Rocinante ran pretty strong for the first couple days, then started to develop a consistent ticking noise.

Changed the oil from what was in it when we did the swap (was still honey-colored, level was fine) to fresh Rotella 10w-30. Problem immediately went away, but a couple days later - less than a tank of fuel - the noise is back. Sounds a lot like lifter tick. Fairly loud at cold startup, but gets much, much quieter within a couple seconds as oil pressure builds. Oil level is about as perfect as you can get, too. No sparkles when changing to the Rotella.

Truck runs otherwise stronger than ever. At speed, the noise goes away. Oil pressure gauge never reads much higher than 30psi (on the less than reliable factory gauge). Once warmed up, pressure drops to closer to 15psi. Thinking about changing out to a thicker oil, but that's really just a bandaid.

Really hoping there's some magic trick to this, guys, as if I have to tear into the engine again, I think I'm going to have to give up on the Pajero thing for a while. Considering I'll have to get something newer to replace it, I might be out of the Mitsubishi game too, as it would push my Delica dream back a couple years, easily.

Sucks, because aside from the Delica, there really isn't anything I'd rather be driving than this truck...

If you have balance shafts, check the chain adjustment. When loose, it will sound just like a rod knock.

As you already know, a good gauge is helpfull.

Cut the filter and look for bearing material or send a sample to Blackstone for testing.

SUcky, x2 on above maybe it's just chain slap.

Good idea. I remember the little access panel on the front case to tension the timing chain, but is there also one for the balance shaft chain? (Is it the same one?) In my book, pulling that damned front cover is pretty much the same difference as dropping the oil pan.


I've got my fingers crossed, too, but why would chain slap quiet down after oil pressure builds? Isn't the tensioner basically a teflon puck on a spring? If anything, heating the chain would cause it to expand, get looser, and make even more noise, right?

/Just a little disappointed.

Timing chain adj is automatic. There's a teardrop shaped black rubber block with an internal spring for tension. I don't think oil pressure acts on it too. The tension side of the cam chain runs against a rubber coated flat guide. There is no guide on the slack side, iirc...

The balance shaft chain adj in stock form is an oval bolt slot in the bottom leftish bs chain guide. The guide is secured by a bolt at the pivot and a "special" bolt with a high hat 10mm head (maybe 12mm) in the oval slot, so you could loosen that special bolt and using the hole under the timing cover small cover you mentioned, push up and inward on a tang on the guide to push it into 1mm clearance from the chain with the eninge warm. When installing a bse kit, I dremel an oval into the new, and only, guide in the kit, so I can "tension" the new short oil pump chain on the slack side. This short chain can make slapping noise if the tension is far out. The long oem chain surely can stretch and slap. It's almost twice the cam chain length. Even if you didn't oval the cetralish bolt hole in the bs/oil pump short chain guide, there's often enouch slack to at least pry the new guide closer.

You may want to try a bottle of hyperlube.

My ol' '87 had a no-oil-pressure problem at start-up for years. Sometimes I'd really have to rev it to get pressure. I figured 'so what,' and it kept running for years. A couple of owners later I heard it threw a piston through the block, but I can't establish a definitive correlation...

FastEddy has suggested using a shim in the oil pressure relief valve in past postings, as I recall. but that involves getting that front cover off. Don't know if that would help anyway.

If you're using a Fram oil filter, get rid of it (IMHO) as I regard the anti-drainback valve as being suspect.

John B.

Thanks for the advice, gents. I'll see about adjusting the chain this weekend. Hopefully it helps.

As for oil additives, I'm a little leery of those. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shame.gif" alt="" />

Once I reread your post, it sounds like a lighter noise ( aka lifter tick). Even an exhaust leak at the manifold can make a similar noise.

If thats the case, you might just need a new lash adjuster. Another possibility is you have air getting in them from a bad oil filter drain back valve. I have had good results running Purolater filters ( I get them off of E Bay) and 10W 40 oil . Since I run a turbo, I have been using Mobil 1. The 10w-40 high millage and the 0w-40 both work pretty well. For hot weather I have also run the 15W-50. That might be a bit thicker than you need, a high quality xxW-40 might not be a bad call.

At the very least, I would try a new filter.



Mobil 1 Oil Guide

Thanks mate. Appreciate the advice. I'm going to tinker this weekend. Fingers crossed.