Recently I've had an intermittent loud metallic tick coming from the engine first on startup and then comes and goes while warming up, it stops at around 1/4th on the temperature gauge, I'm assuming it's the lifters and hydraulic tappets? It sounds like it's just one of them in case that information is important?
I took the rocker off to have a look today and I found the below. The cover itself has the brown gunk in it but looking at the camshaft, it seems clean with no gunk on it at all, or down into the engine? I also had a feel of the cam and found that very few were smooth and a lot had scores on them. Is this the traditional m40 top end problems?
I have checked the spray bar (without taking it off) and it seemed clean and unblocked - I've read this can cause the ticking noise?
The car also has a problem where it drinks all the water you put into it, until it gets to the bottom of the radiator where it sits at a constant level, which is odd? I'm going to have a go at bleeding the cooling today and if it all disappears again, investigate the headgasket. - the car feels more responsive and drives better than it ever did since owning it, but it could be a small leak causing my water to disappear and cause the brown oil gunk?
Sorry if the pictures are bad, camera didn't like the rare sunny day! and I apologise if I haven't explained it very well either
Oh, and can anyone tell me what the plug in the last photo is for? It's below the air intake tubes and not plugged in (never has been)
