V70 Tapping noise
 

Hi Guys

I have got a 2.4 petrol Y reg V70.

There is a tapping noise coming from the top of the engine. It is noticeable when idling when the engine has been running for a while and is well up to temperature.

What is it likely to be and is it likely to be a problem if I keep using the car with it doing this.

Thanks in advance

Kenny

Hello, What year is "Y" again? How "singular" does it sound? By that I mean; does the sound suggest one valve or timed to the action of one cylinder? Or, is there a flurry of mild ticking which sounds more like all 5 cylinders? If it's not from the valve train itself but from the belt and rollers which spin them, you'd be well off fixing the problem fast. Probing around with a mechanic's stethoscope or screwdriver to your ear can help you get closer to the source of the sound. A quick and cheap route to see if the noise is coming from valves and tappets would be to change the oil to something thicker and see if you hear a difference. If you've owned this vehicle for a while and have changed the oil regularly and this noise is new then I'd check for a failing cam belt roller real fast. Remember, the cam belts don't fail too often. Their rollers loose their lube and cease up, taking the belt out secondarily. You loose big. Kira

Might sound daft, but check that none your spark plugs are loose.

Thanks for this.

I have listened to it again today and it certainly sounds like several noises rather than just one tick. It seems to be coming more from the flywheel end of the engine as opposed to the timing belt end. I will follow your advice and get something to really pinpoint exactly where its coming from and let you know.

Will the thicker oil just help in diagnosing the problem or is it a short term cure? Also I have heard that the O rings in the oil pick up are prone to going could this be a cause and are there any other symptoms to look for if this is a possible cause?

I will check the spark plugs as well.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Kenny

Hello, The oil, say a fresh batch of 10W-30, would only be an indicator of where the noise was coming from. It wouldn't have any capacity to cure. I don't know of anything which would make a ticking noise in the back of the engine. We, meaning everybody, should have access to a sound library where you could pick from a list of automotive sounds. It would make things easier. Kira

Hi

Thanks for all the advice. I took it to a local volvo independant. They reckon its just the injectors and advised replacing the the injector O rings.

Thanks again

Kenny