Thread: 'Tapping' Td5 130...

Hello all!

Ok, odd one I think.. I have a 1999 Defender 130 Td5 with 200000 km on the clock that will start to tap (originally only a light tap but tonight, quite loudly) about 3 or 4 min into a journey from cold start. Dipping the clutch and letting it idle or revving it eliminates this tap. It sounds like valve/rocker tap from no 5 cyl. It's not the cold startup 'cackle' that you get upon first acceleration.. If it was a Tdi I'd rip the rocker cover off and have a look, but having never owned a Td5 untill a few months ago I thought I'd ask you guys. I'm going to pull the top cover off tomorrow eve so any pointers/suggestions would be welcome! 99.9% certain it's engine relaited not trans. Thanks. Simon.

The tap is back! Since the last post I've done the head gasket (gasket slipped, now has metal dowels and a skimmed head)... yup I know a Td5 now! We also had an injector fail.. Td4 for a day... After lots of yes's and no's I swapped the faulty injector for a second hand one of same colour cap, and it's run fine for a further 20000kms. Yesterday the 'tap' came back for a few seconds! 5th gear at 105kmh on slight down hill... engine speed tap... throttle down and it gets louder. No throttle and it stops.. light throttle... light tap! 10 sec later and it's gone again...??? Crap going thru an injector? Dirty oil? Hydraulic follower failing? Any suggestions welcome! The 4.2 straight 6 dt on the workshop floor has had the dust blown off it....