Lifters/worn cam/lack of oil pressure.

 

Those that Ian listed are the most common, but ticking can come from gasket leak between heads and manifolds. Some will disappear as things heat up and expand, others are there from cold to hot. Also worn rocker shafts can cause a ticking.
How bad is the oil leak? A few drops or a pool? Oil pressure warning light flickering or on bright? Only at Idle or all the time? Oil topped up?
Most common oil leaks are rocker cover gaskets.
Personally, I find oil leaks a good way to keep the chassis from rotting, and Defenders make so much noise when underway, ticking isn't an issue.

 

Change the oil with 10W40 and retest in the morning.

When I go and start my RRC when it's 10 deg outside it taps then the tapping goes away.

However, p76rangie is right about worn out parts. At 160k what do you want?

 

...any idea what this ticking could be....? It seems to quiet as the engine runs for awhile, but I don't want to chance anything.Thanks!

If the ticking sound goes diminishes as the engine warms up I'd second the lifter problem and the oil change advisory.

BUT - Just to make sure (and TerryS will no doubt kill me for this other piece of obscurity) - check your power steering pump bolts are tight. If the PS pulley bolts are even slightly loose you'll get a tappet like tick, if the pump has been changed and the bolts weren't thread locked they can work loose.

 

This is great!

You guys have been so much help! I'm glad I found this web site! Wish I would had know about it in 1997 when I had my nightmare Discovery! ...and then in 2006 when my air ride went out on my 2003 Range!

OK, well I have a lot of good answers here, but alas I took it to a mechanic as well and they feel that it's the oil pan filter being clogged. Along with many other issues with this baby!! ...as to reply to the oil light question it does 'flicker' at start and then goes away and then may come back on occasion.....?

Would it be advisable just to replace the oil pan filter as well as the pump to be safe?

 

If I recall correctly, the oil pan pickup tube just has a screen over the end. It is easily cleaned instead of replaced.
rob

 

If you have that much sludge in the oil sump that it is clogging the screen and causing low pressure then you need to revise your service schedule and/or oil used. The Rover V8 will last a long time if you keep the oil clean.

 

Years ago, my 90 RRC had a nasty tick which I suspected as being an exhaust leak as mentioned in earlier in this post. That wasn't the case, in my situation.

I wound up tearing this motor apart to clean things up.
In the following pics you'll see my drivers side rocker arms.

One rocker is missing a push rod cup, the other one is still present.
This was the only rocker that was physically damaged, and I have no idea how long it was like this. Nor did I find the cup in the pan when I removed it.

With the motor apart, and cleaned up, I ordered new replacement parts.
Motorcars LTD had a killer deal on new genuine complete rocker arm assemblies, and they were only $75 ea (try and find a deal like that now, these were purchased in 2003).
I picked up 8 genuine rush rods, 8 aftermarket lifters.

 

I wonder I wonder

I have a ticking from my liftersafter the engine is HOT/Warmed up...like say, after 15 miles

I also have an intermittent oil light that flashes...

Rover has 113K miles on it...

Suggestions?

 

Mine "ticked and tapped" like a mofo after I had to pull the fuel pump. That was all caused by a vacuum leak in the hose between the fuel pressure regulator and the plenum.

Benny: Didn't you already rebuild that engine? I seem to remember you struggling with the removal of the head bolts...was that your evil twin Benny?

 

Tampa, haha...maybe just my drunk evil twin

Yeah well I remember the ticking before I had to take the heads off for the gaskets

swapped gaskets and the push rods looked perfect so I didn't question anything...cam looked fine too

Put everything back together and the tapping was present and I put in some "Lifter noise reducer" type oil at the Local Auto Parts Store (LAPS)

Well its been about 2 months and the tapping is still there after driving for 30+ mile intervals...if RPMS get below say 1250-1500 its present

Recently switched out oil to 10w-40 and I still get the ticking and the flashing low oil pressure light...

Should remove oil pan and check around?

This ticking is ridiculous...the rocker arms were all torqued to specs too...its always cylinder 1 that is the culprit

any thoughts?

 

Try swapping the injector our on your number one. I've had bad injectors in the past that "ticked" loudly.

That'd be the simplest of your options anyway.

 

has anyone though of checking their oil pressure with a gauge to figure engine wear and maintenance?
seems that many have purchased high mileage trucks with word of mouth maintenance records and expect the engine to perform as new... talk is cheap, seller wants to unload a burden and hope to convince even the most avid purchaser.
hook up a profesional oil pressure gauge to the engine, read and compare specs and then
after proper results find a conclusion of engine performance..
at that time you can start using time and money wisely to your advantage in regards to a proper diagnosis.
asking for a probable noise without hearing the actual engine running is like asking a blind man to describe a color.

 

Disco benny, sorry to bring up a old thread but your symptoms are exact as mine, even if you didnt solve it and it sadly went bang, im extremenly interested in the final result??

 

If anyone ever figures out this godforsaken ticking PLEASE let me know. My 95 LWB 4.2 runs great but I have had that horrible ticking for the past 2yrs. It gets worse as the engine gets warmer. I owned a garage for the past 16 years. My mechanics have replaced everything that Range Rover advised we replace. I have been the only owner of the car and have have kept it in immaculate condition. Car has 100,510 miles on it.