[Forest Fab]

Hi guys,

I opened the tappet cover the other day and found this:


The rocker is sitting sideways and has worn the cam away.

Anyone seen this before? Any idea why the bugger has decided to move like this?

I'm having the cam welded and ground. Hopefully it won't happen again!

Thanks.
Fab.

[CATS]

Sjeesh

Must have sounded like a really sick engine!

CATS

[7Pajeros]

Was the motor making clicking noises before you opened it up? What sort of mileage has it done? From the pic it looks as if the follower was still located on the top of the VLA, but had half shifted off the top of the valve(?) One possibility is that the valve free play clearance became excessive. This happens when the VLA's (automatic valve lash adjusters) at the "pivot" end of the followers get sticky and cease to operate properly. This when you hear the clicking noise as a small amount of clearance is left and clicks like an old noisy "tappet". This in turn is linked to to infrequent oil changes and / or incorrect oil and / or lots of short trip driving / and even possibly low oil levels. It is possible (I suppose) that in an extreme case (eg a high mileage engine) the clearance may have become large enough to allow the follower to "hop" halfway off the valve. Before you re assemble I strongly suggest a proper ultrasonic cleaning of the VLA's or even maybe replacement. There is a special bleeding procedure for them contained in the Pajero Workshop manual.

[Forest Fab]

@CATS
It actually didn't sound much worse than the normal tic-tic... I actually opened the tappet cover to take the hydraulic lash adjusters out since the rev. to 3.000 rpm for 15sec procedure didn't change anything. I didn't expect to find this!

@7pajeros
I bought the vehicle with no history so it's actually difficult to have a good idea of the reasons that lead to this.
But I agree with you on the cause, too much play that allowed the rocker to shift. It was still located at both its end on the lash adjuster and the valve. Luckily I guess otherwise it would have been a whole different story if it had come completely loose
Lash adjusters were supposedly "serviced" when I had the head done almost two years ago, but everything that was done back then seems to have needed re-addressing... Shoddy workmanship? I'd say yes 100%...
I've let the adjusters soak in clean oil and have bled them, and they don't appear sticky. But maybe I'll be safe and replace them.

FYI the ticking noise was coming and going, that's was I wasn't too alarmed about it.
Oil and filter changed every 10.000km with Castrol GTX and the last one with Delo 400.

Thanks for the comments.

[mbzn06]

just opened my top covers... same thing, 3 of them, 3 different cams. no excessive lifter noise, small backfire from time to time. on 10k km delo400 intervals. bought the car on 190k km and doing 240k service now. will post pictures later...

[Forest Fab]

Eish...