300 tdi noises

[Oberon 110]

Hi all, got a noisy 300 tdi in a 110. There's a top end ticking noise which I'm tipping is vallve adjustment or a leaking exhaust manifold, but there's also a sort of sucking noise at the same frequency (but different phase) as the tick, so perhaps HG? Anyway, I've attached some audio, just wondering if anyone recognises these noises?

Cheers, Will

Audio: Tdi.m4a - Google Drive (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OTU7_SaiA1gOUS9vbsb-XBUf2bWaxcVB/view?usp=sharing) (I tried to attach it but the forum doesn't accept m4a)

[DiscoMick]

Does the pulley on the timing belt have a slight wobble, causing it to touch something?
There was an upgrade from LR, but you would assume it had been done by now.

[Oberon 110]

Does the pulley on the timing belt have a slight wobble, causing it to touch something?
There was an upgrade from LR, but you would assume it had been done by now.
I'll check that - assuming you're refering to this in relation to the tick? The tick seems to be coming from the top of the motor, and louder behind the motor on the passenger side, so don't think it's belt related, but I will check. Cheers for the response!

[Robmacca]

I gather you have not touched the timing at all? U haven't changed the timing belt at all recently?

[Oberon 110]

I gather you have not touched the timing at all? U haven't changed the timing belt at all recently?
Nah haven't touched timing at all, are you thinking valves htting the pistons or some other timing issue? I might pop the rocker cover off and see how all that gear looks, although I don't really want to lash the valves myself. Just bought the car around a month ago, didn't notice the noise when I looked at it (twice, pretty thoroughly) but noticed it after a little while on the drive home (not saying it wasn't there initially, just didn't notice it). It's persisted this long but hasn't gotten worse, or shown any other symptoms, engine runs quite well otherwise

[Robmacca]

Nah haven't touched timing at all, are you thinking valves htting the pistons or some other timing issue? I might pop the rocker cover off and see how all that gear looks, although I don't really want to lash the valves myself. Just bought the car around a month ago, didn't notice the noise when I looked at it (twice, pretty thoroughly) but noticed it after a little while on the drive home (not saying it wasn't there initially, just didn't notice it). It's persisted this long but hasn't gotten worse, or shown any other symptoms, engine runs quite well otherwise

Check for missing/damaged lash caps...

[Oberon 110]

Check for missing/damaged lash caps...
Will do! Cheers

[LR1953]

Will, I had a similar issue in a Disco 300tdi. I removed the valve cover and turned the crankshaft over slowly. At a particular point every two revolutions a valve would snap shut with a loud clicking noise. It turned out that the camshaft drive pulley was working loose on the camshaft. (It is held in place by 3 hex-head setscrews) This allowed the camshaft to momentarily jump ahead by a few degrees before the drive pulley "caught up". The solution was a replacement drive pulley and threadlocker on the setscrews. From memory I had the timing belt replaced and timing reset at the same time.
Cheers, Rob S

[AK83]

Before you chase down the 'complicated' stuff, also look into the more simple(and not so durable) items like the vacuum pump.

Notorious for clicky/tappety noise and puffy/sucking/choofing/noises.

Noises can deceptively 'travel' or bounce around and while you think it's coming from one point, it turns out it's coming from somewhere else.

I had this issue on my D1 tdi, and drove me spare! ... loud clicky/clacky noise, and I was sure maybe a tappet or lash adjuster. Seemed to be louder on the passenger side of the engine, and more accurately about cyl 2 and 3.
Cover off and all valves had good clearance and all caps still there. Maybe exhaust manifold .. ???
Only place I couldn't point a stethoscope was near the front fan serpentine belt area, so off with the belt and motor idling ... and noise gone!
Maybe water pump had some crud inside it .. could start to understand what this loud clack could be. Belt back on but fan off, allowed me to turn pump and get stethoscope near by gingerly avoiding spinning pulleys, and noise still seemed to be pass side near cyls 2/3.
I thought to place slight pressure on serpentine belt adjuster and noise gone... and now I was getting closer. tighter belt ... noise gone. adjuster maybe shonky. new adjuster ... same stupid clack noise! ... arrgghhh!
Issue was so simple ... belt stretched just that bit too much the adjuster was bouncing on it's end stop.
Fitted a new belt, and with both old and new adjuster fitted, no clacking [thumbsupbig]

The point isn't that you don't have a valve or cam or whatever issue ... just that sometimes the issue is so simple ... and easy to eliminate from the probability list.

