Volvo Penta 4.3GL-D Tapping Noise Videos attached

[Colliemcc]

I have a Volvo Penta 4.3GL-D
I have it over 10 years and the engine has never given a days trouble only starter motors. its fully serviced every year regardless of use.
Last weekend I heard a tapping noise which sounds like it coming from the port side head.
It went away few min later then, went back to marina, noise came and went.
But now the noise is in it all the time.

My engine is a Vortec model with Hydraulic lifters could this noise one or two of these.

I have attached 3 videos that I took last night.
I would be extremely grateful if some of you guys could have a look and listen please. It does sound a little different in real life

Thanks in advance
Colm

 

[Lou C]

That does sound like it could be valve train related, I would get a mechanics stethoscope so you can accurately localize it. If I recall the valve train on the later 4.3s are not adjustable like in the older ones like mine where you’re not adjusting valve lash per se but rather adjusting the depth of the plunger in the hydraulic valve adjuster (lifter).
You could have a bad hydraulic lifter, bent pushrod or the bolt that holds down the rocker arm could have loosened.

Second vid actually sounds like a loose/worn out timing chain…

 

[Colliemcc]

Thanks, my engine sounds the exact same as this one when I've the rocker cover off

 

[alldodge]

Collapsing lifter. Take a long screw driver and with valve covers off, place the driver on each rocker stud and hold the handle end against your ear. Find out where the sound is most pronounced

 

[alldodge]

In your other thread about new lifters for the motor, might want to check some more things before buying unless you already did

Do you have good oil pressure at idle, at least 10 psi but should be more. Also not boat gauges may not be the most accurate

Did you locate which lifter is making the noise?

To replace all I'm guessing your going to remove the intake. If so, remove it now and look at the lifters and how they fit in the bore, and there should be no slop

What weight oil are you using?

Is the oil level high, as in maybe the oil is being diluted

 

[Colliemcc]

In your other thread about new lifters for the motor, might want to check some more things before buying unless you already did

Do you have good oil pressure at idle, at least 10 psi but should be more. Also not boat gauges may not be the most accurate

Did you locate which lifter is making the noise?

To replace all I'm guessing your going to remove the intake. If so, remove it now and look at the lifters and how they fit in the bore, and there should be no slop

What weight oil are you using?

Is the oil level high, as in maybe the oil is being diluted

Hi Thanks for the reply, just seen it now. I've had a good listen, I've narrowed it down to two rockers on the same side, the left side. still hard to be 100% even using a statoscope
I have ordered 12 new lifters and waiting for them to come from the US to Ireland, Should be here on Saturday or next Monday.

I have started to strip stuff off the engine last night, going to remove the intake manifold and replace all 12 when I'm in that far. Hopefully it is one of them, when I've the push rods out also going to check them on a glass table etc.

The oil the I am using is 15W 40, Same oil the last 15 years.
I have good oil pressure checked it with a workshop gauge connected into the oil sender connection.

Thanks Again lads
Colm

 

[Colliemcc]

I just thought Id update this, no one ever seems to.
I replaced all the lifters in my engine last night. Ticking was there for a min but then left and is now ticking over fine so far,

I cant run it for long as I've no water in the shed that the boat is in.
I have to take the intake manifold off again as I used the old intake gaskets as didn't want to use the new ones if I had to take the heads off to take them to the machine shop. Didn't want to waste the the 60pound that I paid for them

 

[ejnichol]

Sounds much better.