Rover tappet noise

[craggle]

Depends who you believe. In theory a new cam and lifters are matched during the break in procedure so changing either will alter the contact area on the lobe or lifter and could cause excessive wear. You may get lucky though and get away with it.

A lifter is such a simple thing though that it is unlikely they have gone wrong unless the cam wasn't broken in correctly and one of the lobes is damaged.

If you are going to the hassle of removing the inlet manifold then remove each rocker shaft assembly and lift each lifter and pushrod out in turn and inspect the base.
If you do find a badly worn one though the cam will be equally worn.

Craig.

[Purple AK]

Originally Posted by simon

Oil pressure 50lbs at startup, 25lbs idle 45-ish running
I thought you had to change the lifters if you changed the camshaft, not the other way round?
Old lifters wear a new cam but new lifters don't wear a cam in good nick...isn't that right?
Simon

If the lifters are worn so will the cam be! Friction = wear on "both" surfaces

[neil still building it]

and check ...,when you have that rocker cover off to pull all the rockers & shaft off ,that one or more of the pushrods haven't poked a hole in the ball/cup rocker arrangement ,as they have a habit of doing.....
neil

[BenBaron]

Originally Posted by craggle

Sounds quite a good engine then, Or at least should be.

Did you build it? If not my first look would be for shims under the rocker pedestals. This only requires removal of the rocker covers so not a big job.

I assume oil pressure is fine?

Craig.

Agree with craig, exactly what I did last night, noisy tappets, try taking off your rocker covers and rotating your crank, at certain points your push rods go slack, one of mine had about 1/2mm rattle on one of them (thats after setting preload at build up) was rattling like buggery. Took the shims out and bobs your uncle, sounds nicer this morning, although Im sure I may have a bearing problem somewhere, but if it gets through the SVA Im not bothered...

[craggle]

Hi Ben

Always hated the shim idea as you can only set the preload on the entire set of 8 valves to the same level. If you have one tight one and one loose one you can't adjust individually with the shims.

I tried them on my 4.2 engine and after a few weeks had rattly lifters. Removed the shims and it sounded 100% better.

Another example of RPI selling me stuff I don't need!

Craig.

[simon]

Dragging this up again, the engine was fitted with Rhoads lifters, do I need to replace like with like or will any old (new!) lifters do?
Thanks
Simon

[wilf]

Rhoads lifters are renowned for being very noisy - that right there could have been your initial problem.

You don't need to replace them with the same.

[warney]

Hi Simon,
Had a similar noise,turned out to be a bent valve watch had worn the valve guide real badly.Only ran for about 300 mile tops,another 100 and would have recked the heads completely.
All the best Dave

[simon]

OK I got it wrong, they are NOT rhoads lifters, just standard ones. The rockers have shims under them, if I find a pushrod looser than the rest and remove the shims, won't it make the others too tight? sorry, I don't underconstumble how they work!

[craggle]

Remove all the shims both sides.

Yes, the others will be more compressed than the looser one but they so long as they are compressed they should be fine. You have to compress them by 2 or 3mm I think to make them too tight.

Rover never fitted shims at the factory so why bother now?

Craig.