Engine clicking/ticking

[artpeck]

Ok I know from researching here that this is probably a silly question in that a 2.25 engine is noisy, rattles, etc but...
Mine is running well and smoothly having been awakened from a 16 year nap. Everything seems in good order although i have yet to take it out on the road due to finishing up other bits like getting the brakes dialed in. It is a very low mileage engine in a 73 '88 with 31000 documented miles on it so I chose to see if I could get it running versus open it up. Compression is a solid 160 in each cylinder and oil pressure reads very strong at idle and speed. So far so good.

My question is the following. There is a distinct clicking/ticking sound coming from the valve cover area and not having another engine to listen to I can't tell if this is a normal mechanical sound or one or more tappets are sticking or something else. It wouldn't surprise me at all that the engine is gummed up as it was left unrun for the entire 16 years. I am running MMO in the oil and gas just to clean things up. Also don't know whether to be concerned about this or let it work the kinks out as I run it some more.
Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks.

[Cutter]

Ok I know from researching here that this is probably a silly question in that a 2.25 engine is noisy, rattles, etc but...
Mine is running well and smoothly having been awakened from a 16 year nap. Everything seems in good order although i have yet to take it out on the road due to finishing up other bits like getting the brakes dialed in. It is a very low mileage engine in a 73 '88 with 31000 documented miles on it so I chose to see if I could get it running versus open it up. Compression is a solid 160 in each cylinder and oil pressure reads very strong at idle and speed. So far so good.

My question is the following. There is a distinct clicking/ticking sound coming from the valve cover area and not having another engine to listen to I can't tell if this is a normal mechanical sound or one or more tappets are sticking or something else. It wouldn't surprise me at all that the engine is gummed up as it was left unrun for the entire 16 years. I am running MMO in the oil and gas just to clean things up. Also don't know whether to be concerned about this or let it work the kinks out as I run it some more.
Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks.

those tappets/valves tick, so it depends on the type of noise- i.e. bad or good. Hard to know if you have no reference ( I was in a similar situation a year ago with my truck so I know the feeling). Did you adjust the valves yet? I'd start there if not, its probably good to open up the cover if you haven't yet to check things out in there after sitting 16 years.

[TeriAnn]

Likely just need a rocker arm adjustment.

However, if it just sounds like one valve, the plate on the top of the valve cover is held on with two screws. Sometimes the screw over a rocker arm gets hit by the rocker arm and makes a loud tap. Check that one for a shiny spot and shorten the screw if needed.

Also locate a couple rocker arms that are fully up and not pressing against a valve. Move them sideways on the rocker shaft and look for a scored shaft. If the shaft is scored you should replace both the shaft and all the rocker arm bushings. Freshly installed bushings need to be reamed before fitting to a new rocker arm. A machine shop can properly ream the bushings & radius the surface where the rocker arm strikes the valve, usually for a reasonable price.

[artpeck]

Thanks and appreciate the advice. I will eventually pull the cover and check things out. I was asking as I didn't know if I should do this urgently or risk screwing something up or can wait a bit. One potentially relevant fact is that the PO had the dealer do the 30,000 mile service right before mothballing the truck so in theory things should be in adjustment. In theory.
I am getting ready to disassemble the body for painting but wanted to at ,east drive her a bit as it before doing that but didn't want to damage something in doing so.

[ducttape]

Not to hijack this link, but I have to compliment you Teri Ann. Is there anything you don't have a handle on about LRs?

Likely just need a rocker arm adjustment.

However, if it just sounds like one valve, the plate on the top of the valve cover is held on with two screws. Sometimes the screw over a rocker arm gets hit by the rocker arm and makes a loud tap. Check that one for a shiny spot and shorten the screw if needed.

Also locate a couple rocker arms that are fully up and not pressing against a valve. Move them sideways on the rocker shaft and look for a scored shaft. If the shaft is scored you should replace both the shaft and all the rocker arm bushings. Freshly installed bushings need to be reamed before fitting to a new rocker arm. A machine shop can properly ream the bushings & radius the surface where the rocker arm strikes the valve, usually for a reasonable price.

[TeriAnn]

Not to hijack this link, but I have to compliment you Teri Ann. Is there anything you don't have a handle on about LRs?

Actually a whole bunch I don't know. But I was lucky that I had a friend and mentor who owned a shop that was a Series Land Rover authorized warranty service & repair shop. He spent hours and hours over almost 15 years teaching me how to work on my Land Rover. And I have owned my current Land Rover for almost 33 years now.

I think I know my own Series II very well, other Series II & IIAs pretty well, a bit about SIII and pretty much nothing about coilers. All I can say about coilers is that I got a ride in a D90 about 15 years ago and a short ride in a Disco I about 2 years ago. I've never driven one nor helped anyone work on one. Though I have looked at Defenders as sources for parts to keep my truck running.

Bottom line is that the closer a Land Rover is to mine (including when it was stock) the more I know about it.

[jac04]

Sometimes the screw over a rocker arm gets hit by the rocker arm and makes a loud tap.

This is great advice and something that can be easily overlooked. This actually happened to me on my 63. Got the engine back from being rebuilt, installed it, and tap, tap, tap - very loud too. Took the valve cover off, started the engine and no tapping. Put the cover back on and tap, tap, tap. I was happy to find that it was such a simple problem.

[artpeck]

Advice appreciated. Yet another thing on the list for the weekend. Seems that list is endless. I guess that is the joy of rover ownership.