Thread: TD5 engine noise

First up just pull the cover off and check that one or more of the injector rocker arms haven't gone out of adjustment.

Only saying coz it sounds up top (ish) and easy check.

The sharper noise is also more indicative of piston slap rather than bearings if you were suspecting a block issue, also whenever a crank or big end bearing starts going it goes quick and gets very loud.

Having said that I stripped down a reco motor to find a big end half shell completely missing ?? and it had been driven for weeks since installation with the simple fix being a new set of bearings and no crank machining and it went for years after that.

Don't guess just open the cover and eyeball and if nothing is broken/loose up top at least you have started the process of elimination.

Get a big screwdriver and do the old timers trick of listening through that.

It's all best effort guess work getting advice on a forum.

will do. really appreciate your suggestion

Recorded sound always loses something in the translation. Automatic? Could be flex plate. Also check the harmonic balancer.

yep automatic. for the harmonic balancer just check for play? I presume without the belt on and see if the noise disappears

nuts are solid. injector harness was really oily. I swapped it over with one I had in parts draw. however there were no error codes on the nanocom.

I noticed that not a huge amount of oil was on the rocker / cam.

here is a little clip

TD5 rocker cover off - YouTube

when under the car. it sounded like it was the exhuast. I'm going to try the screw driver next.

Originally Posted by TroyMortimer

I noticed that not a huge amount of oil was on the rocker / cam

That's fine, mine were the same with a thin coating of oil(but black and filthy rockers and cam carrier, not sparkling clean like yours) the oil sitting in the pockets next to the head bolts is the excess flying around, so you are oiling up ok.

The inspection plate on the bottom of the bellhousing comes off easy and you can spin the motor with a screwdriver in the teeth (not much effort required, on mine anyway) and you can shine a light in and see the flex plate to check for cracks.

Also just an afterthought did you push the little inlet/exhaust valve rocker arms sideways to make sure all the lifters were pumped up and holding rocker arm up against cam. you could have a collapsed lifter that may not be obvious with the valvetrain sitting under the cam

So I hope you haven't put cover back on yet !

I have had power steering pumps, aircon compressors and even the bloody accessory drive belt make similar slapping noises and have me chasing my tail.

It is a process of check and eliminate.

Originally Posted by johnp38

Also just an afterthought did you push the little inlet/exhaust valve rocker arms sideways to make sure all the lifters were pumped up and holding rocker arm up against cam. you could have a collapsed lifter that may not be obvious with the valvetrain sitting under the cam

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what you mean push the little exhaust valve rocker arms sideways?

the rocker cover is sitting on top, but not screwed down.

IMG_20210620_193635.jpgIMG_20210620_193339.jpgIMG_20210620_193405.jpg

You have the cam carrier on top so need a longer screwdriver

the lifters should hold their oil pressure with engine off (take a long time to bleed down under pressure) so by giving a push sideways on the rocker arm it should be firm, if you have a buggered lifter the rocker arm will be loose/sloppy and even though the lifter will/may pump up when the engine is running it may still cause that noise by not being able to take up the clearance under running conditions.

This is just speculation, as said before it is just guesswork of possible causes, but also a valid test as part of the process of elimination.

You are the man in the arena the rest of us are just well meaning spectators with suggestions.

No more pics too cold out there.