That is: you have a noise whilst engine is spinning over. You can safely run the engine at idle for a few seconds with no fan or fan belt .. no problems.
If you do this, does the noise change? If so then issue is going to be more simple than you may have originally considered.

Another thing to keep in mind .. you could have multiple issues. The sucking like sound could also be gasket on inlet side leaky, or intake hose loose or something, and the tappety noise is something else.

[Oberon 110]

Will, I had a similar issue in a Disco 300tdi. I removed the valve cover and turned the crankshaft over slowly. At a particular point every two revolutions a valve would snap shut with a loud clicking noise. It turned out that the camshaft drive pulley was working loose on the camshaft. (It is held in place by 3 hex-head setscrews) This allowed the camshaft to momentarily jump ahead by a few degrees before the drive pulley "caught up". The solution was a replacement drive pulley and threadlocker on the setscrews. From memory I had the timing belt replaced and timing reset at the same time.
Cheers, Rob S
Cheers Rob, I'll check for this when I pull the valve cover off

[Oberon 110]

Before you chase down the 'complicated' stuff, also look into the more simple(and not so durable) items like the vacuum pump.

Notorious for clicky/tappety noise and puffy/sucking/choofing/noises.

Noises can deceptively 'travel' or bounce around and while you think it's coming from one point, it turns out it's coming from somewhere else.

I had this issue on my D1 tdi, and drove me spare! ... loud clicky/clacky noise, and I was sure maybe a tappet or lash adjuster. Seemed to be louder on the passenger side of the engine, and more accurately about cyl 2 and 3.
Cover off and all valves had good clearance and all caps still there. Maybe exhaust manifold .. ???
Only place I couldn't point a stethoscope was near the front fan serpentine belt area, so off with the belt and motor idling ... and noise gone!
Maybe water pump had some crud inside it .. could start to understand what this loud clack could be. Belt back on but fan off, allowed me to turn pump and get stethoscope near by gingerly avoiding spinning pulleys, and noise still seemed to be pass side near cyls 2/3.
I thought to place slight pressure on serpentine belt adjuster and noise gone... and now I was getting closer. tighter belt ... noise gone. adjuster maybe shonky. new adjuster ... same stupid clack noise! ... arrgghhh!
Issue was so simple ... belt stretched just that bit too much the adjuster was bouncing on it's end stop.
Fitted a new belt, and with both old and new adjuster fitted, no clacking [thumbsupbig]

The point isn't that you don't have a valve or cam or whatever issue ... just that sometimes the issue is so simple ... and easy to eliminate from the probability list.

That is: you have a noise whilst engine is spinning over. You can safely run the engine at idle for a few seconds with no fan or fan belt .. no problems.
If you do this, does the noise change? If so then issue is going to be more simple than you may have originally considered.

Another thing to keep in mind .. you could have multiple issues. The sucking like sound could also be gasket on inlet side leaky, or intake hose loose or something, and the tappety noise is something else.
Checked the vacuum pump and that seems ok. Had sort of eliminated belts or pulleys, but the noise you describe sounds very similar to mine, so I might take off the belt and check again. There's a bit of a squeak from the belt so could be that all that gear is a bit shagged.

The air hoses (between the inlet and the filter) were/are both falling apart - dump valve to filter drum hose was all torn so I replaced that, then in replacing it the inlet to dump valve hose tore.. new one ordered. Hopefully that sucking noise is just that, although it's a kind of drumming noise as well so I think there might be a bit more pressure involved than just intake leaks, we'll see.

Thanks very much for your help mate!

[DiscoMick]

All good. I only mentioned it because our previous 300Tdi Disco 1 had this before the timing belt failed, with unpleasant results, necessitating a rebuild by MR Auto at Redcliffe.

I'll check that - assuming you're refering to this in relation to the tick? The tick seems to be coming from the top of the motor, and louder behind the motor on the passenger side, so don't think it's belt related, but I will check. Cheers for the response!

[BathurstTom]

I had a noisy 300tdi in my D1 manual and nearly went mad trying to find the source. Changed lash caps. Swapped vacuum pumps and did a few other things. It ended up being clutch springs. As said by other the sound travels and can be very hard to source.

[Oberon 110]

So just to close this one out, the issue ended up being worn lash caps and valves out of adjustment. I had the car booked in for a major service and didn't end up getting a chance to take the rocker cover off and have a look myself before then, so the issue was found and solved by the LR specialist. Anyway, no noise now! Thanks to everyone for your advice. Cheers