deferenetly a ticking sound it sounds like Big Ben coming down the street lol but doesn't tick any faster or slower than it should, just need to find out if its head gasket or manifold!!!

Bloody annoying me now :-/